Author: Jenna

REVIEW: Snoop Cereal (Fruity Hoopz, Cinnamon Toasteez, and Frosted Drizzlerz)

Jenna 8 Comments

Are you a fan of rap music and/or the classic recipe book “From Crook to Cook”? Do you want your breakfast cereal to serve a charitable mission? Or are you just tired of seeing toucans and wacky anthropomorphic amalgamations of various food products have all the mascot fun? If you’ve answered yes to any of those questions, you might want to check out the three new flavors of Snoop Cereal (and if you’ve answered yes to all of them, wow, you have really specific tastes).

As the name suggests, these cereals and the colorful animal characters that tout them were indeed created by Snoop Dogg (and Master P, in a collaboration between their Broadus Foods brand and Post), and they even have lyrics on the boxes to match. But what’s more interesting is that proceeds from each purchase are donated to charities that help homeless families and fight food insecurity.

How are they, though? Well… let’s just say that if you’ve ever consumed a sugary cereal before, my findings probably won’t surprise you…

Fruity Hoopz with Marshmallows

At first glance, this “sweetened multigrain cereal” looks just like Froot Loops. On second and third and fourth glance, it does too… so, okay, you’ll probably be familiar with what you’re getting into. I thought maybe the loops looked a bit thicker than I expected, but that didn’t impact the eating experience much. You’ll smell them before you taste them, a fruity, cloying perfume that perfectly foreshadows the sugar-glazed, slightly floral burst of crunchy sweetness to come.

The most “unique” element here (if it can even be called that) would be the marbits, of which I was lucky to find about one per generous spoonful, but at the risk of sounding like a broken record, they are also not super revolutionary. Again, they seemed to me a bit larger than what other cereals like Lucky Charms provide, but they have that same eminently chompable texture, soft yet with an audible crack after you bite down and before they melt pleasantly and cotton-candy-ishly in your mouth. I prefer my cereal with milk and found that these left the milk with a delightful syrupy sweet flavor, but after intending to eat just a few dry pieces, I (perhaps predictably) had a lot of trouble stopping, so you can’t go wrong either way.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/3 cup) 150 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 19 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein

Cinnamon Toasteez

This may be obvious just from the box, but I couldn’t find a huge difference between this “sweetened crispy wheat and rice cereal” and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, both appearance-wise and flavor-wise. A few of the pieces I had were extra cinnamon-studded, with stripes closer to black than brown and a slightly more potent taste, but these are mostly just sweet with a vague air of cinnamon-y-ness. I think the OG Cinnamon Toast Crunch tastes a bit more of actual cinnamon and therefore is a bit better, but unless you’re particularly picky, this should definitely make a more-than-serviceable substitute.

It’s also neat that, ranging as they do from lightly wavy to practically bent in two, the pieces aren’t perfectly square, giving them extra texture and dimension, and some are studded with air bubbles that contrast the general brittleness well. Their flat shape also allows a cool crispiness when sampled straight from the box, though I found these just as appealing when they were soggy with milk. But strangely, while the cinnamon dust became very visible in the milk that collected at the bottom of my bowl, it didn’t seem to affect its flavor whatsoever, so that was a bit of a bummer.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 180 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 210 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Frosted Drizzlers

This “sweetened, crunchy, frosted whole grain wheat cereal” seemed the most novel to me, but that’s probably just because I don’t eat a ton of its doppelganger, Frosted Mini Wheats. (And probably also because, I’ll confess, when I purchased them, my brain only really registered the word “Frosted,” so I expected something… flakier.) Like the Hoopz, these pieces seemed unusually but not unpleasantly jumbo-sized; I couldn’t tell if they were longer than your typical pillow of shredded wheat cereal, but they certainly seemed thicker.

This is the cereal where I felt milk made the biggest difference for the better. Despite a generous dusting of sugar, the strong wheat flavor and bristly texture pretty thoroughly outweighed any hints of sweetness when eaten dry, but they tasted noticeably nicer when soaked in milk. This flavor was decent, but something about eating an easily countable number of ginormous pieces instead of the seemingly infinite number of tiny pieces that other cereals tend to offer just feels less fun. Plus, I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that I was chewing on a bunch of tiny wicker baskets. Oh, and these produced an even more flavorless milk than the Cinnamon Toasteez.

Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (21 biscuits) 210 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 5 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

These cereals are tasty, if unlikely to be anything you haven’t seen or snacked on before. You won’t miss much if you don’t try them, but hey, knowing that your sugar rush comes with a side of helping those in need is pretty sweet.

Purchased Price: $3.29
Size: 12 oz box (Fruity Hoopz and Cinnamon Toasteez), 18 oz box (Frosted Drizzlerz)
Purchased at: Target

REVIEW: KFC Ultimate BBQ Fried Chicken Sandwich

Jenna 9 Comments

I confess that I can sometimes be stubborn about changing my mind; luckily, that’s not required here because KFC has always been my favorite fast food chicken chain, and its new, limited time only Ultimate BBQ Fried Chicken Sandwich just makes me even more confident in that choice.

The first thing I noticed about this sandwich was an extremely pungent (and promising) barbecue smell, followed closely by an observation of just how pretty it looked. A pristine golden bun with a plump fried chicken filet peeking out, nestled among glimpses of ruddy sauce, vibrant pickles, well-cooked bacon strips, crispy fried onions, and a dense layer of cheese…. befitting of the “Ultimate” moniker indeed! (I should note that I had to order this twice, though, as my first go-round was missing the onions, so you might want to check before leaving the store to confirm that no sections of your sandwich are MIA.)

Fortunately, KFC’s latest creation tastes just as good as it looks. Individually, each element sparkled. The fluffy, shiny bun tasted wonderfully light and buttery! The bacon hit the sweet — or should I say smoky — spot right between too lean and too fatty! The just-barely-melted blanket of cheese provided a comfortingly Velveeta-esque creaminess without being runny enough to leave a mess! The fried onions were earthy and savory with a frizzled feel that perfectly backed up the crispy fried breading practically dripping from the chicken! The pickles were snappy and sour (I must admit I don’t usually eat pickles on sandwiches, so I don’t have a ton to say about them, but I’d like to think I could at least tell if they were terrible, and they definitely weren’t terrible)!

The barbecue sauce was nicely sweet but had a subtle spicy aftertaste that left my tastebuds buzzing for more, and its presence was much more powerful than I expected, so thick and sticky it almost reminded me of jam! And the chicken would make Colonel Sanders proud, with the meat providing tender, juicy nourishment and the breading throwing in a zesty crunch that even managed the rare feat of not flaking off immediately the second I bit in!

When taken in all together, a few components stepped out of the spotlight — the flavors of fried chicken, barbecue sauce, and pickle dominated, with the cheese, onions, and bacon more noticeable in terms of texture than taste — but I didn’t find that to be a problem. As I begrudgingly learned in my high school marching band, not everyone can play the fun parts all the time, but even if some bits aren’t as exciting, they’re just as important for a harmonious whole. I truly can’t imagine the Ultimate BBQ Fried Chicken Sandwich without any of these ingredients.

The biggest potential criticism I could predict some having is a desire for more barbecue sauce; mine was merely glopped timidly onto the top and bottom buns rather than boldly oozing out as it does in promotional images, and while that was just enough for me as someone who eats my pancakes without syrup, my fries without ketchup, etc., I can see others finding it a little dry. Ultimately, though, I’d suggest this sandwich for even the sauciest shopper.

I’ll also mention that KFC suggests pairing this with another newbie for the summer menu, its Blackberry Lemonade. It was unfortunately sold out at my local store. Hopefully, you’ll have better luck — but then again, anyone who has this sandwich as an option is already pretty dang lucky.

Purchased Price: $8.37
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 650 calories (other nutritional info not available at time of publication).

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Raspberry Watermelon Refresher

Jenna 4 Comments

If you need a refresher on Refreshers, they are Dunkin’s line of caffeinated, fruit-flavored cold drinks. They were first introduced in 2020 with a green tea base that remains a steadfast option, but over the years, coconut milk and lemonade variants have been rolled out as well, and all three are available to accompany this summer’s newest flavor, Raspberry Watermelon.

I’ve loyally tried every Refresher so far, and typically if I order one without explicitly specifying the base I’d like, it comes with green tea by default. I was planning to leave the base for this review up to fate but was pleasantly surprised when the Dunkin’ employee asked me which base I’d like. While I’m a huge fan of milky drinks, the coconut milk can be overpowering even for me, and the green tea can be a bit too mild (probably because I’m a slow drinker and the flavor doesn’t hold up great when melted ice cubes water it down, which may not be a problem for most people), so lemonade struck me as the perfect option here. Plus, what could be more fitting to celebrate some overdue warm and sunny weather in my city?

My drink was a gorgeous deep reddish pink, a trait that I assume the green tea variant shares, though coconut milk Refreshers are inevitably cloudier and white-tinged. The pretty color seemed like a positive sign, and my first sip proved me right; this Refresher was as fruity and vibrant as I would expect from its vivid hue. The flavor was impressively cohesive. I find that sometimes when a drink is made up of two different flavors, one dominates the foreground while the other just appears in the aftertaste. But I couldn’t pick the raspberry and watermelon apart here, and I really enjoyed the way they mingled. Both fruits are sweet and juicy, and so is this drink. Yet, like a raspberry, it also had an identifiable tartness, which was evened out by the smooth mellowness of watermelon. The end result was an appealing candy-esque quality that never veered too sharply into overly sour territory.

The lemonade bolstered the tartness, of course, but it did so in a wonderfully balanced way. This may seem like a small difference, but I was glad that this definitively tasted like a lemonade-flavored raspberry watermelon drink rather than a raspberry watermelon-flavored lemonade. The only element of its flavor that I can’t speak to is how it tastes once the ice cubes start to melt because this was just so tasty that, for once, I gulped it down too quickly to find out! And, in case anyone was doubting this drink’s energy boosting powers, I can confirm that I was feeling quite sluggish before my purchase but left the sipping session feeling refreshed indeed.

If you appreciate jewel tone colors, zippy fruit flavors, or feeling like you’re slurping down the essence of summer no matter the weather, “water” you waiting for? Don’t blow this flavor a raspberry; it would make a fine choice for your next refreshment.

Purchased Price: $3.89
Size: Small
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 160 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 38 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Sprite Tic Tac

Jenna 6 Comments

What is it?

Tic Tacs, the diminutive mints, took its first sip of the soda world with a 2020 Coca-Cola flavor. It must have worked because here I am now in 2023 talking about the new Sprite Tac Tacs. Two of the great small pleasures in my life are Tics Tacs and Sprite, but I would never have thought to combine them, so I was glad that someone did. Initially, anyway.

How is it?

The buttery yellow color of these Tic Tacs didn’t get them off to the best start for me. I don’t think I’m alone in immediately associating Sprite with its iconic dark green bottle. While I’m sure this lighter, brighter shade was meant to allude to the citrus flavor (and it probably also didn’t hurt to distinguish these from one of Tic Tac’s most famous varieties, Wintergreen), I found the hue too banana-y to bode well.

The taste did start pretty decent, sweet and lemon-lime-y. Sure, there was a bit of an acidic aftertaste, but the main notes were crisp enough that I was able to mostly ignore it. But since a Tic Tac’s sweetness comes from its smooth outer coating, you’re ultimately going to be sucking on it long enough to dissolve that (about a minute, in my experience) or just biting through it directly. Either method reveals the coarser, more powdery inside, which here is quite sour, and chemical-tasting enough that I’d call it actively unpleasant.

Anything else you need to know?

I get that sourness is theoretically appropriate for a citrus-based flavor, but these just don’t remind me at all of Sprite, a soda I define more by its fizziness and mild sweetness than by any resemblance to the harshness of an actual lemon or lime.

Conclusion:

When I’m going for a Tic Tac, I typically want either to feel refreshed or to get a little burst of tastiness. This flavor doesn’t provide either of those things, so I can confidently say that I won’t be purchasing it again, and I’d even go as far as to state that I hope these lemony Tic Tacs are out of the limelight entirely soon.

Purchased Price: $1.59
Size: 1 oz
Purchased at: Wawa
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 mint) 0 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of total carbohydrates, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Ham & Swiss Croissant Stuffer

Jenna 7 Comments

Ham and cheese products from Dunkin’ hold a special place in my heart. Way back in 2012, when the chain was still called Dunkin’ Donuts, and the concept of serving food that wasn’t donuts was still new and baffling, I fell in love with its Ham & Cheese Bakery Sandwich. Alas, it was ultimately discontinued. So I was thrilled when I caught wind of the new Ham & Swiss Croissant Stuffer. Could this be a reunion with my one that got away?

Right out of the bag, it certainly looked and smelled promising — plump, golden, football-shaped, and emitting a gorgeously toasty aroma. The singed cheese shreds on top were a nice touch, adding some pretty orange-y color, crispy texture, and an extra pop of concentrated Cheez-It-esque flavor.

Upon slightly closer examination, though, the ham bits poking out of the edge seemed unusual, and I wondered if I’d accidentally been given bacon since they were so burnt. Spoiler alert: it was indeed ham, and despite being rather frizzled, it tasted meaty and mildly-but-not-overly-salty, which was as nice as I’d hoped.

Since I always like to start my reviews by tasting each component of a product individually, I moved on to the croissant next. It was more or less what I expected, buttery and rich, although it was also surprisingly burnt (at least the outer layer was; the inner layer was softer and doughier, more reminiscent of a Pillsbury Crescent Roll).

Getting to the Swiss required some dismantling since none of it was peeking out with the ham. That made sense when I opened up my croissant to see the cheese melded in a thick, slick layer (unlike the shreds on top, this seemed to be a single slice) so tight against the bottom that it was difficult to distinguish it from the croissant. Fortunately, it wasn’t melty enough that it was difficult to peel off, and boy, was it tasty — mild, nutty, and buttery. It was my favorite thing I tasted.

While I was peering at the inside of the croissant, I also noticed that the ham appeared to be just one large, circular slice (I had been expecting a thinner piece like deli meat, but this was a lot more substantial) folded over itself for some extra oomph. The bulk of it was definitely not as burnt as the ends had been, though it was firm in a way that made it feel a bit overcooked.

Refolding my croissant as gracefully as I could (which, admittedly, was not very) and biting into all three layers at once yielded a masterclass in texture, with the brittle, flaky croissant giving way to the dense ham with a pleasing snap before being caressed by the gooey cheese. The flavor, though, was a bit muddled. I described the croissant and Swiss as “buttery,” and that was pretty much the only thing I tasted in this mixed mouthful. If I hadn’t just been staring straight at it, I’m not sure I would have realized from taste alone that the solid slice in the middle even was ham.

So, this might not have been the second coming of my lost love, but it was still tasty. I’d advise you to check it out, if only so that you’re full and fueled to join my letter-writing campaign to bring the Bakery Sandwiches back.

Purchased Price: $4.45
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 330 calories, 17 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 580 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.