Just in time for summer…to melt in the summer heat. (Spotted by Sage G at Walmart.)
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I just spent the past five minutes looking up the differences between New York Cheesecake and regular cheesecake. If you’re also as clueless as me, according to my quick research, the NY version is basically more dense and is so dense that it will make your stomach regret eating anything more than a small slice. Yes, there’s more to it than that, but we don’t have time to go down that rabbit hole because we’re here to discuss Häagen-Dazs’ new New York Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, which is not as dense as a New York cheesecake.
Peel off the lid, and you’ll find cheesecake-flavored ice cream, strawberry sauce swirls, and spiced graham cracker crust pieces. Scrape off a layer or two, and what you’ll see looks like a strawberry syrup hurricane forming on top of the islands of Chewandswallow, Chompandgulp, and Devourandgorge.
The strawberry syrup isn’t goopy, which is surprising. Instead, it’s blended in with the base a little, which is the best way I can describe it. The base and swirls are combined in a way that ensures you’ll get both with every spoonful, no matter what angle your spoon attacks the container. When I scoop up both, it mostly tastes like strawberry ice cream, but there are rare times when it’s definitely cheesecake. I guess the tang from the cheesecake ice cream is at the same level as it would be for strawberry ice cream. That’s not a bad thing, but maybe cheesecake pieces should’ve been added to enhance the ice cream base’s flavor and, perhaps, add some denseness to the dessert.
As for the spiced graham cracker crust pieces, they go perfectly well with the fruity and tangy flavors. Their gritty texture and flavor probably do more to convince me this is a cheesecake-flavored ice cream instead of a strawberry one than the actual cheesecake-flavored ice cream. Plus, they are plentiful throughout the pint, um, I mean, 14 fluid ounce container, and some of the pieces were surprisingly crunchy.
Overall, Häagen-Dazs’ New York Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is tasty but doesn’t blow my mind. Also, I question whether the “New York” in its name is necessary because it lacks something that brings to mind the denseness of the regional cheesecake, which separates it from others.
Purchased Price: $4.69
Size: 14 fl oz
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 300 calories, 20 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 24 grams of sugar (including 19 grams of added sugar), and 4 grams of protein.
I was wondering when this would happen after seeing the Lindt Classic Recipe Oatmilk Chocolate Bars a year ago. (Spotted by Sage G at Harris Teeter.)
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.
So what’s going to happen to the Takis POP Intense Nacho Popcorn? (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 (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.
During my 12-minute walk from home after picking up Taco Bell’s Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme, the only thought that kept crossing my mind was how soggy the colossus Cheez-It cracker would be by the time I got home and had a chance to eat it. Actually, that thought has been in my head since 2022, when the collaboration went viral after the internet learned the product was being tested at one location in California. A giant Cheez-It is cool and all, but does a cracker made from enriched flour have more resilience than a corn chip, which can withstand dips of every kind?
Well, I can now find out and fill the grey matter occupied by that thought with something more useful since the special Crunchwrap is now available for everyone to wrap their hands around and crunch into. The limited time offering features seasoned beef, nacho cheese sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and a Big Cheez-It Cracker, all wrapped in a grilled flour tortilla. The massive cracker, the standout feature, replaces the tostada shell in the original Crunchwrap Supreme.
How big is “big”? According to Taco Bell’s website, the giant Cheez-It is 16 times larger than a regular Cheez-It. It also claims it’s 16 times cheesier and 16 times crunchier. After trying it, I believe its size claims, but everything else, not so much.
I wondered if I received a regular Crunchwrap because that’s what it tasted like after the first bite. But after unwrapping it, I saw a corner of the cracker peeking out from under a mountain of toppings, so no social media complaining needed. With the next bite, I began to notice the sharp cheesiness of the Cheez-It, but it was too mild for my liking, and there was no crunch associated with it. I expected it to be the headlining act instead of a backup singer. Its flavor is perhaps less noticeable than the corn tostada in the regular Crunchwrap, which, no shade, can also maintain most of its crunchiness after 12-minute walks home. The Cheez-It’s cracker crunch never materialized except for a couple of bites. At closer inspection, most of it seemed pulverized after being exposed to the moisture and heat within the grilled flour tortilla. But again, it had to withstand being in the tortilla wrap for double-digit minutes. If you’re eating it seconds after it is handed to you, the crunch might still be there.
I can’t help but be disappointed with Taco Bell’s Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme. While the cracker is indeed 16 times larger than a regular Cheez-It, which is impressive, and the cheesy flavor is somewhat present, I couldn’t help but wish for a more pronounced cheesiness and a crunch that comes close to its 16-times claim. Heck, four times would’ve made it better.
Purchased Price: $5.49
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 470 calories, 17 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 1210 milligrams of sodium, 63 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar (including 2 grams of added sugar), and 15 grams of protein.