REVIEW: Jack in the Box Honey Garlic Sriracha Crispy Chicken Wings

Marvo Leave a comment

Jack in the Box’s Crispy Chicken Wings are back! Thank goodness. I was afraid they were discontinued because they disappeared off the menu so quickly that I didn’t even get to eat them again after enjoying them earlier this year. This time, along with the Classic, Buffalo, and Garlic Parmesan varieties, there’s a new sauce — Honey Garlic Sriracha.

I’m a little surprised that these weren’t hot honey flavored because that seems to be the hottest flavor at the moment. But it’s spicy and has honey, so I guess it’s close enough.

If you missed Jack’s Crispy Chicken Wings the first time, you missed one of the year’s surprisingly great fast food products, at least to me. Yes, Jack in the Box is a burger place, but for some magical reason, it does chicken wings surprisingly well. The exterior has a pleasant crispiness even when sauced, and the meat inside is actually juicy. However, I wish the wings were coated better in their sauces, even with this Honey Garlic Sriracha order.

There’s a bit of a Panda Express vibe going on with the sauce, although it isn’t as gloopy as anything from the popular wok chain. It’s not as hot as actual sriracha because the honey and garlic distract my taste buds from the heat. The sauce overall tastes ever so slightly watered down, which is the best way I can describe it. The sweet, garlicky, and peppery flavors are there but don’t pop. As for the heat, it starts off very mild, but it does build up a little while eating more. However, I didn’t need a Witch Please Shake or water to cool down my mouth.

Jack in the Box’s Honey Garlic Sriracha Crispy Chicken Wings are good, but I feel the others are better tasting. If I went to someone’s house to watch a football game (someone, please invite me over) and these were being offered, I would gladly eat them. But if I’m staring at the Jack in the Box menu all by myself and want chicken wings, if they’re still around, I’d probably pick any of the other varieties.

Purchased Price: $8.99*
Size: 6-piece order
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 500 calories. Other nutritional numbers aren’t available on the Jack in the Box website.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

SPOTTED: 9/19/2024

Marvo 1 Comment

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.

Bettergoods S’mores Spread

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Pure Protein Galactic Brownie Batter Protein Shake
Pure Protein Caramel Churro Protein Shake

(Spotted by Tommy at Walmart.)

Pillsbury Birthday Cake Cookie Dough

(Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

Pop-Tarts Frosted Cinnamon Roll Pastry Bites

(Spotted by Erin K at Cub Foods.)

Kirkland Signature Cinnamon Coffee Cake

(Spotted by Hydi M at Costco.)

Creative Pops Chocolate Bliss Gourmet Cake Pops

(Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

Central Market Strawberry Rhubarb Skyr
Central Market Spiced Peach Skyr
Central Market Vanilla Bean Skyr
Central Market Plain 0 Percent Skyr
Central Market Plain 2 Percent Skyr

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Ghetto Gastro Brown Sugar and Sweet Potato Gourmet Toaster Pastries

Marvo 8 Comments

Ghetto Gastro Brown Sugar Gourmet Toaster Pastries.

Ghetto Gastro Sweet Potato Gourmet Toaster Pastries.

I have yet to buy any of the original flavors. (Spotted by Rene B at Target.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Hershey’s Trick-Or-Treat Bucket

Marvo 1 Comment

Hershey's Trick-Or-Treat Bucket.

Well, so much for going door-to-door this year if you can get a bucket pre-filled with candy. (Spotted by Hydi M at Hershey’s Chocolate World.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Oreo Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

Brandon 9 Comments

Like a wide-eyed kid away at college, far from home for the first time in their life, Coca-Cola is going through a bit of an experimental phase. Over the past year or so, it mixed its classic carbonation with DJs and conceptual artists, with abstract ideas and intangible tastes like “space.” But like that same aforementioned college kid, things have mostly returned to normal. Well, except first they wanna try one last thing, okay?

Partnering with Oreo for a collaboration that—ahem—swings both ways, the bold and daring can now get Oreo cookies that taste like Coke and Coke that tastes like Oreo cookies. I love flavored Coca-Cola—even when they’re bad, they’re at least fun—so I was eager to drink the cookie.

Cracking open a mini can, I was assaulted by the aroma of, well, Oreo. I took a tiny sip, and yep, there it was: I was totally drinking the famous creme-filled chocolate wafer cookie. As the artificial chocolate flavor coated the inside of my mouth like some greasy sugar juice, I got the tiniest hint of good old-fashioned Coca-Cola, then a crashing wave of aspartame and acesulfame potassium.

The artificial sweetener in this hits HARD. I’m a regular Coke Zero drinker, so it’s not that I’m not used to it; something about the balance in the Oreo Coke, though, is different. I’ve had the same thing happen in some of the other limited edition Coke Zero Sugar flavors, and honestly, it makes it too much. It reminds me of being a kid and accidentally being given a Diet Coke at a fast food place. When I was young and unaccustomed to the artificial tang, that first sip was like getting slapped in the mouth.

And unfortunately, I felt it really hindered my enjoyment of this otherwise fun flavor.

Oreo Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is a fun idea and nothing more. If you’re a Coke completist or someone who likes trying new and unusual things, and you see a bottle, grab it. It’s worth a couple of bucks, and who knows, it may be your new favorite thing. (A lot of chatter I’ve read online so far seems to really put me in the minority, so, as the adage goes, your mileage may be different than mine.)

Purchased Price: $5.98
Size: 10-pack mini cans
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and less than 0 gram of protein.