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REVIEW: Sour Patch Kids Cereal

December 31, 2018February 2, 2021 Leonard 3 Comments

Sour Patch Kids Cereal

I’m calling it now.

2019 is The Year of the Cereal!

But not just any cereal, the crazy mashup or off the wall flavors that will hopefully debut to push aside the bajillionth Oreo flavor. We are off to a good start with one of the wackiest debuts in a while. Who knew the candy you sometimes get at the movie theater and when you do you end up eating very slowly so as not to get a mouth ulcer (true story!) would be the way to start your day off right?

As I break open the bag of Sour Patch Kids Cereal, I get a whiff of fruitiness very similar to the other many fruity breakfast cereals – Fruity Pebbles, Trix, Froot Loops, etc. However, there is that tinge of sour that’s always present in sour candy. They do smell like Sour Patch Kids. I can feel my lips puckering already!

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There are five colors (blue, green, orange, yellow, and red) that appear subdued a bit as the pieces all have a whitish powdery coating. The shape is close enough to the candy that it works although they are smaller and skinnier and the tops of their heads sometimes skew more towards pointy than rounded. Here’s what they look like in a friendlier breakfast type of way – the kids of Count Chocula while they are still sleeping.

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I take a heaping handful and chomp down on the colorful corpses. The sour comes in strong right out of the gate but fades quickly as it seems to be powder based and certainly not as strong as the large granules on the real thing. Post nailed the intensity as it is just right. Any more would have been pretty off-putting, and any less would have made the whole concept pointless.

However, after it wears off, these devolve to (Insert here any generic fruity cereal). In a gummy shell, these taste like slightly sour fruit loops. As with Froot Loops, the colors all taste the same as each one is a fruity mix of flavors.

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I inhaled a good number of handfuls of these before having the kids take a trip to the milky swimming pool. I wasn’t really shocked to find out that the milk washes away nearly all of the sour powder. With the coating gone, the sweetness of the pieces gets heightened. What did shock me was that the dairy at the end had no sourness whatsoever. It was like a magic trick. Sourness? Poof! Gone with a spoonful of milk. They did stay crunchy, though.

Sour Patch Kids slogan is “Sour. Sweet. Gone.” For this cereal, it should be “Slightly sour. A little too sweet. Kinda feel nauseous now.” This isn’t going to become a staple in your pantry anytime soon, but it sure is a fun novelty that I hope opens the door to more.

Long live The Year of the Cereal!

Purchased Price: $3.89
Size: 10 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 210 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: M&M’s Milk Chocolate Bars (2018)

December 29, 2018February 2, 2021 Meghan 10 Comments

M M s Milk Chocolate Bars 2018

Bringing stiff competition to Hershey’s new Milk Chocolate & Reese’s Pieces mashup, Mars has recently rolled out a full line of M&M’s inspired chocolate bars. Released as a set of five, all variations include miniature M&M’s embedded in a solid brick of milk chocolate and feature additional add-ins to pay homage to different varieties of the popular candy.

Milk Chocolate

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Case in point that simplicity isn’t necessarily a bad thing, this bar is the most basic of the bunch, and consists of a no-nonsense slab of milk chocolate studded with mini M&M’s.

Lacking the bells and whistles of its brothers and sister, this bar allows the quality of Mars’ cocoa to shine. Just like the filling of mainstream M&M’s, the chocolate used here is pleasantly sweet, and lusciously smooth enough to melt in your mouth.

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While they don’t have much flavor by themselves, the mini M&M’s are relatively plentiful here, and I found getting two or three of them in each bite gave the bar a pleasant bit of crunch.

Purchased Price: $1.68
Size: 4 oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/4 bar) 150 calories, 9 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 16 grams of total sugars, 14 grams of added sugars, 2 grams of protein

Peanut

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Set apart from the plainer one above by including a scattering of peanut halves, I feel this treat fell a bit short of its bite-sized counterpart.

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Despite being tasty, I wish there were more nuts. Getting one in each bite is what draws people towards Peanut M&M’s over the standard variety, but that wasn’t my experience here. Although the peanuts are large and aromatic, there aren’t enough of them to compete against the chocolate, making this bar’s flavor profile seem similar to the Milk Chocolate variety.

Purchased Price: $1.68
Size: 3.90 oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/4 bar) 150 calories, 9 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of total sugars, 13 grams of added sugars, 2 grams of protein.

Almond

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Rather than using halved almonds, this variation incorporates smaller chunks of nuts. Each piece was roughly the size of one of the miniature M&M’s and evenly dispersed throughout the bar, which ensured I got several almond bits in each bite.

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Even though almonds tend to have a subtle flavor, Mars used them more successfully than the nuts in the Peanut bar. In particular, they seemed more present in it, which I largely owe to them being liberally scattered throughout the chocolate. Overall, I thought this treat was true to its inspiration, and I prefer it over Hershey’s Almond bars.

Purchased Price: $1.68
Size: 3.90 oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/4 bar) 150 calories, 9 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 16 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of total sugars, 13 grams of added sugars, 2 grams of protein.

Crispy

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Venturing away from nut-related additions, the Crispy M&M’s Bar instead utilizes crisp rice pieces to set itself apart from the competition. So, basically, it’s a Crackle Bar lookalike that’s made by Mars and has M&M’s thrown in.

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It doesn’t taste much different than a Crackle Bar, either. Although the M&M’s were pretty low-key in this line’s other products, they were clearly an afterthought here. There’s not enough of them in comparison to the crisp rice pieces littering the candy’s surface, and I found myself forgetting their presence entirely while munching through this treat absentmindedly.

Even so, I can’t knock this too much for taste. I’m a sucker for anything that mixes chocolate and crisp rice, and I polished off my last square of this flavor before any of the others.

Purchased Price: $1.68
Size: 3.80 oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/4 bar) 150 calories, 8 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of total sugars, 13 grams of added sugars, 2 grams of protein.

Crispy Mint

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Taking every aspect of the Crispy M&M’s bar and adding a festive splash of mint, this was the only flavor to switch up the taste of the chocolate itself.

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Despite being an ardent fan of York Peppermint Patties and all other cocoa and mint confections, this was my least favorite of the bunch. There wasn’t enough minty flavor to leave me feeling satisfied, and I thought it was a little too sweet overall. I wish Mars had used darker cacao, because I think bringing an element of bitterness would have helped complement the mint and make this feel like a more fulfilling indulgence.

Purchased Price: $1.68
Size: 3.80 oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/4 bar) 150 calories, 8 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of total sugars, 13 grams of added sugars, 2 grams of protein.

Other Things

Each bar comes embossed with the Red M&M staring coolly at you as if to say, “What? You’re surprised I don’t have a candy shell?”
Speaking of those shells, there’s nothing to stop heat from melting these, and they get soft quickly. I found it was best to eat one small section at a time so that I wasn’t holding on to any single piece for too long.
Given their large size, low price, and fun packaging, I can easily see these as part of a whole M&M’s-themed gift basket!

REVIEW: Creamy Snickers Bars

December 28, 2018February 2, 2021 Leonard 13 Comments

Creamy Snickers Bars

After its three “intense flavors” last summer Snickers is back with three more enticing new candy bars to satisfy your sweet tooth. This time it’s jumping on the nut butter bandwagon and replacing its signature full-size crunchy nuts with smooth and creamy butters.

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They are available in multiple sizes, but for this review, I went with the sharing pouches that contain 11 individually wrapped squares. The flavors are creamy peanut butter, creamy almond butter, and creamy maple almond butter.

Creamy Snickers Peanut Butter

Creamy Snickers Peanut Butter Bars

The peanut butter was the first one I tried, and I immediately thought I got a dud of a bar. Where are the nuts? This isn’t a Snickers! Then I realized that the point of these bars was that the usual very noticeable nuts are now in the form of creamy butters. This one contains a layer of freshly ground peanut butter on top of caramel and ground peanuts all enrobed in milk chocolate.

This one reminded me of something, obviously relating to the king of the peanut butter/chocolate throne – Reese’s. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it as I was indulging so I went to enlist Mr. Google’s help, and it soon dawned on me.

Folks, ladies, and gentlemen, please move along — nothing to see (or taste) here. This is a Nutrageous bar in square form and 24 years after the fact. It’s good as you can’t go wrong with the combo of peanut butter and chocolate, but it’s nothing new and certainly not reminiscent of a Snickers.

Purchased Price: $2.98
Size: 7.70 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 110 calories, 6 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Creamy Snickers Almond Butter

Creamy Snickers Almond Butter Bars

After the disappointment of the peanut butter one, I had my expectations in check as I dove into bag number 2, but this is where things finally got interesting.

This one contains a layer of freshly ground almond butter on top of caramel and ground almonds all enrobed in milk chocolate. I was amazed as you can smell the nuttiness of the almonds before even biting in. With peanut butter, it always has to knock other flavors out of the way. The almond flavor here is more muted, but it allows all components to work together.

Snickers Almond Butter seems like it should be an oxymoron, but it works pretty well. The butter is a little grittier, but this adds to the joy as it really stands out to me that I’m eating a Snickers with freakin’ almond butter in it!

Purchased Price: $2.98
Size: 7.70 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 110 calories, 6 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Creamy Snickers Maple Almond Butter

Creamy Snickers Maple Almond Butter Bars

Finally, the maple one that I saved for last. But as the old adage tells us (and it rings true this time), this was definitely the best of the bunch.

This one is identical to the almond butter one but contains maple-flavored caramel and boy is it intense! I love all things maple so it may be too much for those who aren’t a fan. However, out of all three, this one was the first one where I thought I was eating something delicious and different. The maple is a lot, but it is punctuated by the nutty almond butter, the chewy caramel, and of course the chocolate.

Purchased Price: $2.98
Size: 7.70 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 110 calories, 6 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Other Things:

For all three the milk chocolate is just your standard candy bar variety, nothing special. The ground nuts in the caramel in each one also add a little bit of crunchy texture but not much.

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To go along with the trendy/elevated ingredients, the packaging seems to have gotten an upgrade too. I’m digging the silhouette peanut & almond graphics as they are minimalist but also eye-catching both at the same time. The material also has more of a matte finish and seems to be a bit thicker. It does elevate the experience. However, the Snickers people want to make sure that they don’t come across as too snooty. Look at the backs of each bag – these aren’t artisanal, they are artisanal-ish. Take that homemade chocolate!
With peanut butter and almond butter conquered, anybody excited for Snickers Cashew Butter, Snickers Sunflower Butter, or how about Snickers School Safe Peanut Free Soy Butter?

REVIEW: Festive Limited Edition Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cinnamon (United Kingdom)

December 27, 2018February 2, 2021 Rachel 2 Comments

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cinnamon

Update: Coca-Cola Cinnamon was rolled out in the U.S.! Click here to read our review.

What is the Festive Limited Edition Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cinnamon?

Coca-Cola has introduced a new cinnamon-tinged variety of Coke Zero (excuse me – Coke Zero Sugar) – only during the holiday season and only in the UK.

How is it?

There was just a basic Coke aroma inside the bottle. No trace of cinnamon, which is unusual since I find most “flavored” items rely heavily on scent.

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The first mouthful read “Coke Zero” for a good two seconds before the cinnamon announced itself. It was a good, middle-of-the-road cinnamon – present but not overbearing. I didn’t find it to be glaringly artificial, either. This wasn’t Pepsi Fire – it wasn’t bringing heat, just a mild spice, which I really appreciated.

Coke Zero Sugar Cinnamon would make a great party drink for teetotalers who want a little extra something besides the usual soft drinks, but it would also make a great base for cocktails. How about a rum and Coke Zero Cinnamon with a splash of orange liqueur? Call it a “Christmas Potpourri.” Or don’t, because that’s a terrible name for a beverage.

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Is there anything else you need to know?

This might be a tough find. Released in October, it is only appearing until the end of December. It was already scarce in the city centers I visited in Scotland. I only saw it in one Tesco, after I’d half given up searching for it in about a dozen other groceries and convenience stores.

Editor’s Note: If you’re SUPER eager to try it, there are folks on eBay selling bottles for ten times the selling price, plus shipping.

Conclusion:

Coke Zero Cinnamon was a pretty good (temporary) addition to the Coke lineup – a mild and tasty cinnamon shot. I can’t see this as a year-round flavor, but I would certainly repurchase it during the holidays. It’s worth a try if you can get it. I hope it’s released stateside, but will we have to wait until next year?

Purchased Price: £1.25 (approximately $1.57 USD)
Size: 500 ml bottle
Purchased at: Tesco
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 250ml) 1 calorie, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of sugars, 0.03g salt
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QUICK REVIEW: Kit Kat Chocolatory Special Strawberry Maple (Japan)

December 21, 2018February 2, 2021 Rachel

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What is Kit Kat Chocolatory Special Strawberry Maple?

While in Tokyo recently, I made a stop at the Kit Kat Chocolatory store & café and brought home some goodies. Kit Kat, the king of novelty-flavored candy bars, has rolled out a Strawberry Maple variety for their Chocolatory retail outlets in Japan.

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