In recent years the snack has come under fire from school districts concerned about its nutritional value – or lack thereof.
And while high-fat, high-salt snacks targeted at teens and urban markets are nothing new, the fierce devotion of students to Flamin' Hot Cheetos has some questioning whether they're addictive. The consumption trend seems to have peaked, long after Cheetos-maker Frito-Lay released its first Flamin' Hot variety in the early 1990s. 'I can't get enough of these Hot Cheetos and Takis.' 'Snack, snack, snack, crunch,' goes the refrain of the song, which was released in August by a Minnesota YMCA.
The artificially flavored and colored junk food even has a preteen YouTube rap hit devoted in part to it. Scarlet-hued and finger-staining, Flamin' Hot Cheetos have a devoted following among students across the country who often ditch a healthy lunch for a soda and a crinkly snack bag.
