Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Silk Nextmilk Whole Fat

Jenna 15 Comments

Silk Next Milk Whole Fat Carton

What is Silk Nextmilk?

Silk Nextmilk is a plant-based blend starring oat mik, soy milk, and coconut milk, among other, less pithy ingredients. It comes in both whole fat and 2% reduced fat varieties (this review focuses on the whole fat option). Rather than claiming to faithfully imitate dairy milk, Silk boldly declares that this alternative “tastes so rich and creamy, you won’t miss dairy.” I’m such a milk lover that I might as well be Miss Dairy, so we’ll see about that…

How is it?

Silk Next Milk Whole Fat Compare

I can only describe the process of transferring the Nextmilk from carton to glass as a “glug.” Even before the taste test, it certainly looked rich and creamy. Side-by-side with a glass of dairy milk (Nextmilk on the right), I found that the Nextmilk seemed the teensiest bit darker in color, but the really noticeable aesthetic difference was that the Nextmilk was so thick that after the first swig, a conspicuously cloudy coating clung to the inside of the glass for the rest of my sipping session.

Silk Next Milk Whole Fat Closeup

My first impression of the taste was “mildly nutty,” which is not shocking given the ingredients list. Fittingly, it reminded me of both oat and soy milk. Knowing that there’s coconut in the mix also explains the faint hint of sweetness I detected, but overall it’s more earthy than sweet. Excuse me for being particular about semantics (I’m a textbook editor, it’s literally my job!), but I’d actually change the branding to “texture so rich and creamy,” since I feel like that’s where this Nextmilk really shines. The taste is certainly pleasant, but I was mostly impressed by the smooth consistency, so full and satisfying it even kept my hangry mood at bay between meals.

Anything else you need to know?

The carton proudly proclaims that this milk shares the same six key nutrients found in dairy (Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, and Riboflavin), and it does all that while being free from not just dairy but also gluten, carrageenan, and artificial color and flavors! In my personal opinion it also makes for a pretty luxurious bowl of cereal.

Conclusion:

While you won’t mistake Nextmilk for its dairy cousin, it’s a plantastic substitute for any number of audiences, no matter if you’re lactose intolerant, vegan, a novelty-seeker, or just craving some velvety texture.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 59 fl oz carton
Purchased at: Foodtown
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 110 calories, 8 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Oreo Thins Extra Stuf

Sean 4 Comments

Oreo Thins Extra Stuf Pkg

Oreo Thins debuted in 2015 as a thinner, crispier iteration of America’s Favorite Cookie. Initial reactions were varied — are these the Diet Coke of Oreo? Are these supposed to be marketed as a higher volume, lower calorie cookie? Or something else entirely?

While it is true that Thins carry a greater caloric bang for your buck, with four cookies equaling the calories of two regular Oreo, I view these as something entirely different: a satisfying crispy bite that falls somewhere between an OG Oreo wafer and an airier, Kit Kat-adjacent bite.

Their gentle crunch is notably unique when compared to the more abrasive classic wafer, and I really enjoy it. As much as I enjoyed the Thins and their various flavor offshoots, I’ve always had one qualm — I want more creme filling! Nearly seven years after their debut, Nabisco has answered my (silent) call with Oreo Thins Extra Stuf.

Oreo Thins Extra Stuf Stack

Notably, these aren’t Double Stuf, but “extra.” So exactly how much is extra? My gut feeling is that it’s even more than double the creme amount from original Oreo Thins, which is interesting because why not call it Double? Double Stuf is the pinnacle of Oreo perfection and applying that iconic title to the Thins line simply makes sense. But perhaps it’s too tricky because these don’t have the same amount of filling as full-sized Double Stuf. Okay, I’m confusing myself now. Either way, I’m not going to complain, there’s more than enough creme in there, and it’s great.

Oreo Thins Extra Stuf Top

The creme is so much more pronounced than original Thins. It pushes against the thin and crispy wafer and really lets its presence be FELT. The taste is the same that you’ve known (and worshiped?) for your entire life, and the cookie has a gentle crunch, but it isn’t crumbly or lacking structural integrity. Bittersweet crunchy cocoa meets smooth sweet and sugary creme filling. What’s not to love?

The most exciting aspect of this overdue upgrade to the Thins line is the possibility of Extra Stuf’d limited offerings down the road. Thins have had a handful of more “adult” flavors never offered as full-sized big bro Oreo, most notably Coconut and Pistachio, that I would love to see beefed up with some extra creme.

Oreo Thins Extra Stuf feels like the rare product that has the potential to win over both fans and skeptics of the original release. If you liked the original version, you’d probably dig these, and if you didn’t, that extra Stuf might make you a believer.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 13.97 ounces
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (3 Cookies) 130 calories, 6 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Nestle Coffee mate Vanilla Bean Creamer

Marvo 7 Comments

Nestle Coffee mate Vanilla Bean Creamer

I’ve always been astounded by the different types of vanilla ice cream with some brands. It doesn’t begin and end with vanilla. A quick look at Dreyer’s site tells me it has French Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, and a regular Vanilla. Breyers has Extra Creamy Vanilla, Natural Vanilla, Homemade Vanilla, and French Vanilla.

For many years, the two biggest coffee creamer brands haven’t expanded their vanilla portfolios beyond French Vanilla. But that has changed for Coffee mate with the rollout of its new Vanilla Bean variety. I’ll admit, it’s not as glamorous as the Rice Krispies Treats and Golden Grahams creamers that the brand introduced at the same time, but it’s nice to have another basic vanilla flavor.

If you’re wondering, unlike the ice cream, no vanilla bean specks are floating in this. I mean, I didn’t expect there would be because who wants something that looks like coffee grinds to be floating in their coffee.

The creamer smells like vanilla frosting and, straight out of the bottle and into my mouth, it tastes like a combination of frosting and ice cream. I’m not going to say it’s specifically vanilla bean ice cream, though.

I find it a bit more vanilla-y than Coffee mate’s French Vanilla. However, in coffee, its flavor doesn’t stand out as much as the older vanilla creamer does, which causes me to add more than I usually do to hide the coffee’s taste adequately, and in turn, I go through a bottle quicker.

That’s not a complete deal-breaker because this is still a perfectly okay tasting creamer. But when I’m half awake and don’t even know what day it is, I don’t think I’d like to be reminded every morning that I need to add more creamer than usual by taking my first sip of the day and then muttering “dammit” because I can still strongly taste the cheap McCafe ground coffee I use.

I had high hopes for this variety because last year’s Coffee mate Caramel was surprisingly great for a basic flavor. It had a potent, natural-ish taste when mixed in my coffee. Also, I was hoping for something I could occasionally switch with French Vanilla since I’ve had it way too many times, thanks to it being two bottles of a Coffee mate refrigerated creamer 3-pack that Costco sells. But it appears I’ll still be sticking with it and the Cold Stone Creamery Sweet Cream flavor that the other big creamer brand sells.

Maybe Coffee mate will add another vanilla variety someday. Might I recommend Extra Creamy Vanilla, Natural Vanilla, or Homemade Vanilla?

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from Coffee mate. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 32 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: Received from Coffee mate
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 tbsp) 35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar (including 5 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Layers (Sour Cream & Onion and Three Cheese)

Marvo 24 Comments

Lay s Layers Bags

As a part of the TIB community, I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I enjoy, or well, would TRY any flavor release that the whackos in the Frito-Lay flavor labs concoct. That commitment hits nary a roadblock when I see they’ve come up with a new chip format! No, crisp! No, “crispy layered potato bites.” Alright, fine, that. Gimme it!

Lay’s Layers come in two crowd-pleasing and fairly standard flavors — Sour Cream & Onion and Three Cheese. I’m on board with the flavors since the “New” aspect of this snack is absolutely its extruded physical format. And yes, Frito-Lay does make Doritos 3D, which initially launched in the ’90s and made a nostalgic comeback last year. Does anyone remember the mini 3D Doritos snack tube? That thing blew my middle-school brain. However, those are corn-based and only contain a single plebian layer! Lay’s Layers are potato-based and have a whole second floor of crunch — an ENTIRELY new snack.

Lay s Layers Sour Cream Onion Inside Bag

I decided to start with the Sour Cream & Onion flavor and was immediately unimpressed at the level of air in the bag but assumed this must be the case as they don’t want all those painstakingly created layers to get crushed. The next thing I noticed was how incredibly crunchy the layers are. When you munch on these, everyone within earshot will know. The texture reminded me of Bugles (not affiliated with Frito-Lay) but much lighter and broke down faster in the mouth, presumably because they are made from potato, not cornmeal. The Sour Cream & Onion flavor was light, but something was off about the aftertaste. I think it’s tough to deliver such an iconic flavor profile in a new format, but while I enjoyed eating these, the lingering flavor in my mouth was like onion-flavored potato powder. Not the best.

Lay s Layers Smooshed

I should also mention that I don’t believe I encountered a single one that maintained the perfectly circular shape as advertised on the front of the bag. It didn’t detract from the crunch delivery, but that little Pepsi logo shape is definitely not what these look like IRL.

Lay s Layers Three Cheese Inside Bag

Moving on to the Three Cheese, I was encouraged by the vibrant color and hoped this would indicate its cheese flavor level. I mean, if you’re going to claim you used three, it better taste cheesy. Much to my delight, the Three Cheese Layers were spot on, and the lingering potato taste wasn’t nearly as prevalent. They were crunchy, salty, cheesy, and reminded me very much of Cheddar & Sour Cream Ruffles but without so much oily residue. There was no mention of sour cream in the ingredient line, but I did catch buttermilk and onion powder, so maybe that’s where that profile came from? Either way, a winner in my book.

Lay s Layers Side by Side

Overall I’d say Frito Lay is on to something with this format. The added crunch layer delivers a new texture experience, but they have a bit of an aftertaste curveball to manage with the lingering dehydrated potato flavor. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next flavor iterations.

Purchased Price: $3.99 each
Size: 4.75oz Bag
Purchased at: Mariano’s (a Kroger store)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Sour Cream & Onion), 9 out of 10 (Three Cheese)
Nutrition Facts: (22 pieces) Sour Cream & Onion – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, and less than 1 gram of protein. Three Cheese – 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, and less than 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Oreo Frozen Dairy Dessert Bars and Sandwiches

Alex 15 Comments

Oreo Frozen Dairy Dessert Bars and Sandwiches Boxes

Cookies n’ cream ice cream is a choice that feels too obvious and not obvious all at once. I asked friends and family to name their favorite frozen flavors and only one said cookies n’ cream, yet the International Dairy Foods Association says it’s America’s third favorite behind only vanilla and chocolate.

Perhaps it’s like when you ask someone their favorite movie; chances are they’re going to name the flick they’ve seen a handful of times that’s creatively stimulating, not the comfort film they’ve put on every single time it’s been on cable. No one thinks of Grease 2, and no one thought of cookies ‘n cream, including me. However, once I mentioned the flavor, most recognized it was a favorite, with many then naming a version that included Oreo. So, a lot of you may be latently excited to hear Oreo has released new frozen dairy dessert bars and sandwiches.

Oreo Frozen Dessert Bars Wrapper

The Oreo Bars come in a box of five and, to my delight, include Per Container nutrition facts alongside the Per Serving. Want to eat all five in a row? Oreo knows you do and doesn’t judge. They’re wrapped up in cute little sleeves reminiscent of Oreo cookie packaging, but the bars themselves aren’t the cutest.

Oreo Frozen Dessert Bars Shell

The outside of each treat is lumpy and dull, but it communicates it’s going to taste like an Oreo wafer. While they could’ve rolled the bar in Oreo crumbles, I appreciate that cookie chunks are instead mixed into the chocolate coating. The texture was unlike any I’ve experienced. If there was a more delicious way to say sandy I would, but please take my word that it’s incredibly satisfying sand. The coating didn’t have the crack many may be seeking, but with the crunch of the cookie I didn’t mind it being a bit softer.

Oreo Frozen Dessert Bars Split

The ice cream was a sweet and thin cookies n’ cream. This is definitely not America’s bronze medal wearing variety since it lacked velvety depth, but paired with the Oreo cookie pieces it made perfect sense as a stand in for the crème. I went back and forth wishing it was richer but enjoying that it tasted like its namesake. Though if that’s what they were going for, I think a nut milk-based ice cream would’ve fared similarly and it felt like a missed opportunity to make these dairy-free like the cookies.

Oreo Frozen Dessert Sandwiches Side

The Oreo Sandwiches are a delight! I couldn’t help but feel like a kid holding what looked like a giant Oreo sandwich cookie. No “Per Container” here (all four are 840 calories for those interested), but that may be because they’re more substantial. The wafers tasted just like an Oreo cookie wafer. Not as crunchy, but crunchy for an ice cream sandwich. They didn’t soften as I munched through them, yet I was able to eat the whole thing without the wafers smushing down the ice cream and pushing it out the sides.

Oreo Frozen Dessert Sandwiches Dunk

The sandwiches held the same ice cream as the bars and I felt the same about it in this format, but it was more at home against the bitter cocoa taste of the wafers than the sweet chocolate coating on the bar. Here it made the whole bite taste like an Oreo dipped in milk. And yes, the sandwiches will twist open.

Oreo Frozen Dessert Sandwiches Twist

Oreo Frozen Dairy Dessert Bars and Sandwiches Back Box

Both boxes tease that each frozen treat is an Oreo playfully reimagined, and I would say each one was exactly that and would recommend either. But if you want the unquestionable “you’d still know it’s Oreo flavored with a blindfold on” experience, go for the sandwiches.

All in all, Oreo has put out some spectacular cookies n’ cream ice cream novelties that may just have me more likely to name the flavor as my favorite.

Purchased Price: $4.99 each
Size: 5-pack box (Bars), 4-pack box (Sandwiches)
Purchased at: Ralphs
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Bars), 9 out of 10 (Sandwiches)
Nutrition Facts: Oreo Bars – (1 bar) 190 calories, 11 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 5 mg of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of total carbohydrates, 15 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein. Oreo Sandwiches – (1 sandwich) 210 calories, 6 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, less than 5 mg of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of total carbohydrates, 17 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.