Did you know that schools sell a different kind of Dorito than you find in the grocery store? In this article, we’ll be doing a Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos review.
Where to Purchase Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos
School Doritos, such as these RF Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, are not available in grocery stores or wholesale clubs, like Costco.
They can be purchased online, on websites such as Amazon or Food Service Direct. Note the case contains 72 individual 1oz bags.
Alternatively, you could contact a local school cafeteria to inquire about purchasing a smaller quantity directly from them if it’s something they already buy. Since I work in schools, that’s how I obtained mine – by buying them from a school at a la carte prices.
Schools can purchase RF Doritos through their distributor, a vending machine company, or online at School Snack Shop.
First Impressions
The coating on these flavor were pretty evenly distributed. Unlike other flavors where the powder can be drastically different from chip to chip, the Spicy Sweet Chili is evenly coated. It must be a different type of coating than the other flavors.
Most of the other reduced-fat flavors are also really flat compared to their regular counterparts; however, this flavor seemed to have a bit more bubbling than some of the others.
Taste & Texture: Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos Review
When I first bite into the Reduced Fat Doritos, I thought they tasted just like a regular Spicy Sweet Chili Dorito.
As the flavor is labeled “Spicy Sweet”, you do in fact get both spice and sweet in each bite. The coating has a little bit of sugar, which lends it’s sweetness, and the chili adds the heat. The spice level is much milder than the Doritos Flamas or Spicy Nacho flavors, but it’s not as mild as the Cool Ranch or Nacho Cheese.
It’s a play on an Asian flavor, so there’s chili and soy sauce flavors in there too.
Since it is a reduced fat chip, you do notice it’s less rich than a regular Dorito. I actually didn’t mind it as much with this flavor because of how many other flavors are hitting you.
Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos Review: Ingredients
Whole Corn
The first ingredient in Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos is whole corn. Because it’s listed as “whole corn” and not just “corn” (like the second ingredient), we know it is a whole grain.
This is important for schools because they are required to serve whole grain rich items in meals and to sell only grains that are whole grains.
Nutritionally, this helps bump up the fiber and other nutrients for the kids, which is important because the average child is not meeting the recommended daily fiber intake recommendations.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
The product contains monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is a flavor enhancer.
This is a chemical that the Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends companies reduce or eliminate due to the negative reaction that some people get when consuming it.
Soy Sauce
The addition of the soy sauce introduces two allergens that are not present in other Doritos: wheat and soy.
While Frito Lay does not guarantee that any of their Doritos are gluten-free because they manufacturer products on shared equipment, this product is absolutely not appropriate for those with gluten intolerance, wheat allergies, or soy allergies.
Caramel Color
This product contains caramel color, which is used as a browning agent; however caramel color is not considered an artificial color, like the other flavors of Doritos.
Caramel color isn’t all that great though. Depending on how the caramel coloring is made, it can contain cancer-causing agents.
While companies often do not disclose the source of their caramel coloring, a study of cans of Pepsi (which is owned by the same company as Doritos), found high levels of the cancer-causing agent in each can, so it’s safe to assume the company does source at least some of the less safe caramel coloring. It’s worth noting that a can of Pepsi is going to contain much more caramel coloring than this bag of chips, so keep dosage in mind too.
Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos Nutrition Facts
Total Fat
Surprise! Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos have less fat than their regular version:
Regular Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos: 7g fat
Reduced Fat Cool Ranch Doritos: 5g fat
Sugars
The other flavors of Doritos do not contain added sugars; however, this one does.
I would have guessed that there would be more sugar in this product, since “sugar” is the 4th ingredient and “fructose” is also listed; however, this product only has <1g of sugar per bag.
School Uses
Since the item is made from corn, schools can count this item as a grain. Specifically, one bag of Reduced Fat Doritos credits as 1.5oz of grain in the meal program.
It also meets the USDA’s Smart Snack requirements, so the product can be sold a la carte to students. It is also commonly found in vending machines in schools.
Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos Review: Dietitian’s Recommendation
The RF version of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos have a slightly better nutrition profile when compared to the regular version, but they’re similar enough they still satisfy the craving for a salty snack.
However, at the end of the day, they are still a snack food that should be consumed in moderation.
Procurement Tips for Schools
Suggested Specifications
For school nutrition programs looking to procure this item, here is a suggested specification:
Chips, corn tortilla, whole grain, reduced fat, must meet Smart Snack Guidelines, sweet & spicy flavor
For more tips on writing specifications, visit my article here.
Comparable Products for “or Equal” Consideration
I have never seen another company make a product similar to the Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Doritos. If you know of one, tell me in the comments below!
Summary
As previously stated in this Reduced Fat Spicy Sweet Doritos Review, these chips are a school-approved item with minor differences from the regular Dorito version.
