REVIEW: Bush’s Apple Pie, Dill Pickle, and Rocket Pop Baked Beans

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Not an April Fool’s joke

On May 20, I saw that Bush’s Baked Beans was selling a three-pack of limited edition summer flavors: apple pie, dill pickle, and rocket pop. Right away, I knew I had to try them. I’m not overly enthusiastic about baked beans per se: I’ll eat them at the potluck, but I don’t seek them out. But I am enthusiastic about all the new apple pie and rocket pop flavors coming out this summer, and I enjoy pickles. So I went on the Bush’s website and bought the box that morning. It was very generously priced at $5.25 to commemorate Memorial Day on 5/25.

If you were lucky, you could've picked up this special edition box from the Bush's website.

The box sold out on the website, but never fear if you missed out. The apple pie and dill pickle flavors are available exclusively at Walmart stores, and the rocket pop flavor is available from the Walmart website. (You will, however, miss out on the snazzy can opener and can sleeve that came in the Bush’s box.)

All three flavors have the usual comforting texture of Bush’s Baked Beans, with soft navy beans and a viscous syrup. The flavor is the only thing that’s innovative here. Interestingly, the apple pie and dill pickle are both labeled as vegetarian, but the rocket pop includes pork stock.

Apple Pie

Bush's Apple Pie Baked Beans.

When I open the can of apple pie beans, it smells like my mother’s mince pie on Thanksgiving. It’s a combination of spice, fruit, and a little bit of savoriness.

The taste, on the other hand, is not as strong. There are definite spices and a hint of apple flavor, but nothing about it really tastes like apple pie. It’s much less hearty than original Bush’s Baked Beans. It’s not bad; it’s just a little bland.

Dill Pickle

Bush's Dill Pickle Baked Beans

The scent on the dill pickle one isn’t very strong, but there’s no mistaking the dill pickle flavor. It works well with the beans, and the saltiness and the slight sourness give it a robust quality. It’s not as sour as a real pickle, thankfully. I think this should be a permanent option.

I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers!

Rocket Pop

Bush's Rocket Pop Baked Beans

Rocket pop flavor consists of cherry, lime, and blue raspberry. When I open this can, it smells like candy. Oh no, what am I in for?

Baked beans are already sweet, since they’re made with brown sugar. But this flavor is sickeningly sweet. It tastes like a kid dropped their lollipop in the pot while the beans were cooking, and not even a good lollipop. There’s no way I could detect the individual cherry, lime, and raspberry flavors. They do not play well with the beans, so it’s just a generic fruity flavor, closer to a cough drop than an actual rocket pop.

I understand why they decided not to sell this flavor in stores.

Conclusion:

Bush's summer flavors, plus some swag in this special edition box.

The box with the baked beans also includes pictures of hot dogs and lemonade. I’m not confident in Bush’s ability to make lemonade beans that would actually taste good, but a hot dog version could work. Maybe for 2027?

I love the creativity behind this project, and Bush’s got me to buy its beans, which I don’t normally do. I’m happy the brand did this, even if only one of the three flavors was successful.

Purchased Price: $5.25
Size: 27.9 oz can (Apple Pie), 26.9 oz can (Dill Pickle), 28 oz can (Rocket Pop)
Purchased at: Bush’s Beans website
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Apple Pie), 7 out of 10 (Dill Pickle), 3 out of 10 (Rocket Pop)
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) Apple Pie – 160 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 360 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 13 grams of sugar including 10 grams of added sugar, and 7 grams of protein. Dill Pickle – 120 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 500 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 4 grams of sugar including 1 gram of added sugar, and 7 grams of protein. Rocket Pop – 160 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 14 grams of sugar including 10 grams of added sugar, and 7 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Root Beer Float Cereal

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Festive box for Fourth of July

Cinnamon Toast Crunch has a long history of seasonal variants of its flagship cereal, and for the summer of 2026, it has introduced a new flavor: Root Beer Float.

(The box is decorated with red, white, and blue fireworks. Many companies this summer are introducing apple pie flavors for America250, so I’m a little surprised CTC didn’t rebrand its excellent Apple Pie Toast Crunch from fall/winter.)

Looks like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but it isn't

I was a little skeptical because root beer and cereal don’t usually go together. But then again, I’ve enjoyed the other seasonal varieties.

And this was no exception!

Editor here: that looks like a gigantic serving of cereal

Both dry and in milk, this cereal has a distinct root beer flavor. But it still has the usual cinnamon and wheat/rice grain flavor. There’s no mistaking the root beer, but it doesn’t clash with the other elements. The texture is the same as regular CTC: crunchy, softens in milk, doesn’t get soggy that fast.

Another closeup of the cereal. Use it as your phone's wallpaper

As for the “float” part: I don’t taste a vanilla ice cream flavor, but it would be hard to detect something so mild along with the stronger flavors. But that doesn’t bother me. I figure the milk fills the creamy role of ice cream.

Would've been impressive if the milk ended up bubbly. Come on, science!

About that milk: I tried the cereal with both skim milk and 1 percent, and the 1 percent at the bottom of the bowl seemed to have a slightly stronger root beer flavor. But in either case, it wasn’t very profound, nothing like what you would get at the bottom of an actual root beer float. I’m not really disappointed, though; the cereal is the main attraction.

I'm definitely not sharing what floats my boat.

Root beer cereal sounds weird, but you needn’t be frightened. General Mills did a great job of making a cereal taste like root beer and still be enjoyable.

Purchased Price: $4.97
Size: 1 lb 2.8 oz box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 170 calories, 4 grams total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of sugar (including 12 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Firecracker Pop Oreo Cookies

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Firecracker Pop Oreo patriotic packaging.

During this semiquincentennial summer, there are a number of new red, white, and blue products, and one of the most intriguing is this Firecracker Pop Oreo. Designed to mimic a patriotic ice pop, it features layers of cherry, lemon, and blue raspberry creme between vanilla cookies.

I think the name is a bit peculiar. Both “firecracker” and “pop” sound like there will be popping candy, as was done for previous years’ Firework Oreo. There’s no popping candy here, just as an ice pop does not pop. Also, “Firecracker” sounds like it could be an official collaboration with the Popsicle brand. (Most companies opt for a more generic name, like “rocket pop” or “summer ice pop.”)

This is not the first time we’ve seen Fourth of July colors for Oreos. In 2012, it had vanilla Oreos with blue and red creme, and in 2020, they had unfortunately timed Olympics Oreos with red, white, and blue creme between chocolate cookies. This 2026 version is unique, though, because there are flavors to go with the colors.

Am I supposed to say the Pledge of Allegiance while looking at this picture of the red, white and blue cremes?

When I open the package, I smell a fruity scent, maybe dominated by raspberry. And the cookies are gorgeous to look at.

The classic vanilla Oreo cookie on a spoon.

I like looking at them, but I also like tasting them! The vanilla wafer was a good choice: It’s sweet and crunchy without an overpowering flavor that would clash with the creme.

Red, a peeking white, and blue cremes.

And about that creme: The layers have a distinct, almost refreshing, artificial fruit flavor, just like an actual “firecracker pop” or a chewy candy. I can’t say that any of the individual flavors dominate when eaten all together.

An ice pop is inherently very sweet, and since there are three creme layers in this cookie, there’s more sweetness than a typical Oreo has. Even so, I don’t think it’s excessively sweet. (I mean, if you’re buying Oreos, you already know what you’re getting into.) Also, the thickness means there’s a lot more squishing than with a regular or Double Stuf Oreo. Opening the cookie and isolating the creme seems more satisfying in this Firecracker Pop edition.

Aargh! Poor white creme!

I attempted to separate the layers to see if each color is a different flavor. This was challenging to do, especially for the white layer, but I can confirm that each layer tastes different. Red is an especially vibrant cherry, like a red snow cone.

And since it’s Oreo we’re talking about, I had to try the cookies in milk. The milk neither enhanced nor ruined the flavor; it’s purely a textural difference.

I am delighted that Firecracker Pop Oreos exist and that they were executed so well. I worry these are a one-summer wonder, and we won’t see them again, but I really hope we do.

Purchased Price: $4.49
Purchased at: Smith’s (Kroger)
Size: 11.46 oz
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 cookies) 180 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar (includes 15 grams of added sugar), and less than 1 gram of protein.

Frankford KFC Colonel’s Favorite Jelly Beans Review

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Frankford KFC Colonel’s Favorite Jelly Beans packaging

Jelly bean season is upon us, and the folks at Frankford Candy have given us the unholiest collaboration of Eastertide: Colonel’s Favorite Jelly Beans.

The colonel is Colonel Sanders—the KFC guy.

If you think that sounds terrible, you are correct. These jelly beans are not AI, but I wish they were.

The flavors are fried chicken, sweet corn (maybe we should call him Kernel Sanders?), and gravy. I didn’t expect these to be good, and yet even my low expectations remain unmet.

Frankford KFC Colonel’s Favorite Jelly Beans fried chicken

When I open the bag, I get a strong, off-putting savory smell. I often enjoy mixing savory and sweet (pineapple on pizza, Pumpkin Spice Cup Noodles), but this is not one of those times.

Frankford KFC Colonel’s Favorite Jelly Beans gravy

Even the beige color palette is unappetizing. The corn flavor is yellow, the gravy flavor is orange-yellow, and the fried chicken flavor is Caucasian skin with freckles. At least the texture is pretty typical for a jelly bean.

Frankford KFC Colonel’s Favorite Jelly Beans corn

The flavors aren’t all that different from each other; they are all strong umami, savory flavors with a fruity sweetness. If I concentrate, the fried chicken flavor does make me imagine juicy meat inside a crispy batter, but that’s not something I want in a jelly bean. The corn bean has a very faint corn flavor; it’s the best (i.e., least disgusting) of the three. And I detect an onion note in the gravy bean.

Even after I have eaten them, a weird, unpleasant aftertaste lingers in my mouth. I think these are worse than the notorious turkey dinner candy corn.

Taste the KFC Rainbow

It is difficult to find anything to enjoy about these. So why am I rating them a 2 out of 10 instead of a 1 out of 10? Well, they’re not so repulsive that I need to spit them out. They’re close, but they’re not quite there. And also, I’m pretty sure they’re meant to be amusing and ridiculous, and they’re probably meant to be a little gross. In that way, they’re a roaring success.

Don’t put these in a plastic egg for the annual egg hunt unless you want to ruin a kid’s Easter.

Purchased Price: $3.00
Size: 4 oz bag
Purchased at: Five Below
Rating: 2 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (22 pieces) 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 27 grams of sugar (includes 27 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

Sonic Sour Shamrock Slush Review

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Sonic Sour Shamrock Slush green color

When you hear that something is “shamrock” flavored, you probably assume it’s mint. But why does that have to be? I’ve never eaten an actual shamrock, but I’m guessing it doesn’t taste like mint. For years, I’ve been saying we should include other green flavors with our annual March treats.

Sonic seems to agree, because its new Sour Shamrock Slush is not mint but apple. It’s a green apple slush with sour popping candy throughout, capped with whipped topping and a rainbow candy piece.

Sonic Sour Shamrock Slush cloud, rainbow, and pot of gold

This thing is a beauty. It evokes not just green fields of shamrocks but also a cloud with a rainbow and a pot of gold at the end. It’s much more creative than all the mint shakes we get at this time of year.

The slush has a typical green apple candy flavor. It’s vibrant and enjoyable, a bold flavor choice. The texture of the slush is just the right amount of grainy and liquidy. Sonic has mastered making slushes, and this one is no different.

Usually, when popping candy is included in things like this, the popping is the only thing you get. Since I don’t drink in my car, I could hear my drink snapping during the 18-minute drive home, and I definitely feel a little crackle in my mouth. But with this drink, the popping takes a backseat to the candy’s sour nature. There is no mistaking the sourness here! Not quite the level of an actual lemon, but closer to the sour dusting on Sour Patch Kids. Since the candies are small, they don’t overpower the drink, but you can’t miss them.

The rainbow candy bite seems to be an artificial cherry flavor, like those multicolored candy canes you get in elementary school. I enjoy it, but it’s so chewy that it feels like I’m taking a break from the slush to eat the candy. I’m fine with that, but it doesn’t feel like a cohesive part of the whole.

The whipped topping is the typical grocery store variety, like Cool Whip. It’s not something I ever considered putting on a slush before, but I’m not mad about it. Since it’s mostly oil, it doesn’t really integrate into the slush the way that actual whipped cream or ice cream might.

Sonic Sour Shamrock Slush mixed

As I got to the bottom, I mixed the topping with the rest of the slush, and I didn’t like it as much. But I don’t know whether the whipped topping ruined the flavor, or whether the drink was already losing its flavor as I sucked the slush through my straw.

I’m really delighted with this drink. And I’m hoping this can also help us move into embracing green flavors more broadly during March: lime, pistachio, pear, honeydew, kiwi, avocado, pickle…Think of the possibilities!

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: Only available as medium
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 440 calories, 6 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 98 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 94 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

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