FAST FOOD FIVE – 2/25/2014

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Here are five recent fast food news bites:

Taco Bell is going to roll out breakfast nationwide. When it does, I shall Live BreakMás. (via Grub Grade)

It was surprising to learn TCBY bought Mrs. Fields years ago, which makes it even more surprising they didn’t pair the two earlier. But it was even more surprising to learn TCBY and Mrs. Fields still exist. (via PR Newswire)

It’s fast food fish feason! (via Brand Eating)

Look at what Sonic’s got, people who are saying “screw it” to their New Year’s Resolution to eat healthy. (via Business Wire)

Because I’ll never try this, I now want to whip up a bowl of lemon sauce and dip some KFC in it. (via Brand Eating)

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – Klondike Kandy Bars (Cookies & Cream and Fudge Krunch)

Klondike Kandy Bars Cookies & Cream

Klondike Kandy Bars Fudge Krunch

Klondike Kandy Bars Caramel & Peanuts

Wait a minute…Klondike changes “Fudge Crunch” to “Fudge Krunch,” but doesn’t change “Cookies & Cream” to “Kookies & Kreme.” Where’s the konsistency? (Spotted by Josh 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. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – Doritos Dinamita Fiery Habanero

Doritos Dinamita Fiery Habanero

For some strange reason, I feel the need to drink some ice water. I shall drink it while reading this review. (Spotted by Dustin at Jewel Osco.)

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. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

REVIEW: Snickers Rockin’ Nut Road Bar

STOP! Put your hand down. Just…put it down. That’s right. I know you want the regular Snickers. It’s tempting. Chocolate shell, gooey caramel, chunky peanuts. I get it. It’s enough to turn the most depressed, calloused pick-ax-yielder into a skipping, self-expressive frolicker who makes dainty floral arrangements. The magic that is chocolate, caramel, and peanut-y goo knows no bounds.

At the same time, such magic can become slightly dulled, jaded by the soft familiarity of repetition and safety. No shame in going the safe route with a Snickers, but if you’re looking to add a little depth to your chocolate, a little vanilla to your nougat, a little metaphorical fabric softener to what may otherwise be a stiff Snickers routine, then may I present to you a source of salvation in the form of a 1.73-ounce bar.

Watch as it draws you in like a hungry piñata craving candy for its belly.

Immediately upon opening the wrapper, one can tell this is the stuff of alchemy, the product of some wizard and his highly skilled protégé. Just look at that semisweet chocolate. That gooey caramel. Heck, if you crunch at just the right angle, you can hear the magical wizard dust talking to you, which, now that I think on it, brings up an abundance of questions: When did wizard dust gain the evolutionary skills to perform linguistic communication? And how did said talking dust particles survive being compressed into a bar? Are they indestructible? Does this mean they will outlast the human species?? How can I leave behind a positive legacy before I rot and decay and get replaced by magical wizard dust??!

After getting all anxious about my mortality, I realize I never would’ve contemplated looking for more ways to act positively today had it not been for eating this bar, so thank you, Snickers, for sponsoring this brief philosophical tangent.

The Snickers’ dashing good looks graciously transfer themselves over to the flavor. The crispy, semisweet chocolate shell holds a sweet, gritty melt with a hint of coffee, making for an experience that reminds me of Dove Dark Chocolate squares without the inspirational quotes. The original malt nougat has been replaced with a fluff of starch-white vanilla fluff. The taste is outright sweet with hints of vanilla extract popping through each bite, adding a surprising sparkle to the darker chocolate much like a firework. But without a fuse. Or fire hazards. Or charcoal-enhanced lighting patterns in the sky. Okay, so maybe nothing like a firework.

The caramel is the only element that seems to have directly transferred itself from the original, and it is a welcome element, indeed. Thankfully, it remains the sweet, stringy goo of the original, making for an excellent canal upon which to hold nubbins of nuts, and like a good pair of cufflinks, those nuts add the perfect finishing touch. In this case, the peanuts have been replaced by almonds, which are fresh and slightly toasted, add a hint of woodsy saltiness alongside the signature crunch called forth for any Snickers experience. The power of these disparate elements unite to form a mishmash that is Rocky Road Ice Cream in candy bar form, a combination so good that it’s… it’s…

(Wants to say something in French, but realizes she doesn’t speak French)…

C’est manifique?! Oui! Bonjour!

If candy bars were Las Vegas entertainers, Snickers Rockin’ Nut Road would be David Copperfield: blending the whacky pops and sparkles of a sugary sweet, slightly buttery caramel with crunchy almond nibbles and a semisweet chocolate to make something pretty spectacular. Add to that a fluffy, marshmallow-like nougat and you’ve got all of these sleight of hands and daft illusions that make for a unique, successful endgame. Look out, David Copperfield. You’ve got some competition.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 bar – 230 calories, 90 calories from fat, 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, less than 2 grams of dietary fiber, 26 grams of sugars, and 3 grams of protein.)

Item: Snickers Rockin’ Nut Road Bar
Purchased Price: $1.29
Size: 1.73 ounces
Purchased at: Walgreens
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Crunchy outer shell. Chocolate similar to Dove dark chocolate. Marshmallow nougat. Pops of sweet vanilla. Crunchy, toasty almond halves. Rocky Road in candy bar form. Reasons to fill hungry piñatas. David Copperfield’s got competition.
Cons: Limited time only. Some may not like artificial vanilla. Slivered almonds not as chunky as peanuts. Sad, calloused pick-ax-wielders. Talking wizard dust that plan to take over the world.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 2/24/2014

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.

Ragu Spaghetti Pasta

Your move, Prego! (Spotted by Brad at Walmart.)

Green Giant Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Baked Veggie Puffs

“Ho. Ho. Ho. I’m sneaking vegetables into you,” said the Green Giant. (Spotted by Jamie at Walmart.)

Quaker Apples & Cranberries Instant Oatmeal

The box may say “new,” but it sure looks old. (Spotted by Cassie at Walmart.)

Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Blue Raspberry Frosting

Pillsbury Blue Raspberry Cookie Mix

When I saw these, I didn’t think of Easter. I thought, “Is there another Smurfs movie coming out?” (Spotted by Emily at Target and Lauren at Walmart)

Fiber One Fruit Flavored Snacks

The bottle of fiber gummies on my kitchen counter says I need to eat just two gummies to get three grams of fiber. I need to eat a pouch of these Fiber One Fruit Flavored Snacks to get 3 grams of fiber. (Spotted by Marvo at Walmart.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! 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. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.