REVIEW: Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups

Julie 7 Comments

What are they?

Vegan readers, cross this off your wish list: vegan, non-GMO Reese’s peanut butter cups are now on shelves. Available in packs of two, these cups feature Reese’s peanut butter filling surrounded by oat- and rice-based chocolate.

How are they?

When I buy Reese’s, I usually give in to an indescribably strong instinct to buy two, just in case. In case of what? Emergency? Fire? That horrible moment when a friend comments on the fact you have a sleeve of Reese’s, a not-so-subtle hint that they’d like to share HALF of your precious candy? And in this economy! No matter the scenario, I’ve never regretted succumbing to the urge to double my purchase.

That statement continues to hold true because Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups are delicious. The chocolate is thick and yields a sharp snap when broken apart. You know how Reese’s can sometimes stick to their wrappers, peeling the chocolate coating from its filling? You’ll find none of that here.

The its solid texture makes it less creamy than Reese’s milk chocolate, but still satisfyingly smooth and rich. Its flavor favors milk chocolate, but is slightly different from your standard Reese’s. The plant-based chocolate has a cocoa powder-like taste, lending a less-sweet depth of flavor that pairs beautifully with Reese’s iconic peanut butter filling.

Here comes my only criticism. Compared to the classic version, Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups seem to contain less peanut butter per cup. It might just be my imagination, an illusion resulting from the chocolate’s sturdiness. But between the top of the cup and the peanut butter filling is a visible gap that could definitely hold more peanut butter. On the scale of chocolate-to-peanut butter ratios, the Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups fall somewhere between a classic Reese’s and Reese’s Thins.

Anything else you need to know?

In conjunction with the Reese’s product, parent company Hershey’s has released a plant-based Extra Creamy Almond and Sea Salt chocolate bar, which will soon be available in stores. I gave that bar a good review back in 2021 when it was released as a test product under the name Oat Made. I’m looking forward to the next innovation!

Conclusion:

Reese’s first foray into plant-based confections may be a little shy on the peanut butter for some tastes, but its smooth, flavorful chocolate does the iconic brand justice. Buy two, just in case.

Purchased Price: $1.98
Size: 1.4 oz (39 g)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 210 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: Starbucks Frappuccino Mini Chilled Coffee Drinks

Marvo 1 Comment
Starbucks Frappuccino Mini White Chocolate Mocha Chilled Coffee Drink
Starbucks Frappuccino Mini Caramel Chilled Coffee Drink

So adorable! (Spotted by @ReneBarba89 at Target.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) 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: Flipz State Fair Churros Flavored Covered Pretzels

Marvo 7 Comments

I don’t know if it’s the angle of the packaging or the lighting, but those churros on the packaging are the least appetizing churros I’ve ever seen. (Spotted by Chrissy F at Michaels.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) 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.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Blizzard

Denis 28 Comments

It is with some trepidation and a bit of embarrassment that I ask you, the fine readers of The Impulsive Buy, am I the only one? Did you all know that puppy chow is a tasty mix of cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar, and not, as the name implies, food for young dogs?

Ok, so puppy chow is actually both of the above, but I had no idea it could be something tasty for humans to eat. My wife seems to think that I’m the only one so clueless, and I’m hoping to find at least one kindred spirit on here who is similarly ignorant. After some reflection though, I do recall having puppy chow in the past and enjoying it, but I guess I never thought to ask what it was called.

Why all the talk about puppy chow? Well, the Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Blizzard is one of the new additions to the Dairy Queen menu for April (and not an April Fool’s gag as I originally thought). According to my extensive research on Wikipedia, puppy chow is primarily popular in the Midwest and generally contains a mixture of cereal (like Chex or Crispix), melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. There are also a bunch of other names for it, like reindeer chow, doggy bag, or muddy buddies. Apparently, the canine-inspired name comes from the fact that it looks like dog food, so why wouldn’t it be a great Blizzard flavor?

Well, it’s good but not great. The DQ website says its version includes crispy puppy chow pieces, peanut butter topping, and choco chunks. As promising as those ingredients sound, I didn’t think they really worked together in harmony. I could definitely taste the Chex-like cereal, but it had a slightly stale flavor and not much crunch. This also had a very salty taste, and indeed it does have more sodium than the average Blizzard. As for the powdered sugar, it is listed in the ingredients, but it was not noticeable, either by taste or looks as it blends in with the vanilla soft serve. This really didn’t taste much different than a peanut butter cup Blizzard except that it adds an odd-tasting cereal. Did I finish this Blizzard? Of course I did. It’s still a sugar-packed ice cream treat, but this one didn’t have me barking for more.

If you really love puppy chow (of the human food variety), then perhaps you will probably find this Blizzard enjoyable, but I was a bit underwhelmed. In honor of the start of baseball season, this one is a nice single to the gap that might get stretched to a double, but it’s not a home run.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Small
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 720 calories, 32 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 320 milligrams of sodium, 97 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 77 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: Ruffles Limited Edition Honey Habanero Potato Chips

Marvo

When I saw this, I began thinking about where else I’ve seen honey habanero in the Frito-Lay universe. Thank goodness for this almost 19-year-old site you’re currently looking at. What I was thinking of was this chip from two years ago. (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) 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.