The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW: Nestle Coffee mate Zero Sugar Twix Coffee Creamer

February 1, 2023January 31, 2023 Margaret 4 Comments

What is it?

It is a dream.

A big dream.

Sure, sometimes we have dreams that are terrifying and recurring, thus inciting a visit to a therapist… BUT sometimes you’ll find a good dream. The good ones? We make them come true. Need proof? Take a look above. This was a dream made real at Coffee mate headquarters. In this subtle “cardboard box” shade of brown container, Twix has been made into liquid form. What mad science is this? Let’s find out…

How is it?

Kinda disappointing.

Look, I’m impressed by the smell. It has the exact poof of sugary fragrance that happens when you open a Twix wrapper: caramel, cocoa, all with a hint of cookie in the background.

But the taste? Well, I was hoping it would taste like a melted Twix. But no. Alone, it tastes like white sugar and some weak, weak NesQuik. In coffee, it tastes like what happens when you forget about a s’more in the fire and the whole thing comes out a mangled mess and then you accidentally set off the fire alarm from the s’mores and now the fire trucks are here and you have to deal with that AND the burnt s’mores. It’s just a feeling of overwhelming disappointment.

Anything else you should know?

If you just melt a Twix in the microwave, you’ll have a much more fulfilling experience.

Conclusion:

Coffee mate really had an opportunity to bank on the Twix flavor. But it ended up tasting like cheap caramel with a dash of something brown. It was worth trying, if only to fulfill my unending sense of curiosity, but I wouldn’t go out of your way for this one. On the whole, this Twix-inspired creamer was ambitious, but not even Cookie Monster would touch this one.

Purchased Price: $3.98
Size: 32 fl oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 tbsp) 20 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 5 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Doritos Sweet & Tangy BBQ

January 31, 2023January 29, 2023 Ann 15 Comments

Doritos Sweet & Tangy BBQ Bag

Of all the chip flavors I’ve tried and enjoyed, I don’t believe I’ve ever had barbeque-flavored Doritos. I believe there’s a Bold BBQ flavor available in Canada, but I guess every time I’ve been north, I’ve prioritized All Dressed chips instead. BUT NOW, a new Doritos flavor is available in the US — Doritos Sweet & Tangy BBQ.

Doritos Sweet & Tangy BBQ inside the bag

True to Doritos’ well-established brand identity of delivering bold flavors, these Sweet & Tangy BBQ Doritos looked and smelled like they were full of flavor right out of the bag. There was a strong aroma of vinegar, sweet barbeque, and tons of seasoning powder.

Doritos Sweet & Tangy BBQ dark seasoning

Maybe it’s because this particular seasoning is pretty dark, but these looked very heavily seasoned, which I prefer. But the taste really did surprise me a little bit. First of all, the corn chip flavor stands out MUCH more with this than it does in the traditional Doritos Nacho Cheese flavor. I’m not entirely sure why but I think it’s because the nacho cheese seasoning is much more salty and savory, and this chip is pretty sweet.

The other surprise is the distinct lack of smoke. Maybe I should have assumed this with a name like Sweet & Tangy, but this relies heavily on the BBQ flavor spectrum of tomato, vinegar, and brown sugar. I didn’t find it smoky at all, and it was very much NOT like the standard BBQ potato chip flavors you’d find at the market. There was a crisp acidic tang in the finish and aftertaste.

Overall I found these Doritos to be pretty unique. I think they’ve managed to hit a BBQ flavor in a super specific way with the sweet acid punch while still delivering a crowd-pleaser. I still prefer the OG Nacho Cheese flavor, but this is a compelling addition to the Doritos lineup.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 9.25 oz bag
Purchased at: Mariano’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 11 chips) 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich and Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream

January 30, 2023January 29, 2023 Heather 6 Comments

Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich Box

Let me start this review by saying I absolutely love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Has been, and always will be my favorite candy. I just can’t get enough of that amazing chocolate and peanut butter combo. I’m usually shocked when I find out someone doesn’t like them. Case in point: I joke that the only flaw of my boss is she doesn’t love Reese’s. All this said, I was super excited to find out Reese’s is releasing a new line of frozen treats.

Reese' Peanut Butter Sandwich Wafer Top

The first item I tried was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich. It’s described as “peanut butter frozen dairy dessert filling with a signature Reese’s peanut butter swirl packed between two chocolate wafers.” Upon opening, the sandwich was about the size of my palm – enough to be satisfying without overdoing it. The chocolate wafer portion was thinner than I expected.

Middle of the Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich showing side view of wafers and ice cream

Interestingly, on first bite, it actually had a hint of coffee flavor, which I think came from the chocolate. Further tasting brought no more coffee, just chocolate. The sandwich does have more of a peanut butter taste, though. To me, that’s the main reason this does not taste exactly like a Reese’s – the candy gives a pretty even chocolate-to-peanut butter ratio. Here, the focus is on the peanut butter. If you want a Reese’s, this isn’t quite it, but it still proves to be a delicious treat.

The peanut butter swirls in the ice cream were amazing, but I just wish there were more of them. They added a nice texture, especially since the wafers were so thin. And the ice cream itself felt light and sweet.

All in all, I thought this was good and something I’d eat again. Here’s a quote from my three-year-old, a budding opinionated reviewer himself: “It’s good, like Reese’s peanut butter.” Ah, the wise words of the young!

Reese's Light Ice Cream Tub

The next treat we tried was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream. This one is “light peanut butter ice cream with chunks of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and a Reese’s peanut butter swirl.” Now THIS is what we’re talking about if you want a dessert that tastes more like the candy. I was thrilled to see this one had pieces of the cups loaded inside. (Although I did get worried when I first took off the lid – the ice cream was so smooth at the top with no chunks in sight. Alas, they were there when I dug in. Phew!)

Top of Reese's Light Ice Cream tub. Digging in reveals the Reese's cup chunks and peanut butter swirls

Once again, the peanut butter swirls were a big positive and an excellent addition to the peanut butter ice cream. I would think both the sandwiches and the ice cream use the same ice cream base, but for some reason this one had a stronger peanut butter taste AND smell. Not complaining! The amount of candy chunks per spoonful was definitely acceptable. I’d happily eat this ice cream all year round, even in the chilly winter of the Midwest where I live.

Reese's Light Ice Cream in a bowl

If you’re a Reese’s fan, I recommend you give these a try. They are nice additions to the Reese’s product lineup!

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Reese’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: Four sandwiches (Sandwich) and 1.5 quart (Light Ice Cream)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Sandwich), 9 out of 10 (Light Ice Cream)
Nutrition Facts: Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich (One sandwich, 81 grams) 240 calories, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 20 grams of total sugars, and 4 grams of protein. Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream (2/3 cup) 230 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 24 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

SPOTTED (SEASONAL EDITION): 1/27/2023

January 27, 2023May 26, 2024 Marvo 5 Comments

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

(Spotted by Allison H at Target.)