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If there are two things that America loves, it’s snacks and soccer.
Waitaminute.
America definitely loves snacks. And soccer? Well, that probably depends on the year. Is there a World Cup happening? A Summer Olympics? If there’s a major tournament happening, then Americans are probably going to be invested in the world’s most popular sport.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup (the men, that is) kicking off in June, Mondelēz is celebrating the Summer of Soccer with special editions of Chips Ahoy!, Ritz, Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish. Limited-edition cookies and candy is the most American way to celebrate the World Cup, isn’t it? I’m on board.
Snackology has your early look at four elements of Mondelēz’s Summer of Soccer: Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts, Chips Ahoy! Chewy Chocolatey Churro, Chips Ahoy! Chewy Dulce De Leche and Ritz Cracker Soccer Shapes.
“National sporting occasions bring people together, and snacking is always at the center of the celebration,” a Mondelēz exec said in the announcement of these new takes on classic snacks. “From our Big Game, March Madness, college football, Inter Miami & Fanatics partnerships, to a summer packed full of soccer, Mondelēz is building a playbook that puts our brands right where fans are watching, cheering and snacking.”
As someone from Rochester, New York — the home of Abby Wambach and the now-defunct Rochester Rhinos, the only non-MLS team to ever win the U.S. Open Cup since the founding of the MLS — the World Cup already had my attention. (A buddy of mine once skipped a New York State Regents Exam in order to watch the United States play Germany in a 2002 World Cup quarterfinals game.) The promise of new cookies and crackers in honor of the tournament only amps up my interest.
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What they cost
I haven’t seen suggested retail prices for these cookies and crackers, but a package of Chips Ahoy! is currently going for $4.29 on Target’s website.
My thoughts
Before we get into the snacks themselves, Mondelēz has launched ScoreSnackGoals.com, giving soccer fans a shot at winning “an elite, private skills master class” with Christian Pulisic, “behind the scenes access and tickets to watch a match” with Alex Morgan, a “wellness session, followed by tickets to watch a Portland Thorns FC match” with Sophia Wilson ... and even “a meet-and-greet” with Pitbull. No, Pitbull isn’t featured on any of the packages for the soccer-inspired Chips Ahoy! and Ritz crackers, but he’s still part of the promotion.
Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts
There isn’t a better place to start this tour of snacks than with Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts. This is a traditional crunchy chocolate chip cookie. It updates the classic Chips Ahoy! Candy Blasts cookies by swapping out rainbow candies for patriotic blasts.
No surprises here. This is the classic Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookie, with a red, white and blue twist.
Christian Pulisic, the U.S. men’s team’s “Captain America,” is featured on the package of Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts.
Snack Score
4.5
Out of 5
Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts
First off, I feel incredibly old learning that Alex Morgan is a retired soccer player. Where did the time go?! The highly decorated Morgan is still popular enough to earn her own cookies, featuring on the package for Chips Ahoy! Chewy Chocolatey Churro.
These churro-inspired cookies don’t skimp on the chocolatey filling. Every single one that I’ve bit into — and I’ve tested several for the sake of, um, journalism — has delivered a solid layer of chocolate filling.
Chips Ahoy! Chewy Chocolatey Churro cookies also have a cinnamon-y warmth to them.
Continuing the trend of making me feel old, Chips Ahoy! Chewy Dulce De Leche cookies feature Sophia Wilson, a current women’s national team player who was born in 2000. (Which, for the sake of this newsletter’s narrative, was a mere two years before that friend of mine skipped a state regents test to watch the United States lose to Germany.) Wilson already has an Olympic gold medal to her name, a reminder that the United States women’s team continues to operate on a higher level.
This is a great addition to the Chips Ahoy! lineup. The caramel flavor is super subtle, balanced well with the cookie base and what I’m pretty sure are white chocolate chips. I’ve eaten more of this flavor than I have of the cookies endorsed by Pulisic and Morgan.
Can you go wrong with a Ritz cracker? I don’t think so. In our household, Ritz and Saltines are always in our cupboard. They’re a great snack. You can add jam, peanut butter or even tuna to them. (Not all at once. I’m not a monster.)
You might expect Ritz Cracker Soccer Shapes to normal Ritz crackers only shaped like soccer balls and jerseys, but these buttery snacks are actually slightly thicker than the traditional Ritz. The added heft makes them even better for carrying toppings. I would love to find a tiny “10” cheese to add to my crackers like there is on the box.
Pulisic pulls double duty during the Summer of Soccer, appearing not just on Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts but also the box for Ritz Cracker Soccer Shapes.
Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts, Chips Ahoy! Chewy Chocolatey Churro, Chips Ahoy! Chewy Dulce De Leche and Ritz Cracker Soccer Shapes were provided to Snackology for this independent review.
Snackology is a publication of The Omnicosm.
Issue No. 204
Snackology is written and produced by Bill Kuchman. Copyediting by Tim Kuchman.
The Omnicosm founder. Snackology, Popculturology and The Cold Open writer. A Rochester, N.Y., native now living in the Washington, D.C., area. Won’t pass up a Genny Cream Ale.
Available in Strawberry Blast, Molten Lava Cake and Cinnamon Caramel, these upscaled Pop-Tarts boast 50 percent more filling than a traditional toaster pastry.
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