Brazilian Garlic Sauce Lay’s Potato Chips, Dulce De Leche Chips Ahoy, And 5 More World Cup Foods We Tried (And Whether They Deserve A Spot In Your Game-Day Snack Spread)
Nothing says ’Merica like adding a bunch of red 40 to a food that already exists.
The 2026 World Cup is ridly proaching, and of course, one of the best parts of watching sports is the snacks, duh!
In celebration of the upcoming festivities, everyone from Lay’s to Chips Ahoy is tping in with their own World Cup-inspired treats, just in time for you to plan a watch party for the first match on June 11…or for the star-studded final game halftime show on June 19th.
There will be no bad snacks at the function on my watch, so I am very chivalrously taking one for the team and trying a bunch of these World Cup-inspired goodies to see which of them actually deserve a spot at your table, and which don’t make the cut. Here are all seven snacks I’ll be giving a go:
To make this even more fun, the snacks will be competing against each other in their own Snack Bracket to determine which is the very best.
I’ll be evaluating each on overall taste, authenticity*, and how well they fit the theme, with each being worth a point. I also had three friends taste test these with me, so a fourth point, which I’ll call “The People’s Choice,” will be up for grabs and determined based on a vote of everyone’s favorite. Let’s get into it:
*To clarify this one a tad, since the vast majority of these are inspired by an actual dish from one of the countries competing in the World Cup, I’ll be rating how spot-on (or how far off) the flavors are from the actual thing it’s claiming to be inspired by.
ROUND ONE:
Lay’s Brazilian-Style Garlic Sauce Chips vs. Lay’s Wavy French Onion Soup Chips
TASTE: These two truly could not be more different. The Garlic Sauce chips were flavorful, perfectly savory, and had a delicious garlic-and-lime flavor that surprisingly didn’t taste artificial. It was tangy, perfectly salty, and the thin, classic chip texture worked perfectly. The French Onion chips, on the other hand, were reallllllly bland. Honestly, they kinda tasted like…nothing? And I am not exaggerating* in the slightest. They tasted like French Onion Soup in the same way LaCroix tastes whatever fruit it’s dressing up as (which is to say…not at all, usually). +1 to Brazil!
*I would like the record to state that I did momentarily panic that I’d caught covid again, because I have never had a chip so devoid of flavor!
AUTHENTICITY: Immediately, +1 to Brazil. I was genuinely kinda flabbergasted by how close it tasted to the Molho de Alho you’d find at a churrascaria. My thoughts on the French Onion Soup chips and LaCroix still stand.
THEME: Again, +1 Brazil. Like, not even a competition. Also, there are so many more iconic dishes they could’ve used for France; it felt like a total missed opportunity.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: By a 3-1 vote, Brazil took the point here.
Some thoughts on these from the group:
French Onion Soup one tasted like “Maui Onion chip but better,” and was “less sweet, more savory.”
Garlic Sauce chips had a “better chip texture” and tasted “like garlic mashed potatoes”.
WITH A SCORE OF 4-0, BRAZIL MOVES ON TO THE NEXT ROUND!
Lay’s Argentinian Style Steak With Chimichurri Potato Chips vs. Pringles Spicy Loaded Nachos Chips
TASTE: Much like the last round, these couldn’t be more different. The Chimichurri Steak chips were more subtle in flavor, and where I expected them to lean into the garlic and herb flavors of the classic sauce, they actually leaned more into a meaty flavor. The beefy notes and the potato of it all gave it a very beef stew kind of vibe. As for the Spicy Loaded Nachos…woah. They taste just like Taco Bell nachos — specifically, that nacho cheese sauce. I was not expecting the spice level, but it offered a nice contrast and quietly built up, leaving your mouth tingling ever so slightly after every chip. The Nacho chips were much tastier in my opinion, +1 USA!
AUTHENTICITY: I’m gonna give the point to the Spicy Nachos here. Pringles did not come to play, and I was so pleasantly surprised by how close they tasted to the real thing. While the Chimichurri Steak chips had hints of those familiar flavors, if someone had me close my eyes and guess what flavor those were supposed to be, no context given, Chimichurri Steak wouldn’t have been in my top fifty guesses. Honestly, I wish they would’ve just focused on the Chimichurri and not the steak part of it.
THEME: +1 to Chimichurri Steak! I thought it was a very smart choice for Argentina. Spicy Loaded Nacho is technically a U.S. Men’s Soccer official snack, and while nachos are very much a game-day snack here, it really pales in comparison theme-wise.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: By a vote of 3-1, the Spicy Nacho Pringles got the point.
Some thoughts on these from the group:
The Chimichurri Steak chips “feel like a meal,” “taste like beef bouillon cubes,” and were “lightly garlicky”. They thought they “need more lime” flavor and “had potential to be way better if they had more flavor,” with one person saying, “I don’t know if I’d buy them, but I’d eat them again” if someone put a bag in front of them.
The Spicy Loaded Nacho Pringles were “fire,” had better flavor and “snackability,” and the one person who voted against them did so because of the Pringles’ texture.
WITH A SCORE OF 1-3, SPICY LOADED PRINGLES MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ROUND!
Chips Ahoy! Chewy Dulce de Leche vs. Chips Ahoy! Chewy Chocolatey Churro
FLAVOR: I will start off by saying neither of these is particularly good. The Chocolatey Churro ones taste like Abuelita hot chocolate gone wrong. It tastes very artificial, and there’s so much going on with this cookie, it’s overwhelming. The cinnamon and chocolate flavors both butt heads in their intensity and off-putting flavors, but I will say that the chocolate filling is a nice, silky texture despite its flavor. The Dulce de Leche cookies get the +1 point for being (if only marginally) better. They’re strangely kind of soft and dry at the same time, so I wouldn’t call them “chewy” as the package does. They’re overwhelming in their marshmallow-like sweetness, but it’s slightly less artificial.
AUTHENTICITY: Honestly, nobody gets the point here. They do not taste like dulce de leche or churro. Womp womp!
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: The general consensus was that nobody really liked either, but by a 3-1 vote, the Dulce de Leche cookies got the point.
Some thoughts on these from the group:
The Dulce de Leche cookies are “meh,” “taste like sugar cookies,” and “would be good with milk”.
The Chocolatey Churro cookies “have too much going on” and the “cinnamon [flavor] blends poorly”.
WITH A SCORE OF 3-0, DULCE DE LECHE CHIPS AHOY COOKIES MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ROUND!
Lay’s Brazilian-Style Garlic Sauce Chips vs. Spicy Loaded Nachos Pringles
AUTHENTICITY: I’m gonna give half points to each, because they both tasted shockingly close to the dish they were inspired by.
THEME: For the same reasons as last round on both accounts, +1 to Brazil.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: This was a hotly debated round, but ultimately, with a 4-0 vote, Garlic Sauce chips got the point, as they had more flavor and a better chip texture.
One person said they thought the Spicy Loaded Nacho flavor would’ve been better on a Lay’s-style chip, and we all agreed.
WITH A SCORE OF 3.5-0.5, BRAZIL MOVES ON TO THE FINALS!
Chips Ahoy! Chewy Dulce de Leche vs. Star-Spangled Blueberry Pop-Tarts
TASTE: The Pop-Tarts tasted like the classic Blueberry flavor, if not for a slightly more artificial aftertaste. Now, this could be a placebo because we could not stop talking about how much Red 40 was probably in these bad boys to make them that shade of red, and we summed the flavor up to that. While nothing special, they were more enjoyable than the Dulce de Leche cookies, so +1 to Team USA.
AUTHENTICITY: …Yeah, +1 to Dulce de Leche. Although, I guess I don’t know what “Star-Spangled” tastes like…
THEME: +1 to Dulce de Leche, because “red, white, and blue,” and “Star Spangled” aren’t exactly flavors, and it kinda only feels like we got blueberry here out of color convenience.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: By a unanimous vote of 0-4, Pop-Tart gets the point.
Some thoughts from the group:
The Pop-Tarts “look sunburned,” as well as “scarily” and “off-puttingly” red, but taste like the regular blueberry ones.
Lay’s Brazilian-Style Garlic Sauce Chips vs. Star-Spangled Blueberry Pop-Tarts
TASTE: In the battle of sweet vs. savory, the delicious Garlic Sauce chips very easily blow the just-OK Blueberry Pop-Tarts out of the water.
AUTHENTICITY: +1 to Garlic Sauce chips, again for obvious reasons.
THEME: The same, +1 Garlic Sauce chips!
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: There was genuinely no debate, the savory items all-around beat out the sweet ones. By a 4-0 vote, Garlic Sauce chips get the point.
WITH A SCORE OF 4-0, THE WINNER IS….
There you have it, folks! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 2026 World Cup, kicking off on June 11 ⚽️

Here are the food service inspections reported by the Onondaga County Health Department from May 17 to May 23:
UNSATISFACTORY INSPECTIONS
Bellevue Country Club
1901 Glenwood Avenue, Syracuse
Inspection done March 18, 2026
Reinspection is required
Critical violation: A bowl with chopped strawberries (2lb) noted with mold, in the speed rack reach in cooler in the upper kitchen prep area. Plastic containers of whole strawberries (5lb) noted with mold, in the lower level walk in cooler. Correction: All of these strawberries were voluntarily discarded by the staff.
Stem probe thermometer not on site, in the snack shack out building, at time of inspection. Correction: Staff brought a stem thermometer from the main kitchen to the snack shack.
Cooked shrimp (0.25lb) and shrimp sauce with cooked vegetables (2lb) noted at 48F with the inspectors thermometer, in the bottom portion of the flip top preparation cooler in the upstairs kitchen on the cook line. Other items in the cooler temping 45F and below. Ambient temp in the lower portion of the cooler noted at 47F. Cook stated these items had been in this cooler overnight. Correction: Cook voluntarily discarded the shrimp and sauce.
Walk in cooler in the lower level storage area ambient temperature noted at 50F with inspectors thermometer. The following potentially hazardous (TCS) foods noted at the following temperatures and amounts: shelled hard boiled eggs (8 dozen/51F), heavy cream (14 quarts/51F), canned whipped cream (19x15oz/51F), whole raw egg in shell (150/51F), liquid whole eggs (32quart/49F), sour cream (15lb/50F). All temperatures taken with the inspectors thermometer. Staff states these items have been in this cooler overnight. Correction: These items were voluntarily discarded by the staff.
Ten cooked hot dogs noted at 120F and 3 hamburgers noted at 112F, in the hot holding steam table unit, in the snack shack out in the golf course. Staff stated these items were cooked to 1.5 hours earlier and placed in the hot holding unit. Correction: These items were ridly reheated to 165F on the griddle and hot held at 140F. Settings on the hot holding unit were adjusted.
Violations: Multiple squeeze bottles containing sauces noted lacking labels, at the upper kitchen cook line.
Scoops in the bulk food’s bins noted stored with the handles touching the product, in the lower kitchen preparation area.
Drain pipe from the ice machine noted inserted into the floor drain with no air g, in the upper kitchen.
Multiple hand sinks noted with not easily accessible/missing hand so, throughout the facility. Main bar hand sink lacks hand so and per towels.
El Rancho Viejo
5909 State Route 31, Cicero
Inspection done May 20, 2026
Reinspection is required
Critical violations: Hose connected to the faucet in the mop sink lacked a vacuum breaker, posing a risk of contamination to the public water supply. Correction: The hose was detached from the faucet.
Two pineple halves with pink slime residue were stored on a shelf (one in direct contact with raw beef) in the walk-in cooler. A bottle of margarita mix and a bottle of water were stored directly in drink ice. Correction: Pineples were voluntarily discarded; bottles were removed and the contaminated ice was discarded and replaced.
Multiple raw foods were stored in a manner that could cause cross-contamination, including raw eggs next to creamers and raw chicken stored above cooked beef and produce in a flip-top cooler. Correction: All raw items were moved to proper storage locations.
Spray bottle of grill cleaner lacked a label at the 3-bay sink. Correction: Bottle was labeled by staff.
One large/deep covered pan of proximately 35lbs of cooked beef in sauce noted at 51F and one large/deep covered pan of proximately 15lb of cooked shredded chicken noted in the range of 47F-50F, in the walk in cooler. All temperatures taken with the inspectors thermometer. Cook stated that these items were cooked the day before and then stored in this cooler (covered) to cool. Correction: The beef and chicken were voluntarily discarded by the cook.
Container of cooked queso at 103°F was cooling at room temperature on a prep table. Correction: Moved to the walk-in cooler and split into smaller containers to meet proper cooling rates.
proximately 20 cooked peppers at 64°F were cooling at room temperature. Correction: Individually wrped and moved to the freezer to properly cool.
Violations: Several foods uncovered in the chest freezer; tortillas stored in non-food-grade plastic bags; multiple unlabeled squeeze bottles; food and beverages stored on the floor in storage areas.
Improper use of bowls, cups, and containers as scoops in bulk food bins.
Frozen shrimp thawing at room temperature. Correction: Moved under cold running water.
Employees observed drinking beverages in food prep areas.
Employee preparing food without proper hair restraint.
Heavily scored cutting board at the bar.
Non-cleanable surfaces including foil on pipes and cardboard lining shelves.
Dish machine had 0 ppm chlorine; dishes washed without sanitizing; cups stacked wet.
Food contact surfaces improperly cleaned, including wiping knife on garbage can edge.
Non-food contact surfaces dirty, including shelving, grill exterior, and syrup buildup.
Plumbing issues including leaks at sinks and improper drain setup into a bucket in the walk-in cooler.
Restroom garbage can lacked a lid.
Ant poison trs stored under the front counter without proper pesticide control.
Ventilation issues, including missing hood filters, grease buildup in hood system, and unshielded light bulb in walk-in cooler.
Menus lacked allergen statements and required allergen poster was missing.
Little Caesars
5501 Bartell Road, Brewerton
Inspection done May 21, 2026
Reinspection is required
Critical violations: Bags of shredded mozzarella cheese noted at 53–57°F in a reach-in cooler. Staff stated the cheese had been stored there overnight and could not determine how long it was out of temperature due to lack of logs. Correction: 270 lbs of shredded mozzarella cheese was voluntarily discarded.
Precooked chicken wings noted at 33–38°F in the chest freezer and not fully frozen. Staff stated the wings had been stored in the walk-in cooler overnight before being moved to the freezer and no temperature checks were taken. Correction: 20 lbs of chicken wings were voluntarily discarded due to unknown temperature exposure.
Walk-in cooler ambient temperature noted at 70°F (previously reported as high as 76°F earlier in the day). Shredded mozzarella cheese in this cooler was noted at 57°F with no temperature logs available. Correction: 120 lbs of shredded mozzarella cheese was voluntarily discarded.
Violations:Multiple boxes of canned soda stored on the floor at the front counter.
Multiple dishes on the drying rack noted not clean.
Wire rack shelving with buildup near the pizza oven, 3-bay sink, and back door.
Back door and drive-thru window propped open without barriers, allowing potential pest entry.
OPERATING ACCEPTABLY
The following establishments were inspected but no violations were found:
Abbotts Frozen Custard, 4282 Fay Road, Onondaga
Alfiee’s Concessions, 4821 Hopkins Road, Salina
Arrowhead Golf Course, 7185 East Taft Road, Cicero
Atonement Lutheran Church, 116 West Glen Avenue, Syracuse
Belgium Cold Springs Fire Department, 7920 River Road, Lysander
Bella Domani Catering & Banquets, 5988 East Taft Road, Cicero
Bella Domani Catering & Banquets Mobile Unit, 5988 East Taft Road, Onondaga County
Best Western Syracuse Downtown Hotel and Suites, 416 South Clinton Street, Syracuse
Brick House Cafe (The), 5885 East Circle Drive, Cicero
Brooklyn Pickle, 7175 Buckley Road, Clay
Buffalo Wild Wings #535, 200 Township Boulevard, Camillus
Burger King, 3930 South Salina Street, Syracuse
Burger King #1275, 3414 Erie Boulevard East , Dewitt
Burger King Restaurant #296, 6300 Thompson Road, Dewitt
B’ville Sports Bowl, 45 East Genesee Street, Lysander
Christiano’s Kitchen Commissary, 7175 Buckley Road, Clay
Crazy Daisies, 4693 Kasson Road, Onondaga
Cream & Coffee, 20 East Genesee Street, Skaneateles
Dewitt Bagel, 4320 East Genesee Street, Dewitt
Dowdell’s, 1134 Lemoyne Avenue, Onondaga County
Dp Dough, 315 South Clinton Street, Syracuse
Dunkin Donuts, 7645 Oswego Road, Clay
Dunkin Donuts, 3915 South Salina Street, Syracuse
Fayetteville-Manlius Little League Snack Shack, Brooklea Drive, Manlius
Francesca’s Pizza and Italian Kitchen, 207 Oswego Street, Salina
Gannon’s Ice Cream Pushcart, 1525 Valley Drive, Onondaga County
Gannon’s Ice Cream Pushcart #2, 1525 Valley Drive, Onondaga County
Gannon’s Ice Cream Pushcart #3, 1525 Valley Drive, Onondaga County
Grace Episcopal Church Syracuse, 819 Madison Street, Syracuse
Hickory Hill Ice Cream, 3451 Route 31 , Clay
Jammer’s, 3535 Walters Road, Van Buren
King David’s Restaurant Fairmount, 3508 West Genesee Street, Camillus
Kona Ice of Liverpool (2), 6516 Electric Railway , Onondaga County
Little Caesars, 420 7Th North Street, Salina
Liverpool Little League, Verplank Road, Clay
Liverpool Little League, 133 Duerr Road, Salina
Liverpool Little League @ Town of Clay Park, Town Of Clay Park, Route 31 , Clay
Lysander Fire Department, 664 Lamson Road, Lysander
Maxwells, 122 East Genesee Street, Syracuse
Mi Casa Grande, 1706 Erie Boulevard East , Syracuse
Moe’s Southwest Grill, 3409 Erie Boulevard East , Dewitt
Momma’s Brunch Buggy, 2769 State Route 69 , Onondaga County
Original Italian Pizza, 489 James Street, Syracuse
Panera Bread #1107, 3409 Erie Boulevard East , Dewitt
PEACE, Inc. Sr Nutr @ Town of Salina, 201 School Road, Salina
Red Lobster #6323, 3938 State Route 31 , Clay
Sal’s Birdland, 8140 Brewerton Road, Cicero
Sand Wedge Grill, 3451 Ny-31 , Clay
Sims Store Erie Canal Museum, 5750 Devoe Road, Camillus
Sno Top Ice Cream, 315 Fayette Street, Manlius
Spill the Tea Cafe, 208 North Main Street, Manlius
St. Elias Church, 4988 Onondaga Road, Onondaga
Stone Creek, 69 North Street, Marcellus
Subway 27231, 710 North Townsend Street, Syracuse
Subway 51072, 501 Seventh North Street, Salina
Tea House by Cake Bar, 108 East Washington Street, Syracuse
Temple Adath Yeshurun, 450 Kimber Road, Syracuse
Thai Thai Cuisine, 3138 Erie Boulevard East , Dewitt
Tully’s Good Times, 311 7Th North Street, Salina
Twin Trees Restaurant, 1100 Avery Avenue, Syracuse
VIOLATIONS CORRECTED
The following establishments were found to have corrected violations cited at previous inspections:
Southside Wings, 4421 South Salina Street, Syracuse. Past inspection.
File a complaint
See a possible violation at an Onondaga County food service establishment? You can fill out this form to notify the health department or call 315-435-6607.

H2O Glow After Hours at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon returns on select nights from June 2 through September 5, 2026, and Disney has revealed the new specialty food and drink menu for the event.
H2O Glow After Hours is a separately ticketed nighttime water park event that turns Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon into an illuminated, neon glow-in-the-dark dance party.
NEW! Churro Rings – Typhoon Tilly’s
NEW! Pizza Egg Rolls – Typhoon Tilly’s
NEW! Pork Tamale – Typhoon Tilly’s
NEW! Turkey Calzone – Leaning Palms
NEW! Frozen Hot Honey Lemonade – Leaning Palms & Typhoon Tilly’s
NEW! Mini Pretzels – Leaning Palms
NEW! Sloppy Max Sliders – Leaning Palms
NEW! Snack Box – Leaning Palms & Typhoon Tilly’s
H2O Glow After Hours will be on 13 dates this summer:
June 2, 13, 19, 27
July 3, 7, 17, 24, 31
August 9, 22, 29
September 5
The event is held from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Ticket-holders can enter Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park starting at 6:00 p.m.
Attractions
During these after-hours events, guests will enjoy shorter wait times at attractions. All Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon rides will be open, including:
Bay Slides
Castaway Creek
Crush ‘n’ Gusher
Gangplank Falls
Humunga Kowabunga
Mayday Falls
Miss Adventure Falls
Storm Slides
Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool
H2O Glow After Hours Tickets
Event tickets are $85 to $89 per ticket, plus tax (prices vary by event date). Plus, save $20 per ticket for children ages 3 to 9. Annual Passholders, eligible Disney Vacation Club Members and Disney Water Park Seasonal Passholders can save 20% on tickets.
For Disney Water Park Seasonal Passholders, discounted tickets can only be purchased in person or by phone. Limit one (1) discounted ticket per Seasonal Passholder. Call (407) 934-7639 or visit one of the following locations:
Ticket windows at theme parks and water parks
Concierge desks at Disney Resort hotels
The Disney Ticket Center at Disney Springs

The Lyons Elevating All Fund, a nonprofit that lends a hand to residents of the Lyons area, was recently offered a helping hand of its own.
LEAF was the beneficiary of last month’s food drive hosted by the Lyons Backer Football Club, a local middle school football program. In its second year of hosting the drive, the club accepted donations of food and personal hygiene products for LEAF at locations in and outside of Lyons.
Jocelyn Farrell, LEAF’s executive director, shared that the drive brought in 747 pounds of donated items. According to Farrell, the spring and early summer months are typically the busiest for LEAF’s food pantry.
We had a wonderful, huge drive of goods and donations during the holidays, Farrell said, and we now have gone through a significant amount of that surplus food that we collected. So, going into the summer, it’s great because this is the opportunity to restock our pantry.
This year’s food drive gave people several opportunities to drop off donations, as the list of participating stores included the Colorado Cherry Company in Pinewood Springs and The Mountain Fountain in Hygiene. People also contributed by purchasing items on LEAF’s Amazon wish list.
Grace Simonsen, operations and volunteer coordinator for LEAF, explained that getting food donations this time of year is important, as the pantry is still waiting on the bulk of fresh produce from local farms and gardens. In ril, LEAF’s pantry served roughly 50 families a week, Simonsen said, noting that there are around 2,000 people living in Lyons.
To have a pretty solid chunk of that relying on us for supplemental nutrition is pretty significant, Simonsen said.
LEAF addresses food insecurity, mental health challenges and housing expenses faced by Lyons-area community members. The nonprofit also runs the Lyons Community Food Pantry from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays at 304 Second Ave. The pantry is open for donations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Rex Heiby, president of the Lyons Backer Football Club, was glad to see this year’s drive exceed last year’s in terms of total donations. Heiby said he knows how important the food drive is for LEAF, especially since the donations come before the summer growing season.
The community is small enough where that food can be stretched a long way, he said.
Boulder County business Cemex also pledged to contribute $750 to LEAF, and the Lyons Backer Football Club is giving a $250 cash donation to the nonprofit.
One of the core principles of the Lyons Backer Football Club program, Heiby said, is community service. He said the young athletes and their families got involved in the drive by setting up the drop-off boxes and putting up the flyers, which included a link to LEAF’s virtual wish list.
We are super proud, because we have ‘Lyons’ on our chest, that we like to give back to that community, he said.

Three Tyson Foods Inc. subsidiaries aren’t entitled to a $3.45 million refund of sales tax they paid on wooden pallets used to transfer food to customers, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
The Tyson chicken and tortilla divisions asked the justices to order the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration to refund $3.45 million in sales tax they paid …