Cheese and onion is forgiving. The strong flavour profile can carry weak crisps in a way that ready salted never could. Just Essentials benefits enormously from this.
These are, against all expectations, almost good.
The cheese flavour is synthetic and obvious, that familiar orange-dust tang that bears no relationship to actual cheese. But it’s applied generously, and generosity counts for a lot in budget crisps.
The onion element
There’s a sharpness that cuts through the cheese, providing the classic flavour balance this combination requires. It’s not sophisticated. It’s not subtle. But it works.
You could eat these without immediately knowing they’re the cheapest option available. That’s a genuine achievement.
The texture problem remains
No amount of flavouring can fix the structural issues. These crisps are thin, fragile, and prone to fragmenting. The bag will contain a significant proportion of broken pieces and crumbs.
But you’ll be eating orange dust anyway, so does it matter?
The best of the budget range
If you’re committed to Just Essentials crisps, make them cheese and onion. The flavour compensates for the compromises in a way the other varieties don’t manage.
Proof that bold seasoning can rescue almost anything.
