Author: Jenna

REVIEW: Limited Edition Sprite Tic Tac

Jenna 6 Comments

What is it?

Tic Tacs, the diminutive mints, took its first sip of the soda world with a 2020 Coca-Cola flavor. It must have worked because here I am now in 2023 talking about the new Sprite Tac Tacs. Two of the great small pleasures in my life are Tics Tacs and Sprite, but I would never have thought to combine them, so I was glad that someone did. Initially, anyway.

How is it?

The buttery yellow color of these Tic Tacs didn’t get them off to the best start for me. I don’t think I’m alone in immediately associating Sprite with its iconic dark green bottle. While I’m sure this lighter, brighter shade was meant to allude to the citrus flavor (and it probably also didn’t hurt to distinguish these from one of Tic Tac’s most famous varieties, Wintergreen), I found the hue too banana-y to bode well.

The taste did start pretty decent, sweet and lemon-lime-y. Sure, there was a bit of an acidic aftertaste, but the main notes were crisp enough that I was able to mostly ignore it. But since a Tic Tac’s sweetness comes from its smooth outer coating, you’re ultimately going to be sucking on it long enough to dissolve that (about a minute, in my experience) or just biting through it directly. Either method reveals the coarser, more powdery inside, which here is quite sour, and chemical-tasting enough that I’d call it actively unpleasant.

Anything else you need to know?

I get that sourness is theoretically appropriate for a citrus-based flavor, but these just don’t remind me at all of Sprite, a soda I define more by its fizziness and mild sweetness than by any resemblance to the harshness of an actual lemon or lime.

Conclusion:

When I’m going for a Tic Tac, I typically want either to feel refreshed or to get a little burst of tastiness. This flavor doesn’t provide either of those things, so I can confidently say that I won’t be purchasing it again, and I’d even go as far as to state that I hope these lemony Tic Tacs are out of the limelight entirely soon.

Purchased Price: $1.59
Size: 1 oz
Purchased at: Wawa
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 mint) 0 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of total carbohydrates, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Ham & Swiss Croissant Stuffer

Jenna 7 Comments

Ham and cheese products from Dunkin’ hold a special place in my heart. Way back in 2012, when the chain was still called Dunkin’ Donuts, and the concept of serving food that wasn’t donuts was still new and baffling, I fell in love with its Ham & Cheese Bakery Sandwich. Alas, it was ultimately discontinued. So I was thrilled when I caught wind of the new Ham & Swiss Croissant Stuffer. Could this be a reunion with my one that got away?

Right out of the bag, it certainly looked and smelled promising — plump, golden, football-shaped, and emitting a gorgeously toasty aroma. The singed cheese shreds on top were a nice touch, adding some pretty orange-y color, crispy texture, and an extra pop of concentrated Cheez-It-esque flavor.

Upon slightly closer examination, though, the ham bits poking out of the edge seemed unusual, and I wondered if I’d accidentally been given bacon since they were so burnt. Spoiler alert: it was indeed ham, and despite being rather frizzled, it tasted meaty and mildly-but-not-overly-salty, which was as nice as I’d hoped.

Since I always like to start my reviews by tasting each component of a product individually, I moved on to the croissant next. It was more or less what I expected, buttery and rich, although it was also surprisingly burnt (at least the outer layer was; the inner layer was softer and doughier, more reminiscent of a Pillsbury Crescent Roll).

Getting to the Swiss required some dismantling since none of it was peeking out with the ham. That made sense when I opened up my croissant to see the cheese melded in a thick, slick layer (unlike the shreds on top, this seemed to be a single slice) so tight against the bottom that it was difficult to distinguish it from the croissant. Fortunately, it wasn’t melty enough that it was difficult to peel off, and boy, was it tasty — mild, nutty, and buttery. It was my favorite thing I tasted.

While I was peering at the inside of the croissant, I also noticed that the ham appeared to be just one large, circular slice (I had been expecting a thinner piece like deli meat, but this was a lot more substantial) folded over itself for some extra oomph. The bulk of it was definitely not as burnt as the ends had been, though it was firm in a way that made it feel a bit overcooked.

Refolding my croissant as gracefully as I could (which, admittedly, was not very) and biting into all three layers at once yielded a masterclass in texture, with the brittle, flaky croissant giving way to the dense ham with a pleasing snap before being caressed by the gooey cheese. The flavor, though, was a bit muddled. I described the croissant and Swiss as “buttery,” and that was pretty much the only thing I tasted in this mixed mouthful. If I hadn’t just been staring straight at it, I’m not sure I would have realized from taste alone that the solid slice in the middle even was ham.

So, this might not have been the second coming of my lost love, but it was still tasty. I’d advise you to check it out, if only so that you’re full and fueled to join my letter-writing campaign to bring the Bakery Sandwiches back.

Purchased Price: $4.45
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 330 calories, 17 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 580 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Butter Pecan Donut

Jenna 4 Comments

To celebrate the return of Dunkin’s ice cream-inspired Butter Pecan Swirl (a pump of flavoring that can be added to customize your drink), it has released an entire Butter Pecan-themed lineup, including the original Butter Pecan iced coffee and the new signature latte and frozen coffee… which I’m going to ignore because the star of this review is the sole non-beverage addition, the Butter Pecan Donut. As someone whose college degree involved a research project that required standing outside a nut shop for four hours surveying tourists on how they pronounced “pecan,” I consider myself pretty much an expert on this subject!

Right off the bat, this donut smelled uniquely delicious. The scent was bready, of course, but also oddly… earthy? There was a sort of bitter, almost coffee-like aroma that didn’t quite match up with the super-sweetness I usually expect from Dunkin’s donuts, which made me even more eager to give it a taste.

This is a round donut with no hole in the middle, foreshadowing the buttercreme stuffed inside. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves because before you can get to that, you’ll need to chomp into the donut itself, which is nothing too special — yeasty, flaky, airy, and yummy. Similarly, the tasty-but-plain vanilla icing on top seems to be the same as you would find on what might be the simplest item Dunkin’ offers: its vanilla frosted donut. What sets this apart is its topping and filling.

Dunkin’ describes the thorough coating of little golden flecks as “butternut topping.” But I’ve got to be honest — I’ve never seen that word used to describe anything other than squash, so, while accurate (the topping is indeed buttery and nutty), the label left me with more questions than it answered. To shed some more light on this vague, vegetal moniker, I did some digging into Dunkin’s “Allergen and Ingredient Guide” and triumphantly discovered the topping goes by another name, “Buttercrunch Topping,” which is comprised of “Sugar, Coconut, Yellow Corn Flour, Caramel Color.” To my relief, there is no squash involved! Regardless of what you call it, this topping is toasty with a pleasing crunch, calling to mind a combination of crushed graham crackers and toasted coconut flakes. But it’s ultimately more of a nice garnish than a central focus.

There was also confusion involved in my encounter with the buttercreme filling; rather than the traditional glob in the center, in my first bite, mine appeared in a thin layer towards the very bottom of the donut (though fortunately, the next bites were better saturated). The buttercreme was sweet and silky, rich and milky, and apparently it’s butter pecan flavored as well, though I definitely got much more “butter” than “pecan” flavoring. It was more nuanced than I expected; my first comparison was Dunkaroos frosting, which I guess doesn’t actually sound very nuanced at all, but it’s seriously delicious and was my favorite part of the donut by far, elevating the unremarkable cremeless bites significantly.

Oh yeah, I should also mention that there aren’t any pecans inside or on top of this donut, which is probably for the best since that sounds like a choking hazard!

If you’re keen to teach an old ice cream flavor some new tricks, I think you’ll like this one; you might not exactly go nuts for it, but you’d be nuts if you didn’t at least check it out.

Purchased Price: $2.28
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 360 calories, 16 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 300 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s ICEE Cereal

Jenna 1 Comment

As someone who spent a large portion of my formative years at the Jersey Shore, ICEEs were more than just a treat. They were a symbol of summer, a form of salvation from the heat, and now, thanks to Kellogg’s, it can add “Mixed Berry Breakfast Cereal” to its resume too.

It is UNCANNY how much this smells like ICEEs. I’m not sure if “cereal odor engineer” is an actual job title, but if it is, bravo to this cereal odor engineer! Interestingly, though, the taste was not quite so evocative. I had to shovel down a few bites before I could even figure out what flavor my mouth was experiencing. My eloquent first thought was… “cereal.” I know, but seriously between the small ball shape, colors that certainly cannot be found in nature, crunchy-on-the-outside-but-airy-on-the-inside texture, and flavor that combines sweetness, maltiness, and a hint of bitter artificiality, they check every box that sugary breakfast cereals are infamous for (if only they came with a prize too!).

Do the red puffs and the blue puffs taste any different? My expert verdict is: a little. I got a faint whiff of cherriness from the red and blue-raspberry-ness from the blue, but honestly, I think the colors did a lot of work in helping to convince my brain that they were distinct. The website I bought this from explicitly lists purple as one of the piece colors too (neat to note that those few pieces weren’t just brightly hued screwups after all), but I can’t say they had any unique flavor of their own. And just like combining red and blue gives you purple, combining red ICEE pieces and blue ICEE pieces in the same mouthful gives you something new, too… a total mess.

The cereal tasted much better when I was eating only reds or only blues; the minute I mixed up a big spoonful, all I could taste was a funky artificiality that bizarrely reminded me of banana. It wasn’t exactly BAD, but I can’t say it totally hit the mark either.

Of course, I also have to mention this cereal’s rad gimmick, a cooling sensation like what was used in last year’s Coca-Cola Starlight. At first, I just chalked my chilly mouth up to cold milk, but when I ate a few dry pieces, lo and behold, the cooling effect was just as strong, leaving not just the roof of my mouth but even my throat feeling frosty and tingly. Perhaps this wasn’t strictly necessary, but it was a pretty cool touch (pun not intended, actually, but welcome nonetheless). And hot tip (or, ahem, cool tip): if you enjoy this effect, definitely slurp up all the milk at the bottom of your bowl, too.

So, am I glad I tried these? Sure! Did I ultimately need the ginormous two-pack I bought? Probably not! Will I reach for these again when the craving for a frozen fruity beverage strikes? Doubtful! But will I gladly snarf them down for a quick, quirky, and not necessarily quality breakfast? ICEE-lutely!

Purchased Price: $7.98
Size: 2 13.2 oz bags
Purchased at: SamsClub.com
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/3 cup serving with no milk) 130 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Nissin Breakfast Cup Noodles

Jenna 1 Comment

“Have a backup…” a friend advised when I told them about my plan to pack Nissin Breakfast Cup Noodles for lunch (or, considering their namesake, more like brunch). When they realized I wasn’t joking, they added, “Maybe buy some Alka-Seltzer and Pepto Bismol too.” But life is short, and how many chances does one get to try noodles that taste like pancakes with maple syrup, sausage, and egg? That being said, I did bring a backup lunch just in case, but to my utter shock and delight, I didn’t need it.

The design on the cup offered a sunny start. The bright blue backdrop and vibrant cartoony illustration of a heaping helping of syrup-soaked pancakes, with a side of fluffy scrambled eggs and plump breakfast sausage doesn’t resemble what’s inside at all, but it’s still lovely!

What you get after peeling off the lid, pouring water up to the fill line on the inside of the cup, and doing an excited/happy/”oh gosh, what have I gotten myself into” dance in front of the microwave for four minutes, is a pile of greyish-yellow noodles in a pool of greyish-orange broth, topped with pea-sized bits of greyish-brown sausage and egg that’s… actually a regular (if slightly fluorescent) shade of yellow. (Your mileage may vary, but my cup had SIGNIFICANTLY more egg than sausage.) Don’t let the murky appearance fool you, though: there’s a wonderful taste in store.

The first word that came to my mind to describe the broth was “mellow.” I was expecting it to be saltier, but this stuff was straight-up sweet: maple-y, a bit malty, and all in all, surprisingly so hearty that I almost forgot that it had been created by simply combining dry, seasoned noodles and tap water.

The handful of sausage pieces were certainly not the most beautiful specimens in terms of appearance or texture (they could be described as both “gristly” and “grisly”). But they did a nice job adding a burst of flavor—savory, again with a strong streak of maple, plus an interesting peppery aftertaste.

As for the fluffy but dense eggs, despite their abundant quantity, they didn’t really have much flavor on their own, thoroughly overpowered by the broth. Once more, their defining characteristic was mapleness!

The stars of the show, the noodles, were similar. They were warm and comforting, but I got the feeling that their sweet-and-a-lil-zesty flavor came more from the broth and toppings rather than the soft, gummy strings themselves. (Fun fact — and added bonus, if you’re anything like me — it also smelled exactly like Post’s Waffle Crisp cereal.)

This novelty really surprised me. Not only was I not expecting Nissin Breakfast Cup Noodles to genuinely taste like breakfast, but I was also not expecting it to genuinely taste good, and it delivered tremendously on both counts. I am slightly befuddled, slightly disturbed, and totally pleased to tell you that if you enjoy noodles, breakfast, convenient packaging, or the terrifying-yet-thrilling anticipation of a food that doesn’t taste how you think it will, you really should try this. Seriously!

Purchased Price: $9.32 (I bought online from a third-party seller, but the retail price is meant to be just $1.18)
Size: 2.93 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 container) 380 calories, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 1020 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 10 grams of sugar (including 9 grams of added sugar), and 8 grams of protein.