When it comes to snacking, most of us feel like we’re making a trade-off. You either go for the bold, cheesy flavors you love, and accept a long list of artificial dyes and synthetic flavorings; or you opt for something healthy that tastes like cardboard.
The Simply Brand Variety Pack by Frito-Lay claims to bridge this gap, offering 36 individual bags of snacks that promise the same iconic taste but with ingredients you can actually feel good about. Today, we’re looking at how this variety pack holds up as a family pantry staple and whether Simply really means better.
The Ingredient Shift: What’s Actually Inside?
The core promise of the Simply line is the removal of the extra stuff often found in standard snack bags. Frito-Lay has reformulated these fan favorites to be made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
- Real Cheese and Sea Salt: Instead of synthetic yellow dyes like Yellow 6, these snacks get their color and flavor from real cheddar cheese and sea salt.
- Non-GMO and Organic Options: Several items in the pack, like the Doritos White Cheddar, are made with organic corn and other non-GMO ingredients.
- Better Oils: These snacks are typically cooked in sunflower oil rather than the cheaper, highly processed vegetable oil blends found in standard chips.
The Variety Trial: What Do You Get in the Box?
One of the best parts of this pack is the sheer diversity. It isn’t just a pile of one type of chip; it’s a curated “best of” list that covers crunchy, puffy, and salty cravings. A typical 36-count box includes:
- Simply Cheetos Puffs (White Cheddar): All the air-puffed crunch without the neon orange dust on your fingers.
- Simply Cheetos Crunchy (White Cheddar): For those who prefer the harder, more traditional Cheeto snap.
- Simply Doritos (White Cheddar): A sophisticated take on the tortilla chip that uses real cheese and organic corn.
- Simply Ruffles (Sea Salted): Classic thick-cut ridges made with just three ingredients: potatoes, sunflower oil, and sea salt.
Portion Control and Convenience
Each bag in this set is a 0.875-ounce single serving. In a world of family size bags that are easy to accidentally finish in one sitting, these pre-portioned pouches provide a natural stopping point.
- Lunchbox Ready: These are the perfect size for school lunches or a quick afternoon pick-me-up. They fit easily into a bag or desk drawer without taking up much room.
- Calorie-Conscious: Most bags in the pack hover around 130–140 calories. This makes it much easier to track your snacking habits without having to break out a kitchen scale.
- Freshness Guarantee: Because each bag is sealed individually, you don’t have to worry about a large bag going stale if you don’t finish it in a few days. Every snack is as crunchy as the first one.
The Flavor Experience
The biggest hurdle for better-for-you snacks is the taste test. If it doesn’t taste like the brand you love, you won’t keep buying it.
During our review, we found that the White Cheddar profile across the Cheetos and Doritos lines is actually preferable to many people over the original versions. It tastes cleaner and less like chemical seasoning. The Simply Ruffles are indistinguishable from high-end kettle chips, providing a satisfying saltiness and a great crunch that holds up to dipping. You get the nostalgia of the brands you grew up with, but with a slightly more elevated, real-food flavor profile.
Comparison: Simply Variety Pack versus The Standard Multipack
Is it worth the switch from the classic blue or red Frito-Lay variety boxes?
- Artificial Additives: The standard packs are full of Red 40, Yellow 5, and MSG. The Simply pack eliminates these entirely.
- Price Point: You do pay a slight premium for the Simply line—usually a few dollars more per box—but many parents find the peace of mind regarding ingredients to be worth the extra cost.
- Dietary Friendly: Because they use cleaner ingredients, these are often a better choice for families dealing with sensitivities to artificial dyes or those trying to stick to a non-GMO diet.
Our Verdict
The Simply Brand Variety Pack is a solid win for anyone looking to clean up their snacking habits without giving up their favorite treats. It offers a great balance of variety, portion control, and improved ingredients. While it’s still a snack food and should be enjoyed in moderation, it is a significant step up from the traditional, dye-heavy options found on most grocery shelves.
If you want a snack you can feel better about giving your kids, or eating yourself, this 36-count pack is the smartest way to stock your kitchen.
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