The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW: Hershey’s Whozeewhatzit Bar

Rachel / February 24, 2021 / Reviews / 11 Comments

What is Hershey’s Whozeewhatzit Bar?

Whozeewhatzit – that sounds like that old defunct Hershey bar Whatchamacallit. What’s that you say? Whatchamacallit was never discontinued? Are you sure? Still to this day? Really? Oh, yeah, there it is right by the register. Huh. Look at that.

It turns out Whatchamacallit never left us. It’s just been hiding in plain sight while Hershey bars, Kisses, and Kit Kats got fancy new flavor releases. Well, now it’s Whatcha’s time to shine with a new spinoff! Whozeewhatzit features a thick slab of cocoa crisps topped with a thin layer of peanut butter creme instead of Whatcha’s peanut butter crisps with caramel on top. They’re both covered in a layer of chocolate.

But wait, didn’t Whatcha have a short-lived little sister in the late ‘00s? Thingamajig? With cocoa crisps and peanut butter creme and a red wrapper… hmmm… that sounds familiar…

How is it?

It had been a long time since I’d had a Whatcha, so I grabbed one to refresh my memory. I recall it being a tasty treat, but it didn’t dazzle me the way other Hershey products have.

They both had thick and rocky centers, a bit like trail bars in texture, and a basic Hershey milk chocolate coating. The crisps were densely-packed but airy, the creme layers just skimmed over the top. The difference came in the flavors. The Whatcha was intensely peanut-buttery with the caramel taking a back seat. The Whozee was half cocoa, half PB. They were both delicious, but the Whozee flavor combo gave the bar a lightness that I preferred. I would buy it again over the Whatcha. Hardcore PB fanatics might prefer Whatcha.

I’ve never had the Thingamajig, so I couldn’t directly compare, but it looks exactly the same in photos. If you’ve tried both, comment below and tell us if they’re dupes.

Also, just look at these Roy-Lichenstein-inspired power pop wrappers. So pretty.

Anything else you need to know?

The Whozee got its name from a contest that I hadn’t even heard about, so congrats to Lisa M. But until I see photos of you waving dollar bills and biting into a prototype bar, I will assume you’re the pen name of a marketing executive.

Conclusion:

I find the Whozeewhatzit an improvement on the original Whatchamacallit, which was already a decent, if overlooked, candy bar. Diehard peanutbutterers could be just a tad disappointed, but if you like-but-don’t-live-and-breathe PB, definitely give it a go.

Purchased Price: 2 for $2.00 (on sale)
Size: 1.6oz bar
Purchased at: Walgreens
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 250 calories, 14 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 21 grams of sugar, including 19 grams of added, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Kettle Cooked Flamin’ Hot Limon Potato Chips

Holly / February 23, 2021 / Reviews

What are Lay’s Kettle Cooked Flamin’ Hot Limón?

The newest item to get the Flamin’ Hot Limón treatment, these thicker than your average chip are dusted with that special blend of intense spices and a hint of lime. Lay’s released a plain Flamin’ Hot version of the kettle chips last year.

How is it?

While it had been a while since I tried anything “Flamin’ Hot” branded, these were enticing enough that I had to try them. The addition of the lime flavor as well as kettle chips seemed interesting and would hopefully add some layers to the Flamin’ Hot spice other than just “hot.”

I opened the bag expecting an overpowering smell of chili powder, but was greeted with that earthy kettle chip smell instead. The bright red chips warned me to not underestimate them. Its spicy chili flavor hits first and hard, but then is complemented by the citrusy lime. It’s almost like a tequila shot in a chip from the way the lime comes in at the end to mellow everything. The satisfying crunch from the kettle chip makes it an all around delicious snack.

Anything else you need to know?

Because of the spicy flavoring, these are more of a casual grazing chip for me versus my normal style of pouring a “portion” three or four times. The flavor is great, but my tolerance for spice sits somewhere between Franks Red Hot and Huy Fong brand Sriracha. After two handfuls, good as they may be, I had to give my mouth a break.

Conclusion:

Flamin’ Hot purists may not care much for the addition of the lime, but I think it makes the flavor profile much more rounded and enjoyable for the casual Flamin’ Hot consumer. I also imagine paired with a corn elote dip, these would be a major hit.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 8 oz bag
Purchased at: Winn-Dixie
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (About 18 chips) 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 1 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Chips Flamin' Hot Lay's

REVIEW: Philadelphia Cheesecake Crumble Desserts

Tiffany / February 22, 2021 / Reviews / 33 Comments

Self-care is Philadelphia’s new single-serve Cheesecake Crumble Dessert cups.

After nearly 150 years, the Philadelphia cheese mongers finally went beyond providing cheesecake recipes inside the package to give us the actual cheesecake!

OK, technically they call it a three-layer cheesecake with sauce, cheesecake filling, and crumble topping, but it’s all the same deliciousness to me. There are four flavors: Cherry, Chocolate Hazelnut, Original, and Strawberry.

These were so enticing and tasty that my partner ate them all before I could even write a review and he usually leaves my snacks alone. But, after I re-purchased and tried them for myself, I couldn’t blame him.

(From L to R) Original, Strawberry, Cherry, and Chocolate Hazelnut

There were two key thoughtful choices that made this dang good.

First, instead of a dense block of cheesecake filling, it was creamy and smooth with a whipped texture. Whipped cream cheese is my favorite form, but even if it weren’t, this was the right choice for easy eating with a spoon.

Second, the crumbles were very crOnchy. Yes, cronchy. As someone who always goes for the crust first, I appreciated that it maintained its texture. No soggy crust or crumble in this house please! The amount of crumble was also just right. I was concerned that there wouldn’t be enough just by looking at it, but it was plenty to ensure a consistent eat!

I’m also extra impressed by this because I know Philadelphia doesn’t make grahams or cookies on the regular. I mentioned cookies as the Chocolate Hazelnut flavor is the only one that comes with “rich cookie crumble” and not a “buttery graham crumble.” The graham tasted like regular, crushed up graham crackers and the cookies reminded me of Oreo.

As for the flavor – let’s start with the filling first. It’s truly like having a cheesecake slice in a cup. I got the expected slight tang from the cream cheese balanced by the perfect amount of indulgent sweetness. The chocolate one tasted more chocolate pudding cup-like than hazelnut, but I still was able to taste the tanginess.

Three of the four had an additional layer of sauce: cherry, strawberry, and chocolate flavored. I started with the cherry because I was the most skeptical of it – usually cherry-flavored foods taste like cough syrup to me. However, it definitely tasted like real fruit! It was a bit tarter than I had expected, but that was quickly solved by mixing the sauce and filling evenly. The strawberry, though, was just right for me and didn’t require any mixing! I ate the “layers” as-is.

As for the chocolate one, the sauce was negligible. I’m never going to complain about more chocolate goodness, but it was more of a visual difference given the darker color. I was hoping that this would be the hazelnut flavor part, but no dice. Regardless, it was still absolutely delicious. It wasn’t as much as a dealbreaker because unlike the fruit ones, the sauce wasn’t integral to delivering the flavor as the chocolate filling did most of that legwork!

All of this combined was like lightning in a bottle. I’m ready for a pumpkin cheesecake one for PUMPKINUNDATION season please!

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 2 – 3.3oz cups
Purchased at: Meijer
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (serving size: 1 dessert) Cherry – 290 calories, 18 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 gram of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, 16 grams of added sugar, and 4 grams of protein. Chocolate Hazelnut – 320 calories, 17 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 gram of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 26 grams of sugar, 25 grams of added sugar, and 5 grams of protein. Original – 340 calories, 24 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, 16 grams of added sugar, and 5 grams of protein. Strawberry – 290 calories, 18 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, 17 grams of added sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

SPOTTED – 2/19/2021

Marvo / February 19, 2021 / Spotted on Shelves / 15 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.

*The Original Cakebites Blueberry Bonsai Bites and Cobra Kakes*

(Spotted by Purple Dave at Walmart.)

Trader Joe s Aussie Style Chocolate Creme Sandwich Cookies — *Trader Joe’s Aussie-Style Chocolate Creme Sandwich Cookies*

(Spotted by Rachel C at Trader Joe’s.)

(Spotted by Jarred at Publix.)

(Spotted by Marvo at Target.)

*Powerade Zero Citrus Peach Sports Drink*

(Spotted by Melody T at Kroger.)

Tony s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate Rose Raspberry — *Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate Rose Raspberry*

Tony s Milk Chocolate with Cookie and Caramel and Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut and Cookie — *Tony’s Milk Chocolate with Cookie and Caramel and Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut and Cookie*

Tony s Milk Chocolate with Nougat and Milk Chocolate with Wafer and Cookie Pieces — *Tony’s Milk Chocolate with Nougat and Milk Chocolate with Wafer and Cookie Pieces*

(Spotted by Rachel C at Good Earth.)

*Larabar Brownie with Hemp Seed Chocolate Raspberry and Chocolate Sea Salt Fudge*

(Spotted by Rachel C at Smith’s.)

(Spotted by James M at Meijer.)

SPOTTED (EASTER EDITION) – 2/19/2021

Marvo / February 19, 2021 / Spotted on Shelves / 13 Comments

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