When Did “Cheeseburger” Become a Flavor?

Published on Thursday, March 18, 2010, by James Norton / Edit Post

Throw away that can of cheeseburger-flavored Pringles—not just on general principle, but because the company is issuing a recall of that flavor of chips, plus its taco-flavored chips. The Christian Science Monitor, which has published a complete list of recalled brands, writes:

"The chips contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), a common 'flavor-enhancer,' made by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., that has been found to be contaminated with salmonella."

The truly disturbing thing about this recall—OK, well, one of the two truly disturbing things about it, fine—is the spotlight it casts on the horrifying trend of making cheeseburger flavored... well, anything but cheeseburgers, really.

Beyond Pringles, there are cheeseburger flavored Combos, and Doritos has an "All Nighter Cheeseburger" flavored chip, since flavored potato chips unto themselves are not sufficiently evocative of junk food. And, at least locally in Minneapolis, bacon cheeseburger pizzas seem to be a thing. Not necessarily a good thing, but a thing nonetheless. Unlike cheeseburger flavored water, which appears to be a high-concept graphic design prank.

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  • I'm so embarrassed but I actually bought a bag. I was proving to my 9 year old that he can't keep asking for things and not eat them. We purchased them under the condition that he would have to eat them before he ate another chip. Bad news? The bag was gone in 1 hours. Even sadder? I ate one. Sadder than that? I liked it!

  • dont forget those old fashioned wash pot pork skins

  • New for Easter! Peeps flavored Doritos.
    -BnF

  • What about a hamburger that tastes like potato chips????

  • How about a tortilla-chip flavored burger to go with these Doritos?

  • I became addicted to squid/fish/shrimp flavored chips in Asia, but I will draw the line at a Dorito-flavored cheeseburger, even though I've probably had both in the same meal. :)

  • I liked them when they were Doritos Experimental Flavor X-13D in 2007, and I was very happy to find them on the shelf last week as Cheeseburger Doritos.

  • If you really stop to think about it, almost everything we buy from a regular store, to put in our mouth, is flavored: gum, toothpaste, mouthwash. Flavored gum has been around for at least 60 years. Do you think people would chew gum if it didn't have some kind of flavor? I remember my dad taught us kids how to lick the wrapper of Juicy Fruit because of the taste that was on it! Who would want to...+READ

    If you really stop to think about it, almost everything we buy from a regular store, to put in our mouth, is flavored: gum, toothpaste, mouthwash. Flavored gum has been around for at least 60 years. Do you think people would chew gum if it didn't have some kind of flavor? I remember my dad taught us kids how to lick the wrapper of Juicy Fruit because of the taste that was on it! Who would want to brush their teeth if it only tasted like the chemicals it's made with, or would people just want to use baking soda and water?? Inventors wouldn't come up w/these 'flavors' if it wasn't in demand and/or wanted. Jelly Belly's, Baskin Robbins, anyone???-COLLAPSE

  • Don't knock them if you haven't tried them. I like the Cheeseburger Doritos. I wouldn't want them every week, but they're tasty enough to have once in a while.

  • Food should taste like itself. A chip should taste like a good chip. The more artificial flavorings and additives used in food products, the more can go wrong in processing, and the more people get used to the flavor of artifice rather than the flavor of actual food. Authenticity is admirable.

  • I really don't see a problem with "anything" flavored "anything". If it's good, eat it!