The phrase "shelf-stable French fries" doesn't exactly make us hungry. But, thanks to a little branding magic, Spud Crunchies — the latest offering from Trader Joe's — sound downright delightful. The new snack is a cross between potato chips and crunchy French fries; the combination of two beloved classics means the bags are probably destined to be a cult-fave mash-up by default alone.
Trader Joe's officially announced the new snack today on its website. A product description explains that the item is made up of spear-like potato chips that are meant to "remind you of a fresher, lighter, airier take on those coveted, extra-crunchy fries that you’d find at the bottom of your fry carton… little bits of fried gold, if you will." So it stands to reason that if you're a fan of crispy French fries, a bag might be worth a try. But if you're on team soft French fries, then you might want to stick to keeping chips and fries as different sides.
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Based on social media, it looks like Trader Joe's locations have been slowly stocking up on the grocery chain's latest innovation since back in October. So far Instagram users only have nice things to say about Spud Crunchies, calling them, "amazing new potato snacks that taste just like French fries" and "like eating crunchy delicious French fries out of a bag!"
One person even lamented on Twitter that their local Trader Joe's had already run out of the new snack:
WHY IS TRADER JOES OUT OF SPUD CRUNCHIES
— Morgan Rossi (@MorgTakesMiami) December 3, 2017
The potato snacks are currently available for $1.99 for a 4-oz. bag. Will they make the cut for the next contentious Twitter debate over the ranking of French fry varieties? Or beat out Sriracha Lattice Cut for the best fry-inspired chips at Trader Joe's? Only time will tell. But, for now, the more important question is: Should Spud Crunchies be eaten with ketchup or straight from the bag?