The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW: Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispies Treats

Marvo / September 21, 2017 / Reviews / 4 Comments

“I’m not sure.”

Those three words have popped into my head a few times while eating Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispies Treats.

So far, I’ve eaten 13 of the 40 bars that are in the box, but I’m not sure my mass consumption is a full you-must-buy-these endorsement. First off, 40 treats is A LOT for one or two people. I’m at 14 (yes, I ate another one while typing this paragraph), and I’m getting kind of tired of them.

When I first gazed upon the rectangular treat, I thought it had an orange hue. But as I stared at it, I wondered if my eyes were playing tricks on me and that its wrapper is influencing its color. When I look at one in the light and away from any wrappers, it looks like a usual pale Rice Krispies Treat, but at the same time, I’m not sure about that because it also looks orangey. My eyes and brain are so confused.

Dried pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices are ingredients. There’s cinnamon. Yay! Ginger. Yay! Nutmeg. Yay! Allspice. Yay! Acetylated monoglycerides. I’m not sure what that is!

Those ingredients do give the treats an almost authentic pumpkin pie flavor, albeit a bit mild. I recently tried the Pumpkin Pie Kit Kat and they have a bold flavor. If those SHOUT pumpkin pie, these are more like a normal conversation in a quiet room. At first, I thought it was a bit too light because the flavor of a regular Rice Krispies Treat comes through with each bite. But after eating so many of them, I think snack Stockholm syndrome has kicked in and now it’s just right.

But the thing with the pie flavor is that I’m not sure where it’s coming from. I know the icing has it because when I take a bite with the white drizzle, my taste buds get that mild pumpkin pie flavor. But when I take a bite from its undercarriage, sans icing, I sometimes get spices and other times it tastes like I’m biting into a regular Rice Krispies Treat.

I have 25 left (yes, I ate another). They’re good, but not I’m-going-to-eat-all-40 good. Hopefully, next year they’re available in a less Costco-like size. But if you can pawn them off to your co-workers, friends, or kid’s classmates to gain brownie points, I mean, Rice Krispies Treats points, go ahead and buy a box, and then give the rest to others after you’ve eaten your share.

Thanks to Impulsive Buy reader Carla for sending a box to me!

(Nutrition Facts – 1 bar – 90 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, less than 1 gram of protein.)

Purchased Price: N/A
Size: 40-pack
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Good, but not eat-all-40 good. Almost authentic pumpkin pie flavor. Made with real pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
Cons: Only available in 40-pack. Not sure if it has an orange hue. Not sure if the pumpkin pie flavor also comes from the Rice Krispies.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 9/21/2017

Marvo / September 21, 2017 / Spotted on Shelves / 3 Comments

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.

The Bakery Sock It To Me Creme Cake

The Bakery Toffee Almond Crunch Cookies

Marketside Gourmet Peanut Brittle

(Spotted by Bob K at Walmart.)

McCain Deep ‘n Delicious Dutch Apple Pie

(Spotted by Craig J at ShopRite.)

Brown Cow Specialties Whole Milk Yogurt (Cafe Mocha, Vanilla Salted Caramel, and Marbled Chocolate Raspberry)

(Spotted by Rachel C at Sprouts.)

Bush’s Best Bean Dips (Original and Black Bean)

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Dallas Cowboys NFL Team M&M’s

(Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

Beech Nut Fruity Oat Bars (Strawberry, Banana, and Carrot & Raisin)

(Spotted by Stephen B at Walmart.)

Lean Cuisine Marketplace Garlic Sesame Noodles with Beef

(Spotted by Melody at Meijer.)

YumEarth Organic Sour Twists Watermelon Lemonade

(Spotted by Rachel C at World Market.)

Roar Organic Electrolyte Infusions (Pineapple Mint and Cucumber Watermelon)

Roar Organic Electrolyte Infusions (Strawberry Coconut and Cucumber Watermelon)

(Spotted by Blaire at Giant.)

Ocean Spray 100% Juice Organic (Cranberry, Cranberry Blueberry, and Cranberry Apple)

(Spotted by Carla at Fred Meyer.)

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.

QUICK REVIEW: Jamba Juice Pumpkin Protein Smoothie

Marvo / September 20, 2017 / Reviews / 4 Comments

The thought that popped into my head when I took my first sip of Jamba Juice’s Pumpkin Protein Smoothie was, “Is this is what French kissing a jack-o-lantern tastes like?”

While Jamba’s usual autumn smoothie, the Pumpkin Smash, tastes more like a pumpkin pie, this new one tastes more like actual smashed pumpkin put into a cup. It also looks like chunky tomato soup or what the Headless Horseman would puke after getting drunk about not being able to find his head again.

Both smoothies have the same “pumpkin spice blend” with pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, but the vegetable flavor stands out more than the sweet spices in this protein-pumped version. A 16-ounce serving has six grams of fiber, and it tastes like it has six grams of fiber. I’m also thinking the added almond milk, chia seeds, and whey protein might play a role in making it taste a bit more vegetable-y. Totally not a word, but let’s make it one.

While the first sip was a turnoff, because I was expecting something that tastes more like a pie, I found myself enjoying it more and more with every following sip. Those later sucks from the straw had a sweet vegetable flavor that’s enhanced by the spices, especially the cinnamon. I definitely didn’t think pumpkin pie while drinking it, but I also definitely didn’t think about dumping it down my kitchen sink.

Think of Jamba Juice’s Pumpkin Protein Smoothie as the Diet Coke version of the Pumpkin Smash in terms of flavor. It’s not as good, there’s significantly less sugar, and there are folks who will think it’s gross, but there are people who will like it. And I am one of them. To be honest, it’s weird that something that was off-putting at first quickly became something that was on-putting. Totally not a word, but let’s make it one.

Purchased Price: I forgot
Size: 22 fl. oz.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (22 fl. oz.) 320 calories, 6 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 36 grams of sugar, and 23 grams of protein.

Fast Food Jamba Juice

FAST FOOD NEWS: Cinnabon Lotus Biscoff Topped Bons

Marvo / September 20, 2017 / Fast Food News / 2 Comments

Cinnabon is teaming up with Lotus Bakeries to offer Biscoff cookie-topped cinnamon rolls for a limited time. Customers can top any size cinnamon roll with crunchy Biscoff cookie crumbles.

Classic roll? You can Biscoff it! BonBites? Totally can Biscoff it! Mini Bon Rolls? Biscoff that mutha! Center of the Roll? Oh, you better believe you can Biscoff that!

But what about Cinnabon’s Signature Cinnamon Roll Chillatta?

You CAN’T Biscoff that.

But you CAN get a Biscoff Cookies & Cream Chillatta that features cookie flavor mixed into a vanilla frappe that’s topped with layer of caramel sauce, whipped cream, and Biscoff cookies crumbles.

If you’ve tried any Cinnabon roll topped with Biscoff cookies, let us know what you think of it in the comments.

(Image via Cinnabon.)

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Snyder’s of Hanover Limited Edition Cheddar Ale Pretzel Pieces

Marvo / September 20, 2017 / Spotted on Shelves / 2 Comments

I don’t drink beer, but there needs to be more cheddar beer flavored snacks. I miss Kettle Brand’s Cheddar Beer Potato Chips. (Spotted by JJ at Snyder’s of Hanover Factory 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.