The Impulsive Buy

SPOTTED ON SHELVES (NOT FOOD EDITION) – 3/11/2013

March 11, 2013December 24, 2020 Marvo 10 Comments

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers.

It seems like it was just yesterday when Axe products consisted of just body sprays that young men would spray too much of on their bodies. Now there are body washes, shampoos, hair styling products, and face cleaning products. (Spotted by Marvo at Target.)

Wicked Cool! would’ve been a TOTALLY wicked cool name for toothpaste during the 1990s, bra! I look forward to Tom’s of Maine’s future kids toothpaste — Da Shiznit! Toothpaste. (Spotted by Marvo at Target.)

Back in my day, we didn’t have fancy face washes, face lotions, body washes, shampoos, and shave gels. We used Ivory soap for EVERYTHING. Sure, I had dandruff and irritated skin on my face from shaving with Ivory soap, but we liked it. (Spotted by Marvo at Target.)

“As seen on YouTube”? Not quite that impressive of a label to put on a oral hygiene product. I would’ve preferred something, like “Doctor Recommended” or “Dentist Recommended.” After all, a lot of things have been seen on YouTube. They’re putting themselves in the same boat as cat videos, cinnamon challenge videos, and men getting hit in the balls videos. (Spotted by Marvo at Target.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf (or really unusual), snap a picture of it, and send us an email ([email protected]) 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: Nabisco Roasted Sweet Onion Brown Rice Baked With Sweet Potato Triscuit

March 11, 2013December 24, 2020 Adam 11 Comments

If I was required to guess at which snack product would abandon the usual attempt to capture the taste of a nutritionally poor fast food product or even an offbeat American classic in favor of something that sounds like it came from a Giada De Laurentiis cookbook, then I would pick Triscuit.

More upscale than a lowly potato chip and much more inclusive than the crunchy, sometimes divisive malt flavor of the Wheat Thin, Triscuits are the kind of crackers you put out when you’ve invited your next door neighbors over. You know…the nicely dressed couple in their late 30s with 2.4 kids and a dog named Champ. Average. Moderate. Broad. Unassuming. They’re kind of just there. Except when Champ poops on your front yard.

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I can admire a safe snack like that. It serves a purpose, and is something I don’t feel too bad about when going for seconds at holiday socials. This is important, because like most people, I hate talking to my annoying relatives, who tend to flock to such gatherings. But while I can admire Triscuit because they provide me a distraction when I want to be anti-social, I usually don’t go out of my way to buy them. Hard as I try, I just cannot leap for joy at cravings spawned by the taste of soft winter wheat.

However, combining brown rice, sweet potato and roasted sweet onion in and on a Triscuit? Don’t expect me to make it and upload a photo on Instagram, but even my inner fat kid can get behind a composed flavor combination of wholesome grains and vegetables like that.

Triscuit’s marketing people did a really nice job talking up how these crackers were baked with “real food,” but from the slightly orangyish hue, an almost fried-like wheat and rice structure, and a liberally coated seasoning that looked like Doritos Cooler Ranch powder, each square resembled someone’s misplaced attempt to fry a cracker rather than an actual sweet potato or red onion. Undeterred by this bastardized cracker, my initial bite was greeted by an unmistakable shattering sensation that borders somewhere between crispy and crunchy. Wherever it is on the crunch spectrum, it’s strikingly addictive, and a textural bite I’ve really only encountered at Korean fried chicken restaurants like the chain Bon Chon. Far from the usual sturdy, if not boring, crunch of a Triscuit, I was instantly hooked.

The flavoring powder is strong and slightly sweet and definitely has the red onion vibe going for it. It’s thankfully not as sharp or intense as a raw red onion, although the flavor doesn’t quite reach the mellowed, smoky-sweetness of an actual roasted red onion. Basically, someone like Scott Conant might not be “kinda angry” from eating it, but would rather be just be mildly confused. Personally, I loved it. For while the sweet onion flavor wakes up your tastebuds, a mellow, smokier and wholesome sweet potato taste permeates the backend. Think a whole grain sweet potato chip, if you’ve ever had one of those. If you haven’t, just think yummy and smile.

Through it all, there’s an almost Doritos Cooler Ranch quality to the seasoning. I can’t place my finger on it (probably because I was licking them), but there’s a slight tang that just melds everything together. Or maybe it’s just the natural reaction to licking little green herb seasoning off my fingers.

The box came with a nice little recipe idea for topping my crackers with Gouda and figs, but because I chose a career in writing and editing and don’t have that kind of straight cash money, I settled for some Walmart mozzarella and a few raisins. The cracker did just what it needed to do, contributing the sharp sweet onion flavor and meaty sweet potato back notes to the earthy sweetness of the raisins and milky taste of the cheese. Not overwhelming the topping but still holding its own, my little creation was probably the closest thing I got to an actual meal all week.

Clearly, I’m impressed. So impressed, as a matter of fact, that I’m ready to proclaim this my favorite Triscuit and right up there with some of the best crackers I’ve ever had. What Triscuit has managed to do is create a cracker with one of the greatest textural elements of chips but also the robust flavors of, well, actual food. And they’ve done it with something that’s actually pretty good for me and combines none of that actual cooking stuff. While I can foresee those with a strong aversion to onions taking a pass on these, I think most people will be pleasantly surprised by the entire Brown Rice Triscuit line.

As for pleasing your neighbors at those awkward pre-dinner conversations? Well, you’re completely on your own there.

(Nutrition Facts – 6 crackers – 130 calories, 40 calories from fat, 4.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 85milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

Other Roasted Sweet Onion Brown Rice Triscuit reviews:
Junk Food Guy

Item: Nabisco Roasted Sweet Onion Brown Rice Baked With Sweet Potato Triscuit
Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 9 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Wonderful and slightly sharp sweet onion flavor balanced by subtle molasses sweetness of earthy whole grains and sweet potato backnotes. Crispy-crunchy-shattery texture like Korean fried chicken. Real food. Whole grains. Doesn’t overpower toppings but can hold its own. Has a Cooler Ranch Doritos vibe for some odd reason.
Cons: Confusing Scott Conant and the anti-onion crowd. Might be a little intense for those who like plain crackers. Not as much fiber or protein as regular Triscuit. Assistant Editors’ salaries. Divisive cracker tastes make for awkward pre-dinner conversation with the neighbors.

REVIEW: International Delight Vanilla Iced Coffee Light

March 8, 2013August 14, 2023 Marvo 7 Comments

International Delight’s Iced Coffee regularly finds its way into my cart because last year it found its way into my heart after I gave it a positive review.

But every so often, when I place a half gallon carton in my cart, I think to myself, “Suck it, Starbucks!” and “All that cream and sugar is probably making me chubby…All right, chubbier.”

I don’t know if it’s because International Delight has seen me naked, but they now have light versions of their mocha and vanilla iced coffees.

Like the non-light version, International Delight Vanilla Iced Coffee Light is made with 100 percent premium Arabica coffee beans. However, it has 1/3 fewer calories and 39 percent less sugar than their regular iced coffee.

Why does it have fewer calories and sugar?

Magic!!!

Actually, it’s because of the popular artificial sweeteners, sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

So it’s not magic. It’s science!!!

Although International Delight Vanilla Iced Coffee uses artificial sweeteners, it still has the same 2.5 grams of fat and 1.5 grams of saturated fat the original has. It also has 56 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving, which is two milligrams less than their regular iced coffee.

While pouring International Delight Vanilla Iced Coffee Light into a glass, I noticed it was much thinner than the non-light version, which I think is thick enough that it makes me feel like I’m drinking melted ice cream.

If you’re one of those people who tried the original International Delight Iced Coffee and thought to yourself, “Hey! I’d like a lot more coffee with my cream and sugar!”, then your internal voice will say the same thing about the light version as the combination of coffee, cream, and carrageenan goes down your throat. There’s enough dairy and sweetener to mask the coffee’s bitterness and to almost make a Starbucks Frappuccino blush.

However, the difference in flavor between the light and regular versions is similar to the difference between Pepsi and Diet Pepsi (or Coke and Diet Coke for you Pepsi haters or RC Cola and Diet RC Cola for you people fortunate to have RC Cola on your store shelves); you instantly know you’re drinking the light version. The artificial sweeteners were noticeable once the coffee hit my tongue and right through to the aftertaste. Unlike the coffee’s bitterness, no amount of dairy could cover that. As for the vanilla flavor, it was mild, but made the coffee taste marshmallow-ish.

As a regular International Delight Iced Coffee drinker, it’s nice to have a lighter version. Even though the artificial sweeteners created a significant difference in flavor, as a regular diet soda drinker, I didn’t mind it. So it looks like I’ll be putting International Delight Iced Coffee Light into my cart, instead of the regular stuff, and only thinking to myself, “Suck it, Starbucks!”

(Nutrition Facts – 8 ounces – 100 calories, 25 calories from fat, 2.5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, 10% calcium, and 4% iron.)

Item: International Delight Vanilla Iced Coffee Light
Purchased Price: $3.99 (on sale)
Size: Half gallon
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Still creamy and sweet enough to cover the coffee’s bitterness. Vanilla has a marshmallow-ish-ness to it. Fewer calories and less sugar than regular International Delight Iced Coffee. Contains 56 milligrams of sweet, sweet caffeine.
Cons: Artificial sweeteners were noticeable. Thinner than the regular stuff. Trying to spell carrageenan. Using marshmallow-ish-ness. Coffee snobs will turn their noses up at this. Me being naked.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 3/8/2013

March 8, 2013December 24, 2020 Marvo 10 Comments

Here are some interesting new and limited edition products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers.

Starbucks’ new bottled Iced Coffee doesn’t have 12 ounces like a Tall-sized Starbucks coffee, but the bottle is taller than a Tall Starbucks coffee. (Spotted by Marvo at Target.)

One is sweet. The other is sour. One leaves positive comments on your blog. The other leaves anonymous comments, like “your so lame.” One will give you a hug. The other will punch you in the balls or boob. (Spotted by Cybele at Target.)

I know what’s supreme about Optimus Supreme and Taco Bell’s Taco Supreme, but I’m not sure what’s supreme about brownie supreme. (Spotted by Eric at Walmart.)

Wrap some refried beans and cheese with these Fiber One 80 Calorie Wraps and you’ve got yourself a meal that’ll make your butt squeal. (Spotted by Adam at Weis Markets.)

Now that Pepperidge Farm has Boston Cream Pie Milano Melts, they need to make New York Cheesecake Milano Melts so that the two can fight about the Yankees and Red Sox. (Spotted by Stephen at Waldbaum’s.)

REVIEW: MiO Fit Liquid Water Enhancer (Arctic Grape and Berry Blast)

March 7, 2013December 24, 2020 Marvo 11 Comments

In order to properly test MiO Fit Liquid Water Enhancer, I decided I had to do something a bit more intense than my usual exercise of choice — walking.

With walking I don’t need the fancy electrolytes and B vitamins MiO Fit provides. After doing the simple act of walking, all I simply need to rehydrate and satisfy my simple thirst is some simple water that came from a kitchen faucet, went through a Brita filter, and then chilled in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Simple.

I like walking because I can do it whenever and I don’t need a trainer yelling at me to motivate me. If I want someone to yell commands at me, I’ll just pay $150 to have Mistress Pain put a leash around my neck and force me to lick her boots in a poorly lit room. With walking, all I need to do is put on some shoes, hit play on my iPod, and go wherever my two feet take me. And then come back into the house because I forgot to put shorts on.

So what higher intensity workout did I do?

Zumba? Nope. CrossFit? Nooo. P90X? Nope. Boot Camp Workout? No. Spinning? Not sure what that is. Tae Bo? I’m afraid to accidentally get hit in the face. Nintendo Wii Fit? Too lazy to find out where my Wii is collecting dust. Sweatin’ to the Oldies? I do not own a VCR.

Instead of doing any of those recent trendy workouts, I decided to do a trendy workout from the mid-17th century called jogging. Usually, I do three 16-minute miles when walking. But when I jogged, I huffed and puffed and ended up doing two 10-minute miles. After coming home, catching my breath, and feeling the burn in my legs, I poured myself two glasses of water, squeezed MiO Fit Arctic Grape into one, squeezed MiO Fit Berry Blast into the other, and rehydrated myself.

MiO Fit Arctic Grape smells and tastes like a particular powdered grape drink. Oh yeah! Its mouthfeel isn’t like other MiO varieties; it’s a bit more syrupy. The artificial sweeteners are noticeable and there’s also a very slight saltiness at the back end, thanks to the 75 milligrams of sodium in each serving. But those milligrams of sodium are your electrolytes and they are what plants crave. Overall, if you’re looking for something tasty and sweet to rehydrate, you can’t go wrong with MiO Fit Arctic Grape. Rhyming!

As for MiO Fit Berry Blast, its use of the color teal takes me back to the 90s when it seemed every new professional sports team used the color (San Jose Sharks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Charlotte Hornets, and Florida Marlins). Berry Blast smells a little like a Louie-Bloo Raspberry Otter Pop and has a light artificial raspberry-ish flavor. It has the same mouthfeel, artificial sweetener aftertaste, and saltiness as Arctic Grape, but it’s not as tasty.

MiO Fit Arctic Grape and Berry Blast made water taste better, helped me rehydrate, and filled me with electrolytes, but I’m not sure it’s meant for serious athletes. I looked up what Gatorade provides and compare it with MiO Fit and what I learned was that while MiO Fit has zero calories and electrolytes, it doesn’t provide carbohydrates, which athletes need to refuel, and protein, which helps rebuild muscle and is found in Gatorade varieties that deal with recovery.

While I don’t think MiO Fit is for serious athletes, it would make it easier for sports teams to celebrate a big win. Instead of dumping a water cooler full of Gatorade and ice on a head coach to celebrate a championship, the players can squirt MiO Fit.

Disclosure: The Impulsive Buy received free MiO Fit samples from MiO. Probably because we’re awesome or maybe, because we eat so much junk food, they think we need incentive to exercise. Well, if their goal was to get me to exercise…goal accomplished!

(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 tsp. – 0 calories, 0 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, 10% niacin, 10% vitamin B6, and 10% vitamin B12.)

Item: MiO Fit Liquid Water Enhancer (Arctic Grape and Berry Blast)
Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1.62 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Received from MiO
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Arctic Grape)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Berry Blast)
Pros: Both flavors made water taste better, which really isn’t that hard. It’s got electrolytes. Inserting Idiocracy electrolyte references into reviews of products that have electrolytes. One bottle makes 18 eight-ounce servings. Exercise.
Cons: Artificial sweeteners are noticeable. Probably not meant for serious athletes. Plants do not crave electrolytes. Slight saltiness. Doesn’t provide any carbs or protein.