REVIEW: Nice! Organic White Cheddar Puffs

Ingredients: Organic Cornmeal, Organic Expeller Pressed Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil, Organic Rice Flour, Organic Cheddar Cheese [Organic Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes], Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Buttermilk, Organic Whey, Sea Salt, Organic Black Pepper, Disodium Phosphate

Here’s the last cheese puff review for a while!!! The texture is mostly air and somewhat delicate. They aren’t the crunchiest puffs, but can disintegrate into gritty corn paste if you’re into that.

The flavor is modest, similarly to Pirates Brand Smart Puffs. After eating several pieces, I can taste the tangy goodness, but I wish it had much more cheese coating. Though that almost doesn’t matter because without being stale, there’s somehow an chemical-like cardboard flavor to these?

Luckily I purchased a small bag for $1 because that synthetic flavor is not so nice. These are from Walgreens, or Duane Reade if you live in New York City.

REVIEW: Fuller Foods Serious Cheesy Puffs Blue Cheese & Jalapeño

Ingredients: Corn, sunflower oil, blue and cheddar cheese blend (pasteurized milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), salt, jalapeno, garlic.

The packaging here is completely truthful with everything. These mottled puffs measure out to four to five inches each. The texture is really crunchy, and isn’t a puff that breaks down easily.

They’re not messing around with flavor either, and it’s refreshing to see a puff product being unabashedly cheesy. It tastes mostly of a sharper cheddar with pleasant mild funk. The blue cheese is just enough to add character, but shouldn’t scare anyone away. Sometimes jalapeño cheese products mostly (and disappointingly) taste like a blend of onions, garlic, and paprika. These actually taste like jalapeño peppers and build up satisfying levels of heat as you carry on.

These are getting harder to find, so I hope Fuller Foods is still producing these!! They’re doing a great execution with their intentions and I’d like to try other flavors. Found on sale for $2.50 at Erewhon Market.

REVIEW: Simply Cheetos Puffs White Cheddar

Ingredients: Organic Corn Meal, Expeller-Pressed Sunflower Oil, Whey, Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Maltodextrin, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Disodium Phosphate, Organic Sour Cream (Cultured Organic Skim Milk, Organic Cream, Cornstarch, Nonfat Dry Milk (Acidophilus And Bifidus Cultures Added ), Torula Yeast, Lactic Acid, And Citric Acid.

I grew up plowing through Cheetos Puffs, so these should be my holy mecca of “healthier” cheese puffs right?? They’re shaped a touch skinnier and longer than I recall with the regular variety. The texture is crisp and delicate. It’s almost soft in a way and melts in your mouth easily, probably because from the fat content.

The flavor is apparent almost right away, obviously tastes more natural, and is more sour than tangy in this particular white cheddar profile. This is a white cheddar product someone can actually distinguish. You can also taste the distinct oil and corn flavor that’s signature of a Cheetos experience.

Luckily this is literally just a more natural take on regular Cheetos Puffs–finger residue included. They’re salty, tasty, and addictive. Frito Lay didn’t disappoint. Purchased on sale for $2.99 at Rite Aid.

REVIEW: Trader Joe’s Reduced Fat Cheese Puffs

Ingredients: Yellow corn meal, vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: rice, canola, sunflower and/or safflower oil), cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), whey, butter (cream, salt), buttermilk, salt, annatto (for color), natural flavor, salt.

You can already see from the clear packaging that these are short and stout fellas. They’re very crunchy, quite hollow inside, and a bit abrasive on the mouth. It becomes a gritty corn paste after a numerous bites, but sort of hurts the roof of my mouth after a while.

There’s a light, but detectable cheese flavor here that’s reminiscent of a mild cheddar. It’s quite in tradition of what a cheese puff should taste like. I wouldn’t guess these were “reduced fat”.

I’m only nit-picking with texture because these are yummy, affordable, and should satisfy a cheese puff craving. Trader Joes beats Whole Foods cheese puffs by quite a bit in my book. Purchased for $1.99.

REVIEW: 365 Everyday Value Cheese Puffs

Ingredients: Cornmeal, expeller pressed sunflower seed oil, whey (milk) reduced lactose whey (milk), butter (cream, salt), buttermilk, salt, cheddar cheese (cultured milk, salt, microbial enzymes), blue cheese (cultured milk, salt, microbial enzymes), disodium phosphate, natural butter flavor, color (paprika, turmeric, annatto), lactic acid, citric acid.

These are really crunchy to bite into, and have a slightly more dry texture. It’s difficult to turn them into corn mush in your mouth.

It took consuming a few puffs to detect the very light, mild cheddar flavor these have. They have some sort of cheesiness with the lightest hint of sourness, but it’s predominantly a sweet note? I finished the bag, but couldn’t get over the strangely sweet, half-assed cheddar flavor these had.

These are the most affordable cheese puffs at Whole Foods, and there’s a reason why. Purchased for $1.99.

REVIEW: Pirate Smart Puffs Real Cheddar Baked Cheese Puffs

Ingredients: Corn Meal, Sunflower Oil And/Or Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Whey, Buttermilk, Salt, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Organic Black Pepper.

These nearly weightless puffs measure anywhere from 1″ to 2″ and have ample crevices throughout. Although somewhat delicate, they remain crispy when bitten. These aren’t the puffs you can easily suck on because they’re too dry and structurally hard.

It honestly took eating several puffs before noticing the cheese. After eating several puffs, I could finally figure out this kind of cheddar had tanginess to it. It’s good once you finally taste something, but I I personally find the coating to be too bashful.

I don’t enjoy having to investigate where the cheese is, so I wouldn’t purchase it again personally. That being said, they’re still decent in a jiffy and are one of the more accessible and affordable options out there. Purchased mine for $1.99 at my local Key Foods.

REVIEW: Barbara’s Baked White Cheddar Puffs

Ingredients: White corn meal, expeller pressed high oleic (canola, sunflower or safflower) oil, white cheddar cheese (cultured pasteurized milk, salt, natural enzymes), whey (milk), dry buttermilk, salt, disodium phosphate (a natural flavoring agent), citric acid, salt, lactic acid.

This is the same 1.5″ to 3″ puff as the Original, except with white corn instead of yellow. They, too, are satisfyingly crunchy, and most pieces will disintegrate in your mouth if you suck on them.

There’s evident sour cheddar flavor, versus a tangy note like the Original. They’re enjoyable in both taste and texture. I’d recommend them.

REVIEW: Barbara’s Baked Original Cheese Puffs

 

Ingredients: Yellow cornmeal, expeller pressed high oleic (sunflower, safflower and/or canola oil,) aged cheddar (pasteurized milk, salt, annatto extract, [for color], cheese cultures, enzymes), whey, butter (cream), salt, blue cheese (pasteurized milk, salt, cheese cultures, flavors, citric acid, paprika and turmeric extracts (for color).

The shapes are immediately nostalgic to my beloved Cheeto Puffs, with these ranging from 1.5″ to 3″ in length. The first bite is a very crisp, shell-like texture, and the rest of the experience is semi-airy and crunchy. If you particularly enjoy sucking on puffs until the roof of your mouth dries out, some of these have the opportunity to evolve into a semi-soft, smooth grit paste.

The flavor is noticeably cheddar with pleasant levels of sal and tang (most likely from the blue cheese). These shouldn’t a deal breaker for any blue cheese haters, since it simply adds oomph to the aged cheddar.

These are well-executed, higher quality cheese puffs that aren’t trying to impress anyone with fancy tricks. They’re very tasty, and waaaay too easy to down half a bag in one sitting. I’d definitely buy these again and would recommend them to anyone seeking tasty cheese puffs. Purchased these on sale for $2.99 at Whole Foods.

REVIEW: Barbara’s Multi-Grain Baked Cheddar Jack Cheese Puffs

Ingredients: Expeller Pressed High Oleic (Sunflower, Safflower and/or Canola) Oil, Yellow Corn Meal, Sorghum, Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Corn Bran, Buckwheat Flour, Whey, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Romano Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Enzymes), Salt, Tomato Solids, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cane Sugar, Yeast Extract, Spices and Spice Extractives, Natural Flavors, Jalapeno Pepper, Canola Oil, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Parsley, Annatto and Paprika Extract (for Color).

These measure to a little over two inches, and feel surprisingly very light. They’re mostly air upon consumption, but maintain some degree of crispiness.

The coating tastes lighter than I had hoped, but at least I can pick up a mild, tangy cheese flavor. There’s also clearly nuances from tomatoes and onions here. Lastly, if it’s any concern, these aren’t spicy.

They’re good, but I feel like Barbara’s could’ve done a touch more justice to such delicious aged cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. I’m neutral in recommending these. Purchased at a small Brooklyn bodega for $2.99.

REVIEW: Off The Eaten Path Spicy Cheddar Veggie Puffs

Ingredients: Chickpea Flour, Yellow Pea Flour, Sunflower Oil, Rice Flour, Corn Starch, Organic Cheddar Cheese (Organic Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Pea Protein, Organic Buttermilk, Spices (Including Red Pepper), Maltodextrin (Made from Corn), Salt, Tomato Powder, Natural Flavors, Onion Powder, Dextrose, Organic Romano Cheese (Organic Cow’s Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Yeast Extract, Organic Lactose, Organic Skim Milk, Organic Blue Cheese (Organic Milk, Cheese Cultures, Sea Salt, Enzymes), Garlic Powder, Citric Acid, Organic Whey, and Antioxidants (Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Mixed Tocopherols).

Unlike the packaging suggests, these are half as small measuring to 1.5″ in length. They’re a smokey orange color, have a mottled appearance, and don’t feel fragile in your hand. The texture is very crunchy, and has a stronger structure than the typical puffed corn snack.

I don’t taste much cheese nearly as I do spices. There’s barely any cheddar flavor and it mostly tastes of tomato, onion, garlic, cumin, pepper, and paprika. Overall, it tastes more like a strong smokey/BBQ/mesquite/tangy lime nacho flavor with mild heat.

It’s not bad, but they should rename this flavor. Bought at Target for $3.69.