Junk Food Nation, I have a cut on my body (no I’m not going to tell you where, perverts).  But I’ve been dutifully changing the bandage twice a day, adding new ointment and a new band-aid each time.  And the cut is almost gone.

But I was noticing after the first day of applying bandages that the band-aids were VERY sticky.  Like, painful-to-pull-off sticky.  I know we use the phrase “ripping off the band-aid” to refer to getting something painful over with quickly, and I’ve tried that method.  For some reason, with these normal band-aids lately, I get halfway through “ripping” off the band-aid when it locks up like a vice and snags – leaving me to YELP aloud, followed by tears and expletives.

Today, I peeled off the band-aid as painlessly as possible, and noticed that (1) my original cut was healed, but (2) I had a whole new set of bleeding abrasions!  The skin where the adhesive wings were attached to my body was hot, weak, and speckled with pinpricks of blood.  WTF.  As I was trying to heal my wound these band-aids were creating another!  I am uber pissed!  What am I supposed to do, put another band-aid on those areas, and continue this hellish cycle???? GRRRR.

More venting after the jump.  Today’s junk food: Jalapeno Jack Sun Chips!

The Money Shot

Sun Chips are baked, rippled, multigrain chips that launched in 1991 and are produced by Frito-Lay, and are one of the only snacks that I can claim I was around for when they were FIRST introduced in the market!  I remember when Sun Chips first came out, they were heavily marketed as a “healthy” alternative to potato chips.  My first thought: “Why would I want THAT!?”

Simple flavors to expect

Sun Chips have for the longest time only come in traditional flavors – original, harvest cheddar, French Onion, Garden Salsa.  Others flavors like peppercorn ranch were introduced in 2009, and this year, Jalapeno Jack was put on the market.  Can I just say I love finding new flavors of chips?  You can always tell because of the different packaging – it’s like when that hot co-worker of yours has a new outfit.  “I didn’t know he/she looked good in PAISLEY but I like what I’m seein’!”  Yeah, that was creepy.

With my proclivity for spicy things, I knew I had to try them.  The promise of this snack is simple – jalapeno spice with some monterey jack cheese background.

Tongue tingling kick is an exciting description

Just because there’s a jalapeno involved, I need to be getting ready for a flavor “fiesta?” Really, Sun Chips? (And yes, I am doing “really” schtick.)

30% less fat

See?  There’s the push that Sun Chips are healthier than potato chips again!  If they only knew how little that mattered to me – it’s all the same when you eat half the bag in one sitting 😉

Crunchy!

Apparently when Sun Chips first came out (as pointed out to me by my buddy Nevin), the biodegradable bags were loud.  I mean, really loud.  I mean, people filed consumer complaints over and over and over again until finally, last fall, they yanked the entire bag line and released Sun Chips in their newer, more normal sounding bags.  Wow.

Texturized for your pleasure

Sun Chips are squarish and have a rippled surface, which I like because usually that ensures the trapping of more flavor powder. The mottled surface with its burnt wheat specks is highly appetizing.  Let’s go for a closer look…

Very visible cheese and green flakes

Up close, the chip is pretty impressive – the entire surface is lightly dusted with cheese seasoning, and you can really see how the powder gets into every nook and cranny.  My only concern about the potential flavor is that I don’t see enough green flecks, which presumably are the “jalapeno” parts of the chip.

Hmmm, concerned about not enough green

I took a chip and crunched down – hmmmm…the flavor wasn’t strong, but it was pleasant.  The jack cheese flavor was definitely there – smooth and round, and there was a slight slight tinge of jalapeno flavor. These two tastes gave way rather quickly to the familiar wheaty taste of Sun Chips.  After several chips, however, I was able to get a very SLIGHT burn of jalapeno, and the taste of jalapeno was definitely there.

Looking at the ingredients, Cheese and Jalapeno were some of the earlier ingredients, which is good (unlike their Tostitos Pepper Jack counterparts in which onion and sour cream were early ingredients). Maybe I just like really spicy things, which is why the jalapeno in these chips didn’t have an effect on me – but I definitely enjoyed the chip, and felt that they did not lead me astray, flavor wise.

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Now if you’ll excuse me, I have wounds to attend to…

Sincerely, Junk Food Guy