Those specials are about the only time I buy chips and such. Regular prices have been ridiculous for a long time.
I put a few bags of fritos on the grocery list to have some frito pies this winter but I need to search for a scratch frito recipe just to see if they turn out close enough or are worth the effort to save money.
A 25 cent russet potato will make about as many chips as a store bought bag. I don’t bother putting them in water - just slice and fry. Can season with a homemade ranch mix, sour cream and onion, bbq, taco or whatever dry mix to flavor. Cheez-Its are awful but cutting a slice of American cheese into 16 squares and nuking them are really good. Cutting corn tortillas into 6ths or 8ths and frying/baking make tortilla chips. Same with flour tortillas but those need flavor sprinkled on them as they aren’t dip-able. There are Cheetos recipes but they seem too much trouble and the cheese powder is $$$.
CHiPs Ponch and Jon might show up and confiscate homemade junk food. Nancy’s ice cream stash will be exempt. Seriously, there is no telling where our leaders will take the bans once they get the idea.