# Cheetos - Crunchy, Puff or Flaming Hot?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetos-crunchy-puff-or-flaming-hot/992198>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** food-cooking\
**Created:** [October 27, 2023, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetos-crunchy-puff-or-flaming-hot/992198 "2023-10-27T22:11:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 29

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**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetos-crunchy-puff-or-flaming-hot/992198/29 "2023-10-28T20:15:48Z")

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I am a fan of the original Crunchy. Prior to COVID and some serious shrinkflation, I’d break down and buy them 3-4 times a year on sale, because I know they’re junk, and an absolute waste of carbs and salt.

I enjoy the crunch and substance of the originals, but even then, it’s (of course) mostly air. Puffs take that an turn it up to 11, so no, never been a fan of those. And I like my various spicy options with more actual flavor, which the flaming hots don’t really provide IMHO.

Since I was just eating them for comfort or a taste of childhood, there really wasn’t a motivation to try various new flavors anyway.

But between inflation and shrinkflation, most processed (especially name brands!) chips and snacks were [noped out for me.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-drink-have-you-noped-out-of-due-to-rising-costs/987177) I mean right now, my local Kroger has an 8.5 oz bag at normal price of $5.49. I just CAN’T make myself pay that. Even at current beef prices I could get a top sirloin at a near-equivalent price per oz ($11.99/lb, so that’s $0.65/oz for Cheetos to $0.75/oz for steak). And I love steak, and it’s nutritionally quite a bit better (duh).

And even then, I haven’t bought a steak in 3ish months due to THAT cost.

Doesn’t mean I don’t want steak, or occasionally Cheetos, but apparently I don’t love them ENOUGH to throw those considerations to the wind. I’ll probably keep buying a steak as a treat every now and then, but until/unless I see an 8.5 oz bag of Cheetos under $3.99 again (not cheap, but that’s the last price point that I could convince myself at) I doubt I’ll buy them.

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