The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW: Seaweed Oreo, Strawberry Oreo, and Blueberry Oreo (China)

Rachel / June 21, 2019 / Reviews / 7 Comments

What are they?

First, just look at this package. Nothing says “I have a problem” clearer than when your snack foods arrive looking like they were crowbarred out of the quarter panel of a car crossing the border.

China has figured out the optimal way to sell novelty flavored Oreo cookies – in a variety pack! (Meanwhile, we’re still stuck with 20-packs of Swedish Fish Oreo.) This box had two identical sleeves containing eight Oreo of varying bizarro-ness. Genius.

There was a classic Oreo, Chocolate, Mango, Spicy Chicken Wing, Strawberry, Wasabi, Blueberry, and Seaweed (a flavor I haven’t seen sold on its own yet).

How are they?

I expected the aroma inside the sleeve to be a mishmash of sweet and savory, but it was a general chocolate and slightly citrus-y sweetness.

I’ll skip the classic and chocolate because they’re basically the same cookies we have here and the Spicy Chicken Wing and Wasabi, as they’ve been reviewed before. The Mango I’ll also skip because it tasted the same as the Orange & Mango that was reviewed earlier, just with a single color filing.

The first cookie I tried was Blueberry, which was really lovely. Not totally natural, but not unpleasantly fake. It was tangy and went nicely with the chocolate cookie. I picked up a good amount of raspberry as well, which made me think this is a single-color version of the Chinese Blueberry/Raspberry Double-Fruit Oreos (Orange/Mango). In any case, I could have eaten a whole package of these.

The Strawberry didn’t work as well, mostly because it was so subtle that it almost disappeared under the chocolate. On its own, the filling was OK – actually a hair more authentic than the blueberry – but anything it’s paired with will overwhelm it.

Lastly, the Seaweed. In the words of Rihanna, this is what you came for. The filling was a beige tint with little green flecks and some tiny yellowish chunks (still haven’t figured out what those were). They still tasted like the basic Oreo, but with a savory overlay. It wasn’t particularly fishy or salty, but that vaguely defined “umami.”

Unlike the Chicken Wing and Wasabi, which were downright horror shows, these were edible and genuinely interesting. I can easily see them finding an audience with people who prefer their treats on the less-sweet side. While I wouldn’t want a 20-pack of them (two is perfect for me), I liked them a lot more than I thought I would.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The flavors in the sleeve did not match the running order on the back of the box. Very upsetting for us OCD-adjacent folk.

Conclusion:

Blueberry(/Raspberry) I want more of. They’re worth buying on their own if they come here. Strawberry – meh – not great enough to seek out. Seaweed – better than I expected and worth a try for the adventurous snackers or to goad your friends into eating at a party.

Purchased Price: $14.95 + free shipping
Size: 155g box (16 cookies)
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Blueberry)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Strawberry)
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Seaweed)
Nutrition Facts:: (per 100g) 486 calories, 21.2 grams of fat, 440 milligrams of sodium, 67.6 grams of carbohydrates, and 5.2 grams of protein.

SPOTTED – 6/21/2019

Marvo / June 21, 2019 / Spotted on Shelves / 1 Comment

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.

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

Jack Daniel s Sirloin Roast — *Jack Daniel’s Sirloin Roast*

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart Neighborhood Market.)

(Spotted by Rachel C at Whole Foods.)

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

*Little Salad Bar Rotini and Caprese Pasta Salads*

(Spotted by Darlene M at Aldi.)

*Berryhill Spreadable Pure Honey and Cinnamon Honey*

(Spotted by Darlene M at Aldi.)

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

*Modern Table Penne Complete Protein Pasta*

(Spotted by Bob K at Wegmans.)

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

GTS LIving Foods Dream Catcher Blood Rose and Orange Elderflower Sparkling Wellness Water — *GT’S LIving Foods Dream Catcher Blood Rose and Orange Elderflower Sparkling Wellness Water*

GTS Living Foods Dream Catcher Ginger Lemongrass Sparkling Wellness Water — *GT’S Living Foods Dream Catcher Ginger Lemongrass Sparkling Wellness Water*

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

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: Lindt Lindor Limited Edition Ice Cream Assortment

Marvo / June 20, 2019 / Spotted on Shelves / 1 Comment

According to Candy Hunting, the assortment is new, but the flavors — Butter Pecan, Fudge Swirl, and Stracciatella — aren’t. (Spotted by Rachel C at Walgreens.)

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.

FAST FOOD NEWS: Hardee’s Garlic Bread Thickburger and Cheesy Garlic Fries

Marvo / June 20, 2019 / Fast Food News / 5 Comments

Beware, vampires and folks who consciously or unconsciously lean into other peoples’ personal spaces!

If the someone you’re getting too close to has eaten at Hardee’s, you might be pushed back because they might’ve eaten the chain’s new Garlic Bread Thickburger and/or Cheesy Garlic Fries.

The specialty Thickburger comes with a 1/3-pound Black Angus beef patty, parmesan crisps, caramelized onions, and a buttery garlic herb spread on Hardee’s butter toasted sourdough bread. It has a suggested price of $5.29. The Cheesy Garlic Fries feature the chain’s natural cut fries topped with a garlic butter sauce and cheese. The side can be added to any combo for just $1.

Both menu items are available for a limited time, while supplies last.

If you’ve tried either, pop a mint and then let us know what you think in the comments.

(Image via Hardee’s.)

REVIEW: Limited Edition Marshmallow Moon Oreo Cookies

Mark / June 20, 2019 / Reviews / 3 Comments

What are Marshmallow Moon Oreo Cookies?

In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing in July 1969, Oreo has launched (pun unintended) a cookie with chocolate wafers and purple, marshmallow-flavored creme.

There are also three separate images on the wafers: a crescent moon with stars, a rocket (Apollo 11?), and an astronaut on a moon with a flag. (It can’t be Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin on our moon, because the image appears to have Saturn or another ringed planet in the background. Really, Nabisco?)