REVIEW: Dunkin’ Donuts Grape Coolatta

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We are smack dab in the dog days of summer.

I always wanted to know why they called them that. Maybe it’s because when it’s almost 100 degrees and the humidity is thicker than a Shamrock Shake (and sometimes the same color if you’re in an urban area) humans tend to stick out their tongues like canines (or 30-year-old virgins watching Megan Fox do anything) to alleviate excess heat from their bodies. I actually don’t know if this is true, because I’ve never seen anyone who is considered mentally stable do it in public. However, in the privacy of their home it might be different.

If you do pant like a dog, perhaps you might want to try the new Dunkin’ Donuts Grape Coolatta flavor to help bring your body temperature to a level that doesn’t require an ice bath or a cold water wet t-shirt contest. Sadly, to TIB readers not from the East Coast, these flavors are unavailable since Dunkin’ always stays true to their roots and test markets new products in their backyard, but even though these flavors are allegedly available where I’m from, they are harder to find than Painite.

I went to five DD’s (you would think that’s a lot, but not when they’re on every single damn street) to try and find this slushy beverage. The first three sold out, and the fourth didn’t get their shipment of, I guess, the sugary syrup. When I reached the last Dunkin’ Donuts, I was very parched, and when I asked if they had the new flavors, I almost thought I was suffering from the heat which was melting my brain when the Dunkin’ Donuts employee said through a muffled speaker, “Yes, (mumble) we (mumble) Grape Coolatta.”

I finally had my frozen concoction in my possession. The color was a nice deep purple, which looked bold in DD’s clear cups. Then the moment had arrived, the moment that I was waiting for. I sucked on that straw, it hit my lips, then my taste buds….and it tasted just like a grape ice pop.

Not a total let down, not a total shocker, but there was some disappointment. I will sound like someone’s 80-year-old grandmother who used to chew on melted tar, because they couldn’t afford Big Red, when I say this, but you can purchase a huge bag of those double popsicles (or Siamese Ice Pops for you politically incorrect people) for the price of one medium or large Grape Coolatta.

Oh, it’s not the consistency you want? Take them off of the stick and dump the ice pops in the blender. Bingo. Grape Coolatta.

As a fan of the other Coolattas (Coffee, the newly resurrected Vanilla Bean and the Tropicana Orange), I’m confused why they picked grape to be a new flavor. If they were going with the ice pop motif, you would want to go with the most popular flavor — cherry.

Grape ice pops are good, but they’ve always been the last picked in my freezer and when we would get Fla-Vor-Ice at school on hot days. Maybe Dunkin’ felt bad about this. Every dog has his day, even if it’s one that’s hot as an aging biker chick with a lower back tattoo. Wait, that isn’t hot at all. Actually, that’s kind of gross.

(Nutrition Facts – 16 ounces – 240 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber and 58 grams of sugar.)

Item: Dunkin’ Donuts Grape Coolatta
Price: $2.99 (price may vary depending on location)
Size: 16 ounces (small)
Purchased at: Dunkin’ Donuts
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Cools you off on a hot day. Double ice pops. Dunkin’ Donuts around every corner in my area. Stays cold for a long time. Vanilla Bean is back.
Cons: Too expensive for what it actually is. Tastes like plain old grape ice pops. Old people saying the phrase “When I was a kid.” Only available for a limited time in a limited area. No Cherry Coolatta. Every calorie coming from sugar. Aging biker chicks with lower back tattoos.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Trix Swirls Cereal

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Oh man, Trix fanboys must be creaming in their pants after seeing the Limited Edition Trix Swirls Cereal. It has TWO fruity colors in every puff. If that doesn’t make Trix fanboys scream like little girls at a Jonas Brothers concert, they’re not a true Trix fanboy.

As for myself, I don’t consider myself a Trix fanboy, I prefer Fruity Pebbles. I know what you Trix fanboys are thinking, “Fruity Pebbles doesn’t even match the fruitiness of Trix and no one would’ve bought it if it weren’t tied in with the Flintstones cartoon.” Pfff…Whatever, at least with Fruity Pebbles I don’t have to eat balls of cereal. Sticking balls in your mouth? No wonder they called it Trix.

I bet you Trixxies use the phrase “silly rabbit” in normal conversation whenever you can and also think the rabbit shouldn’t get to eat Trix. Seriously, that’s really sad. What kind of sick bastard would deny the Trix Rabbit the cereal he’s named after? That’s like not giving a dog their bone or Kim Kardashian not wearing a tight outfit to deny the paparazzi from taking photos of her huge ass.

If the Trix Rabbit was in front of me right now, I would share my box of the Limited Edition Trix Swirls Cereal with him. I’d pour us a couple of bowls, pull out some spoon and then curse all those kids who wouldn’t give him Trix over the years. We’d eat those bowls and then wonder what the hell is so special about the combined flavors — Berry Berry Blue, Rasporangey Orange and Lemony Green — because the cereal smells and tastes just like regular Trix.

I’m pretty sure the Trix fanboys are saying, “Well, duh! Of course, it’s supposed to taste like Trix because it’s Trix!”

But being “Limited Edition” means there should be something special about it, like adding marshmallows or freeze-dried fruit. Just making swirled cereal pieces that don’t look like they have swirls is just lame. If I wanted a cereal that tastes like Trix, I would’ve bought a box of regular Trix.

Oh wait. If I wanted a cereal that tastes like Trix, I’d buy Fruity Pebbles and share it with the Trix Rabbit too.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 cup with 1/2 cup skim milk – 160 calories, 1 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 240 milligrams of potassium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein and a bunch of vitamins and minerals.)

Item: Limited Edition Trix Swirls Cereal
Price: $3.14
Size: 10.7 ounces
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: If you like Trix, it tastes like Trix. Fruity Pebbles is better. Letting the Trix Rabbit eat Trix. It’s a limited edition, so it will be gone soon.
Cons: It tastes like Trix, nothing special about it. Swirls idea is extremely lame. Being a bastard and not allowing the Trix Rabbit to eat Trix. Trix fanboys.

REVIEW: Classic Grape Purple Stuff

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Purple Stuff

The generic looking can the Classic Grape Purple Stuff is in makes it looks like it should be in the food section of your local 99 cent store, but I found it at the 7-Eleven down the street. What also makes it seem like it’s a cheap item is the possible spelling error in the nutrition facts section. One of the last vitamins listed is something called “patothenic acid,” which sounds more like a psychedelic dancehall reggae band. I think they meant to print “pantothenic acid,” which is also known as vitamin B5.

Also, could they put any more words on the front of the can? There are so many words, I wonder if a copy of it is available for the Amazon Kindle. There are so many words, I’m looking for the ISBN number. There are so many words, you could read them to your children as a bedtime story.

But enough about what’s on the outside, let’s talk about what’s inside.

While it comes in a can size that’s common with most energy drinks, Purple Stuff does the opposite of an energy drink. It’s a relaxation beverage that helps the consumer to calm down and focus, as you can tell by reading the plethora of words on the front of the Purple Stuff. It’s like liquid meditation or taking a Calgon bath and sticking it in a can. I guess a better way to describe it would be say it’s like comparing weed, a downer, with cocaine and an upper.

The Classic Grape Purple Stuff does what it does with the help of three ingredients: valerian root, L-theanine and rosehips powder. According to the Great Wikipedia, valerian root is used as a sedative, L-theanine has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve cognition and rosehips are a popular healthy treat for chinchillas.

The beverage has a tasty grape soda flavor, except not as sweet as regular grape soda and it has a very slight artificial sweetener aftertaste. Thanks sucralose! It’s lightly carbonated, so it goes down smooth and is extremely easy to drink.

But does it make me feel relaxed? I don’t know if I could describe it as being relaxed. You know that feeling when you’re super tired, like during an all-nighter, and you have this sensation across your entire body, like your muscles are about to fall asleep. That’s the feeling I get from drinking a Purple Stuff, so I don’t know if I would drink this during the day. Some might consider that being relaxed, but I think of it as being sleepy, which is a feeling that can also be accomplished by reading the essay printed on the front of the Purple Stuff’s can.

(Nutrition Facts – 8 ounces – 50 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 5 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 13 grams of crystalline fructose, 0 grams of protein, 100% vitamin B3, 100% vitamin B6, 100% vitamin B12, 100% patothenic acid, 10 milligrams of rosehips powder, 10 milligrams of valerian root and 5 milligrams of L-Theanine.)

Item: Classic Grape Purple Stuff
Price: $1.59
Size: 16 ounces
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Tasty grape soda flavor. Really easy to drink. Lightly carbonated. Only 50 calories. Lots of B vitamins. 16 ounce can. Inexpensive. Possible great replacement for warm milk, if you’re trying to fall asleep.
Cons: Contains no juice. Makes me sleepy, but not really relaxed. Very slight artificial sweetener aftertaste. Not something I would want to drink before a boring meeting. Can design makes it look like it belongs in a 99 cent store.

REVIEW: Burger King French Toast Flavored Snacks

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I didn’t think it was possible, but I found something that frickin’ scares me even more than The King from Burger King — the Burger King French Toast Flavored Snacks.

At least with The King I can kick him in the testicles and run away, but with these syrup-flavored snacks, I don’t know how to defend myself from them. In reality, they look exactly like they do on the package, which isn’t the scary part.

What’s frightening about them is that they look like Muppet penises. Seriously, they do. Take one of these french toast snacks, then go grab an Ernie doll and make him anatomically correct with the crunchy treat. Watching Ernie sing the Rubber Duckie song in a bathtub on Sesame Street will NEVER be the same.

Opening a bag of the Burger King French Toast Flavored Snacks is like opening the door to a Denny’s during breakfast time; a strong aroma of maple syrup smacks you across your Grand Slam yearning face. Think of them as sweet, thicker Cheetos because they’re made out of puffed corn and have the same crunchy texture, but instead of orange cheesy goodness, they taste like syrup and pancakes with way too much butter.

However that sweet, buttery flavor was dampened when I ate the next piece right after the first piece and it stayed that way through the others I ate one after another. After letting my taste buds reset by not having any of it in my mouth for about a minute, that strong sweet flavor came back with the next chip I consumed, but it lessened again while eating the next one. I think this roller coaster of flavor was caused by the thickness of the pieces, which were almost twice the thickness of Cheetos. Since all of the flavor is on the outside of the snack, once that outer layer of flavor dissolves, it’s nothing but plain old corn meal.

Overall, I didn’t care too much for the flavor, when I could taste it. I guess the strong buttery flavor was slightly unappetizing. I wish it had more of a cinnamon flavor or, at least, a maple flavor that permeates more through each piece, instead of having to taste plain corn meal.

So I guess the outside and inside of the Burger King French Toast Flavored Snacks scare me.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 ounce/about 17 pieces – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, 1 gram of protein and 2% iron.)

(Note: Here’s another review of them. He liked them much more than I did.)

Item: Burger King French Toast Flavored Snacks
Price: 99 cents
Size: 2.25 ounces
Purchased at: PriceBusters
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Crunchy. About twice the size of Cheetos puffs. Kicking The King in The Balls.
Cons: Looks like a Muppet penises. Strong buttery flavor was unappetizing. Once each piece loses its outer coating it tastes like plain corn meal. Scarier than The King. Strong aroma of maple syrup when you open the bag. Making Ernie anatomically correct.

REVIEW: Oscar Mayer Turkey + Cheddar Sub Sandwich Lunchables

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“Green, green gasoline. You forgot your ding-a-ling,” was what some my elementary school classmates would yell to me if I ended up with the green lunch tray in the cafeteria. To this day, I still have no idea what it means, but I do know I got the green lunch tray quite often. In order to help me cope with the constant reminder that I forgot my ding-a-ling, I once yelled the rhyme to a boy one grade below me to try to show that I could be an asshole too, but he ended up crying on the spot. I felt bad, so I gave him the cookie that came with my lunch to make him stop crying and I never did it again.

If only Oscar Mayer had Lunchables back when I still occasionally wet my bed. I wouldn’t have gotten the green tray and I wouldn’t have cupped my balls so much in elementary school to make sure I didn’t forget my ding-a-ling anywhere. Also, I wish hip-hop was mainstream in the early 1980s, then my groin cupping wouldn’t have made me look like a kid who enjoyed touching himself, instead I would’ve been a poser.

I’m trying to imagine what my elementary school life would’ve been like if I had the new Oscar Mayer Turkey + Cheddar Sub Sandwich Lunchables. I’d probably living large and in charge with all the honeys in Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears t-shirts around me wanting a little taste of either the mini turkey and cheddar sub sandwich, mini Nilla Wafers, Tree Top Applesauce, Tropical Punch Kool-Aid or the packet of Kraft Fat Free Mayo.

The mini turkey and cheddar sub measured in at four inches long and two inches wide. The turkey had a smokey flavor, the cheese looked like it was government-issued and the bun, which was made with whole grain, was soft and little chewy, but not stale; the mini Nilla Wafers were as tasty as regular Nilla Wafers; the sweet Tree Top Applesauce gave me something to flick with the included red spoon; the packet of Tropical Punch Kool-Aid added to the 6.5 ounce bottle of water had a slight artificial sweetener taste; and the packet of Kraft Fat Free Mayo was frickin’ huge and way more than enough for the tiny sub sandwich.

The Oscar Mayer Turkey + Cheddar Sub Sandwich Lunchables is a beast of a feast for those who have just reached puberty and below. The flavor of the sandwich was decent, even with the fat free mayo, and the addition of the applesauce helped make it a decent rounded meal, but its price seems a bit high and I probably wouldn’t buy it for my child, if I had one. Although it would prevent my kids from getting the green tray and because it has so much food, they could tease another kid for having the green tray and easily give them the Nilla Wafers when they start crying.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 package – 360 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 600 milligrams of sodium, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 32 grams of sugar, 11 grams of protein, 2% vitamin A, 100% vitamin C, 20% calcium and 10% iron.)

Item: Oscar Mayer Turkey + Cheddar Sub Sandwich Lunchables
Price: $4.69
Size: Big enough for a growing child
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Hearty meal for a kid. Decently rounded meal. Sub sandwich was not bad. Bread wasn’t stale. Applesauce represents fruit group. 100% vitamin C. Comes with a drink. Comes with a red spoon. Prevents kids from getting the green tray.
Cons: Pricey. Fat free mayo packet was frickin’ huge. Cheese looked like it was government issued. Have to keep refrigerated. Making a kid cry. Being a poser. Having to cup my groin to ensure I didn’t lose my ding-a-ling.

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