Act II Nachos Review – A Crunchy Snack

What is shaped in triangles and (typically) has a bold crunch? Dip it in melted cheese or a bowl of creamy hummus, this crisp snack/starter also pairs beautifully with tangy salsa. That’s right, we’re talking about nachos! 

Looking at the plethora of brands offering nachos, we decided to find the Tastiest Cheese Flavored Nachos earlier. From veggie nachos to masala flavored nachos, here’s a new addition to the list. 

Act II is a brand we traditionally associate with popcorn. When they launched a range of nachos, we ordered three variants. Here’s our Act II Crispy n Crunchy nachos review. 

Do they make a flavorful snack? 

From taste to the crunch, here’s all you need to know about Act II Crispy n Crunchy Nachos.

1. Available Flavours

Act II nachos come in six varieties. These are-

• Plain Salted
• Cheese
• Tomato
• Green Mango Salsa
• Jalapeno
• Sizzling Peri Peri

2. Available Quantities

These bags of nachos are available in 60 and 150-gram packs. 

3. Price Range

Following is the pricing followed by the brand-

• 60 grams- Rs 35
• 150 grams- Rs 70

4. Shelf Life

These nachos have a shelf life of six months.

For snacks like nachos, crunch is as significant as taste. A pretty broad age group enjoys nachos. While kids want them straight out of the pack, adults prefer some toppings or dips paired with them. 

Do Act II nachos turn soggy instantly, or is the crunch retained?

1. Packaging

All variants come in vibrant-colored packs. 

2. Main Ingredients

Corn, Refined Edible Palmolein Oil, Iodized Salt, Sugar, Spices and Condiments, Dehydrated Vegetables, Flavor Enhancers, and Stabilizers are certain ingredients used in all three variants we reviewed.

These also contain permitted natural and added colors and flavors. 

3. Taste

The three flavor variants we ordered for our review are labeled boldly. Are ‘Sizzling’ Peri Peri and ‘authentic Mexican’ just tags? Or does the taste genuinely corroborate this claim?

4. Appearance

With this parameter, we set out to find whether most pieces look identical in shape and size or not. If not, are they just unique or were a few broken?

5. Texture

Nachos that are pre-flavored may either have the flavoring agents added directly in the dough or sprinkled post-frying. Adding flavor has a significant impact on the texture and mouthfeel. 

Additionally, since nachos are fried, they may feel highly oily on the fingers and palette. What was the case with Act II?

6. Crunch

Act II’s range of nachos is named ‘Crispy N Crunchy’. Are they crunchy? If yes, could these nachos retain the ‘crisp bite’ until our visual data collection?

What about once these are plated with a juicy bowl of salsa?

1. Green Mango Salsa

We found similar results for all three variants. The crunch and flavor intensity were only marginally different. 

Green mango typically has an eye-twitching sourness. How raw or ripe the fruit is, would lend more sour or sweet flavor notes, respectively. 

In terms of aroma, the nachos did not carry a bold whiff of the green mango flavor. The naturally sweet aroma of maize was relatively more prominent. 

These nachos had a very subtle flavor. There was barely any spice to them. The sour and sweet flavor profiles were subtle. 

Talking about the crunch- these nachos had a bold bite. These weren’t the least bit soggy and had a crisp texture. The brand claims their nachos have 30% less fat, and the fact that the nachos didn’t leave our fingers sticky or didn’t have a greasy mouthfeel backed this claim well!

Features

• A 150-gram bag is priced at Rs 70.
• These nachos have a shelf life of six months. 
• Main Ingredients- Corn, Refined Edible Palmolein Oil, Iodized Salt, Sugar, Spices and Condiments (Dried Mango Powder, Chilli Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric, Ginger, Asafoetida), Dehydrated Vegetables (Onion Powder), and Acidity Regulators.

Likes

• These nachos have a pronounced crunch!
• They do not feel sticky or greasy.

Dislikes

• No flavor is bold enough.
• They did not have the characteristic tangy flavor. 

Best Suited For

Owing to these mild flavors, these nachos can be used for homemade platters or some unique bite-sized snacks.  

2. Jalapeno

Jalapeno peppers are renowned for the heat they add to dishes. The heat is paired with an earthy taste. 

Like the first variant we tried, these nachos also did not showcase intense flavors. Although these primarily had a spicy flavor, they didn’t pack the intense heat or spiciness one would expect from nachos that are labeled as ‘Jalapeno flavored’. 

Another flavor profile we tasted here was that of cheese. To no one’s surprise, this cheese flavor was relatively mild too. 

Marginal differences in taste and texture as Green Mango Salsa, the seasoning on this variant has coated the nachos really well. 

All-in-all, despite being subtle on the flavor parameter, this was a collective favorite. 

Following the pattern of our previously reviewed nachos, we performed a blind taste test here as well. Our panel of reviewers could only make out the Jalapeno variant out of the three.

Features

• Same as the Green Mango Salsa variant.
• Main Ingredients- Corn, Refined Edible Palmolein Oil, Iodized Salt, Sugar, Spices and Condiments (Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Nutmeg Powder, Clove Powder, Cardamom Powder), Dehydrated Vegetables (Onion Powder, Tomato Powder, Garlic Powder), Milk Solids (Whey Powder), Flavor Enhancers, and Stabilizers.

Likes

• We liked how crisp these were.
• There’s a mild cheesy flavor too.

Dislikes

• There’s no intense spice that jalapeno typically has.

Best Suited For

Mildly spicy, these nachos can be an ideal choice for kids or adults with a low spice tolerance.  

3. Sizzling Peri Peri

Peri Peri, also interchangeably called Piri Piri, is among the hottest variants of pepper. In addition to culinary uses, Peri Peri has also made its way in the medicinal world. What makes Peri Peri super versatile is the full-bodied flavor it adds to dishes. Subtle sourness and sweetness paired with a bit of salt and a bold hit of spice!

Incorrectly named ‘Sizzling’, these Peri Peri nachos are just laced with peppery flavors. The peppery heat sensed on the tongue and the back of the throat are very subtle.

Individuals that have a high spice tolerance won’t enjoy snacking on these nachos due to the subtle spice level. 

Just like the taste, the aroma was very subtle too. 

Texture, crunch, and mouthfeel are just like the above variants.

Features

• Shelf life and price are the same as the other two variants.
• These offer 504 Kcal per 100 grams.
• Main Ingredients- Corn, Refined Edible Palmolein Oil, Iodized Salt, Sugar, Spices and Condiments (Chilli Powder, Chilli Flakes, Cumin Powder, Turmeric Powder), Dehydrated Vegetables (Garlic Powder, Onion Powder), Flavor Enhancers, and Stabilizers.

Likes

• These tasted fresh.
• The crunch was quite pronounced.

Dislikes

• The peppery flavor and heat are way too subtle. 

Best Suited For

Looking to prepare some fancy finger food? These nachos may offer a crunchy base!

Our Top Pick from the three Act II Nachos we tried was the Jalapeno variant. Although all three variants were very similar in texture (crunch), the Jalapeno-flavored nachos were relatively tastier. 

In addition to the subtle spice, these also had an underlying cheesy flavor. We think this would be the preferred choice for children. 

Act II Nachos were a hit on crunch but fairly disappointing on the flavor-quotient. The flavors were very mild for all three variants. So if you were looking for nachos you could eat straight out of the bag, these aren’t it. 

That said, if the plan is to use them as an addition to a mezze/cheese platter or serve with salsa or some baked beans, you can consider act II Nachos.

Related Reading: Salted Act II Nachoz Review

Here are some interesting FAQs on Act II crispy n crunchy nachos

1. What are the toppings that can be added to these nachos?

Salsa and baked beans can be added as toppings. You can also eat these nachos with flavored hummus or cheese spread. 

2. Which is the best flavour of Act II Crispy and Crunchy Nachos?

We like Jalapeno the best for the mildly spicy and cheesy flavors it had. 

3. Is Act II nachos healthy to consume? 

Consumption of packaged and processed food must be limited. Moreover, these nachos contain a large amount of additives. 

4. Are these nachos a vegetarian food item?

Yes, Act II Nachos are vegetarian.

5. Are Nachos too spicy?

No, these are very mildly flavored. 

* If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!

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* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.

* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.