REVIEW: Pepsi Peach

Brandon 11 Comments

I think I’ve said it before on this website, but I’ll repeat it for those who don’t meticulously consume each of my reviews like the delightfully greasy bacon-double cheeseburgers of words that they are: I love flavored Coke. And by “Coke,” I mean, soda, and by “flavored,” I mean, well, you know… something other than the soda’s normal base.

But I don’t discriminate by soda type. I love the Strawberries and Cream Dr Pepper, as well as the Cream Soda version. I like Sprite when it gets weird with Cherries or Cranberries. Cherry Vanilla Coke is incredible, and I still lament the fact that poor sales (maybe?) killed its Orange Vanilla brethren. And Mango Pepsi is the best Pepsi.

And so it was with great anticipation and arousal that I awaited the appearance of Pepsi Peach at a retailer near me. I was so excited, in fact, that when I finally spotted it at my local QuikTrip, I went ahead and got it EVEN THOUGH they didn’t have the zero sugar version, which, in the case of all the aforementioned sodas, is generally my go-to.

Was it everything I hoped for?

Sadly, it was not.

If you don’t want to read a lengthy explanation, just know this: if you blindfolded me and had me drink this, I’d be extremely hard-pressed to tell you what soda flavor this was. The end.

But I’ll go a little further if you’re into details. The scent you get when opening the bottle is very identifiably peach, which makes the absence of actual peach flavoring all the more puzzling. I took a drink— riding high on hope and scent— and then went, “Wait, what?” But the thing is, this doesn’t taste like straight-up Pepsi, either. It’s Pepsi, but it’s a little sweeter than usual, and there’s a unique aftertaste that sets it apart as well. But at no point in the consumption process did I think, “Mmmm, peachy!” It was just mildly fruity.

And that’s a shame, really, given the way they do a great job capturing mango flavor. I was expecting so much more.

While it’s not bad, per se, it’s also not what it’s supposed to be. If it had been marketed as “General Fruit Pepsi,” it would have made so much more sense. I’d buy it again, I guess, if I was ever in a situation where I couldn’t find Mango Pepsi. Or Strawberries and Cream Dr Pepper. Or Cherry Vanilla Coke. Or… you get the idea.

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 20 oz
Purchased at: Quiktrip
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 250 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 68 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 68 grams of sugar (including 68 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: 5/24/2024

Marvo 7 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.

Little Debbie Mini Red White and Blue Donut

(Spotted by DJ at Redner’s.)

Little Debbie Red White and Blue Mini Muffins Lemon

(Spotted by Robbie at Big Lots.)

Mike and Ike Megamix Sweet Or Sour

(Spotted by Robbie at Big Lots.)

Sheila G’s Limited Edition M&M’s Red White & Blue Mix Brownie Brittle

(Spotted by Robbie at Big Lots.)

Lupy Lups Sour Challenge Cotton Candy
Lupy Lups Pickle with Chamoy Cotton Candy

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Kathy Kay Sweet and Salty Mini Popcorn Balls

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Tastykake The Garfield Movie Confetti Cake Mini Muffins
Tastykake The Garfield Movie Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
Tastykake The Garfield Movie Blueberry Mini Muffins

(Spotted by DJ at Redner’s.)

Tastykake The Garfield Movie Cream Filled Snowballs

(Spotted by Robbie at Dollar Tree.)

Tastykake The Garfield Movie Powdered Mini Donuts
Tastykake The Garfield Movie Frosted Mini Donuts

(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.

SPOTTED: Fritos Yellowstone Edition Ranch Corn Chips

Marvo Leave a comment

Fritos Yellowstone Edition Ranch Corn Chips.

Another Yellowstone Edition flavor! That exclamation point is a sarcastic punctuation mark. (Spotted by Richard B at IGA.)

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.

REVIEW: Chips Ahoy Limited Edition Hershey’s S’mores Cookies

Marvo 4 Comments

When making s’mores, the only chocolate that comes to mind is a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar. The thought of constructing a graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate masterpiece with a Ghirardelli Chocolate Square, Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar, or, heaven forbid, a Palmer Milk Chocolate Gold Coin. So it seems right, at least to me, that these new Chips Ahoy Limited Edition Hershey’s S’mores Cookies have that famous Pennsylvania chocolate in them, along with marshmallow-flavored chips and Chips Ahoy’s usual chocolatey pieces.

The Hershey’s chocolate comes in the form of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Mini Bar Pieces. They are tiny and, I think, even have “Hershey’s” stamped into them. I didn’t know bars came in this size. That’s some extreme portion control and must not be very satisfying unless you eat dozens of them. But in these cookies, they are extremely satisfying, and along with the vanilla marshmallow-flavored chips, they make me forget the usual chocolate is even there. It’s as if the three morsels are in a production of Romeo and Juliet, and while the Hershey’s chocolate and white chips are in the two leading roles, the usual chips have been relegated to the roles of servants of the Capulet and Montague houses.

However, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate has a distinct taste, and I don’t notice it here. Its flavor might be skewed by the regular and marshmallow morsels. But those chunks make the cookies taste much more chocolatey than regular Chips Ahoy. As for the white chips, they have an enticing artificial marshmallow flavor, and if there’s ever a Chips Ahoy Peeps Cookie, these will do the trick nicely.

Now, this wouldn’t be a “s’mores” cookie if it didn’t have any graham cracker flavor, and I’m happy to report that it’s there…I think. The cookie part definitely doesn’t taste like a standard Chips Ahoy, but I wouldn’t say it’s like honey-kissed Honey Maid or Teddy Grahams. But there’s something about it that evokes the essence of graham. There’s no graham flour or graham anything. But it does complete the whole s’mores vibe these cookies have.

If there was one thing that irritated me about these, it was how quickly they disappeared from the packaging. I mean, that’s obviously my fault because I lack self-control sometimes, and sometimes I want to make ice cream sandwiches with the cookies I buy. But I wish this limited edition offering came in a weight that went beyond double digits.

Chips Ahoy Limited Edition Hershey’s S’mores Cookies are outstanding and worth a purchase during this s’mores season.

Purchased Price: $5.29*
Size: 9.58 oz package
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 cookies) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar (including 11 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Pizza Hut Cheeseburger Melt

Marvo 2 Comments

Did Pizza Hut always have fries?

I hate to start a Pizza Hut Cheeseburger Melt review with a short review of Pizza Hut’s fries, but that’s what I will do here. They are surprisingly good and go great with this Melt. Although I shouldn’t be surprised since Yum Brands, who owns Pizza Hut, also owns KFC and Taco Bell, which have decent fries. They’re somewhat like Taco Bell’s fries but crispier. The interior is pleasantly fluffy, and they have seasoning on the coating, but I’m not sure what it is. But whatever it is, it makes these fries tasty.

Now, let’s delve into the star of this review, which features beef, Applewood-smoked bacon, onions, mozzarella, and cheddar, all nestled in a parmesan-crusted thin crust that’s folded with a Burger Sauce on the side.

Without the sauce, the Melt has a combination of flavors that’s not recognizable as cheeseburger-like and not too flavorful. Nothing really stands out like the meat and cheese does with an actual cheeseburger. Thankfully, the Burger Sauce exists and helps enhance everything so that it does remind me of the fast food classic. The creamy and tangy sauce has the same flavor profile as other burger “secret” sauces and is tangy enough to make the Melt taste as if it had pickles in it. Like the pickle seasoning on cheeseburger-flavored potato chips, that tang helps bring the fast food menu item to mind. It’s not a Thousand Island dressing or a fry sauce (ketchup and mayo). It’s something in between that. But whatever it is, it makes his Melt taste much better. Also, ask for a second container, because one is not enough for a whole Pizza Hut Melt.

So far, the photos I’ve shown you are from my third order of the Cheeseburger Melt. I didn’t purchase three because I adore this Melt so much that I can’t go days without having one. I had to buy it three times because my local Pizza Hut locations didn’t have the Burger Sauce the first two times I ordered it online, the day of release (I got it with the fries), and the day after at a different location. I believe the famous saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me a third time…not gonna happen because I will order it in the store and ensure it has the Burger Sauce in stock.”

If you’re interested, here’s a photo of the first one I bought with a side of Pizza Hut fries and marinara sauce.

Would I buy Pizza Hut’s Cheeseburger Melt a fourth time? I definitely would, as long as I’m 100 percent sure I can get the Burger Sauce. I’d also get it with the fries again.

Purchased Price: $9.49
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 Melt) 1180 calories, 76 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 140 milligrams of cholesterol, 2290 milligrams of sodium, 86 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 41 grams of protein.