FAST FOOD NEWS: Wendy’s Chicken Tenders & Side of S’Awesome Sauce

Wendy s Chicken Tenders Side of S Awesome Sauce

Update: We reviewed it! Click here to read our review.

McDonald’s recently re-introduced chicken tenders with a new dipping sauce. To rain on McDonald’s parade, Wendy’s is also offering chicken tenders with a new sauce.

Tenders are made from 100 percent all-white meat chicken breasts that are lightly breaded and seasoned. The Side of S’Awesome is a tangy, sweet, and smoky sauce. A 3-piece serving has 300 calories, 14 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 920 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of fiber, 22 grams of protein.

To showcase the chicken tenders and sauce, Wendy’s is offering a limited time Combo Meal that includes three chicken tenders, small fries, and a small drink for $5. The chicken tenders can also be purchased separately with three or four tenders, or in a Wendy’s Kids Meal.

If you’ve tried it, let us know what you think of it in the comments.

(Image via Wendy’s website.)

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Bugles Bold BBQ

Bugles Bold BBQ

Are there now enough Bugles flavors that I can put a different one on each of my fingers and toes? (Spotted by Robbie at Corner Store.)

If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. Or reply to us (@theimpulsivebuy) on Twitter with the photo, where you spotted it, and the hashtag #spotted. If you’ve tried the product, share your thoughts about it in the comments.

Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: Snyder’s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces

Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 1

Pumpkin Season is in full force and new this year is Snyder’s of Hanover’s Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces, which got me excited since pretzels seemed to be an interesting and novel way to show of the much-loved flavor.

Recently, though, I have been tackling new pumpkin-flavored items with some hesitation because it seems like the flavor can vary greatly in execution. It’s best when the pumpkin-to-spice ratio is masterfully in sync, usually with one not overpowering the other. It also helps to have real pumpkin included. Let’s see how Snyder’s did.

Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 2

As I break open the bag, I am hit with intense spice aroma. I can definitely smell the cinnamon and nutmeg. Pumpkin, though? Not so much. The pieces are all different shapes and sizes with a nice orange hue affixed to a majority of the pieces. It’s not bright enough to be mistaken for a cheesy seasoning, but not too dull either.

Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 3

There’s also some dark speckling on top of the orange. As far as size, most of the pieces are bite-sized except for one that was still largely intact. As I stare at it more it kind of resembles a finger and with this being a fall flavor before Halloween it oddly fits right in.

The pieces are as crunchy as you would expect from a well-crafted sourdough hard pretzel. There’s a nice doughy kind of flavor that pops up as you break down the pieces in your mouth. Once you get it going after the crunch, the coating’s flavor comes through.

How does the flavor taste, exactly? Is it packed full of pumpkiny goodness? No, not really. Is there an explosion of earthy spices in your mouth? Maybe, but just a little.

Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 4

Honestly, though, all I tasted was cinnamon. There was cinnamon, more cinnamon and then some more cinnamon all backed by the sweetness of sugar. I kept eating more to try to convince myself I could taste the pumpkin or some of the other spices, like nutmeg, especially because I had smelled it earlier. However, no luck.

It’s surprising because pumpkin powder is listed as one of the ingredients. In the end, though, these are just very, very good cinnamon pretzels with a nice festive orange color. Next year, these should be rebranded as festively colored cinnamon sugar pretzel pieces for Halloween. Either that or the pumpkin powder needs to move up the ingredient list significantly.

(Nutrition Facts – about 1/3 cup – 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, Less than 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 10 oz. bag
Purchased at: Shopfoodex.com
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Crunchy and delicious sourdough base. Pleasant orange coloring. Accidental shapes that turn out to be festive. Real pumpkin powder.
Cons: Off balanced pumpkin spice ratio. An aroma that didn’t match in taste. Faint to non-existent pumpkin flavor. Glorified cinnamon sugar pretzels.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 10/10/2017

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

H E B Mexican Hot Chocolate Twisters

H-E-B Mexican Hot Chocolate Twisters

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

Great Value Cheesecake Flavored Fruit Dip

Great Value Cheesecake Flavored Fruit Dip

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart)

Limited Edition Crown Maple Syrup  Cinnamon Infused Bourbon Barrel Aged and Vanilla Infused

Limited Edition Crown Maple Syrup (Cinnamon Infused, Bourbon Barrel Aged, and Vanilla Infused)

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart)

Tostitos Dip etizers Mexican Style Black Bean with a Hint of Garlic

Tostitos Dip’etizers Mexican Style Black Bean with a Hint of Garlic

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart)

Ocean Spray Unsweetened Pure Cranberry Juice

Ocean Spray Unsweetened Pure Cranberry Juice

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart)

French s Crunchy Toppers Dill Pickle

French’s Crunchy Toppers Dill Pickle

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. Or reply to us (@theimpulsivebuy) on Twitter with the photo, where you spotted it, and the hashtag #spotted. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Limited Edition Mystery Oreo Cookies

Limited Edition Mystery Oreo Cookies

Update: We reviewed it! Click here to read our review.

I imagine we’ll be seeing a new Mystery Oreo flavor every year from now on. (Spotted by Gary A at Walmart. It’s also been spotted at Kroger stores.)

If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. Or reply to us (@theimpulsivebuy) on Twitter with the photo, where you spotted it, and the hashtag #spotted. If you’ve tried the product, share your thoughts about it in the comments.

Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.