REVIEW: Marshmallow Crispy White Chocolate M&M’s

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Like an evolving Pokémon, Marshmallow Crispy White Chocolate M&M’s are the third iteration of similar candy launches following White Chocolate Marshmallow M&M’s in 2019 and White Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy TREAT M&M’s in late 2022. So, in a way these are a seasonal returning item. Kind of. I was curious what the modifications may have been since dropping the “treat” from the name.

The first thing I noticed upon opening the bag was the uniformity of the shape and size of these candies. I also preferred the blue and white colorway to the previous spring time mixes that included a pastel yellow or pink, but that’s just personal preference. True to their name, these M&M’s had a strong sweet aroma like opening a bag of marshmallows.

The inside texture of these M&M’s was similar to any other Crispy M&M’s and the first thing that went through my head was “Oh, like a rice Krispie treat!” so, they were on to something with the 2022 name. The white chocolate coating isn’t too thick or overwhelming, resulting in a substantial crunch with every bite. The only thing I couldn’t put my finger on was the flavor. Did they taste like marshmallow? What does a marshmallow taste like other than vanilla flavor, anyway? After falling into a marshmallow flavor matrix hole of thought for a while I decided it doesn’t matter, these are delicious. They are VERY sweet, but they are delicious. Once I’d had a few, the subtly of any other vanilla or marshmallow flavor gave in to the overpowering sweetness of white chocolate. But the crispy crunch made me keep eating them longer than I thought I would given the intense sweetness.

Overall, I’m impressed with M&M’s fine tuning of this spring time candy. They didn’t need the word “treat” in the name to convey a candy version of a Rice Krispie Treat. And, since they clearly enjoy innovating and iterating upon successful formats, I really hope to see more crispy M&M’s in the future. A cross over with Caramel M&M’s would be amazing; a Chocolate Caramel Crispy M&M! But for now, if you find yourself in a Target (where these are an exclusive) consider picking up a bag of the new Marshmallow Crispy White Chocolate M&M’s.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 7.4oz bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 30 pieces) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of sugar (including 16 grams of added sugar), and 1 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Tropical Guava Refresher

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If you take your caffeine cold, Dunkin’s newest Refresher promises to wake you up and cool you down with tropical flair. A limited-time summer menu offering, the Dunkin’ Tropical Guava Refresher pairs a green tea base with guava-flavored concentrate for a fruity burst of energy. Also infused with B vitamins to promote energy production, a 24-ounce medium drink contains around 99 milligrams of caffeine.

My Refresher was delivered icy cold and looked like a sunset. The flavor is similarly vibrant: sweet, tart, a little floral, with a realistic guava flavor that tastes to me like a cross between a pear and a strawberry. As someone who has traded in sugary drinks for flavored seltzers (despite a persistent sweet tooth), the sweetness was not a shock to my system. Tartness weaves in and out of the drink, either by design or the way the concentrate is mixed, which prevents it from being consistently either too sweet or too sour.

Most guava-flavored products I know are paired with another fruit flavor, so it was a treat to enjoy something so guava-forward. As the ice dilutes the drink, the tartness fades, and the flavor tastes more like watery strawberry. Icy drinks will water down—such is life—but if you want to prolong the pucker, the lemonade version would also be delicious.

I didn’t detect the flavor of green tea and was not disappointed, because let’s be honest: the tea is merely a vehicle for caffeine and fruity goodness. I do blame the green tea for a drying effect on the tongue—thanks to tannins, if Google is to be believed—which made the drink a little less refreshing than it could have been. I am splitting hairs (slicing guavas thinly?) here, and it feels very “Princess and the Pea” to complain about a slightly dry tongue when I enjoyed this beverage on a day off, lounging about and expending only as much energy as it takes to complete that day’s New York Times Connections puzzle. I would order the standard drink again in a minute, but if I were absolutely parched, I’d consider choosing water as a base.

Whether you are vacationing by the poolside or simply evading life’s responsibilities in the drive-thru, the Dunkin’ Tropical Guava Refresher is one you should guava-tate toward. Depending on your taste preferences, consider swapping bases to customize your own tropical paradise in a to-go cup.

Purchased Price: $3.00
Size: Medium
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 130 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbs, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 28 grams of total sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Wavy Do Us a Flavor Korean-Style Fried Chicken Potato Chips

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After far too long an absence from the innovative and fun snacking world, Lay’s Do Us A Flavor is back, baby! The contest that originated in 2012 and birthed interesting standout flavors like Southern Style Biscuits & Gravy has revealed three new finalists for fans to vote on. The most compelling, new, and promising of the three (subjectively, of course) is Wavy Korean-Style Fried Chicken.

The aroma of the chips carries a distinct funk that I immediately pick up as kimchi-adjacent. I get more of a smell that I associate with the often pickled banchan side dishes served at Korean restaurants than the chicken itself, which is usually sticky sweet and full of layers of deep and spicy intrigue.

A strong fermented flavor reveals itself when crunching into the wavy chips, and while I am impressed, I don’t particularly love it. Following the funky pickled cabbage note is the distinct taste of chicken, a dash of garlic-y spice, and merely a whisper of sweetness. Unlike most meaty chips with a smoke flavor to bring a meat-like presence, these actually use chicken broth, chicken powder, and chicken fat in the ingredients to bring that depth of flavor, which works. Whether or not you find it enjoyable is a different story (I don’t love it).

While these chips are impressive in their dedication to the more nuanced and divisive flavors of Korean cooking, I don’t find them particularly enjoyable, and I generally really like Korean fried chicken. The balance feels off, lacking the sweet and spicy punch I want in the front in favor of a heavy-handed amount of pickled banchan that should serve as the complimentary note, not the leading profile. The wavy form-factor does well to pay homage to crispy fried chicken skin, but these are missing out on the elements that make this style of chicken so special and delicious.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 7 1/2 oz bag
Purchased at: Nob Hill
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (13 chips, 28g) 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of total sugars, 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Pistachio Signature Latte

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On the cusp of summer, Dunkin’ has brought back its popular pistachio swirl, this time featured in the Pistachio Signature Latte. Available hot or iced, the drink combines espresso and milk with a sweet pistachio flavored swirl and is topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and waffle cone pieces.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of summer flavors, pistachio doesn’t exactly spring to mind. Then again, I’m not sure I want watermelon in my coffee (a quick search tells me that watermelon coffee is actually a thing – shows what I know!). What does come to mind is ice cream, and perhaps this is where everything comes together.

I recently had a delicious pistachio gelato that actually tasted like pistachios, but I’ve enjoyed pistachio ice cream plenty of times, and my general expectation for it is that it will be tinted green but otherwise mostly just taste like ice cream. Considering this, it didn’t surprise me when my first thought after sipping the iced version of the Pistachio Signature Latte was “this tastes like ice cream.” Since I’d put a straw in the drink and not encountered any waffle cone pieces yet, I don’t think I can chalk that up to being influenced by cone bits. There’s a rich, creamy sweetness that I associate with ice cream, but there isn’t much in the way of real pistachio flavor. It makes sense to me that it leans more into the pistachio ice cream realm because of Dunkin’s association with Baskin-Robbins and the fact that Dunkin’ is typically a bit more mainstream and doesn’t try to step too far into the gourmet zone. The chain has chosen to top this drink with waffle cone pieces instead of chopped pistachios, which I think tells us where their heads were at.

Speaking of those pieces, they are a great addition. They provide a fun, toasty-sugary crunch that I didn’t expect would make such a difference in how much I enjoy this drink. Should you opt for the iced version and don’t take a million years to drink it, they’ll probably stay sitting atop the whipped cream and remain somewhat crunchy. If you get the hot version, they’ll sink into the drink and take on a texture like slightly sogged cereal pieces. I’m aware how unappetizing that sounds when we’re talking about something we’re drinking, but for whatever reason, it works here, and I couldn’t stop sipping on this. It’s definitely more of a treat than a morning coffee, but it still managed to strike the right balance of sweetness without being overpowering.

If I’m reaching, and knowing it’s supposed to be pistachio flavored, I could say that it has some nutty notes, but if this were a blind taste test, I would never have guessed this is pistachio flavored. What it is is a very tasty drink, and in the spirit of summer, Dunkin’ should call it what it is: the Pistachio Ice Cream Signature Latte.

Purchased Price: $5.64 (Small Iced), $5.42 (Small Hot)
Size: Small
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Iced), 8 out of 10 (Hot)
Nutrition Facts: (Small Iced) 310 calories, 11 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of total carbs, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 38 grams of total sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Favorite Day Peelable Tropical Banana and Sweet Mango

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Peelable candy has been around for a few years, and it went viral a couple of years ago in the US when Walgreens’ Nice brand peelable mango candy was trending on TikTok. If you’re not familiar, the candy features a chewy edible exterior that peels off to reveal a super soft interior. Despite it being as popular as it was and knowing of its existence all this time, Favorite Day’s Peelable Tropical Banana and Sweet Mango are the first ones I’ve ever tried.

Why now? I’d have to say this was an impulsive buy as I passed the Easter/Spring section at Target on my way to checkout. I’m a sucker for artificial banana flavor (see my love for banana Runts), so the bright yellow banana on the bag beckoned me to buy it. After grabbing the bag, I decided it wouldn’t hurt if I also picked up the mango one.

After peeling, I was underwhelmed with what seems to make them so appealing. (Nope, I will not swap the second A with an E in “appealing.” My conscious will not let me do it.)

These are harder to peel than actual bananas and mangos. I used my fingernail to dig into the skin or bit an end off to be able to start to peel the exterior off. I’m not sure if other brands are easier, but I was surprised I had to use a little brute force to rip off the peel. But once you get past one side, the rest becomes easier. After, you’re left with a payoff that might make you think you’re a contestant on Survivor and participating in a bug eating contest. The banana one looks like a tropical worm larva, while the mango one looks like poisonous tropical worm larva. Mmm…larva?

The skins are edible, with the flavors of their respective fruits, and they seem to have almost the same fruity intensity as the worm larva looking things inside of them. While they look bug-ish, the interior candy has a delightful softness that puts Albanese gummy bears to shame. Both flavors are splendid, and I liked them equally. Although, if you find banana Runts repulsive, you’ll think the same about the banana one. As for the mango one, it has a delicious flavor that tastes more natural than the banana.

While I do love their flavors, I’m not a fan of the peeling. But there’s no rule that I have to do it. So as I’ve been going through each bag, I’ve just been popping them into my mouth, skin and all, like I’m a hippo being fed watermelons at the zoo.

Purchased Price: $3.00 each
Size: 7 oz pouch (Mango), 4.5 oz pouch (Banana)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10 (both)
Nutrition Facts: Mango (4 pieces) – 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar (including 15 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein. Banana (5 pieces) – 100 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar (including 16 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

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