The former cast member loves to see himself on ‘SNL,’ so it was no surprise that he nominated a sketch of his own for the prestigious post-monologue slot.
I firmly believe that snack food shouldn’t be something you feel guilty about. A bag of chips or a candy bar, in moderation, is just a pleasure. Not a guilty pleasure. Life is short, and you absolutely should find joy in small things like a new flavor of soda.
But I won’t complain when a company known for its deliciously crispy tortilla chips like Xochitl finds a way to raise the quality of its ingredients and process while not compromising on the taste that its fans know and love.
Xochitl announced this month that it had completely revamped its lineup of tortilla chips, switching to “100% pure avocado oil,” noting that “unlike traditional vegetable or seed oils, avocado oil is celebrated for its heart-healthy fats and a high smoke point that preserves the integrity and taste of the corn without a greasy aftertaste.”
The brand is also adding Spicy Lime and Nacho flavors to its lineup of tortilla chips, packing its new and existing flavors of chips in “craft paper bags [that communicate] the move with bold new color blocking that pops on the shelf.”
“Our commitment to authenticity is unwavering,” Xochitl CEO Maura Mottolese said in the company’s announcement of the upgrade. “By transitioning our entire product line to avocado oil, we are enhancing the overall snacking experience. This represents a major investment in the quality that our community has come to expect and deserves.”
I got my hands on Spicy Lime and Nacho, the two new flavors, along with classic Xochitl flavors including Sea Salt, Organic Blue Corn and Cholula Hot Sauce. For the sake of journalism, I opened up five bags of tortilla chips to determine for myself if Xochitl landed the transition to avocado oil.
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What they cost
Each bag of Xochitl chips has a suggested retail price of $4.99.
My thoughts
This is the biggest chip review in Snackology history, surpassing the four bags that were part of the initial wave of Simply NKD chips. (This review could’ve been even bigger, but I’ll have to find the Organic White Corn, No Salt and The Dipper Xochitl flavors another time.)
Xochitl Sea Salt Tortilla Chips
Xochitl’s standard Sea Salt Tortilla Chips are very good. They’re easily snackable on their own, with enough salt to not need the additional boost of a salsa, queso or guacamole. Thanks to both their thinness and the avocado oil, the Sea Salt chips don’t leave you with a heavy feeling after you’ve eaten a few handfuls.
I’m a sucker for a bag of blue corn tortilla chips. Is it that they seem fancier? More sophisticated? Oh, you’re still eating normal corn chips? I was surprised when I found myself craving the Sea Salt variety of Xochitl tortilla chips as I ate my way through a few Blue Corn chips. The flavor is there, but I think this variety is missing the same level of salt that makes the standard version so tasty.
Xochitl Cholula Hot Sauce Tortilla Chips are by far and easily the MVP of this lineup. The chips are thin and crispy. The flavor is fun. And the heat level is just right where you can easily down a bowl of chips without breaking a sweat.
Back in my college newspaper days, my senior staff and I would occasionally be allowed to make a Wegmans run for the newspaper office with the promise that we could expense our trip. (Long live the Cardinal Courier.) In addition to several cases of Coke Zero, we often returned with a few bags of Tostitos Hint of Lime tortilla chips. Xochitl’s version of that flavor is even better thanks to the combo of a touch of heat with just enough lime zing to cut through that heat.
When I opened my bag of Xochitl Nacho Tortilla Chips, I was expecting something along the lines of Doritos Nacho Cheese. But the flavor is much more reminiscent of a Harvest Cheddar SunChip — a chip that I don’t think I’ve ever passed up.
The lighter nacho flavor pairs exceptionally well with the thinness of Xochitl’s tortilla chips, delivering a flavorful yet light cheesy hit.
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.
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