REVIEW: Kit Kat Cones

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Kit Kat Cones

What are Kit Kat Cones?

Entering into the frozen treat category just in time for the warmer weather, these Kit Kat-themed Drumsticks offer vanilla frozen dairy dessert with a chocolatey coating and a fudge core placed atop a crispy sugar cone.

Kit Kat Cones Back of Box

How are they?

Despite being as enjoyable as any other Drumstick flavor, I couldn’t help but feel a little let down by these. Although each component was good and made a tasty dessert when combined, none were able to capture the experience of eating an actual Kit Kat and translate it into a frozen dairy dessert form.

Kit Kat Cones Pristine

Putting aside the Kit Kat branding for a moment, it’s hard to find many other faults here. Between the vanilla ice cream, crisp chocolatey shell, and airy wafer bits, everything is really well balanced. Even the cones were crisp and fresh, and far exceeded my expectations. If I had to knock Nestle on anything else, it would be the fudge filling’s blandness. Although clearly present, it wasn’t flavorful enough to compete against everything else this treat has, and Nestle could have nixed it without compromising quality.

Kit Kat Cones Core

The main issue I have with these is that the box was the only aspect actually reminiscent of a real Kit Kat. The wafer bits stuck in the chocolatey coating weren’t prominent enough to simulate biting into a finger of the famous candy, and neither the sugar cone shell nor the chocolate coating tasted anything like the classic candy.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Kit Kat Cones Bite

Nestlé would have been better off by taking the lead from Snickers Ice Cream Bars and modeling the form of these after actual Kit Kat wafers. They would have been a lot more successful if they had layered vanilla ice cream in-between stacked wafer cookies and just covered the entire thing in milk chocolate.

Conclusion:

Although Nestle’s new Kit Kat Cones are a worthy entry into the Drumstick line, they aren’t similar enough to their candy inspiration to justify the branding behind them. Rather than buying these, I’d recommend eating regular Kit Kats out of the freezer.

Purchased Price: $3.00
Size: 4 cones pack
Purchased at: Kroger
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cone) 280 calories, 12 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 27 grams of sugars, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Chick-fil-A Frosted Key Lime

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Chick fil A Frosted Key Lime

What is the Chick-fil-A Frosted Key Lime?

A close cousin of Chick-fil-A’s Frosted Lemonade, the Frosted Key Lime is nearly identical with the same mix of vanilla IceDream soft serve and lemonade, but with the addition of lime flavoring.

How is it?

I enjoyed this with as much pleasure as Chick-fil-A employees claim to have every time I visit. Actually, maybe more pleasure, because I have serious doubts my presence gives said employees that much joy, but this frosty drink certainly did for me.

Surprisingly, I didn’t taste the lemonade, but the pleasant yet not overpowering lime flavor came through along with the vanilla soft serve. The lime gave it a nice tart and sour taste that was well balanced against the sweetness of the soft serve.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The word “pie” — one of the greatest words in the English language — is absent from this product’s name, and that’s my only quibble here. As is, the Frosted Key Lime is delicious. Maybe it’s because I got spoiled by some of the Dairy Queen Blizzards with graham cracker crumbs to complete the pie experience, but I couldn’t help but think the addition of that taste and texture might take this to the next level. Unfortunately, I do not carry graham cracker crumbs on my person (except sometimes accidentally after eating pie), so my theory is still unproven.

Chick fil A Frosted Key Lime Top

According to Chick-fil-A, the green color of the Frosted Key Lime comes from spirulina and turmeric. Not having any idea what the former is and only an inkling on the latter, I turned to my friend Google, who informed me that spirulina is a “biomass of cyanobacteria.” Mmmm, sounds good, right? It turns out it’s just blue-green algae. That’s certainly not something I would normally put in my drink, but that description at least sounded a little more palatable. At that point, however, I decided to end my biology lesson and let the turmeric mystery remain unsolved.

Conclusion:

Chick fil A Frosted Key Lime Spoon

Even though what is essentially a lime shake might not seem like anything special, this does stand out compared to the endless variety of shake flavors available. Sometimes simple is the way to go, and the Frosted Key Lime proves that. It’s a really good treat.

Chick-fil-A says this will be available until May 25, or “while supplies last.” I’m not sure the world will run out of soft serve, lemonade, or limes before then, but I don’t know much about the current supply of spirulina, so don’t dawdle.

Purchased Price: $3.95
Size: Large
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 450 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 90 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 64 grams of sugar and 7 grams of protein. (Also available with diet lemonade which reduces the calories, carbs and sugar).

REVIEW: Hazelnut Spread M&M’s

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Hazelnut Spread M M s

What are Hazelnut Spread M&M’s?

M&M’s debuts its newest flavor which features a hazelnut spread center covered in milk chocolate all encased in a colorful candy shell. And yes it’s a riff on Nutella which is synonymous with hazelnut spread in most people’s minds. Look at the container on the package that Blue is holding! A clear jar. Verrrrrry interesting. Basically, these are bootleg Nutella M&M’s.

How are they?

These were announced way back in September which means a long time to get excited and build your anticipation for them. So how did they do? At first glance, they’re larger than standard M&M’s and breaking one opens reveals its two-toned interior. There’s the obvious chocolate layer and then the inner hazelnut portion, which is surprisingly light almost like a cookie butter color. It did seem to have speckles (maybe chocolate?) throughout though.

Hazelnut Spread M M s Closeup

Initially, they were disappointing because they tasted like regular M&M’s. However, as I ate more, the hazelnut flavor came through. They were sufficiently nutty! I can’t mention Nutella as much as I have without putting the real thing to the test, so I grabbed a jar from my cupboard and dug in to compare.

It dawned on me instantly what these really are. They aren’t fake Nutella M&M’s or even Hazelnut Spread ones; they’re just Hazelnut M&M’s. What’s a more accurate comparison? They’re unlicensed Ferrero Rocher in a different form. While Nutella is insanely creamy with the chocolate and hazelnut as one, these aren’t creamy in the slightest. Also, chewing the crunchy shell along with the unmarried chocolate and hazelnut components evoke that gold wrapped confection way more than Nutella spread.

Is there anything else you need to know?

These aren’t the first hazelnut M&M’s to come to market as the UK got a version way back in 2017 although it looks like those contained actual hazelnuts instead of the mixture inside these.

Conclusion:

These are a pretty good new take on M&M’s, which makes you wonder why it hasn’t been done before. Just don’t go in expecting the next coming of Nutella in a new portable form. These are more like smaller, cheaper Ferrero Rocher. If you like those, you’ll have no problem finishing a bag of these as quickly as I did.

Purchased Price: 99 cents
?Size: 1.35 oz. bag
?Purchased at: Wegmans
?Rating: 8 out of 10
?Nutrition Facts: (1 Bag) 190 calories, 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 22 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Triscuit Wheatberry Clusters

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Triscuit Wheatberry Clusters

What are Triscuit Wheatberry Clusters?

They are absolutely not Triscuit crackers. Instead, they’re more like trail mixes in brittle form. There are three varieties available — Cranberries & Cashews, Pumpkin Seeds & Sweet Corn, and Cherries & Almonds. This review is about the first two.

What are wheat berries?

They are whole kernels of wheat. When milled, they become whole wheat flour. When roasted whole, they become a part of Triscuit’s first non-cracker in its history.

How are they?

Triscuit Wheatberry Clusters Cranberries Cashews
Sorry I didn’t take a photo of the bigger clusters. I ate them without thinking.

The Cranberries & Cashews one starts off tasting like a diet Cracker Jack, and then its flavor morphs into something I’d expect from a Kashi cereal. I thought the cranberries would enhance everything as they do in trail mixes, but they aren’t too noticeable. They seem to provide a slight tang and chewiness. The cashews add a nutty flavor that complements the nuttiness from the wheat berries. Because I love cashews, I’ve been enjoying this one more.

Triscuit Wheatberry Clusters Pumpkin Seeds Sweet Corn

While the Cranberries & Cashews variety is slightly more sweet than savory, the Pumpkin Seeds & Sweet Corn one is the opposite. Some of the sweetness comes from the corn, and its savoriness comes from the pumpkin seeds and wheat berries. It’s not bad, but it has a less exciting flavor, and it gives me the same feeling I get when I’m eating plain tortilla chips.

Also, I can’t put my finger on it, but it tastes like something I’ve had before. Maybe a Japanese rice snack? According to the ingredients list, brown rice syrup seems to glue everything together, so perhaps I’m not going crazy thinking it tastes like a rice-based snack.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The toasted wheat berries give the clusters a hearty crunch.

Apparently, “wheatberry” is one word, while “wheat berries” are two words.

Triscuit Wheatberry Clusters Level

See that decent sized bag above. See where my finger is pointing? That’s the amount of clusters there are in the bag. So the snack takes up only 1/4 to 1/3 of the pouch. The rest is wheatberry stank.

Conclusion:

I’m surprised by how much I dug these Triscuit Wheatberry Clusters. I like them more than most Triscuit crackers I’ve had. But there’s something about these that rub me the wrong way, besides the amount in each pouch. The packaging says they’re “plant based fuel,” which makes them sound as if they’re nutrient dense, but they’re low on protein, carbs, fiber, and sugar. I dunno, it’s a little disingenuous to me to make it seems like these can help us power through our days.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 5 oz. pouches
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Cranberries & Cashews)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Pumpkin Seeds & Sweet Corn)
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz.) Cranberries & Cashews – 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Pumpkin Seeds & Sweet Corn – 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS (Tangerine Mango Guava Strawberry)

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Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS

What is Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS?

It’s the latest Pure Zero variety from Rockstar Energy. Pure Zero energy drinks have no sugar and zero calories. TMGS’ flavor is made up of four fruits — tangerine, mango, guava, and strawberry. A can has 240 milligrams of sweet, sweet caffeine.

How is it?

While the tangerine and mango get front billing on the can, the guava and strawberry flavors are more upfront with every sip. The mango is difficult to taste, but the citrusy tangerine is noticeable in the background. The amalgamation of fruitiness equals an energy drink that’s one of the best tasting out there. It’s a strong tropical flavor that’s as good as the tropical Monster Energy varieties Pipeline Punch and Pacific Punch.

But here’s the thing about Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS that sets it apart from those Monster flavors, as I mentioned before, it’s a zero sugar, zero calorie energy drink, but it doesn’t taste like it’s a zero sugar, zero calorie energy drink. Those Monster varieties have around 50 grams of sugar each.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Rockstar Pure Zero TMGS Pink

With unicorn products being popular right now, I’m surprised this pink colored energy drink that comes in a rainbow-colored can wasn’t called Rockstar Pure Zero Unicorn or something like that. There could’ve been a unicorn horn on the tab instead of a Rockstar logo, and the outside of the can could’ve had the texture of a unicorn’s mane.

I wrote this review in less than 15 minutes because the 240 milligrams of caffeine kept me wired and focused.

Conclusion:

Rockstar Pure Zero TMG is a great tasting energy drink. I haven’t made a top 10 list of my favorite energy drink flavors, but if I did, this would definitely be on it. It might even be in the top five.

Purchased Price: $1.50
Size: 16 fl. oz. can
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 fl. oz.) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 180 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 1 gram of erythritol, and 0 grams of protein.

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