The Impulsive Buy

SPOTTED: 10/16/2023

Marvo / October 16, 2023 / Spotted on Shelves / 4 Comments

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

Trader Joe’s Super Chocolatey Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough

Trader Joe’s Super Chocolatey Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough

Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Italian Lasagna

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

(Spotted by Dana at Target.)

Limited Edition Turkey Hill Chocolate Lava Cake Frozen Dairy Dessert

(Spotted by DJ at Redner’s.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED (FISH EDITION): 10/14/2023

Marvo / October 14, 2023 / Spotted on Shelves / 1 Comment

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

Chicken of the Sea Wild Caught Light Tuna in McCormick Lemon Garlic

Chicken of the Sea Wild Caught Light Tuna in Thai Kitchen Sweet & Spicy Sauce

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)

Chicken of the Sea Everything Bagel Alaskan Pink Salmon

Chicken of the Sea Maple Smokehouse Smoked Alaskan Pink Salmon

(Spotted by Breanna at Walmart Neighborhood Market.)

Bumble Bee Ranch Snack on the Run Tuna Salad & Crackers

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Starkist Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad

(Spotted by Breanna at Walmart Neighborhood Market.)

Tonnino Party Dips with Spicy Bell Pepper

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Dolores Tuna Chunk Light Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil Pouch

Dolores Tuna Chunk Light Yellowfin Tuna in Water Pouch

Dolores Tuna Sandwich Style Yellowfin Tuna Salad Pouch

Dolores Tuna Yellowfin Tuna Salad with Vegetables Pouch

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)

REVIEW: Chex Mix Remix (Zesty Taco and Cheesy PIzza)

Brandon / October 13, 2023 / Reviews / 3 Comments

I will, without a shred of embarrassment or apology, declare the following: I will consume, with great zeal and mania, anything flavored like taco or pizza. That’s right. Taco-flavored chicken nuggets? Heck yeah, I would. Pizza-flavored soup? You bet. Taco-flavored pizza? Wait, that’s already a thing. And I LOVE it.

I love Chex Mix, too, but I’m not a huge consumer of the pre-packaged, factory-made variety. Oh sure, I’ll pick up a bag of Bold Party Blend if I see it on sale, but for the most part, I prefer the stuff my dad makes giant tubs of around Christmas.

But are these two new Chex Mix Remix varieties, Zesty Taco and Cheesy Pizza, good enough to make me buy again? Let’s see.

Zesty Taco

In addition to the two types of Chex in this affair — Taco Seasoning and Salsa flavored — Chex is getting wild by adding two previously unused snack pieces, Cheese Puffs and Corn Shell Chips. While I love the idea of breaking new barriers, the execution on both the puffs and the chips (think of a less-salty, less-crunchy Fritos) is a little lackluster. The puffs’ cheese flavor is mild and almost unnoticeable, and the corn chip is the same.

The Chex pieces, though, are BANANAS. The Taco Seasoning pieces perfectly embody that classic taco seasoning flavor profile — onion, garlic, and cumin — and the Salsa pieces… I don’t even know where to begin with these things. While these may be too much for timid consumers, I loved how over-the-top they were.

Cheesy Pizza

Like the ZTR, the CPR had two Chex piece components — Pizza Sauce and Garlic & Herb Chex — and two new inclusions, Pizza Crust Bagel Chips and Cheese Puffs. (Okay, these may’ve been the same Cheese Puffs from the ZTR, but honestly, I couldn’t tell. The Puffs from the Pizza Chex tasted cheesier, but it may have also just been a result of how they interplayed with the rest of the mix; I’m unsure.)

The Pizza Sauce Chex was the most disappointing piece of the eight total components. They weren’t bad, but they just needed a little more oomph. And while I loved the Bagel Chips, there were far too few. Like the Salsa Chex from the ZTR, the real winner here was the Garlic & Herb Chex. Garlicky and herby, these things screamed at my taste buds in the most delightful way possible.

If I have one complaint about these new Chex Mix Remix offerings, a single thing keeping them from each being a point better, it’s the lack of pretzels. Even though I’m not sure they would have fit thematically (particularly with the Taco kind), I found myself missing them from a texture perspective. Even still, I found both of these Remix varieties incredible. Now that you’ve read the review, please go buy several bags of each so that General Mills continues to make them. Thanks!

Purchased Price: $5.29 (Zesty Taco), $4.19 (Cheesy Pizza)
Size: 7 oz bag
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Zesty Taco), 8 out of 10 (Cheesy Pizza)
Purchased at: Hy-Vee
Nutrition Facts: (30g) Zesty Taco – 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 270 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 3 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Cheesy Pizza – 130 calories, 4 grams of fat, 1.5 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 3 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Chex Mix

FAST FOOD NEWS: Burger King Have-sies

Marvo / October 13, 2023 / Fast Food News / 4 Comments

Along with the new Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries and the return of the Ghost Pepper Whopper, Burger King is also now offering Have-sies. It’s a mix of half Classic Fries and half Onion Rings, and the side is available in two sizes: medium and large.

A medium order has 380 calories, 17 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 690 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

Is this something Burger King fans have always wanted? Let us know what you think of it in the comments.

(Image via Burger King.)

REVIEW: Lunchables Crispy Grilled Cheesies

Julie / October 13, 2023 / Reviews / 11 Comments

As a former child and current adult who requires a snack plate to feel truly at peace, I know a thing or two about Lunchables. In fact, most of my culinary preferences revolve around variety, portability, and the ability to arrange different foods in a cute little segmented container.

Now the Lunchables brand has extended its offerings well past cheese and crackers — and, for the first time, into the frozen food aisle. Lunchables Crispy Grilled Cheesies delivers frozen, microwavable grilled cheese sandwiches in two varieties: Original and Pepperoni Pizza.

I tested the Pepperoni Pizza flavor because why wouldn’t I? The package contained two full sandwiches, individually nestled in microwavable crisping sleeves and wrapped in plastic. The preparation was easy: remove the plastic, nuke the sandwich in its crisping sleeve for one minute, and then let it cool for another minute. The hardest part of the process was using the word “cheesie” as a noun.

The result smelled and tasted deliciously buttery, as though the cheesie (no, still weird) had just emerged from a sizzling pan. The crisping sleeve clearly did its job to encourage toasty texture on every surface of the bread, while still retaining some absorbed butter. Although crispy, the bread seemed to get chewier as time elapsed. The crusts were just plain tough.

The filling consisted of a slice of creamy, well-melted processed cheese, one to two tablespoons of marinara sauce, and three slices of pepperoni. Everything together made for a warm and comforting bite, and the pepperoni and marinara were just enough to ensure that the flavor wasn’t boring. The cheese would appeal to kid and adult tastes alike, but another slice — preferably added to the plain slice of bread — would have amped up the cheese flavor and helped the sandwich to adhere together as a whole.

Depending on one’s appetite, Lunchables Crispy Grilled Cheesies would make a fast, convenient (although hard to chew) snack or meal component at a low price point. Older kids could easily prepare a cheesie independently at home, but keep in mind that sending frozen foods to school can be tricky. If your child is prepared to negotiate a lunch box filled with ice packs and locate a kindly lunch-lady or lunch-lord to help them use the school microwave, then they have more fortitude than I do and deserve all the grilled cheesies in the world.

If that is too many cheesies (okay, I’m getting used to it), start with two for the Lunchables fan in your life. Although the product isn’t perfect, it delivers the comfort and convenience that so many have come to love from the brand.

Purchased Price: $4.79
Size: 6.2 oz box (2 pack)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per sandwich): 300 calories, 18 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 660 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.

Frozen Food Lunchables