Digging into What’s in Hot Fries
Alright, so the other day I was grabbing a bag of those spicy hot fries, the crunchy ones. You know the kind. And while I was happily munching away, I got curious. Like, what exactly am I eating here? We see these snacks all the time, but I never really stopped to check.
So, I did what any curious person would do. I stopped eating for a sec, flipped the bag over, and started reading that tiny ingredients list. Had to squint a bit, they never make it easy, do they?
First things I spotted:
- Cornmeal: Okay, that makes sense. Gives them that specific gritty, crunchy texture.
- Soybean oil: They gotta cook ’em in something, right? Oil it is. Probably what makes them satisfyingly greasy too.
Then I was looking for the “hot” part. Where does the spice come from? I scanned down the list again.
The Spicy Bits:
- Cayenne pepper: Ah, there it is. That definitely brings the heat.
- Paprika: Saw this too. Probably adds to the flavor and gives them that reddish color.
I kept reading, just to see what else was lurking in there. Noticed there wasn’t a big “gluten-free” label anywhere. Looking at the warnings and stuff, it seems like they might be made in the same place as other things that have wheat. So, if you’re really strict about gluten, maybe be careful with these, just in case bits get mixed. Cross-contamination, they call it.
And yeah, unsurprisingly, checking the nutrition facts part… plenty of salt (sodium) and fat. Let’s be real, they taste good for a reason, and it’s usually not because they’re super healthy. Definitely a treat you wanna enjoy just sometimes, not like, every single day.
So, that was my little investigation. Mostly corn, oil, and spices making the magic happen. Good to know what’s in the bag, even if it doesn’t stop me from grabbing one now and then!
