The Impulsive Buy

SPOTTED – 5/27/2021

Marvo / May 27, 2021 / Spotted on Shelves / 6 Comments

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments.

Hostess Crispy Minis Strawberries Creme and Cookie Creme — *Hostess Crispy Minis (Strawberries & Creme and Cookie & Creme)*

(Spotted by RaveGyrl at Meijer.)

(Spotted by Rachel C at Smith’s.)

(Spotted by Rachel C at Smith’s.)

*Limited Edition Galactic Lucky Charms Cereal*

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Ghirardelli Squares Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Caramel — *Ghirardelli Squares Milk Chocolate Hazelnut & Caramel*

(Spotted by Rachel C at Walmart.)

Swedish Fish Mini Red White Blue — *Swedish Fish Mini Red White & Blue*

(Spotted by Rachel C at Macey’s.)

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Bushwick Kitchen Plant Based Pancake Mixes Original and Cinnamon Oat — *Bushwick Kitchen Plant-Based Pancake Mixes (Original and Cinnamon Oat)*

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

*7Up Celebrate the Decades Limited Edition Can Designs*

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Marketside S mores Bar — *Marketside S’mores Bar*

(Spotted by Bob K at Walmart.)

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

REVIEW: Sour Patch Kids Mystery Flavor

Vin / May 27, 2021 / Reviews / 25 Comments

I don’t believe I put forth a good showing in my Mystery Flavor Twizzlers review.

I tried to solve that flavor conundrum to no avail for days, and it left me a broken man.

I vowed to leave the snack detective game, never to return! I retired my houndstooth hat, my magnifying glass, and wait… Sour Patch Kids has a new mystery flavor?!

Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in!

Ok so, unlike the typical bright and vibrant Sour Patch Kids, these mystery pieces are all white. I tried my best not to let that somehow influence my guess.

As we all know, Sour Patch Kids are sour before they’re sweet. These took extra long to get to the latter. The typical sour sugar punch felt especially pronounced this time around.

Once the sour crystals melted away, I was left with a shockingly mild sweetness. I was instantly stumped and starting to regret my decision to return to the mystery game. I don’t really know how to describe the flavor other than “confectionary.” I know that’s a broad description, but it tasted more in line with a flavor you’d get in a pastry than the usual fruity Sour Patch fare.

My initial instinct was mild coconut, but then realized I broke my rule and let the color influence my guess, so I settled on… banana, which is also white. Maybe the color actually is a hint?

The flavor isn’t strong at all. It’s tasty, but it’s far and away the weakest Sour Patch flavor I’ve ever had. I think I might be right with banana, but if you wanted to tell me there might be something like vanilla, or marshmallow, or the aforementioned coconut, I’d believe it. Pina Colada? Maybe? Some kind of multi-ingredient dessert concoction? That seems more like a Jelly Belly thing than Sour Patch, no?

Unlike Twizzlers, these Sour Patch Kids came with clues on the bag. My bag had one, and I was able to snap a pic of a different hint as well.

“It gives laughs and can be a riot, cause when it flies nobody’s silent.”

“Across the pond it has a different name, but there’s an extra ingredient in the game.”

Putting aside the fact these hints stink, I landed on Banana Cream Pie.

I would say the first hint means some clown is hilariously throwing a pie, and while this is happening, everyone else is making a ruckus and laughing up a storm.

The second hint makes a little more sense. In the UK, a banana cream pie is called “Dame Madeline’s Stupendous Yellow and White,” and as we all know, the extra ingredient is baked beans. It’s an acquired taste, but is it the flavor of these Mystery Kids?

Ya know what? I’m stumped again. Maybe I’m just not cut out for this snack detective game. Don’t hire me to find your lost donut.

I’m saying it’s probably banana, maybe banana cream pie, and I’m also saying that despite being hard to decipher and pretty weak, they taste just fine. I’m gonna be super bummed if these are just another in the long line of “birthday cake” flavored snacks. Am I overlooking the Kids’ birthday?

You can buy Mystery bags or regular Sour Patch Kid bags with some mystery flavored pieces mixed in, but be warned, the OG flavors will dwarf the mystery flavor.

You can submit your guess on their website, but if you somehow win with “Dame Madeline’s Stupendous Yellow and White,” you owe me a cut of that $50k prize. I want at least $3! I accept Venmo, Paypal, and whatever crypto is hot at that precise moment.

Best of luck with your guesses!

Purchased Price: $2.89
Size: 8 oz.
Purchased at: 7-11
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12 pieces) 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of total carbohydrates, 23 grams of sugars, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of protein.

SPOTTED (FROZEN TREATS EDITION) – 5/26/2021

Marvo / May 26, 2021 / Spotted on Shelves / 7 Comments

Here are some interesting new frozen treats found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments.

According to @CandyHunting, these are slightly different than the ones that were at Dollar Tree earlier. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

*ICEE Mermaid and Baby Narwhal Mystery Flavor Tubes*

(Spotted by Alisa P at Walmart.)

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

*The Frozen Farmer Double Chocolate Cherry Frobert*

The Frozen Farmer Frobert Strawberry Cheesecake and Orange Cream — *The Frozen Farmer Frobert (Strawberry Cheesecake and Orange Cream)*

(Spotted by Alisa P at Walmart.)

(Spotted by Alisa P at Walmart.)

*Favorite Day Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites*

Favorite Day Gourmet Ice Cream Tiramisu Amaretto Cherry Chocolate and Strawberry Swirl — *Favorite Day Gourmet Ice Cream (Tiramisu, Amaretto Cherry Chocolate, and Strawberry Swirl)*

Favorite Day Gourmet Peanut Butter Cookies n Cream Ice Cream — *Favorite Day Gourmet Peanut Butter Cookies ‘n Cream Ice Cream*

*Favorite Day Gourmet Double Vanilla Ice Cream*

*Favorite Day Gourmet Triple Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream*

*Favorite Day Gourmet Caramel Cold Brew Ice Cream*

Favorite Day Gourmet Ice Cream Bars Vanilla Caramel Milk Chocolate Almond and Coffee Milk Chocolate Butter Cookie — *Favorite Day Gourmet Ice Cream Bars (Vanilla Caramel Milk Chocolate Almond and Coffee Milk Chocolate Butter Cookie)*

*Favorite Day Gourmet Double Coated Vanilla Caramel Almond Mini Ice Cream Bars*

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Target.)

(Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Haagen Dazs Soft Dipped Coffee Ice Cream Bars — *Haagen-Dazs Soft Dipped Coffee Ice Cream Bars*

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

REVIEW: Wendy’s Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger

Brandon / May 26, 2021 / Reviews / 6 Comments

In general, I am fairly apathetic when it comes to food infused with booze. Would you like to whisky-up your chicken? Okay. Wanna put beer in your chili or maybe your cheese? Sure, why not. Bourbon in your BBQ sauce? Whatever boils your potato, chief. Mostly, in my experience, adding beer or bourbon to your food is fine, but tends to land on the side of “maybe not worth whatever calories it’s adding.”

Especially when it comes to fast food.

While a local gastropub might be able to make you notice the “subtle undertones of oak in a rich BBQ sauce married with a 12-year-old, single batch bourbon,” a fast food place always runs the risk of ending up with something that tastes like your buddy got drunk and accidentally knocked his Natty Light into the cheese dip.

So imagine my surprise when I really ended up liking Wendy’s new Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger. Wendy’s describes it as “a quarter-pound of fresh, never frozen beef topped with Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, crispy onions, and a sweet, smoky bourbon bacon sauce that is, essentially, a sauce made with real bourbon and real bacon.” That’s the actual copy.

Anyway, this isn’t a Bourbon BBQ sauce, which is what I kept thinking, but a Bourbon bacon sauce. And how is this sauce? Extremely sweet with only a very subtle tang. You’d be hard-pressed to get anything boozy from it, which, as a person who’d prefer their food to taste as little like alcohol as possible, I’m fine with.

According to Wendy’s, some of the sauce’s 30 ingredients include brown sugar, sugar, molasses, “uncured bacon base,” another kind of molasses, and, as you may have surmised, bourbon whiskey. But once again, I didn’t taste booze, or bacon, just sugar. And it’s good! It complements the salt of the bacon strips expertly. If you’ve ever had the good fortune to eat candied bacon, you will recognize this combination. It works.

The “crispy” onions also managed to stay reasonably crispy, which was a welcome surprise. The bun was warm and soft and seemed fresh, and the cheese was… present. To be honest, I didn’t really notice the cheese. This thing might’ve gotten by without it.

Despite all of these positive attributes, though, there was a pretty big negative -— the meat. While I’ve traditionally championed Wendy’s patties, this particular burger was dry and under-seasoned. Maybe I’ve had too many fantastic non-chain burgers lately, or maybe Wendy’s grill-master was having an off night. Either way, the bland meat puck took this sandwich down a notch or two. Even still, it’s worth a try if you’re looking for something a little different than most fast food offerings currently in the market. (Did you see the part about “candied bacon”? I rest my case.)

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 710 calories, 41 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 1400 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 2 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 34 grams of protein.

Fast Food Wendy's

SPOTTED (FROZEN FOOD EDITION) – 5/25/2021

Marvo / May 25, 2021 / Spotted on Shelves / 7 Comments

Here are some interesting new frozen foods found by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments.