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You never know what you're going to find on a trip to Lidl, with its shelves stocked with affordable fresh produce, gardening tools and off-brand fizzy drinks. But every now and then, you stumble upon a hidden treasure — particularly when there's an good Flavour of the Week deal on offer. The budget-friendly supermarket often pulls in some interesting snacks and beverages from around the globe, and recently, it was all about the USA. As a lifelong resident of Scotland, I found these really intriguing, as many flavour combinations were entirely new to me. And who better to join me in a taste test than my American colleague, Ketsuda? We picked up a variety of snacks, sweet treats and a beverage to cleanse our palates. While Ketsuda was already familiar with some of these items, I was venturing into uncharted territory, unsure of what to expect. Our tasting menu included mac and cheese flavoured crisps, chilli and lime tortilla rolls, buffalo ranch dip, jalapeno popper dip, a chocolate brownie milkshake and hazelnut stuffed cookies. Some of these looked appetising - others, not so much, reports the Express . I didn't expect to fall in love with any of these treats, but one item in particular took us both by surprise with its delicious taste, and it's something we would both purchase again. On the other hand, some items fell short, leaving a taste of nothing more than chemicals and disappointment. Here's our assessment of Lidl's USA week offerings, starting with the absolute worst. It's a shame that this was nearly undrinkable, as we were in desperate need of something to balance out the rest of the salty snacks . However, one small sip was all it took to confirm our suspicions — this product was a letdown. The drink was deceptive, initially tasting fine but leaving a peculiar aftertaste that reminded us of diluted cake batter mixed with chemicals. Despite being marketed as chocolate-flavoured, we could barely detect a hint of cocoa. This made sense when I inspected the ingredients list on the bottle and discovered a mere 1% cocoa powder content. Never again. Rating: 1/10 In theory, this sounds like the ultimate crisp. Unfortunately, our hopes were swiftly crushed as we bit into a crisp and immediately exchanged grimaces. Again, nothing but chemicals. It tasted like the most artificial cheese you've ever consumed, and there was also an odd ice cream-like flavour that had no business being in a packet of crisps. The only saving grace preventing this from coming in last place was the texture and crunch of the crisps, which were surprisingly good. It's a pity that the main element — the taste — was such a massive disappointment. Rating: 2/10 Ranch is currently really popular here in the UK, although it's not something I've tried often. Lidl's version, however, was decidedly average for both of us. It was quite light and creamy, though tasted more like a garlic dip — the sort you'd get free with your Dominos order. Not necessarily terrible, but not quite what we'd anticipated either. We wouldn't be rushing back for this one, as there are definitely better ranch options available. However, it did its job, and sits comfortably in the middle of our rankings. Rating: 5/10 We saved these until last, treating them as a bit of a reward for getting through everything else. Straight out of the packet, I noticed they looked identical to Maryland cookies, whilst Ketsuda reckoned they resembled Chips Ahoy. They were fairly decent. The hazelnut filling was generous, yet for both of us, something was slightly lacking. I felt they tasted a bit cheap, though you can't really complain when they were, indeed, cheap. Ketsuda agreed, sensing there was "something not quite right". I ate the remainder that evening, so clearly wasn't too bothered by them. Rating: 6/10 Peanut butter and pretzels feels very American to me, and Ketsuda said this is exactly what you'd discover on Trader Joe's shelves. They were satisfyingly thin and crispy, with a delicious peanut butter centre. Sweet and salty is a combination that never fails, and this snack was no exception. We'd describe them as very moreish, with Ketsuda suggesting they'd make a brilliant cinema treat. My sole gripe was they left your mouth feeling quite dry after munching through a few, though nothing a quick drink couldn't sort out. Rating: 7/10 Taking the runner-up spot were these uniquely-shaped crisps that were essentially Doritos in rolled form. Surprisingly, our initial reaction was a bit unimpressed, but the taste truly came alive when dunked into the accompanying dips. They were incredibly moreish and grew more addictive with every bite. The fiery kick of the chilli was perfectly complemented by the zesty sweetness of lime, whilst avoiding any overwhelming sharpness. Their curled design made them brilliant for scooping up dips, and I'm convinced if these appeared at any party they'd vanish quickest from the table. Rating: 9/10 Ketsuda said this was what she was most excited about, noting it appeared the "most American" thing available. The initial smell delivered a potent hit of fresh chillies, which was encouraging. Less encouraging was the weird, gelatinous consistency of the dip. But appearances can be deceiving, as this turned out to be the tastiest item we sampled by far. The dish was a delightful blend of warmth and spice, balanced with a creamy texture, and it complemented the chilli and lime tortilla rolls perfectly. There was a distinct cheese flavour present, but it wasn't as overpowering as I'd anticipated, nor did it taste overly processed — even though it definitely was. Rating: 10/10
