Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Herr’s Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls

Rachel 7 Comments

Herr s Crunchy N Sweet Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls

What are Herr’s Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls?

I’m 70% sure this is how this product was developed:

“Ok, what flavor are we making these new orange crunchy balls?”

“How about orange?”

“Don’t be so obvious, Jim. Anybody else? Ideas? Anything? No? OK, orange it is!”

Hence, we have Herr’s Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls – orange cream-flavored, orb-shaped puffs.

How are they?

The aroma in the bag is straight-up, not-screwing-around-with-subtlety orange. After cracking it open, I left the room and could smell them when I walked back in. Not the Epcot Soarin’ orange grove mist variety, more like candy or soda. I liked it, but it’s hardcore fakey-fake.

Herr s Crunchy N Sweet Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls 2 Back

Ironically, they’re not even orange – they’re cream-colored with orange flecks.

Herr s Crunchy N Sweet Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls 3 Balls

I expected the flavor to be a sweet/savory combo, since I associate the puff format with cheese, but these were all sweet with just the slightest hint of savory from the puff base.

The orange was much more laid back in taste than aroma. The cream was definitely present, along with a wheaty/baked flavor, which gave the whole thing a breakfast-cereal vibe. I thought about dumping them in milk, but it only occurred to me after I’d finished them all. Whoops.

Herr s Crunchy N Sweet Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls 4 Closeup

Is there anything else you need to know?

No day-glo dust means no orange fingers. No one would even know these hands just pawed through an entire bag!

Herr s Crunchy N Sweet Orange Cream Pop Snack Balls 5 Fingers

Conclusion:

These were tasty, and a novel flavor I haven’t seen in this form. Not Epcot-orange, but a fun snack that’s worth a try. I binge-ate them.

Purchased Price: $2.49
Size: 6 oz. bag
Purchased at: Five Below
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (39 pieces) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, including 6 grams of added sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Salted ‘n Swirled Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

Marvo 2 Comments

Ben Jerry s Chocolate Salted n Swirled Non Dairy Frozen Dessert

Thank you, Ben & Jerry’s!

Thanks for adding a space between “almond” and “milk,” and not making it a compound word like Silk and Starbucks do. Spelling it almondmilk irritates me because my autocorrect always splits it up and then I have to go back to turn it into one word because I have to spell it the way they do. It’s like how I have to use “doughnut” instead of “donut” when referring to Krispy Kreme products because that’s how the chain spells it.

Also, thanks for your Chocolate Salted ‘n Swirled Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert.

Ben & Jerry’s newest non-dairy treat features chocolate sandwich cookies and salted caramel swirls in a chocolate-flavored frozen dessert made with almond milk. It’s currently a Target-exclusive.

Will it ever be free to see other stores? If we look throughout Ben & Jerry’s flavor history, exclusive products usually remain in a committed relationship.

This is the first time I’ve had the brand’s non-dairy almond milk chocolate base, and it’s not going to be mistaken for Ben & Jerry’s chocolate ice cream. Its flavor is still quite pleasing, but it’s also familiar to my taste buds. It reminds me of Silk’s chocolate, ugh, almondmilk.

Ben Jerry s Chocolate Salted n Swirled Non Dairy Frozen Dessert Closeup

When I saw “chocolate sandwich cookies” listed on the front of the container, I didn’t expect to see a whole cookie standing in the middle of my pint like it was the crash-landed Star Destroyer in The Force Awakens. I expected chunks throughout the container. I mean, there were some, but most of the cookie mix-ins in the pint consisted of that whole one and another half that sat at the bottom of the pint. Having an entire cookie wasn’t too much of an issue because I treated it as if it was one of Ben & Jerry’s Core varieties and just scraped away some of the, unfortunately, soggy cookie while getting a spoonful.

While those two components are good, the gooey salted caramel swirl is a bit odd. It doesn’t taste like caramel or have much saltiness. Instead, I get more of a toasted marshmallow vibe. Of course, your results may vary, or I might’ve broken my taste buds after doing over 1,250 reviews. But that’s what I get, and I guess if it’s going to taste like something different, toasted marshmallow is one of the best scenarios. So I shouldn’t be saying the swirl is odd because when eaten together, all the components make a sweet, satisfying, and almost s’mores-like spoonful.

Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Salted ‘n Swirled is, I believe, the second non-dairy frozen dessert I’ve had from the company, the first being Cinnamon Buns. I enjoyed my first dip into Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy frozen world, and I also liked my second, although not as much as my first.

Purchased Price: $3.50 (on sale)
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 320 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 28 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger

Vin 9 Comments

McDonald s Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger

If you’re like me, you’ve fallen down many a rabbit hole of International McDonald’s menu items. I’ve clicked through listicle after annoying listicle just yearning for the day America embraces the weirdness that the rest of the world gets to bask in daily.

Good thing for us, McDonald’s has introduced a new “Worldwide Favorites” menu. What say we go for a little trip across the pond?

McDonald s Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger Box

The Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger comes courtesy of Spain and consists of a Quarter Pounder, Applewood Bacon, McBacon Sauce, slivered onions, and two slices of Gouda.

Quick questions – I thought Gouda was a Dutch cheese? Is it a staple of Spaniard diets? Is McDonald’s making stuff up?!

McDonald s Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger Cheese

Anyway, the Gouda and McBacon Sauce were the ingredients I was most excited about. I’ve never had either on a fast food burger. I assumed they were what made this burger so extreme. So McExtreme!

The Gouda was mild, but there was just enough of that creamy, smoky flavor you’d want. It meshed really well. There are so many overpowering cheeses that could have ruined everything, so no matter where Gouda derives from, it was the right choice for this particular burger.

McDonald s Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger Toppings

I’d take McBacon Sauce over ketchup on literally every burger going forward. It’s equal parts smoky, tangy, and well, bacon-y. It’s too bad they screwed me with only a small dollop. Every burger I buy is swimming in sauce. The one time I’d actually like that, I get a dab.

The rest of the ingredients were retreads, although I’ll say that not having a Quarter Pounder in a while really made me feel like I was eating a premium hamburger – at least by McDonald’s standards.

Applewood Bacon has become a can’t miss topping, so no complaints there.

The onions didn’t add much, so I ended up scraping most of them off. They should’ve used crispy fried onions.

I wondered why they didn’t do anything fancy with the sesame seed bun, but I got a nice fresh one at least.

McDonald s Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger Bite

The most impressive thing about this burger was how clean it somehow was. The box was initially oily and gross (I guess that was from the bacon? Maybe some Gouda run-off?), but the burger as a whole was shockingly easy to eat. That was likely exclusive to my experience, but nothing fell off the burger, and I didn’t even need a napkin, which is unheard of. I imagine that’s how Europeans like their burgers.

All in all, this was a creative, tasty burger, which is great because, besides the Stroopwafel McFlurry, the other Worldwide Favorites are boring. Cheese fries? Mozzarella chicken sandwich? Meh. What makes mozzarella Canadian? McDonald’s is just randomly assigning cheeses to countries!

Despite the mystery grease, the Grand McExtreme is one of the better fast food burgers I’ve had in ages. Is it distinctly Spanish? I couldn’t tell ya, but no matter what, Me encanta! (This is Google Spanish for “I’m Loving it,” so blame them if it’s wrong.)

Purchased Price: $6.60
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 750 calories, 47 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 145 milligrams of cholesterol, 1310 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 43 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cupcake Pop-Tarts (Frosted Chocolate Cupcake and Frosted Confetti Cupcake)

Marvo 1 Comment

Cupcake Pop Tarts

The only problems with cupcakes are that they’re not really portable or pocketable.

Yes, you could stick a cupcake in one of those plastic clamshell holders that are specially designed to hold just one of them and carry it around in a bag. But if you don’t want cupcake frosting smearing that clear plastic, you have to be very careful with that bag. No dipsy-doodles. Cupcakes also don’t fit in pockets. Don’t @ me your cleaning bills because you wanted to prove me wrong!

But Cupcake Pop-Tarts are portable AND pocketable. No frosting on plastic to worry about. No Googling to find out how to get rid of cake stains. No worrying about peeling back the foil or paper baking cups. And, no one is going to ask you, “What’s the special occasion?”

Cupcake Pop-Tarts are available in one rehashed flavor — Frosted Confetti Cupcake — and one new variety — Frosted Chocolate Cupcake.

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop-Tarts

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop Tarts Sprinkles

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop-Tarts are 2011’s Frosted Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts with an added syllable. Are they really the same? Well, processed food production has evolved over the years, so I’m sure there might’ve been some tweaks made. I’m 95% sure the 2019 version is not EXACTLY the same as the 2011 version. But I’m 100% sure the Pop-Tarts image used on both boxes are EXACTLY the same. See for yourself.

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop Tarts Box

I reviewed the Frosted Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts back in 2011, and I found them to be “yummy enough that I would put them somewhere at the bottom of my list of Top 10 Favorite Pop-Tarts Flavors of All-Time.” Of course, I wrote that a few dozen new Pop-Tarts flavors ago, so that’s no longer the case.

Frosted Confetti Cupcake Pop Tarts Innards

Whether toasted or straight from the foil wrapper, they have a butteriness and sweetness that equates to a flavor that I would consider as “cake.” So much so that if Kellogg’s wants to rename this flavor again, it could call it Birthday Cake (oh wait, it looks like that was already done). So if you’re into birthday cake-flavored products or you REALLY missed Frosted Confetti Cake Pop-Tarts, go and buy a box.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 16-pack box
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pastries) 360 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 440 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop-Tarts

Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop Tarts Squiggle

This one is, well, chocolatey. It has a chocolatey crust, chocolatey icing with a white squiggle (like Hostess CupCakes), and a sweet white filling.

Unlike Confetti Cupcake, this one’s flavor doesn’t make me think of cake or even a Hostess CupCake. Instead, it reminds me more of other chocolatey Pop-Tarts varieties. Also, I found its chocolatey flavor to be more prominent when the pastry is not toasted.

Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop Tarts Innards

Overall, it’s a good non-fruity Pop-Tart, but another aspect of it that disappointed me was the amount of filling in the ones I ate prior to writing this review (which was four). I wish there was more of it because when I bite into these, I don’t feel the filling ooze out a little when they’re toasted, which is one of the best things about eating a Pop-Tart. It’s also the worst thing because if I toasted one, that filling is like lava in my mouth.

Maybe I got a bad box, but having that oozing sensation would’ve been a nice touch and a more accurate representation of what it’s like to bite into a creme-filled cupcake.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 16-pack box
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pastries) 360 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 410 milligrams of sodium, 68 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 34 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

Are Frosted Confetti Cupcake and Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Pop-Tarts good?

Yes. And, I’d like to add, they make excellent bread for ice cream sandwiches.

Are they yummy enough that I would put them somewhere at the bottom of my list of Top 10 Favorite Pop-Tarts Flavors of All-Time?

No. But both are definitely in my Top 25.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples of the Pop-Tarts. Doing so did not influence my review in any way, although it seems like it. But I assure you it did not.

REVIEW: Mint Creme Fudge Covered Oreo Cookies

Tiffany 1 Comment

Mint Creme Fudge Covered Oreo Cookies

What are the Mint Creme Fudge Covered Oreo Cookies?

A full-sized, regular Oreo cookie enrobed in chocolate, like the one that came out in February, but its creme is mint flavored!

How are they?

Mint Creme Fudge Covered Oreo Cookies Innards

Like its smaller counterpart (Oreo Thins Bites Fudge Dipped Mint), it’s dang good. The mint flavor is consistent with other mint Oreo cookies – not toothpaste or gum minty, still an off-putting artificial green, but very tasty!

Mint Creme Fudge Covered Oreo Cookies Coating

There is also something about the texture of this larger version that I love; I think it’s the fudge-to-cookie ratio. There’s enough chocolate for it to be delightfully decadent but not overly so. The decadence ends with the satisfying crisp of the chocolate wafer. I’m not sure why I was worried it would be soggy or stale because it wasn’t!

I also appreciated that the fudge didn’t melt from handling. I was a bit concerned that this much chocolate dipped surface area would mean brown confection all over my hands and face from the meltage. Again, worried about nothin’!

Is there anything else you need to know?

If you have the impulse to freeze these like Thin Mints, don’t do it. They become too much like hockey pucks that feel like they’ll chip your tooth!

Conclusion:

:

Mint Creme Fudge Covered Oreo Cookies Wrapper

I enjoy these, but I’m probably going to stick with the Mint Oreo Thins Bites Fudge Dipped because I can scarf down too many of these full-sized ones too quickly!

Purchased Price: $2.79
?Size: 9.9 oz.
?Purchased at: Meijer
?Rating: 8 out of 10
?Nutrition Facts:: (1 cookie) 120 calories, 6 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 55 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of total sugars, 12 grams of added sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.