Take a Bite Outta These
You’ve likely heard of ketchup chips or furrowed your brow at something called “all dressed,” but there’s an entire world of weird chips out there—and you don’t know the half of it. From beef goulash to garlic bread, here are some of the weirdest flavors from around the world.
1. Italian Red Meat (China)
What a pickle—you’re torn between cravings. Do you want a big bowl of bolognese or an airy potato chip? Well, lucky consumers in China have the best of both bizarre worlds. “Italian red meat” is meant to mimic your favorite pasta dish, though plenty of tasters say it’s off the mark.
Photo by Danijela Prijovic on Unsplash
2. Oregano (Greece)
You may want to pop a mint after a handful of these. Though oregano-infused chips are hardly unheard of in Greece, they might surprise the average traveler. You can’t find these on the USA Lay's site, but adventurous eaters can still grab a bag online.
Photo by Karolina Kaboompics on Pexels
3. Crispy Taco (USA)
You love tacos, you love potato chips. Now you’ll never have to decide again! This limited-release flavor is available in the States, packing all that flavor into one little chip. Think of it as an entire taco pressed into the crunchiest shell.
Photo by Xavier crook on Unsplash
4. Ketchup (Canada)
For the average Canadian, ketchup chips are the furthest thing from strange. Northern shelves are stocked with this popular flavor, often available from just about every major chip brand in the country. Given that it combines ketchup and potato, you’d think this would be more widely available—alas, it’s reserved for the moose.
Clovermoss on Wikimedia Commons
5. Fried Crab (China)
Crab lovers were once able to enjoy this exotic flavor, mostly found in China. Consumers said the flavor wasn’t necessarily mind-blowing, but it got the job done. China’s Lay's website still displays them, but consumers elsewhere might still snag a bag online.
Photo by Jaradah Fish on Pexels
6. Mango Chutney (Dubai)
Originally from India and Pakistan, mango chutney is well-loved by many. So, it shouldn’t surprise you that this flavor popped up in stores around Jordan and Dubai. If this sounds up your alley, some stores still have them readily available.
Photo by Deon Black on Unsplash
7. Cuban Sandwich (USA)
Cuban sandwich chips: for when there’s no time to make the real thing. It may be a limited-release flavor, but consumers have flocked to the snack aisle for these bad boys. Not only that, but Lay's apparently nailed the flavor—despite so many flavors in the actual sandwich.
Photo by Esperanza Doronila on Unsplash
8. Kobe Beef (Taiwan)
We all know Kobe beef is expensive, but you can still nab the flavor for a fraction of the cost. Available for purchase online, steak lovers everywhere can sink their teeth into this savory chip—one that’s often sold out due to popularity.
Photo by note thanun on Unsplash
9. Cucumber (China)
Just like cucumber…but a little unhealthier. This flavor could be found in China, though it eventually made its way over to select locations elsewhere. Tasters were torn on their opinions with some saying it was awful and admitting they didn’t hate it. China’s Lay's website has them listed and some Canadian grocery stores carry them online.
Photo by Lucie Rangel on Unsplash
10. Beef Goulash With Mushrooms (Poland)
If you’re looking for a hearty meal in chip form, this flavor ought to do it. Anyone in Poland can likely find this snack on shelves, but everyone else will have to comb online sites for their own bag.
11. Scallops (Taiwan)
Not everyone wants to sear their own scallops, but just about everyone wants potato chips. Now you can combine the two—at least in Taiwan. Daring eaters elsewhere can still find the odd bag online, though there are probably better flavors in stock.
12. All Dressed (Canada)
As it turns out, “all dressed” is a combination of four other flavors: ketchup, barbecue, sour cream and onion, and salt and vinegar. If that sounds like too much of a good thing, you may want to skip these. Though, Canadians swear by it.
Photo by Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels
13. Chicken and Waffles (USA)
While we’re not advocating you eat chips for breakfast, these do sound comforting. The company seemed torn on whether or not to keep this flavor—it went away for a while but eventually found its way back to American stores.
Photo by Tim Toomey on Unsplash
14. Magic Masala (India)
Bring the magic of masala right to your snack bowl with India’s popular flavor. However, you may want to stick with the imported version as many snackers say the westernized version is far worse than the original.
Photo by Prabal Pratap Singh on Pexels
15. Cheese Garlic Bread (USA)
It sounds strange, but garlic bread-flavored chips are hardly a surprise. Being such a beloved appetizer, it’s only natural the taste soon found its way inside a chip bag. The cheesy kind is often found in America and Canada but Taiwan has its own version, too—sans the cheddar.
Photo by Jay Gajjar on Unsplash
16. Paprika (Pakistan)
Anyone craving spicier chips will likely love these! Though Pakistan is no stranger to hotter flavors, paprika is a crowd favorite with plenty of tasters in agreement of its deliciousness. Those outside the country can likely find a bag online.
Photo by Karolina Kaboompics on Pexels
17. Fries’n Gravy (Canada)
Oh, what do you know? The country known for poutine has a fries and gravy flavor. Of course they do—and we’re not judging! This flavor has Canada written all over it and evidently, these chips aren’t half as strange as they sound.
Photo by @withlovefromchile on Unsplash
18. Rose Petals (China)
We’re not sure we’d like a mouthful of rose petals, but most consumers luckily won’t see these outside of China. For better or worse, they’re also branded as “sweet and sour,” so keep that in mind before purchasing.
Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash
19. Carbonara Parmesan (Thailand)
Supposedly inspired by the delicious pasta dish, these chips tried to encapsulate the flavor of carbonara in every bite. Just looking at the bag, we’re not so sure they succeeded. A for effort, though.
Photo by Bruna Branco on Unsplash
20. Mint Mischief (India)
Talk about an apt name. These chips are a blessed thing of the past, but consumers were once able to find mint-flavored chips! As if that wasn’t enough, Mint Mischief also tossed in lime and jalapeno. We’re good.
KEEP ON READING
