Every few months, a new food craze sweeps over TikTok and takes the internet by storm.
This year alone we’ve seen Dalgona whipped coffee take over the app, soon followed by fluffy cloud bread, and then everyone’s strange obsession with the humble glizzy aka hotdog.
But TikTok’s latest food trend, aptly named the Jalapeño Challenge, has had an impact like nothing before it. Now when you scroll on your For You Page, it’s practically impossible to not see at least one person chomping down on a jalapeño stuffed with cream cheese and Takis — a rolled tortilla chip coated in chilli and lime flavouring.
However in recent weeks, a number people have begun reporting that the snack has actually sent them to the hospital. So, we’ve decided to find out if there’s actually any truth to the claim.
If you’re not familiar with Jalapeño Poppers, they are essentially cheese stuffed peppers, coated in some flour and vegan buttermilk, and then some crushed up Takis, and then deep fried. They are spicy, cheesy and absurdly delicious!
What Is The Jalapeño Challenge And How Did It Start?
Before we can talk about the physical impacts an excess consumption of jalapeños can have, we need to first understand how this craze even started.
Built off the back of the keto diet — a low-carb, high-fat diet that’s known best for its lack of bread and love for cheese — the official Jalapeño Challenge has been swirling around on TikTok over the last month or so.
On August 8, Gordon Ramsay reviewed @myhealthydish‘s TikTok that featured a “low-carb bell pepper sandwich” that used capsicums in place of, you guessed it, bread.
Filled with cream cheese, Everything But The Bagel seasoning, spinach and sliced turkey, the celebrity chef called the creation an “idiot sandwich” during his viral #RamsayReacts series.
From here, it’s hard to tell who exactly upped the ante and spice level. One source could be @okay.jennnn, who got extremely popular on the app when she “relapsed” on spicy chips while her husband was away.
Rekindling her love for Doritos Dinamita — a rolled tortilla chip covered in chilli and lime flavouring that’s quite similar to Takis — Jen recounted that she was once put into the hospital for eating too many, which is why her husband stopped allowing her to purchase them. But after consuming one when her husband was away for work, she couldn’t stop.
Then on August 4, Jen decided to shove some Dinamitas into a jalapeño without any cream cheese. Just straight chips and jalapeño in their pure dry, crunchy glory.
It’s unclear who then combined the two snacks together, but soon the jalapeño, cream cheese and Taki creation was born. Some squeeze some lime on top for some extra flavour, others shake some Everything But The Bagel seasoning inside the pepper, but the main elements stay pretty much the same.
All you have to do is cut the top off the jalapeño, remove the seeds, stuff the pepper with cream cheese, insert about three Takis inside, and then eat. The chip doesn’t necessarily have to be Takis either. Any other spicy chip will suffice, like Hot Cheetos, but the rolled tortilla-style chip with lime flavouring does work best.
Personally, I’ve tried the jalapeño creation and it’s great. The jalapeño gives the crunch, the cream cheese makes it creamy and the Takis make it spicy. In fact, heaps of people have fallen in love with the snack — perhaps too much though, with some consuming an excess of five stuffed peppers a day. Over a number of days. Over a number of weeks.
However, some have taken their love for the snack a little too far. The jalapeño craze has now gotten to the point where people are starting to claim they’ve wound up in hospital as a direct result of the spicy snack.
Takis, jalapeño, & cream cheese CHALLENGE! #shorts
FAQ
Is jalapeno cream cheese spicy?
What kind of cheese goes with jalapenos?
Send It! This quick and easy Jalapeno Cream Cheese has been our absolute favorite. It’s slightly spicy, rich, and creamy. Extra flavor comes from parmesan cheese and garlic powder, which goes so well with the distinctive peppery notes of jalapenos. To finish, a splash of fresh lemon juice brightens it all.
What are the healthy substitutes of jalapeno?
The healthy substitutes of jalapeno are: 1. Serrano pepper: When compared with the jalapeno pepper, the serrano pepper has very similar taste. They are bright but don’t have the same level of bitterness. 2. Fresno peppers: Another jalapeno look alike pepper is the fresno peppers. They also have same heat range but fresno peppers are sometimes little hotter and can be up to 10,000 SHU. Fresno peppers have a crisp, smokey and fruity flavour. 3. Anaheim peppers: If jalapeno peppers are too hot, then Anaheim peppers are best choice. They have milder heat and have sweeter in taste.
How long does Jalapeno cream cheese last?
Also remember that the heat will increase slightly as the cream cheese sits in the fridge. How long does the cream cheese last? Store your jalapeno cream cheese in a covered container for up to 6 days in the refrigerator. The flavor gets even better as it sits! This easy homemade jalapeno cream cheese is slightly spicy, rich, and creamy.
What do you eat with Takis fried pickles?
Takis Fried Pickles Pickles are usually fried and served with ranch dressing or cheese dip, but this recipe gives you a fun spin: pickles team up with Takis. These pickles are battered with Taki chips and then cooked in an air fryer to perfection. Serve them with a ranch dipping sauce to enjoy.