The Buffalo Breakdown

A comparison of Buffalo flavored snacks to former and current Buffalo Bills players coming up as soon as I spend another 10 minutes making this totally sweet Buffalo Bills potato chip mosaic...


While attending Buffalo State College, I developed a strong love of both the Buffalo Bills and hot wings (Duffs wings are the best and its not even an argument). Recently I've noticed that the buffalo wing flavor is blitzing the snack aisle. To make sense of this epidemic and to help you choose what to select when you're craving Buffalo in a bag, I've matched each entry to a player from the Bills since the early 90's (an idea I got after seeing Kings of Leon songs matched up with Giants receivers on Soundi'Noff).


SNYDER'S HOT BUFFALO WING PRETZEL BITES: BRUCE SMITH

Just as my first memories of the Bills were of the greatest player to ever wear the uniform, my first memory of a Buffalo flavored snack is the best entry to date. I'll never forget seeing that golden bag at the Price Chopper on Madison Ave when I was living in Albany. It rocked my world. It wasn't just a snack, it was a portal to a plate of Duffs wings on Sheridan Avenue in Buffalo.

These pretzel bites hit you hard. It's a perfect balance of heat and flavor. Bruce was a defensive end that blended speed and power. This is a snack you can build a team around.




JACK LINKS FLAMIN' BUFFALO CHICKEN NUGGETS: MARCELL DAREUS

The Bills just drafted Marcell Dareus with the 3rd overall pick in the draft. He's a game changing defensive lineman with a lot of promise. He plays a position that's not glamorous, but essential. For much of the last decade, the Bills found themselves drafting potato chip position players year after year with their top picks (running backs, corners, and wide receivers). It was refreshing to see them go a different route and pick a meatier guy this year.

You should do the same for your snack arsenal, and these Buffalo chicken nuggets are a solid choice. They are a little pricey (much like a high draft choice in the NFL) at $2.70 for 1 serving (pictured), but they are low calorie (only 90 per serv), low fat, and high in protein (14g). This is a snack choice that won't kill you, will make you stronger, and like Dareus, they still have some flair to them. The Buffalo flavor in the nuggets isn't going to make you turn your head, but it gets the job done.



KETTLE BRAND KRINKLE CUT BUFFALO BLEU POTATO CHIPS and ARCHER FARMS HOMESTYLE KETTLE COOKED BUFFALO WING POTATO CHIPS: ERIC MOULDS and PEERLESS PRICE

These two similarly styled Buffalo Potato Chips are akin to the Buffalo receiving tandem of the early 00's. Kettle's Krinkle chips are the Eric Moulds of the duo. They're grittier than the Archer Farm chip and a have a powerful taste to them. If I was looking for a conversion on third down and needed a dependable option, I would throw to the Kettle Brand chip and keep the chains moving. I'm not a huge "dump blue cheese on your wings" guy, but the added blue cheese flavor is a welcome alteration to the spiciness.

That's not to say the Archer Farms Kettle Cooked Buffalo chips aren't a good option. Like Peerless, they're smaller, go down faster, and possess a sharp zing of flavor. They're a nice side kick to a sandwich, but not something you'd want to build around as a focal point type of snack. Don't make the same mistake the Atlanta Falcons did when they signed Peerless Price to an enormous contract expecting him to be a franchise guy.


DORITO'S BLAZIN' BUFFALO & RANCH: DREW BLEDSOE

When Drew Bledsoe joined the Bills in 2002, it was a big name acquisition at a critical position on the field with enormous expectations. The same could be said when Dorito's joined the Buffalo flavor game. Like Drew's first season with the Bills, these chips come out of the gate strong. Your first serving will have you nodding and smiling and feeling secure with your choice. But also like Drew, they'll quickly lose their flavor (This is a problem I have with all Dorito flavors, but as a guy who tries to practice moderation, realizing this can help you avoid devouring an entire bag in a single sitting).

It should also be mentioned that I prefer plain tortilla chips with a good dip to Dorito's assortment of flavored salts. I don't think tortilla chips absorb the flavor well enough to make me forget about authentic topical applications. Lets remember though that Drew did win some games for the Bills, and Dorito's is still a strong veteran option for snacking. Plus if you say "Drew Bledsoe" really fast, it kind of sounds like "Dorito". So there's that.


HOT BUFFALO BUGLES: STEVIE JOHNSON

Here is a newcomer out of nowhere with big league flavor and ability. Both Buffalo Bugles and the young Bills receiver made a strong impression on me this fall. If you've been worn down with a roster full of snacks with no spark or zeal, try these guys out. This isn't a serious snack. It's a little ridiculous, just like my current favorite Bill.







PRINGLES EXTREME BLAZIN' BUFFALO WING: TERRELL OWENS

A big name that you expected much more from. Overall a pretty uninspired Buffalo effort from both.  Definitely NOT "extreme", unless you're talking about my level of disappointment.  I can't even find this flavor of Pringles at stores anymore.  It's like trying to find someone willing to wear an Owens jersey now.


BUFFALO NICKEL WINGERS: RYAN FITZPATRICK

This is a surprisingly good snack I found in the Organic aisle at a Wegman's in Buffalo. It's a smart option and one you can get behind. Wingers are like a little inflated potato balloon (I think they tried to shape them like a real Buffalo wing) with tasty seasoning. There is hardly any fat in these.  Fitz, current Bills' QB with Harvard on his resume, is always mentioned among the smartest players, and he gave an impressive showing this past season.  I'm not sure either the snack or the player is one I'd want to build around, but I like what I'm seeing from it. You can't find this snack locally (kind of like Bills games in Albany), but you can order Wingers on Amazon if you're curious.  Tell 'em the Serious Snacker sent you.

There you have it.  If you're looking for the best Buffalo flavor, Snyder's is still king.  Wingers is the healthiest (and hardest to find).  The Archer Farms kettle chips bring the most heat.  The weakest effort goes to Pringles.  The best NFL logo mosaic made from a combination of these snacks goes to me.

If I'm forgetting a snack, or if you come across something new, or you want to make ice cream flavors to Bills coaches, feel free to let me know in the comments.

****UPDATED July 5th 2011****

A couple of new additions since I posted this a couple of months ago:

KRUNCHER'S HOT BUFFALO WING KETTLE COOKED POTATO CHIPS:  ANDRE REED

Shortly after posting my original Buffalo Wing snack review, I came across Krunchers! kettle chips at a Hannaford in Glenville.  These come from Snyder's, our heros behind the Buffalo pretzels that I compared to Bruce Smith.  They must have passed their perfect buffalo seasoning recipe down the hall to potato chip department, because these are delicious, and better than two previous kettle chip entries.  That's why their player comparison is Andre Reed, long time teammate of Bruce Smith.  Reed is widely accepted as the Bills' greatest receiver, and I have yet to come across a better Buffalo flavor on a potato chip.

RUFFLES MOLTEN HOT WING POTATO CHIPS:  NATE CLEMENTS

                      

My latest Buffalo entry is one that curiously makes no mention of "Buffalo" anywhere on the bag.  Because of this, I'm comparing these chips to Nate Clements.  Sure they're good enough, but it doesn't feel like they're fully committed to Buffalo.  The chips are covered well in the flavor (I could go as far to say they're soaked in it), and hit your taste buds hard.  But when Nate Clements became a free agent, he was asking for way too much money for his production level, and at $3.99 a bag, you could say the same about Ruffle's hot wing chips. 

 I could have compared these chips to Willis McGahee, too.