REVIEW: Dairy Queen Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Blizzard

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.

28 thoughts to “REVIEW: Dairy Queen Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Blizzard”

  1. Yeah, that’s embarrassing that you write for this site ad you’re never heard of puppy chow. Never having the opportunity to eat it is one thing, but not even having knowledge of it is a whole different level…..

    1. Hello fellow kindred spirit! I was also very confused by the puppy chow part of this blizzard. ?

  2. Purina needs to sue if DQ didn’t obtain permission to use the name, especially since it’s being capitalized on their website – “Puppy Chow”, not “puppy chow”, which denotes the product, not the slangy term for chocolate-y Chex Mix.

  3. 41 years old. grew up in New England, lived Boston, San Francisco, and Oregon on-and-off (and currently).
    never heard of puppy chow other than as pet food.
    ew.

  4. I’ve never heard of that combo being called puppy chow either, they’d be muddy buddies here,
    Every once in a while I buy a bag of the chex mix ones and am always let down. I love all the individual ingredients but they just don’t cut it together… maybe homemade is better?

    1. I make my own and everyone LOVES it, but sometimes I’m lazy and/or don’t want to make it for myself… but in this case I can say unequivocally that the Chex Mix version is infinitely inferior to the homemade kind. It has absolutely none of the compulsively munchable qualities of the stuff you make yourself!

    2. I’ve always wondered if puppy chow vs. muddy buddy mix (as I have always referred to it as) is a regional sort of difference like pop vs. soda. Either way, it’s great! And also sooooo easy. You must make some!!! For Hallowe’en I always make a batch and add in reese’s pieces. 🙂

      1. Also, one of my favourite parts is when you get to the bottom of the mix and it’s just mostly settled peanut butter/chocolate/sugar clumps and the broken up pieces of rice cereal…ooooh or when you come across a big clump of multiple pieces of cereal that have stuck together rather than been individually coated. So yeah, what I’m saying is that it’s amazing stuff!

  5. Oh you’re not the only one; I thought it may have been an April Fools post at first that somehow moved back to the front page. Never heard of it aside from, well, puppy food.

  6. I’m disappointed that puppy chow isn’t better than a 6.

    Bet some local places out this way would make a dynamite puppy chow ice cream.

    1. I’d rate it at least a 7 out of 10. I didn’t care for the super crunchy chex pieces but the peanut butter topping and the choco chunks made it a tasty treat. I’d say its worth trying but that’s just my two cents lol.

  7. I’d never heard of it either. I didn’t know that was a food that existed until this blizzard came out and I started Googling trying to figure out what the hell it was. I think DQ should put an explanation in the description of that blizzard. Makes sense though I hadn’t heard about it if it’s a only a thing in some areas.

  8. It’s really interesting to hear all of the commenters who hadn’t heard of it! Simply an example of cognitive bias and certainly never a reason to chastise someone who isn’t aware of something that you are well aware of! If anything it’s a great opportunity to expand knowledge, awareness and openness! Was googling about puppy chow/muddy buddy/etc. and it did indeed originate in the midwest and is more of a midwest thing! I’m curious to know if the readers who are commenting, and the reviewer, reflect that.

    1. I’m from the Midwest (Chicago), and only know it as “muddy buddies”. I’ve never heard it called “puppy chow”…and I am glad. Blech.

  9. It was great! I didn’t know what puppy chow is but I got it because it has peanut butter. I’m glad I tried it! Neither “puppy chow” or “mud buddies” are a thing in my area and now I actually want to try them on their own. Thanks!

  10. Well let me jump on the Embarrassment train with you, because I took my 6 month old English Bulldog puppy for her first Dairy Queen visit. I was going to get her a cone but saw the Puppy Chow and dived right in. I ordered her a large to share with her brother and sister. The guy at the window even asked if I wanted a pup cup and I said no the puppy chow was for her. Not until her third bite when she wouldn’t eat anymore did I notice the big chucks of CHOCOLATE I was feeding my puppy.

  11. I confess that I have never heard if it either. I thought at first that DQ was selling a treat for dogs like some other fast food places do!

  12. I don’t know what you’re talking about, the puppy chow blizzard is the bomb for those of us who love salty, sweet, crunchy and cold. If you are a fan of Reese’s peanut butter cups with crunch, you will love this!! It’s the best of both worlds and a summertime treat!

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