REVIEW: Burger King Loaded Jalapeno Original Chicken Sandwich

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Nostalgia! Original Chicken Sandwiches were my go-to when I was a kid. Now there's a Loaded Jalapeno version.

While having crispy fried jalapeños, pickled jalapeños, and a creamy jalapeño sauce is a lotta jalapeños in Burger King’s new Loaded Jalapeño Original Chicken Sandwich, if the chain wanted to make a stronger case for it being “loaded,” it could’ve also added pepper jack cheese and had jalapeño bits baked into the bun. Then it would’ve been as loaded as this review is with the word jalapeño.

Along with all the peppery ingredients, the sandwich includes the usual Original Chicken Sandwich components and a few common Burger King accouterments — lettuce, tomato, American cheese, a long chicken patty, and an equally long sesame seed bun. The last two bring a bit of nostalgia to mind because the Original Chicken Sandwich was my favorite thing to eat at Burger King as a kid.

There's a lotta jalapeno.

As you’d expect from a sandwich with jalapeños in three ways, the green pepper’s taste is potent. Leading the charge are the pickled pepper slices, which bring a briny, robust jalapeño flavor along with a vegetable crunch and heat. However, the sandwich tastes like they do all the heavy jalapeño lifting.

Crispy jalapeños, pickled jalapeños, and a creamy jalapeno sauce.

The crispy fried jalapeños add even more crunch, but contribute more of a fried taste. As for the sauce, it has some heat and a noticeable flavor on its own, but it doesn’t seem to enhance or distinguish itself from the pickled jalapeños. No tang. No twist. No (insert other T-word here). Basically, if I handed a stranger this sandwich without mentioning the creamy sauce, I’m pretty sure they’d say after I told them, “WHAAAAAA? Get out of here! This totally doesn’t taste like it has a creamy jalapeño sauce. Now get out of my house. I don’t know who you are.” That’s how much it blends in, and how much I can blend into a room without getting noticed.

Love the long bun and the long patty.

Surprisingly, with all that jalapeño going on, the chicken patty isn’t overwhelmed. I can still taste it, along with a little of the tomato’s acidity. But I can’t say the same for the lettuce and American cheese. The leafy greens announced their presence only by falling out of my sandwich, and the American cheese was possibly added as flypaper to keep the ingredients in place… a job it failed at, judging by the crispy fried jalapeños and lettuce sitting on the wrapper I was eating off of.

Maybe it’s because the pickled jalapeños taste similar to what Taco Bell uses, but eating this sandwich brings the Tex-Mex chain to mind. If it ever makes a chicken sandwich, I imagine it would taste similar to this.

If you really like jalapeños, this sandwich will satisfy. If you’re a heat seeker looking for something to make you feel something, take your high-heat-tolerating taste buds elsewhere. For me, it’s an enjoyable sandwich, and I don’t mind that it’s not too spicy, but with the pickled jalapeños dominating, it tastes a bit one-note.

Purchased Price: $10.39*
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 740 calories, 41 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 2300 milligrams of sodium, 71 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 31 grams of protein.

*Because I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Fritos Flavor Twists Spicy Dill Pickle

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Happy Belated 250th Birthday, America!

Fritos, and particularly Fritos Twists, are the forgotten children compared to their star siblings Doritos, Lays, and Cheetos. But Fritos made the cut for the Frito-Lay Red, White, and Blue Bundle, celebrating America’s 250th birthday, alongside Ultimate Garlic Parm Doritos and Buffalo Wings Ruffles. Each bag sports a small “Celebrating 250 Years of America” badge on the top right corner.

And as a pickle enthusiast, I am HERE for this limited time flavor: Spicy Dill Pickle Frito Twists.

Twists!

Opening the bag, it smells like the familiar corn base of Fritos but with the unmistakable tang of pickle. Each twist is well seasoned, which also means it leaves a lot of seasoning on my fingers, but maybe that’s just because I’m not eating them so much as inhaling them.

Flavor-wise, pickle hits first. It’s prominent and immediate, then you get some heat, then the corn base rounds it out. The heat is a mild jalapeño kick, not a Flamin’ Hot situation, but respectable enough that my nose is running a little by the end of the bag.

Twists coming out of the bag that smells like pickles and corn.

Texture-wise, as per usual on these, I find the twists crunchier and thinner than your typical Frito chip, and the spiral shape isn’t just for looks; it seems built to trap all the good seasoning at every turn. I seriously couldn’t stop eating them!

As pickle foodstuffs are always in my rotation – most recently pickle popcorn, pickle pizza, pickle poutine – and what sets these apart is the heat. Most pickle snacks stop at tang. This one adds a nice kick, and it’s a welcome one.

Happy 250th Birthday, America! Frito-Lay did you good. I am indeed celebrating with a spicy dill-icious crunch!

Purchased Price: $3.97
Size: 9.25 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (23 pieces or 28g) – 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Little Debbie Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts

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Little Debbie getting old fashioned.

National Donut Day falls on the first Friday in June, but I missed the holiday this year due to unforgivable negligence. I’m remedying my error one month later with the help of Little Debbie, our snack cake queen. Her newest offering—Little Debbie Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts—joins last summer’s successful original flavor variety.

Old Fashioned Donuts are cake donuts known for ridged, crispy exteriors and tender, dense interiors. They lack yeast, relying on baking powder for rise, and often have a slightly tangy flavor due to buttermilk or sour cream. Like an ill-proofed yeast donut, these Little Debbie creations haven’t quite reached their potential.

It looks like a moon rock...or just a rock from any other planet.

The exterior texture is spot on. The craggy surface of the donut has plenty of nooks to catch the generous glaze. The heavy glaze has dried smoothly, contributing its own soft crust that does not turn sticky and ruin your keyboard as you try to communicate your thoughts about donuts to the world.

Inside is not as pleasing as the outside.

The dense, crumbly interior is not as successful. It is just too dry and thick to do justice to a donut’s cake-like texture. The melt-in-your-mouth glaze gives the donut an illusion of moisture, but generally the interior is more reminiscent of a stale brownie.

I imagine this is what Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin saw when they landed on the moon.

The flavor is fine: very sugary from the glaze coat with cocoa-y flavor that is noticeable, but not strong or rich. There is a little artificial aftertaste that may be trying to mimic a buttermilk tang, but it hits a sour note.

These are less than a dollar for each.

These donuts are available in 3-oz single-serve packages or in a big pack of six. The donuts are, as advertised, big—hence the higher price point. They would be easy to share or use towards greater extravagance—heat them up in the air fryer, add ice cream, and make a sandwich. There are no limits on National Donut Day.

Luckily, National Donut Day can be any day if you keep its holiday spirit in your heart all year long. Despite their well-textured exterior and sweet glaze, Little Debbie Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts didn’t quite scratch my itch for celebration.

Purchased Price: $5.49
Size: 15.43 oz package (6 donuts per box)
Purchased at: Wegmans
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 donut) 380 calories, 25 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks S’mores Cold Brew

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Foamy

In honor of America’s 250th birthday and summertime, Starbucks brought back the fan favorite S’mores Frappuccino and, with it, also introduced new S’mores beverages. One of them is the S’mores Cold Brew, featuring marshmallow cream cold foam, marshmallow syrup, and a graham-cracker crumble and chocolate syrup on top.

No need for me to graham-cracker coat this one – this cold brew is fantastic. I was delighted by the amount of chocolate drizzle and graham cracker on top. Recently, I’ve felt Starbucks has skimped on the amount of toppings I’ve received on a drink, but this was not the case here.

At the first sip, I got a good taste of the marshmallow cream cold foam, which was amazing. It had the right amount of vanilla without being too sweet and a very authentic marshmallow flavor. I really want to try it on flavored lattes for a fun boost!

All I see is a street map.

Another thing to note was the marshmallow syrup in the cold brew – big fan. I’ve come to realize I prefer when there is a syrup in the cold brew in general because it a) adds nice flavor and b) mellows the cold brew as the cold foam sinks in. Speaking of that – I loved the way the cold foam meshed with the cold brew. No notes.

The chocolate drizzle added a nice, subtle sweetness and stayed intact on the cold foam as I sipped. I assumed it would melt in, but it did not. I like that the chocolate didn’t steal the show from the marshmallow but simply enhanced the flavor.

Cascading.

Overall, I loved this drink. Truly tasted like I was sipping on a s’more. It was smooth, fun, and the perfect way to start my day. Will definitely be getting this one all summer long!

Purchased Price: $5.25
Size: Tall
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 160 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 20 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of protein, and 145 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins Brookie Batter Ice Cream

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Chocolate Chip Cookie and Brownies unite!

Here’s something I thought I’d never type: I guess sometimes Oreo cookie pieces aren’t necessary.

What made me come to that conclusion was Baskin-Robbins’ July 2026 Flavor of the Month, Brookie Batter. There’s a lot going on with this scoop. It starts with brown sugar and brownie batter flavored ice creams. Then there are chocolate chip cookie and brownie dough chunks. Suspended in all of that are brownie batter flavored swirls. Then, like icing on a cake that already had icing on it, there are Oreo cookie pieces that feel like a third wheel uncomfortably sitting at a table where brownies and chocolate chip cookies are on a date.

Did someone at Baskin-Robbins corporate accidentally add an extra zero to the Oreo amount on a purchase order, creating an Oreoabundance? Did the folks there feel guilt because the last Flavor of the Month to feature Oreo cookie pieces was back in September 2024? Because the famous chocolatey cookie pieces seem unnecessary.

Whatever the case, Brookie Batter is a great ice cream flavor with a perfect balance between cookie and brownie.

Sorry for the slightly blurry photo.

The brown sugar and brownie batter ice cream bases are enjoyable on their own and do a good job of conveying the flavors of a brookie. But the scoop gets even better with the cookie and brownie dough chunks. Both are chewy, and when you get one or the other, it imparts its flavor into the ice cream and enhances it. It was rare to get both chunks in the same spoonful, but I didn’t mind. It was like playing Brookie Bingo, except instead of random numbers being pulled from a spinning cage, chewy chunks of cookie or brownie were scooped out from my cup.

And if that weren’t enough, the brownie batter swirls kick things up another notch. They add a slight grittiness and are bursting with fudgy flavor, elevating the other brownie-flavored elements. But I do wish my scoop had more of them.

Back to the Oreo pieces, which, I’ll admit, don’t really detract from the scoop and contribute a bit of crunch, which I guess justifies their presence. But, I dunno. It’s a little weird that they’re in here without being a headliner. Maybe if Chips Ahoy pieces were alongside them, the Oreo addition would feel more intentional and less like an afterthought. But if this didn’t have them, I would still enjoy it as much.

Baskin-Robbins’ Brookie Batter is a wonderful ice cream that nails the flavors and textures of a brookie, and those gritty swirls take the scoop to another level.

Purchased Price: $5.19
Size: 4 oz scoop
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 300 calories, 14 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar (including 25 grams of added sugar), and 4 grams of protein.

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