Author: Mark

REVIEW: Peeps Marshmallow Froot Loops Pop

Mark

Peeps Marshmallow Froot Loops Flavored Pops

What is the Peeps Marshmallow Froot Loops Flavored Pop?

Since last year gave us cereal flavored like Peeps, it’s only fitting that this year would give us Peeps that taste like cereal. Green, blue, red, and orange Peeps, allegedly flavored like Froot Loops, are skewered on a stick, hence the “pop” in the name.

How are they?

When I sniffed them after removing them from the package, they had a vague “Froot” scent. It kind of smelled like Froot Loops, but it was fruitier.

Peeps Marshmallow Froot Loops Flavored Pops Cereal

But when I bit the Peeps, the flavor was entirely fruity. I don’t know whether Just Born meant it to taste like Froot Loops cereal or just Froot, but it certainly didn’t taste like the cereal. The fruit flavor was surprisingly faint. Most of the other flavored Peeps have a more pronounced taste, but if you were mindlessly eating the contents of your Easter basket, you might not notice that these are different from plain Peeps.

With Froot Loops, all the colors are the same flavor, but for the Peeps, you might ask, “Are the different colors different flavors?” My answer: “Maybe?” The red seemed slightly less citrusy than the green and orange, but the flavors are so faint that I don’t know whether that was intentional or if it was my brain playing tricks on me because of what it expected the color to be.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Peeps Marshmallow Froot Loops Flavored Pops Easter

For me, the most aggravating part is the packaging and the price. At two dollars a pop (literally), they are ridiculously expensive for a disappointing candy. If I wanted to eat Peeps on a stick, I could provide my own skewer; the stick seems wasteful.

Conclusion:

If they sold these in standard Peeps packaging at standard Peeps pricing, they would be worth a try. But in pop form, I can’t recommend them to anyone. They would only be useful in candy bouquets, which are expensive already.

Purchased Price: $2.00
Size: 1.38 oz. package
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 chicks) 120 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 28 grams of sugar (including 28 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Hot Tamales Peeps Marshmallows

Mark 3 Comments

Hot Tamales Peeps Marshmallows

What are Hot Tamales Peeps Marshmallows?

The flavor of one Just Born product, Hot Tamales, has been infused into another Just Born product, Peeps. According to what I’ve read elsewhere on the internet, they are exclusive to Kroger-owned stores.

How are they?

Hot Tamales Peeps Marshmallows Row

When I ate the first one, I was amazed at how much they taste like Hot Tamales. The texture is all marshmallow (with the grainy coating, of course), but there’s no denying the flavor of the classic pill-shaped cinnamon candies. Wonderful!

However, they are not as strong, I mean, as fierce as Hot Tamales themselves. Your spice-averse five-year-old will handle these marshmallows just fine.

Hot Tamales Peeps Marshmallows with Hot Tamales

I know they’re less fierce because I ate some real Hot Tamales right after eating a Peep. And then I ate another Peep, and I couldn’t taste the cinnamon in the marshmallow anymore because the Hot Tamales were so much more powerful. So it would be wasteful to eat these with Hot Tamales.

Is there anything else you need to know?

As is typical with many of these flavored varieties, the pink permeates all parts of the Peep, not just the outside coating.

Conclusion:

I would have preferred these marshmallow chicks to be as fierce as their spicy namesake, but they’re a delightful flavor on their own. In fact, of all the flavored Peeps that I have had over the years, Hot Tamales might well be my favorite.

Purchased Price: $1.50 (2 for $3.00)
Size: 3 oz. package
Purchased at: Smith’s Marketplace
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 chicks) 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 24 grams of sugar (including 24 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Veggie Crackers

Mark 6 Comments

Pepperidge Farm Veggie Crackers Cheesy Tomato and Sweet Carrot

What are Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Veggie Crackers?

Iconic Goldfish crackers have received a vegetable update, with two new flavors: Cheesy Tomato, made with tomato paste powder, and Sweet Carrot, made with carrot juice concentrate and carrot puree.

According to the packaging, one serving contains one-third of a serving of vegetables. The pictures in the middle of this review show the recommended serving size of 56 or 57 pieces.

How are they?

Pepperidge Farm Cheesy Tomato Veggie Crackers Closeup

Pepperidge Farm Sweet Carrot Veggie Crackers Closeup

First of all, the smiling tomato and carrot shapes are adorable!

Taste-wise, I ended up liking the tomato version more than the carrot version, which was the opposite of what I expected. It tastes like tomato soup. Though it’s called Cheesy Tomato, it has less cheese than standard Cheddar Goldfish, so it likewise tastes less cheesy.

Pepperidge Farm Cheesy Tomato Veggie Crackers

Pepperidge Farm Sweet Carrot Veggie Crackers

The Sweet Carrot version isn’t as sweet as, say, a graham cracker; it’s sweet in the same way that carrots are sweet. I find it a little bland. It reminds me more of sweet potato chips, with a texture that I might call mushy.

For both varieties, they aren’t as good as regular Goldfish, even though they are a little more expensive.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Pepperidge Farm seems to be implying that these are healthier than classic Goldfish. I’m no nutritionist, but the supposed health benefits appear to be minimal, and in some ways they are worse than the original.

Pepperidge Farm Cheesy Tomato Veggie Crackers Tomato Soup

Pepperidge Farm Sweet Carrot Veggie Crackers Carrot Soup

The crackers make welcome additions to tomato soup and carrot soup, but still not as good as Cheddar Goldfish.

Conclusion:

Goldfish Veggie Crackers are a fun variation, but their flavor don’t compare to the OG.

Even so, I hope Pepperidge Farm brings us other veggie colors and shapes: broccoli, pumpkin, corn, and more. Crackers won’t replace vegetables, but they might help kids to think about them!

Purchased Price: $1.67
Size: 4 oz. bags
Purchased at: Dick’s Market
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Cheesy Tomato), 6 out of 10 (Sweet Carrot)
Nutrition Facts: Cheesy Tomato (57 pieces) 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat, 3 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 2 grams of sugar, 0 grams of added sugars, and 3 grams of protein. Sweet Carrot (56 pieces) 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat, 3 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 3 grams of sugar, 2 grams of added sugars, and 2 grams of protein

REVIEW: General Mills Cocoa Puffs with Lucky Charms Marshmallows Cereal

Mark

Cocoa Puffs with Lucky Charms Marshmallows Cereal

What is Cocoa Puffs with Lucky Charms Marshmallows Cereal?

If you are the kind of person who reads this blog, you know exactly what this cereal is. It’s standard Cocoa Puffs — chocolatey corn spheres — with colored marshmallow bits shaped like hearts, shooting stars, horseshoes, clover hats, moons, unicorns, and balloons.

How is it?

Cocoa Puffs with Lucky Charms Marshmallows Cereal Bowl

Not once when I ate Cocoa Puffs (or more commonly Coco Roos, the Malt-O-Meal knockoff) did I ever think to myself, “This would be better with marshmallows.” The oat cereal of regular Lucky Charms is a little bland and needs the extra sweetness and textural contrast, but Cocoa Puffs are sweet and enjoyable on their own. Also, we already have Chocolate Lucky Charms.

Luckily (ha!), the marshmallows don’t have any negative effect on Cocoa Puffs (except nutrition-wise).

Lucky Charms are the gold standard of cereal marbits: they aren’t too crunchy, and they get softer in milk. So they aren’t too distracting here. But they also don’t greatly enhance the experience.

I did a side-by-side comparison with Chocolate Lucky Charms, and I thought CLC was better. That might have been the texture more than anything, because the ingredients and nutrition facts are very similar.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Cocoa Puffs with Lucky Charms Marshmallows Cereal Milk

I must say, I can’t think of any cereal that leaves behind a better-tasting milk than Cocoa Puffs. It almost seems like drinking regular chocolate milk, and the leftover milk might be my favorite part of the whole bowl. It’s even better than what Chocolate Lucky Charms leave behind.

Conclusion:

Lucky the Leprechaun’s marshmallow charms are an acceptable, but unnecessary, addition to classic Cocoa Puffs. 

Purchased Price: $5.98
Size: 2 lb. 3 oz. bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of sugar (including 12 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Great Value Holiday Sugar Cookie Popcorn

Mark 4 Comments

Great Value Holiday Sugar Cookie Popcorn

What is Great Value Holiday Sugar Cookie Popcorn?

Walmart’s store brand has upped its game when it comes to seasonal products. One of its new yuletide items is a sugar cookie–flavored microwave popcorn. Even though “sugar” is in the name, there’s no sugar added; this microwave popcorn is flavored by “natural and artificial flavor” and sucralose.

How is it?

I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. My coworker said, “It’s like they took a syringe and injected a full sugar cookie in each corn.” I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s definitely adjacent to a sugar cookie flavor.

Great Value Holiday Sugar Cookie Popcorn Closeup

It has a buttery element that is less reminiscent of popcorn and more reminiscent of sugar cookies. It’s sweet, but not as sweet as kettle corn. This would be a great snack to munch on while watching a holiday movie like How the Wonderful Elf Died Hard Home Alone on 34th Street.

Still, though, it’s not addicting. I usually can inhale popcorn (as long as it’s not overly saturated with artificial butter flavor), but with this sweet version, I’m satisfied with a handful or two, and I don’t feel like eating more.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I obeyed the packaging’s rule not to use the microwave’s popcorn button, even though everyone ignores that. The recommended minute and forty-five seconds was perfect for my home microwave, but it was entirely too short for the office microwave.

Also, it tastes much better than it smells.

Conclusion:

I can’t munch on this treat indefinitely, but Great Value deserves an A for ingenuity.

Purchased Price: $1.98
Size: 14.04 oz. box (6 bags)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bag) 340 calories, 21 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 350 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of total sugars, 0 grams of added sugars, and 4 grams of protein.