Tag: Blue Bunny

In 2017, Blue Bunny introduced the Bunny Snacks line that features reduced fat ice cream bars with candy coatings and sandwiches. It debuted with four varieties — Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate Vanilla Twist, Cookies ’n Cream, Salted Caramel Pretzel — all of which are still around.

In 2018, the ice cream brand rolled out four new Bunny Snacks varieties — Strawberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Hazelnut, Vanilla Fudge Brownie, and Mint Chocolate Twist.

Strawberry Cheesecake Bunny Snacks

The snack features cheesecake-flavored reduced fat ice cream topped with strawberry sauce and graham cracker crunch bits covered with cream cheese-flavored coating and drizzled with strawberry flavored ribbon.

I reviewed a Pop-Tart that has half-strawberry filling and half-cheesecake-flavored filling. Combined they didn’t taste like strawberry cheesecake because they lack the tanginess the dessert has. I bring up that Pop-Tart for two reasons:

1. The strawberry sauce on this Bunny Snack reminds me of the strawberry Pop-Tarts filling.
2. This has the tang I wish the Pop-Tart had.

Some of you might think the tanginess comes from the cheesecake-flavored ice cream, and some of it does. But most of it is from the white cream cheese-flavored candy shell. That combined with the strawberry filling and drizzle creates a recognizable strawberry cheesecake-like flavor. The graham flavor isn’t noticeable, but the pieces add some crunchiness. However, most of the texture contrasting the ice cream come from our tangy friend, the candy shell.

Even though there’s reduced fat ice cream and it doesn’t have a strong flavor, everything around it hides those facts. Overall, Strawberry Cheesecake Bunny Snacks are sweet little treats.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 170 calories, 80 calories from fat, 9 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 90 milligrams of potassium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

Chocolate Hazelnut Bunny Snacks

This bar has chocolate hazelnut-flavored reduced fat ice cream with a hazelnut fudge ribbon dipped in a chocolaty coating and hazelnut pieces drizzled with a chocolatey coating.

If someone slapped a Ferrero Rocher sticker on this bag’s Blue Bunny logo, gave it to me, and I tried one of the treats, I wouldn’t question the label and think these are from Ferrero Rocher. The questioning would begin after wondering why they’re not wrapped in gold foil.

Even the texture of the bottom is as light and easily crumbly as a Ferrero Rocher’s chocolate coating. Yes, it has reduced fat ice cream, but as I found with the other two candy-coated varieties, the layer and toppings do an excellent job at hiding the fact it has less fat. This one was my favorite of the bunch.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 170 calories, 80 calories from fat, 9 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 90 milligrams of potassium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

Vanilla Fudge Brownie Bunny Snacks

This bunny snack features vanilla-flavored reduced fat ice cream topped with a layer of brownie batter and brownie brittle pieces covered in a milk chocolatey coating and candy drizzle.

The viscous brownie batter and crunchy brownie brittle pieces give the treat a flavor that’s richer than milk chocolate. But the fudgy brownie and vanilla ice cream combo, while darn good, didn’t get my taste buds jumping with excitement as much as the other two candy-coated Bunny Snacks.

If the other two didn’t exist, I probably would’ve liked this a bit more. But since Blue Bunny is giving us a number of Bunny Treat options and not everyone will buy all of them, I’d recommend the other two before this one.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 170 calories, 90 calories from fat, 11 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 95 milligrams of potassium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 gram of protein.

Mint Chocolate Twist Bunny Snacks

This one isn’t candy-coated like the others. Instead, it’s an ice cream sandwich that features mint reduced fat ice cream with a fudge swirl inside that’s between two chocolate chocolate chip cookies with a green candy drizzle. I have to admit after all the candy-coated goodness of the other three this one is less exciting.

Much like I don’t read instructions before putting together anything, I didn’t read the front of the packaging before eating this, so I didn’t realize the two chocolate wafers are two chocolate chocolate chip cookies. But they sure didn’t feel like cookies. They have the same soft texture as what slapped on an ice cream sandwich.

But because they’re chocolate chip cookies, every so often my molars will mash tiny chocolate chips. However, there’s another texture level in the wafers cookies. There’s a grittiness that feels as if there are sugar granules in them that provide micro crunches with every chew. I guess they make up for the cookies’ lack of crunch.

The ice cream has the right amount of mint flavoring. It’s not going to make you think you brushed your teeth, but it’s also not light enough that the cookies overpower it. There’s a delicate balance between the two parts that make for a pleasant treat. But without the candy coating, it’s a bit basic compared with the others in the line. However, that does help make it a bit more waist-friendly than the others.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 sandwich) 150 calories, 45 calories from fat, 5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 95 milligrams of potassium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 gram of protein.

DISCLOSURE: I received free samples from Blue Bunny months ago. And only now I’ve gotten around to writing this review. Sorry, Blue Bunny. Receiving free samples or feeling sorry that it took so long to write this review did not influence my review in any way.

Pumpkin pie – homemade, if you please, in a graham cracker crust, if you prefer, and hopefully served following a 3,500 calorie expedition through turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes – has long ago reached that point of singular dessert transcendence in which the evolutionary process takes over, undergoing a transformation into all manner of other delicious items. Case in point? Ice cream, including Blue Bunny’s new Spiced Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream.

Pumpkin-flavored ice cream is unapologetically delicious, although hardly earth-shattering. Virtually every major ice cream player has capitalized on mixing pumpkin puree and the usual suspects of spices within the magical confines of frozen cream and sugar, and none have been downright bad. That said, Blue Bunny has got some stiff competition, especially when they’ve forgone the standard whipped cream topping for, ahem, “marshmallow swirl.”

They certainly nailed the spice aspect if nothing else. It’s floral and powerful. It’s multifaceted and gives each lick a sophisticated ethos of falling leaves and cool temperatures. Frankly, when middle schoolers learn about the spice trade in their history classes and ask the proverbial “so what?” teachers should shove an ice cream cone of this in their faces and make them say thank you to the Portuguese.

The taste of pumpkin is solid, but by no means exceptional. You know that flavor pumpkin pie takes on in the oven? That deep, brown sugar and caramelized natural sugar flavor? Yeah, it’s not there. If you’re like me and looking for an exceptionally deep pumpkin flavor, Blue Bunny’s rendition just doesn’t compete with the pumpkin bases of Edy’s and Hershey’s.

What does compete is the graham cracker ribbon. Some graham crackers suffer from staleness or overly fake flavors when put into ice cream. Not this one. The flavor is classic and mellow with the right mixture of crunch and whole wheat flavor to remind you of Nabisco’s Honey Maid Graham Crackers. It’s a nice counter to the assertive pumpkin spice, and needed textural contrast to the smooth base.

While the pie crust pieces in the ribbon are exceptional, the ice cream base begs for more of them. Those of you familiar with Turkey Hill’s Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream will notice how little graham pieces there are and how they aren’t as crunchy in Blue Bunny’s version. Likewise, the ice cream base feels like it should be richer. Don’t get me wrong, it’s smooth and creamy, but the taste of cream just seems overshadowed by the floral notes of the spice. As far as the marshmallow swirl? Eh, can we just leave that on the sweet potato casserole? The only white swirly stuff I want on my pumpkin pie is whipped cream.

It’s a scientific fact that you can’t screw up pumpkin pie and Blue Bunny’s Spiced Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream is no exception. Yet like Red Velvet and other desserts turned into ice cream, it could do better, especially in an ice cream aisle filled with so many competitors.

(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – 150 calories, 70 calories from fat, 8 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

Item: Blue Bunny Seasonal Selections Spiced Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 1.75 quarts
Purchased at: United Supermarkets
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Exceptional pumpkin spice flavor. Smooth texture and mouthfeel. Graham cracker swirl tastes like Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers. Educational resource for apathetic middle schoolers.
Cons: Pumpkin flavor lacks baked depth and richness. Too sweet. Needs more graham cracker ribbons. Marshmallow fluff instead of whipped cream.

It’s pretty pathetic that someone born and raised in New England has never gone skiing. It’s even more pathetic that this person spent a week at a mountain resort town in Switzerland and not once strapped on the skis and tried the bunny slope. The same person would probably not even consider skiing in the celebrity-laden, snooty, yet sporty town of Aspen, Colorado.

However, I…I mean, this person would not be added to a long list of poseurs that includes the dude in the “Pretty Fly for a White Guy” music video and Kevin Federline (wait, aren’t they the same person?) by walking around the lodge pimped out in the latest North Face gear bragging about the “black diamond” run (that’s what they call it, right?). No, instead I would be in the corner, sitting next to a fireplace like the Masterpiece Theatre guy, except I would be nursing an Irish Coffee and maybe enjoying the new Blue Bunny Raspberry Vanilla Aspen Frozen Yogurt Granola Bar. Although, this frozen confection would be melted before I even open the wrapper due to the blazing, yet romantic fire burning beside me. In fact, it was pretty much melting upon opening in the comfort of an air-conditioned room. Not a good sign.

The Blue Bunny Raspberry Vanilla Aspen Frozen Yogurt Granola Bar is enrobed with a vanilla yogurt shell that’s covers the entire bar like a nice LL Bean cable-knit sweater or a ski jacket with pockets inside of pockets. The yogurt shell is similar to the stuff on some trail mix raisins. On top, there’s a small dusting of granola.

I wanted to enjoy the first bite, but like I said, it was melting already, so the first bite was quick and ended in a slurp. The raspberry fro-yo is very tasty (avid readers know I’m a whore for raspberry flavored things) and it combines well with the vanilla yogurt shell and the layer of raspberry preserve that’s stuck in there. The crunch of the granola is pretty darn good, but I don’t think there’s enough of it to formally call this frozen yogurt novelty a granola bar. Blue Bunny boasts that these treats are loaded with probiotic cultures, which is just a chemistry way of saying that these bars can aid in bowel movements and keep you regular without the need of Metamucil or the new Volcano Menu at Taco Bell.

Usually size doesn’t matter (when it comes to frozen treats), but I was quite impressed by the size of these things (I am a small girl though). They’re roughly the size of a Milky Way, but of course they disappear quicker, because for some reason when instantly exposed to non-freezer like conditions they morph into the Wicked Witch of the West or Joan Rivers at the beach (wait, aren’t they the same person?).

Even with the fast melting, the Blue Bunny Raspberry Vanilla Aspen bars are pretty good, but I wouldn’t necessarily call these a healthy alternative to other frozen treats, because one bar packs 150 calories (80 of which are from fat) and 35% of your daily saturated fat content! But, really traditional granola bars are similar in nutrition, but a lot of us forget that because it’s ingrained in us they are healthy. If you are a granola bar lover (like myself) you might be disappointed in the lack of granola, but like those yogurt cups with the granola on top, you can add your own to the Aspen bar by dipping it in more. Similar to what people do with Funny Bones by injecting more peanut butter, or that creepy lion woman injecting more collagen in her lips.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 Bar – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 75 milligrams of potassium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, 10% calcium, 4% riboflavin, 4% phosphorus and 2% vitamin B12.)

Item: Blue Bunny Raspberry Vanilla Aspen Frozen Yogurt Granola Bars
Price: $2.50
Size: 8-pack
Purchased at: Wal-Mart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Different than most frozen novelties. Coating is not white chocolate. Sweater weather. Probiotic cultures helps you stay regular. Bar size.
Cons: Never experiencing the slopes. Not enough granola. Not being able to find your keys. Because your anorak has more pockets than necessary. People who get uber amounts of plastic surgery. High in saturated fat.