I first spotted these at the self-checkout impulse aisle a couple weeks ago and decided I was not going to take the bait. At least at that time. But, as usually happens, my will wore down and while grabbing last-minute snacks for our neighborhood happy hour, I bit.
Much to my surprise, both the Lay's Roasted Holiday Turkey and Cheddar Scalloped Style Potatoes were among the better flavored potato chips I've sampled in some time and were met with universal approval.
Other brands like ALDI and Trader Joe's have offered Thanksgiving-centric snacks over the last couple years, including an ALDI cracker that tasted just like the Chicken in a Biskit of my youth. I was hoping the Roasted Holiday Turkey flavor would mine similar territory, but it leans more heavily into "what if we took Stove-Top Stuffing Mix and put it on a potato chip?" territory.
Though I'm a big fan of all things Stove Top (I recently had to explain to a friend that the appeal of Stove Top was that it was ready in like 10 minutes), flavored chips can be a little heavy-handed. Instead, the chips have a flavor that conjures up sticking your face in a just opened bag of Stove Top mix with a hint of turkey lunchmeat.
Meanwhile, the Cheddar Scalloped Style Potatoes (which caused another pal to joke "potato-flavored potato chips ... what will they think of next?!") trod familiar ground for those of us that regularly purchase "cheese flavored" chips. These have the a creaminess that brings to mind the illegitimate love child of sour cream and onion chips mixed with cheddar chips.
The small bags are not cheap (I believe these were almost $3 each at my local Giant), but I'm also averse to shelling out bigger bucks for — and being stuck with — chips that often suck.
These do not suck. — Dan Taylor
Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet, which is soliciting submissions for its upcoming 14th issue (Spring 2027). Visit hungovergourmet.com/contribute for more details or email editor@hungovergourmet.com.
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