Walkers Jed's Sizzling Steak Fajita

Product name: Walkers Jed’s Sizzling Steak Fajita
Purchase details: £0.99 for a multipack of six bags (Home Bargains)
Calories: 132 per 25g bag
Country of origin: UK

This bag of Walkers Jed’s Sizzling Steak Fajita was the final flavour I tried from the Do Us A Flavour selection 2 multipack that I got on a Spotted On Star Buys promotion. As one of the varieties I’d really wanted to try prior to purchase, I couldn’t wait to see if I found it to be as good as Emma G's Chip Shop Chicken Curry.

The packet’s colour scheme matched its contents better than some of its competitors, with the brown and green reminding me of steak and peppers. The crisps were visibly tinted brown, too, by the powdered Scottish Aberdeen angus beef that was used in conjunction with smoke flavouring in an attempt to achieve the desired taste.

Bizarrely, the crisps actually smelt like vegetables! There was a tiny hint of meat too but, if I’m honest, I wasn’t really convinced or impressed by the aroma – it just didn’t seem to quite work in this format. However, I love fajitas (although I don’t eat them as often as I’d like!) so I still wanted to see how the taste compared...and they were actually pretty authentic! I could pick up aspects of both steak and peppers in the flavouring, and there was a very slight ‘kick’ in the mix too. It was just a shame that the sour cream and shedloads of cheese – which I think are essential for good fajitas – weren’t flavours that were included in the overall experience. Furthermore, I sometimes felt that the peppers were simply masking the taste of standard roast beef crisps. However, I was impressed by the juicy aspect of the meat which I thought was quite unique in this type of product.

Texturally, there was no change from Walkers’ usual high standards, so I was left feeling that this was a nice enough packet of crisps...just not sensational.

Appearance: 7.5/10
Aroma: 5.5/10
Taste: 7/10
Texture: 8/10
Overall score: 7/10

Walkers Paul's Pulled Pork In A Sticky BBQ Sauce

Product name: Walkers Paul’s Pulled Pork In A Sticky BBQ Sauce
Purchase details: £0.99 for a multipack of six bags (Home Bargains)
Calories: 132 per 25g bag
Country of origin: UK

The deadline for voting for Do Us A Flavour may have passed but I’m still working my way through the selection 2 bag I picked up on a Spotted On Star Buys promotion! These Walkers Paul’s Pulled Pork In A Sticky BBQ Sauce were a bit of a mouthful but it was also the flavour my colleagues had absolutely raved about so I couldn’t wait to try them.

Pushing past the pink packaging that reminded me of dreaded prawn cocktail flavoured crisps, I was interested to see that that this variety contained pork from Norfolk, just like Extra Crunchy: Sticky BBQ rib. I’d already suspected that these flavours would be similar, and they certainly smelt alike too.

I’ve only had pulled pork a couple of times but these crisps did do a good job of capturing the slightly sweetened aspect of the sauce. They seemed to taste smokier than the Extra Crunchy: Sticky BBQ rib (they specifically contained ‘smoke flavour’) but they had the standard crisp texture rather than the thicker, crunchier one I’d love with the Extra Crunchy variety.

I definitely really enjoyed these pulled pork-inspired crisps but I did find it a bit odd that Walkers shortlisted a flavour that was so similar to an existing product. Still, when they tasted this good, it was hard to care!

Appearance: 7.5/10
Aroma: 7/10
Taste: 7.5/10
Texture: 8/10
Overall score: 7.5/10

Walkers Emma G's Chip Shop Chicken Curry

Product name: Walkers Emma G’s Chip Shop Chicken Curry
Purchase details: £0.99 for a multipack of six bags (Home Bargains)
Calories: 132 per 25g bag
Country of origin: UK

I’ve now moved on to selection 2 from the Walkers Do Us A Flavour contest and I was pleased to find this multipack on a Spotted On Star Buys promotion.

I really couldn’t anticipate how I’d feel about Emma G’s Chip Shop Chicken Curry crisps. I’ve never liked chicken flavoured crisps, but the curry sounded nice, although I never get curry sauce from the chippy so I wasn’t even sure if the real thing was good!

The crisps came in an orange bag but I was more interested in the colour of the crisps which were noticeably yellower than most. Amongst the ingredients were curry powder, cumin and red pepper powder, and there was a definite curry powder aroma mixed with a more standard salty crisp smell.

Despite containing free range chicken from Devon, the emphasis was definitely on the curry in terms of taste, too. The crisps were flavourful but the curry itself was mild, and I actually thought they tasted a lot like coronation chicken, with an added lightly salted element. Despite this, I couldn’t specifically taste poultry as a separate feature, but I was more than happy about that as it meant I had finally found a chicken flavoured crisp that I liked!

Texturally, the crisps were as normal, so these were a great all-rounder. I don’t know how the flavour would compare to real chicken curry from a chip shop but, as far as I’m concerned, these were a surprise hit which I’d be sad to see taken off the market.

Appearance: 7.5/10
Aroma: 7.5/10
Taste: 8/10
Texture: 8/10
Overall score: 7.75/10

Walkers Extra Crunchy: Sticky BBQ rib

Product name: Walkers Extra Crunchy: Sticky BBQ rib
Purchase details: £0.79 for a 175g bag (Home Bargains)
Calories: 130 per 30g serving
Country of origin: UK

I’ve never tried the Walkers Extra Crunchy range before but, when I heard about the new Sticky BBQ rib flavour, I really wanted to give them a go. Thankfully, I found this bag on a Spotted on Star Buys promotion shortly after, so I got my chance!

 

The purple bag was attractive and quite festive, with its sparkly design, and the bowl of crisps on the front looked very appetising. I did notice a typo, though, since the front said that each serving contained 139 calories when the back said 130 (I managed to work out that the latter was correct based on the values provided per 100g).

The crisps themselves looked pretty standard in that they were all different shapes and sizes – I was particularly pleased to see the inclusion of ones that had been folded since they’re always my favourite! The bag said they’d been ‘sliced a little thicker’ and this was just about evident in their appearance. They were a nice golden orange colour too.

Unlike other meaty crisps I’ve had recently, these weren’t suitable for vegetarians since the seasoning contained ‘Norfolk dried pork shoulder’ for a ‘finger licking taste’. There were no preservatives, artificial colours or MSG included, and the aroma that was emitted was like a slightly vinegary prawn cocktail flavour. I can’t stand fish so this wasn’t ideal for me but, in crisp form, it wasn’t so bad.

I was quite impressed by the number of crisps in each serving, although I was less impressed by the fact that the bag didn’t contain an even number – 175 isn’t divisible by 30! They had a tangy flavour with a slightly smoky aspect, a tiny tingle of spice, as well as an almost citrusy element at times. They were very tasty but I can’t say I really associated the flavour with ribs as they weren’t very meaty.

There was no arguing with the crunchiness, though, since this aspect was fantastic. As expected, the ones that were doubled over were particularly enjoyable, although probably not for anyone in the same room as me!

These Walkers Extra Crunchy: Sticky BBQ rib crisps were certainly full of delicious flavours but, if I’m honest, they weren’t revolutionary. The taste was definitely a familiar one but this didn’t lessen my high opinion of them as they still tasted good!

Appearance: 7.5/10
Aroma: 7/10
Taste: 7.5/10
Texture: 8.5/10
Overall score: 7.63/10

Kellogg's Froot Loops

Product name: Kellogg’s Froot Loops
Purchase details: £0.79 for a 350g box (Home Bargains)
Calories: 117 per 30g serving (159 per 30g serving with 125ml skimmed milk)
Country of origin: UK

I’ve got two different memories of Kellogg’s Froot Loops from my childhood. The main one is Woody sticking his head in a bowl of them (or something that was supposed to hint at them!) in Toy Story (see the end of this clip if you don’t know what I’m talking about). The other one, though, was being told that the different colours were artificial and all the additives made kids hyper. As a result, as much as I wanted to try the cereal, I never did.

 

As an adult, although I’ve been tempted to buy a box previously, I’ve always been put off by the high prices. That’s why, when I saw this amazing offer as part of Home Bargains’ ‘Spotted on Star Buys’ promotion, I was straight in there – the limited shelf life wasn’t going to bother me. As it happens, the ‘multi-grain cereal’ specified that it was made with natural colours and flavours...so there!

 

The ‘mixed cereal fruit flavoured loops’ were designed for kids and effectively looked like colourful Nestlé Cheerios and came in a red box that featured a toucan as its mascot. In addition to the positivity surrounding the lack of artificial colours and flavours, the cereal (made from corn, oats and wheat) also contained folic acid and various vitamins and minerals (including at least half of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C). On the downside, each 30g serving contained 14g of sugar...not so great.

The box contained around 11 servings and contained green, purple and yellow loops that were hard, lightweight and a little sticky to the touch. Combined, they produced a slightly juicy, fruity scent when dry, but smelt more of general cereal when covered in milk.

I assumed that the different colours represented different flavours so I tried each one on its own first. They all appeared to have a slightly sweet coating and they did taste pretty similar but with subtle differences. The yellow rings tasted like fairly plain cereal and, if anything, reminded me of Kellogg’s Corn Pops. In comparison, the green loops were sweeter and, although there was no immediately obvious fruity taste, they did seem to have a minimalist apple tang in the aftertaste. This was noticeable when dry but stronger when wet. The purple loops remained sweet but, again, there was no fruity flavour. At this stage, I couldn’t help but wonder why they were called 'Froot Loops'!

I obviously did proceed to eat combined spoonfuls of the cereal to get a proper idea of what it tasted like. To be perfectly honest, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of flavour, but the green’s fruity hint definitely came out the strongest. However, just when I was thinking that the overall flavour was the same as any other sweet cereal, I found that an apricot taste emerged as more milk was absorbed. This was pleasant but I still wouldn’t have said the bowl screamed ‘fruit!’.

Texturally, the Froot Loops were very good. They remained nice and crispy, even when wet – their surfaces got a little soggy over time but this never affected the structure.

This cereal was definitely nice enough, and I enjoyed the sugary milk it left behind, but I’m glad I didn’t pay over the odds for a box since I didn’t find them very fruity at all. Coincidentally, I saw that Erin reviewed the American version over at Guilt Free Veggie yesterday, and it turns out our recipe is different...maybe I’d prefer the strength of flavour on offer in the USA?

Appearance: 7.5/10
Aroma: 7/10
Taste: 7/10
Texture: 8/10
Overall score: 7.38/10