REVIEW: Popcorn M&M’s

Popcorn M M s Bag

When I tore open the share size bag of these new Popcorn M&M’s that have milk chocolate with a crisp rice center, I was immediately transported to a movie theater.

Or, if you look at Blue on the package, it is to the stands of a football game chowing down on a chocolatey popcorn treat. The scent of these is outstanding as they do nail the essence of a creamy, buttery milk chocolate concoction.

However, please don’t get your hopes up too too much as the smell doesn’t fully translate to the taste of them, unfortunately, but it does get pretty gosh darn close.

Now, if you had asked me how these were when I first stumbled upon them at a random gas station in central Pennsylvania, I would have given them a 10 out of 10 and told you to drop everything, seriously drop EVERYTHING, and do whatever you need to do to indulge in these. It’s been a few days, so I have had time to come back down to Earth from the high of finding them unexpectedly and experiencing their intense aroma.

Popcorn M M s Colors

These come in perfectly themed colors of dark brown, neon yellow, and off-white to mimic the product they are trying to emulate. These being M&M’s there is, of course, the glorious hard candy shell to bite into first. The main flavor of these is definitely chocolate, and you can tell it is prevalent throughout the bite. And, technically, if you look at the packaging, these are CHOCOLATE popcorn flavored treats.

There is a definite butter flavor with a hint of salt, at least as far as I can tell, but it is very light. As I ate more, the flavor seemed to diminish, and I could see potentially without the shell colors, bag, or smell someone could mistake these for regular crispy M&M’s, although a very creamy milk heavy version.

Popcorn M M s Split

One component that is a slam dunk, or field goal, I guess I should say based on the sponsorship is the crisp rice core. It adds another crunchy texture in addition to shell, and this being a lighter one definitely reminds me of the crunch that popcorn would give.

All in all, these are delicious M&M’s with a light popcorn flavor as I have already downed 2.5 share size bags singlehandedly. I also applaud Mars for thinking outside the box with this inventive flavor. I just wish the butter flavor (and maybe the salt) was dialed up a few more notches as it would have truly knocked these out of the park flavor-wise. (Eeek sorry, would have made the flavor make an amazing touchdown flavor-wise, keeping with the theme.)

P.S – I wish Blue would have been chilling in a movie theater auditorium seat instead of with a football and eye black. I get the sponsorship, and that popcorn is a snack at stadiums, but not having a movie theater connection seems wrong.

P.P.S. – Rather than Blue holding a bucket of chocolate popcorn, shouldn’t it be a mixture of M&M’s and popcorn since that is what I originally thought they were drawing inspiration from when hearing about this flavor. Although maybe that is too meta and also means Blue is a cannibal. Eeek.

P.P.P.S. – Let’s not end on thinking about cannibalism, these are milk chocolatey with a hint of butter goodness, try them!

Purchased Price: $1.75 (2 for $3.50)
Size: 2.83 oz. Share Size Bag
Purchased at: Sheetz
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 27 g (1/3 of bag) – 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal

Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal

What is Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal?

Lucky Charms Cereal with new clover-shaped pieces sweetened with real honey and the marshmallows pieces that you know and love.

How is it?

Sooooo, I’m completely torn on this one. I had an absolute roller coaster of thoughts while sampling. The first pass was the cereal as a dry snack, which offered unhinged sadness. I felt like those kids in the commercial who are not able to outwit Lucky and his leprechaun shenanigans. The clover pieces are nicely themed, but I wasn’t getting the big honey flavor I was expecting as that is the selling point this time around. Just look at the dripping beehive on the box!

The marshmallows are as delicious as ever too, but the honey flavor was an empty pot of gold at the bottom of a rainbow for me. The pieces taste similar to any sweetened corn cereal.

Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal Bowl

My second pass is how cereal is usually consumed — drowning in a big bowl of milk, of course! I began to come around to what was the goal here. I kind of love the interplay between the milk, super sugary sweetness of the marbits, the corn base, and then the subdued honey sweetness of the cereal pieces. It works well and, honestly, has a better-rounded flavor than the original version of Lucky Charms. UPGRADE!

Anything else you need to know?

Lucky Charms Honey Clovers Cereal Closeup

It’s been a while for Lucky Charms for me so as I was singing the iconic jingle in my head (hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers & blue moons, pots of gold, rainbows and a red balloon) I realized there have been some updates. This honey clover version contains stars, unicorns, clover hats, red balloons, horseshoes, hearts, blue moons, and rainbows.

There is some controversy with this debut as when it was announced. The product was expected to have an oat base and not a corn one. SCANDALOUS!! I wonder if it was a cost thing, a taste thing, or something else entirely? Hmmmm. Quick, does anybody have one of those 100% Lucky Charms Marshmallow boxes that we could mix with a box of Honey Nut Cheerios? Let us know.

Conclusion

Lucky Charms fans and marshmallow breakfast cereal lovers, in general, should try this one. It’s a nice upgrade on a classic. Just remember that honey takes a supporting role, so you aren’t disappointed like those kids in the commercial. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta figure out what happened to my favorite marshmallow, that pot of gold!

Purchased Price: $3.68
Size: 10.9 oz Box
Purchased at: Giant
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) – 140 calories, 1 grams of fat, 160 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites

Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites

Finally, some innovation in the frozen breakfast aisle!

Not since its Stuffed Hash Browns have I’ve been excited for one of Jimmy Dean’s new launches. This time around, it is tackling breakfast casseroles and turning into them into heat-and-eat bites. Jimmy Dean’s Casserole Bites are available in three flavors – French Toast, Meat Lovers, and Sausage, Egg & Cheese.

All three are bite-sized dollop concoctions, just a tad larger than a quarter. They have a breading base filled with a different combination of ingredients based on the flavor. Let’s dig in!

French Toast

Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites French Toast Pouch

First up is French toast, which is made with French toast, pork sausage, and scrambled eggs. This one is noticeably darker than the other two and has a potent maple flavor when you get up close to it. It’s definitely on the sweet side with maple syrup being the main taste, but cinnamon comes in intensely and the sausage bits were large and prevalent. When biting into one of those bits it offered a nice smoky, salty punch that counteracted all the sweetness. The eggs were the hardest to taste individually, but I don’t think I missed them.

Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites French Toast

As I was eating these, I kept thinking this thing tastes so familiar, what is it? Then it hit me like a late night hangover. Remember the Television Room in Willy Wonka where the items being transported shrunk? Well, imagine taking a McDonald’s Sausage McGriddle and it being put into a smaller form. BOOM! That is 100% exactly what these taste like. It is crazy how much I thought I was eating the remnants of one. If you are a McGriddles fan in any way, shape, or form, you will gobble these up. They are sweet and delicious.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Purchased at: ShopRite
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5 pieces – about 3 servings per container) – 220 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 160 milligrams of cholesterol, 320 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

Sausage, Egg and Cheese

Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites Sausage Egg  Cheese Pouch

Next up is Sausage, Egg & Cheese containing scrambled eggs, pork sausage, cheese, and potatoes. Whereas the French Toast one was very sweet, this one is on the opposite side of the spectrum i.e. all kinds of savory. This one definitely has a lot more going on with the sausage, potato bits, and cheese, but they all work together.

Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites Sausage Egg  Cheese

Remember how in Willy Wonka each child got their own distinct moment to shine throughout the factory tour? The elements here mimic that as the sausage, potato, and cheese all come through at different times, offering a nice flavor profile.

However, it is definitely sodium heavy, so it is a bit overpowering on the salt side of things. I also kind of wish Jimmy Dean went with more hash brown-style potatoes. A nice stringy component would have made things more texturally interesting to go along with the gobs of sausage and gobs of eggs. These are good, just a bit salty.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Purchased at: Shoprite
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5 pieces) – 190 calories, 15 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 180 milligrams of cholesterol, 580 milligrams of sodium, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 11 grams of protein.

Meat Lovers

Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites Meat Lovers Pouch

Finally is Meat Lovers, which contains scrambled eggs, pork sausage, cheese, bacon, and potatoes. This one confuses me all around. When I think of “meat lovers,” it’s usually at least three meats, not just two, right? Also, when you have one sausage option, shouldn’t the other one be bacon? AAAHHH, so many questions!!!

Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites Meat Lovers

Regardless of the confusion of this one and ironically, even though it contains more components, it ended up being the most one-note for me. Remember Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka, the spoiled brat who always wanted everything to revolve around her? Well here Veruca is the bacon as it is a strong flavor and one that usually takes over, which is exactly what is happening here. It’s also maybe because there were tiny bits of bacon rather than larger chunks.

The potato and sausage pieces pretty much vanish into bacon oblivion. This one is again a bit salty, but it’s hard to argue with the meaty bacon flavor. Bacon aficionados, this one is definitely for you!

Purchased Price: $5.99
Purchased at: Shoprite
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5 pieces) – 200 calories, 15 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 185 milligrams of cholesterol, 560 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.

Other things

  • I hope these do well so that Jimmy Dean could do a few Delights options. Healthier versions with some veggies would be divine!
  • I wouldn’t recommend buying all three of these as the sausage and meat lover ones are so close in execution. Definitely get the French Toast one as is it a fantastic and flavorful sweet option. I still can’t believe how much it tastes like McGriddles. It’s unbelievable! To keep my theme going, maybe there is some Wonka magic involved?! If you grab a second, definitely go for the Sausage, Egg & Cheese unless bacon is your number one breakfast meat of choice. If that is the case, do the Meat Lovers.

REVIEW: Smucker’s Uncrustables Roll-Ups

Smucker s Uncrustables Turkey  Colby Jack Roll Ups

What are Smucker’s Uncrustables Turkey & Colby Jack and Uncured Ham & Cheddar Roll-Ups?

Uncrustables branches out into more than just round crust-less pocket sandwiches with the launch of two new thaw-and-eat roll-ups. One is Turkey and Colby Jack that contains smoked turkey breast, Colby, Monterey Jack, and Neufchâtel cheeses with seasoning in flatbread. The other is uncured ham and cheddar consisting of uncured ham, cheddar, and Neufchâtel cheeses in flatbread.

Smucker s Uncrustables Uncured Ham  Cheddar Roll Ups

How are they?

These are adorable little lunch meat pinwheels, just like if a sushi roll and a sandwich for your lunch box had a baby. Both flavors are presented in perfectly bite-sized morsels and, considering that they were just frozen, the flatbread turns out surprisingly well as it is nice and soft. A little pillowy even!!

Smucker s Uncrustables Turkey  Colby Jack Roll Ups Closeup
Smucker’s Uncrustables Turkey & Colby Jack Roll-Ups Closeup

The components are well balanced here. Flatbread softness comes in upon the first bite, followed by the punch of the cheese. For the Turkey one, the finish is a nice blend of seasoning, definitely an oniony garlic flavor. The ham one doesn’t have any seasoning for some reason, but maybe it’s because the ham’s flavor is stronger and offers a savory, briny ending to the roll.

Smucker s Uncrustables Uncured Ham  Cheddar Roll Ups Closeup
Smucker’s Uncrustables Uncured Ham & Cheddar Roll-Ups Closeup

I was unfamiliar with Neufchâtel cheese before this and couldn’t believe that these contain such a fancy cheese. I’m mean just look at that circumflex!!! (It’s the line above the a so you pronounce it like “ah”) I dissected the roll-up and it has a cream cheese-like consistency and flavor. Without a condiment like mustard or mayo, this helped to give another dimension, a nice creamy aspect, to the whole experience.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Smucker s Uncrustables Roll Ups Wrapers

Lots of directions on these: Keep frozen until ready to thaw. Thaw for two hours, eat immediately. For on-the-go use, include ice pack, eat within six hours. Do not microwave. Do not refreeze once thawed. The most important one is the second one. Make sure you wait a full two hours before indulging. I got a little anxious on these my first try and bit into frozen meat. Not pleasant at all.

These also seem to be a resurgence for the Uncrustables brand. There are two heat and eat options (hyperlink to spotting of those other flavors?) that debuted at the same time. KEEP ‘EM COMING SMUCKERS!!!! Can you let me know why a fluffernutter OG one has not happened yet, though? Thanks.

Conclusion:

I haven’t had Uncrustables in a while, so I was super excited to try these new offerings. And even with my high expectations, I was blown away by them. They are delicious! A perfect little multi-layered snack, and I probably could have downed both boxes if I wasn’t careful.

I have always been a turkey fan over ham so I would have to give that one the edge. Also, the seasoning on that one was a nice touch. You can’t go wrong with either one, though, and I would highly recommend these for kid’s lunch boxes and for all the kid-like adults longing for a scrumptious snack to bring them back to the simple time of their childhood innocence.

Purchased Price: $4.99 each
Size: 7.8 oz. box/3 pouches
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 10 out of 10 (Turkey & Colby Jack), 9 out of 10 (Uncured Ham & Cheddar)
Nutrition Facts: (1 pouch) Turkey & Colby Jack – 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 450 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein. Uncured Ham & Cheddar – 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 470 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of sugar and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Froot Loops Pop-Tarts

Limited Edition Froot Loops Pop Tarts

Do you hear that?? The music playing that’s growing in volume?

There’s some chanting. Hmmm, interesting, there are also some background noises (maybe a bird of some sort), and what’s this, a sun rising?! Except, it’s rising above a grocery store aisle? Ahhh, I get it now, it’s the Circle of Life breakfast-style!

Around one year ago, Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts made a slight leap down the aisle to the cereal section for a new rendition of Pop-Tarts Cereal. And now it’s coming full circle as a cereal appears in toaster pastry form, namely Froot Loops, in a limited edition flavor. Toucan Sam is of course along for the ride as well to make sure you know it’s official.

Limited Edition Froot Loops Pop Tarts Back of Box

The Pop-Tarts come frosted so that they can be emblazoned with fun designs, six in total, including many representations of the cereal itself. The artwork itself is colorful but the actual images of the cereal pieces are little grainy/pixelated. It seems like they wanted to showcase the true cereal, but the photo-real images are not that amazing, unfortunately. I was excited about the Toucan Sam one, but sadly I went through my entire box and he didn’t make an appearance. Points for the “I’M WITH SAM” one though, like seriously who wouldn’t want to be his friend?

Limited Edition Froot Loops Pop Tarts Printed Frosting

Once I opened the silver inner package of one of these, I got hit with that distinct frooty flavor almost so much I was half-expecting Sam to pop out and slap me in the face with his beak. It’s undeniable and also uncanny how much they smell like their namesake. Follow your nose, indeed! I remember experiencing this same mesmerizing sensation with the donuts from Carl’s Jr./Hardees.

Limited Edition Froot Loops Pop Tarts Split

Breaking open the pastry exposes a delightful pink interior. It’s a light pink that I can best as describe as a color for something that I would expect to be guava-flavored. Impulsive Buy readers, I’m happy to report that, like the donuts, these taste exactly like Froot Loops! That tangy, fruity flavor, which the internet tells me is a mixture of orange, cherry, and lemon is spot-on and intense. Whenever you think the flavor is too much, though, the sugar frosting and pastry crust flies in and offsets it nicely for a well-rounded bite. Good job, Toucan Sam and Kellogg’s, color me impressed.

My one misgiving is that as a Pop-Tart these should be delectable in a variety of prepared temperatures, most notably straight out of the box and once nice and toasty. As mentioned, they are a home run at room temperature but fall woefully short after some heat is applied. Even though the box tells me about all the natural fruit flavors present once toasted, the flavor profile seems to change to something more chemically induced and not as delightful as before. No Bueno.

Nevertheless, if you love Froot Loops, colorful toucans or even the cyclical nature of the world we live in, pick these up, you won’t be disappointed. Just keep them away from your toaster, and let’s hope Kellogg’s continues mining its brands across its portfolio. Eggo-branded limited edition maple flavor Pop-Tarts (with a special edition waffle-y crust), anyone??

Purchased Price: $3.68
Size: 27 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pastries) 370 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 3.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 2 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 320 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.