The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW: Rockstar Recovery Berryade

April 9, 2024April 3, 2024 Marvo 4 Comments

I’m not sure why I’ve been kind of ignoring Rockstar Energy Drinks for many years. Maybe I feel more like a Monster than a Rockstar? Or perhaps it’s because the Rockstar products seem to always be on the shelves below the Monster stuff, and I don’t want to bend down to get them. But after tasting Rockstar Recovery Berryade, I think I should start caffeinating my body with flavors I haven’t tried yet because this energy drink is delicious.

Its aroma is a delightful mix that’s sometimes reminiscent of cotton candy and other times of a refreshing berry slushie. Its sweet, candy-like flavor is a treat for my taste buds, so much so that I found myself finishing it quickly. It also didn’t help that it’s non-carbonated, making it go down smoothly without carbonation bubbles acting as speed bumps along the way to my gullet. And just like Monster Energy’s Ultra line, despite being sugar-free, it doesn’t compromise on taste. When I drank this chilled, I couldn’t tell it had artificial sweeteners.

The 160 milligrams of caffeine in Rockstar Recovery Berryade did have a noticeable reviving effect, providing a much-needed energy boost. But I have to trust that the drink’s electrolytes actually hydrated me because I can’t tell. I also have to trust that the added biotin, magnesium, and zinc did what they were supposed to do.

Rockstar Recovery Berryade is a berry good tasting beverage that’ll ade my energy levels.

Purchased Price: $2.79
Size: 16 fl oz can
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 160 milligrams of caffeine.

SPOTTED: Limited Edition Smartfood Lay’s Sour Cream & Onion Popcorn

April 9, 2024April 8, 2024 Marvo 1 Comment

Limited Edition Smartfood Lay's Sour Cream & Onion Popcorn.

Now do Lay’s Salt & Vinegar, Smartfood. (Spotted by Aaron W at Sam’s Club.)

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: Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut

April 9, 2024April 8, 2024 Marvo 7 Comments

Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut.

It’s also available in bottles and there’s a Zero Sugar version. Happy Sippin’ Summer! (Spotted by Matthew A at Food Lion.)

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Picnic Peach Cobbler Blizzard

April 9, 2024April 8, 2024 Marvo 7 Comments

How many different Dairy Queen Blizzard flavors have there been? No, I’m asking you because I can’t even make a reasonable guess. We have a handy list that goes all the way back to 2009, but it’s not complete and doesn’t include those special variations that Canada sometimes gets. And I imagine there have been many other different Blizzards at DQs around the world. So I doubt anyone at Dairy Queen headquarters even knows the answer. It seems like many new flavors have used the Taco Bell method and just mixed and matched the same five or six ingredients, but the new Picnic Peach Cobbler Blizzard is the first one, at least as far as I can tell, that includes peaches. And now I know why it took so long.

As I’ve said in previous reviews, there’s really no such thing as a “bad” Blizzard unless DQ decides to make one with ketchup, mustard, and hot dog chunks (even though I would definitely try that). But this one lands in the barely good category. It looks very nondescript, and the taste is nothing special either.

I will admit that I’m not the biggest fan of peaches. Something about them being fuzzy and having giant pits has always unnerved me, and the Jack Black song “Peaches” drives me crazy. If you haven’t heard it, I strongly advise against listening to it unless you like having repetitive lyrics stuck in your head all day.

With that said, I do enjoy a nice, fresh peach from time to time, and peach in cobbler form is always tasty. Except here, it’s kind of not. The cobbler part is good. The crust pieces are sweet and chewy and make me think I’m eating cobbler. The problem is the peaches. Now, I don’t expect DQ to have a peach orchard next to the parking lot and pick a fresh one for each Blizzard, but this contains what the DQ website refers to as “peach topping.” Yes, it does have peaches in it, along with a bunch of other things, and the end result tastes something like peach gummies or those weird fruit candy slice things that I’ve never seen for sale at the grocery store but somehow eaten many, many times. The peach flavor was mild and pleasant enough, but the texture was odd. Perhaps using canned peaches would be too mushy or wouldn’t survive the magic Blizzard blending machine, but this version of “peaches” just didn’t make the grade for me.

Even if you love peaches, this one might disappoint you because the peach flavor is subdued, and the topping has an off-putting texture. It’s nice to see DQ adding a new component to the list of Blizzard ingredients, but this one is a disappointment.

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: Mini
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 350 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 56 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 46 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: 4/9/2024

April 9, 2024April 8, 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.