FAST FOOD NEWS: Starbucks Tie-Dye Frappuccino

News Starbucks Tie Dye Frappuccino

Update: We tried it! Click here to read our review.

The latest Instagrammable beverage from Starbucks is the Tie-Dye Frappuccino.

It’s made with a tropical Crème Frappuccino with yellow, red, and blue powder (which are made from red beet, turmeric and spirulina) that make the tie-dye swirls. The Frappuccino is also topped with whipped cream and a dusting of more colored powder.

A grande with whole milk has 400 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 60 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 58 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

The blended beverage is available starting today at participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada for a very limited time (a few days), while supplies last.

If you’ve tried it, let us know what you think of it in the comments.

(Image via Starbucks.)

SPOTTED: Kool-Aid Gummies

Kool Aid Gummies

Oh yeah? No Sharkleberry Fin, Rock-A-Dile Red, Pink Swimmingo, or Purplesaurus Rex? (Spotted by John W at Dollar General.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email ([email protected]) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. Or reply to us (@theimpulsivebuy) on Twitter with the photo, where you spotted it, and the hashtag #spotted. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if the product is old, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

If you’ve seen the product, help out your fellow readers by letting them know in the comments what city and store you found it in.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Krave Cereal Cinnamon Crunch and Strawberry Crunch

Kellogg s Cinnamon Crunch Krave Cereal

I give Kellogg’s a lot of credit with Krave. In an era when new cereal concepts barely last a year, the British import has stuck around with surprising popularity, much like The Office except without the musical exploits of Creed Bratton.

I credit this to a few things, one of which is the decision to add “more chocolate” to Krave. I’m old enough to remember when you’d bite into a cereal biscuit only to get—more biscuit. Today’s original and Double Chocolate Krave avoid the dreaded hollow biscuit, a trend that continues in the two newest additions to the Krave family -— Cinnamon Crunch and Strawberry Crunch.

Why the “Crunch” in their titles? I couldn’t tell you. The Krave Biscuits share the sub-optimal snacking qualities of their forbearers, each with a delicate, crumbly texture that sogs and saturates in milk.

Kellogg s Cinnamon Crunch Krave Cereal 3

When I was younger and less at risk for a whole host of health problems associated with excessive empty carbohydrate intake, I thought it was taboo to combine assertive flavors like cinnamon and chocolate in cereal. Turns out, the two are hardly fish and cheese, and Cinnamon Crunch Krave turns out the very best in the seemingly symbiotic relationship of cocoa and cassia.

Kellogg s Cinnamon Crunch Krave Cereal 4

A strong churros flavor coats each square, with a lickable, stick-to-your-beard sugary coating blooming into an admirable chocolate taste. In milk, this only gets better. What ensues is a flavor similar to Chocolate Toast Crunch but the chocolate is more concentrated. It is, unexpectedly, one of the better chocolate cereals I’ve had in recent memory.

Kellogg s Strawberry Crunch Krave Cereal

Strawberry Crunch Krave didn’t score as high. The strawberry powder tastes… interesting, which is about as cliché and proverbial as it gets but is nevertheless the most apt description. Overall, it has a kind of toasted sugar taste that doesn’t quite match the succulent and slightly tart sweetness of actual strawberries. It’s also noticeably artificial, much like the sticky granules that covered the short-lived Strawberry Tiny Toast cereal of a few years ago.

Kellogg s Strawberry Crunch Krave Cereal 4

Those hoping for some Neapolitan synergy sans vanilla will be disappointed; even in chilled Vitamin D fortified whole milk, the richness that makes strawberry and chocolate an actual thing is MIA. The chocolate competes with the strawberry powder, combining for two disjointed tastes that never come together in the classic Valentine’s Day combination. The cereal isn’t bad, but it’s a relative letdown.

As seems to be the case with many cereals released in pairs, Kellogg’s has at least one winner among its new Krave varieties. And, while Strawberry Crunch will probably win a few niche fans who were deprived actual fresh fruit as children, my gut feeling is that Cinnamon Crunch will take its rightful place on the shelves next to the other varieties. And, like an offbeat British sitcom, it might just stick around for more than a few years.

Purchased Price: $3.64 (each)
Size: 17.3 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cinnamon Crunch)
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Strawberry Crunch)
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup w/o milk) 180 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

SPOTTED – 7/10/2019

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.

Beyond Meat Beyond Beef Plant Based Ground
Beyond Meat Beyond Beef Plant-Based Ground

(Spotted by Jarred at Whole Foods.)

Lindt Excellence A Touch of Sea Salt Stick
Lindt Excellence A Touch of Sea Salt Stick

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Mikey s Cassava Flour Burrito Size Grain Free Tortilla
Mikey’s Cassava Flour Burrito Size Grain Free Tortilla

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

Somersaults Seed + Fruit Crunchews Apricot  Ginger
Somersaults Seed + Fruit Crunchews Apricot & Ginger
Somersaults Seed + Fruit Crunchews Mango
Somersaults Seed + Fruit Crunchews Mango
Somersaults Seed + Fruit Crunchews Blueberry
Somersaults Seed + Fruit Crunchews Blueberry

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)

Stouffer s Urban Bistro Hand Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Stouffer’s Urban Bistro Hand Stuffed Poblano Peppers

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Wegmans Fun Flavor of the Month Strawberry Shortcake Donut
Wegmans Fun Flavor of the Month Strawberry Shortcake Donut

(Spotted by Bob K at Wegmans.)

Dos Equis TeXXas Edition
Dos Equis TeXXas Edition

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart Neighborhood Market.)

If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email ([email protected]) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. Or reply to us (@theimpulsivebuy) on Twitter with the photo, where you spotted it, and the hashtag #spotted. If you’ve tried the product, share your thoughts about it in the comments.

Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if the product is old, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED AT THE 2019 SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW (SWEETS EDITION)

Spotted on Shelves is back for more at the 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show (FFS) in New York City. I scoped out new products from familiar brands and interesting things from up-and-coming companies.

I, and everyone else present, ate many free samples. So many samples. This did not affect what was chosen to appear in this column or my opinions of the products.

Somehow, I managed to leave FFS on my own feet, not hauled out on a stretcher in a sugar coma. I tried and saw some really interesting and delicious sweet treats that have just landed or will in the future.

Jelly Belly Candy Cupcakes

Sweets JellyBelly1

Sweets JellyBelly2

Last year at FFS, Jelly Belly was showing its mellowcreme ice cream cones. This year, it’s mellowcreme cupcakes. Again, each piece has two halves with its own flavors. In this case, the bottoms are cupcake-flavored, the top is frosting – vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, blueberry or banana. I like the texture of these – I love candy corn, and these are like a refined version of candy corn with more flavors.

Available starting September 2019 in grocery stores, candy shops and retailers nationally

Pechkek’s Misfortune Cookies

Sweets Misfortune1

Sweets Misfortune2

Sometimes you find a product that resonates with you on a level that makes you wonder if it was plucked from your brain while you slept. This was one of those times. These fortune cookies are heavy metal black, have delightfully Halloween-ish packaging and are filled with fortunes that are bleak, clever, and funny. If I am ever reincarnated in cookie form, I will be a Pechkek’s Misfortune Cookie. Sadly, they only had paper prototypes on hand at FFS, so I didn’t get to taste them, but I didn’t need to. I want them. I am them.

Available mid-September 2019, outlets TBD

Loacker Double Choc Crispy Wafers

Sweets Loacker1

Sweets Loacker2

I’m surprised to call a wafer cookie “decadent,” but Loacker’s Double Choc felt so over-the-top rich. The wafers are deep cocoa (but not dark/bittersweet). The filling is thin, gooey, and delicious but left me with choc hands – which I promptly got all over my shirt. Maybe eat them wearing black satin elbow-length gloves just to be safe.

Available in the US starting early 2020, available internationally now.

Red Vines Made Simple Cherry Twist

Sweets RedVines

Some people do not discuss politics at the dinner table. I prefer not to discuss which red licorice is better. There is no right answer – the best red licorice is the red licorice that’s there in front of you. At FFS, Red Vines’ upcoming Made Simple Cherry Twist were in front of me. Well, the packaging was. I didn’t get to sample them, but based on the Made Simple Mixed Berry Twists that I did have, they’ll be pretty close in texture to the original Red Vines with a slightly different flavor.

Available in grocery stores, convenience stores and major retailers starting November 2019

Hammond’s SodaPop and Coconut Cream Pie Milk Chocolate Bars

Sweets Hammonds1

Sweets Hammonds2

Sweets Hammonds3

Hammond’s, of “Pigs N’ Taters” chocolate bar fame, has just dropped two new flavors. My favorite, SodaPop, is a cola-flavored chocolate bar with popping candy inside. As a cola fanatic, I am always skeptical of cola flavoring, but it’s done really well here (thanks for not making it cherry cola!) and the popping candy worked really well. The Coconut Cream Pie has a finely-shredded coconut and ganache filling that will make coconut lovers happy.

Available now online and at specialty stores nationally.

Belgian Boys Dark Chocolate and Salted Caramel Lava Cakes & Cookies & Cream, Raspberry, Cookie Butter, Key Lime and New York Cheesecakes

Sweets BelgBoys1

Sweets BelgBoys2

There’s no better way to get me to stop at your booth at FFS than to dangle cookie butter (aka – speculoos) in front of me, and that’s exactly what The Belgian Boys did. They were showing its new freezer-aisle desserts – single-serving cheesecakes and lava cakes in little glass bowls. The cheesecakes are thaw and eat, the lava cakes are freezer-to-oven. I tried the Cookie Butter flavor, which delivered on specu-locity with a slab of the spread of the Gods on top, a light, creamy cheesecake layer and a cookie crumb crust at the bottom. Bonus points for the tiny shovel-shaped spoons at the booth.

Available in grocery chains and Whole Foods in the MidAtlantic area and regional retailers starting in September 2019.

Mamie’s Pies Peach, Cherry, Pumpkin, Apple, and Blueberry

Sweets MamiesPies1

Sweets MamiesPies2

Mamie’s Pies has been on QVC and Oprah’s “Favorite Things” list, but they’re moving into your local grocery stores soon. These hand pies come individually packaged and frozen – they can be oven-baked, air fried, or deep fried. The samples I tasted were baked the previous day and served at room temperature, but still had flaky crusts and delicious fillings.

Available starting end of Summer 2019 in mass grocery chains nationally

Hot Scream Spicy Ice Cream Salted Caramel Swirl, Strawberry Swirl, Espresso Swirl, Chocolate Swirl, Black Raspberry Swirl, Ginger Swirl and Peach Swirl

Sweets HotScream

Novelty addicts and hot sauce addicts, gather ‘round. Somebody made an ice cream just for you. Hot Scream is basically a good, solid vanilla ice cream with flavor ribbons and a dash of heat. It sounds like a “WHY?” moment, but these ice creams were really good. The heat didn’t compete with the ice cream flavors, it just added a little kick. I’m not enough of a chili fan to crave this, but it was fun to try all the flavors. They would be great for a summer party or outdoor barbecue.

Available now in grocery chains in the Northeast, nationwide distribution TBD.

Waffle Shots Limited Edition 8-packs Peanut Butter & Brownie and Peppermint Bark & Hazelnut

Sweets WaffleShot

Waffle Shots, the company that makes espresso-shot-sized waffle cone cups, is releasing new flavors for the fall/winter. I didn’t sample these because they were being served with coffee (I hate coffee!) but they’re so cute and useful – I’m definitely going to try them with hot cocoa or cider.

Available starting in September/October 2019 online, Amazon, select department stores and gourmet food markets.

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