SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Quaker Birthday Cake Chewy Granola Bars

Marvo 2 Comments

Quaker Birthday Cake Chewy Granola Bars

I’m not surprised by this, but I would be surprised if Quaker sold birthday cake-flavored instant oatmeal. (Spotted by Derek at Albertsons.)

If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition 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’re wondering if we’ve already covered something, search our Flickr photos or use the Google Search box on the right (or below if you’re on a mobile device) to find out.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Lindt Lychee Excellence Bar

Marvo 3 Comments

Lindt Lychee Excellence Bar

I love lychee (I’ve gotten stomachaches from eating too much). I love chocolate (I’ve gotten stomachaches from eating too much). So I should like this and get a stomachache from eating the entire bar, right? (Spotted by Ryan at Target.)

If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition 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’re wondering if we’ve already covered something, search our Flickr photos or use the Google Search box on the right (or below if you’re on a mobile device) to find out.

FAST FOOD NEWS: Arby’s Brown Sugar Bacon Sandwiches

Marvo 14 Comments

Arby s Brown Sugar Bacon Sandwiches

Arby’s has added a new meat to their mountain of meat choices — brown sugar bacon. The sweet and savory thick-cut bacon is being offered in three new sandwiches.

Brown Sugar Bacon BLT – Three strips of brown sugar bacon, three strips of pepper bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayonnaise on a King’s Hawaiian bun. The sandwich has 600 calories, 250 calories from fat, 28 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 860 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 22 grams of protein

Roast Beef & Brown Sugar Bacon – Strips of brown sugar bacon, roast beef, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and creamy Dijon on a King’s Hawaiian bun. It has 720 calories, 280 calories from fat, 32 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 1620 milligrams of sodium, 67 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 42 grams of protein.

Brown Sugar Bacon Pit Smoked Ham – Brown sugar bacon, pit smoked ham, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and creamy Dijon on King’s Hawaiian bun. This has 690 calories, 240 calories from fat, 27 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1870 milligrams of sodium, 72 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 33 grams of sugar, and 40 grams of protein.

All three sandwiches are available for a limited time.

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

(Image via Arby’s website.)

REVIEW: Limited Edition Chicken Pot Pie Hot Pockets

Matt 9 Comments

Limited Edition Chicken Pot Pie Hot Pockets

When I was a kid, my mom chose not to feed us Hot Pockets. With tears in my eyes and hunger in my stomach, I spent many lunchtimes watching my classmates shove pepperoni-filled pastries into their pudgy little faces.

But now I’m an adult, and I’ve sworn to eat as many Hot Pockets as I want. This is America, dammit. As a citizen of this beautiful country, it is my duty to engorge myself with meat-filled freezer pies to my heart’s content. Don’t believe me? Go read the Bill of Rights. Freedom of Meats, y’all.

Exercising my rights as an American citizen, I decided to visit my local Hot Pocket Palace, known more colloquially as Walmart. I soon realized I was unsure of where to find Hot Pockets in this supermarket. To my surprise, they were not located in the same aisle as diapers. (Jim Gaffigan, eat your heart out.)

I eventually made it home with a package of Hot Pockets Limited Edition Chicken Pot Pie. According the front of the box, each Hot Pocket contains white meat chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and celery. According to the back of the box, it also contains many complex-sounding ingredients that could easily trip up the finalists in a second grade spelling bee: “Timmy, your word is sodium stearoyl lactylate. What’s that? Use it in a sentence? My Hot Pocket contains sodium stearoyl lactylate.”

Limited Edition Chicken Pot Pie Hot Pockets 2

Even after using the included crisping sleeve, the Hot Pocket emerged from the microwave with a slightly rubbery, chewy crust. It tasted blandly of flour, with not enough buttery flavor. The oven provided better results, yielding a more flaky, crispy crust that drew attention away from these flaws.

I must admit, I had pretty high expectations for this crust after hearing Snoop Dogg sing its praises in that bizarre Hot Pockets commercial from a few years back. That video deserved a Grammy, or at least a Nobel Peace Prize. I even keep the MP3 on my iPod for when I work out at the gym. Ever try getting your swole on while Snoop busts a rhyme about beef and cheese? That shit’s a natural muscle enhancer.

Breathing in the unmistakable scent of freshly-baked chicken pot pie, I was eager to take my first bite. After repeatedly scorching the roof of my mouth on the Hot Pocket’s superheated innards, I was finally able to taste the filling.

Limited Edition Chicken Pot Pie Hot Pockets 4

Compared to the filling in frozen pot pies I’ve tasted in the past, the Hot Pocket’s filling seems less creamy. Its flavor comes primarily from the chicken, which doesn’t feel rubbery or unnatural in texture, but tastes over-seasoned with a pre-packaged meat vibe. Every once in a while, I experienced a burst of pea flavor, but the carrots, onions, and celery seemed lost in the sea of pie filling. In addition, several spots inside the pocket were emptier than expected; the pastry could have used a bit more filling.

This Chicken Pot Pie Hot Pocket leaves something to be desired, and feels more like a savory pie-flavored Toaster Strudel than a bonafide pot pie. At only a few cents over two dollars, they seem like a steal, but I have no desire to purchase another box.

Well, at least I can cross something off my bucket list:

1. Write 500 words about a Hot Pocket
2. Eat a Hot Pocket with Kate Upton
3. Watch Harry and the Hendersons without crying
4. Finish writing my bucket list

Kate, if you’re reading this, I’ve got a box of pepperoni Hot Pockets with your name on it.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 Hot Pocket – 240 calories, 90 calories from fat, 10 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 480 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein..)

Item: Limited Edition Chicken Pot Pie Hot Pockets
Purchased Price: $2.18
Size: 2 sandwiches
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Crust is flaky, crispy when cooked in oven. Chicken doesn’t feel rubbery. Strong chicken flavor. Freedom of Meats. The twisted satisfaction I feel when sabotaging second grade spelling bees.
Cons: Crust is bland, rubbery when cooked in microwave. Chicken feels over-seasoned. Chicken and peas are the only noticeable fillings. Emptier than expected. The looks people give me when I’m jamming out to Snoop Dogg’s song about Hot Pockets.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Tastykake Summer Edition Orange and Blueberry Mini Donuts

Marvo 1 Comment

Tastykake Summer Edition Orange and Blueberry Mini Donuts

This is how you do it, pumpkin spice. Come out right when the season starts. Don’t have products available three months before fall comes around. (Spotted by Chris at Walmart.)

If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition 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’re wondering if we’ve already covered something, search our Flickr photos or use the Google Search box on the right (or below if you’re on a mobile device) to find out.