SPOTTED ON SHELVES (TRADER JOE’S EDITION) – 5/19/2017

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

Trader Joe s Roasted Cocoa Nibs

Trader Joe’s Roasted Cocoa Nibs

Trader Joe s Select Harvest Curated Coffee

Trader Joe’s Select Harvest Curated Coffee

Trader Joe s Organic Agua Fresca Hibiscus Flavor

Trader Joe’s Organic Agua Fresca Hibiscus Flavor

Trader Joe s Organic Aqua Fresca Pineapple Mango with Natural Mint Flavor

Trader Joe’s Organic Aqua Fresca Pineapple Mango with Natural Mint Flavor

Trader Joe s Organic Agua Fresca Strawberry Lime

Trader Joe’s Organic Agua Fresca Strawberry Lime

Trader Joe s Blueberry  Acai Facial Scrub

Trader Joe’s Blueberry & Acai Facial Scrub

Trader Joe s Organic Reduced Sugar Wild Blueberry Preserves

Trader Joe’s Organic Reduced Sugar Wild Blueberry Preserves

While double checking the newness of these products, I learned Trader Joe’s had an Organic Reduced Sugar Blueberry Preserves. I also learned my fingers really want to spell “aqua” instead of “aqua.” (Spotted by Sylvia at Trader Joe’s.)

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, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Thomas’ Limited Edition S’mores Mini Bagels

Thomas Limited Edition S mores Mini Bagels

I want to smear this with Hershey’s Chocolate Spread and then top it with crushed Honey Maid Graham Crackers and Kraft Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows. (Spotted by Laurie K at Walmart.)

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, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Limited Edition Haagen-Dazs Sea Salt Caramel Truffle Ice Cream

Limited Edition Haagen Dazs Sea Salt Caramel Truffle Ice Cream

Sooo, is this going to taste like Häagen-Dazs Limited Edition Salted Caramel Truffle Ice Cream? (Spotted by Rachel C at Target.)

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, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Guardians Awesome Mix Blizzard

Dairy Queen Guardians Awesome Mix Blizzard

With the launch of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Marvel teamed up with Frito-Lay for a Doritos bag that plays music and Dairy Queen for the Guardians Awesome Mix Blizzard Treat.

I think Frito-Lay got the better end of the integration stick, even though everything about the Guardians Blizzard sounds fantastic. I mean what’s not to love about mini brookies (brownies and cookies baked together), caramel, and choco chunks blended with creamy vanilla soft serve?

Brookies are pretty frickin’ awesome! Except when you can’t really taste them.

Dairy Queen Guardians Awesome Mix Blizzard 2

I should have suspected that it would be a hodge-podge of unidentifiable sweetness when the received treat looked nothing like hero shots featuring healthy chunks of brookies. My Blizzard looked more like chocolate chip ice cream and it tasted that way. It was good, but if I wanted plain chocolate chip ice cream, I would have just gone to the supermarket for a pint.

As I continued to eat, I would occasionally get a bite of rich, delightful fudge – guessing that was from the brookie. Unfortunately, it was a fleeting delight that quickly faded back into the sugary indistinctness. I want bigger chunks, dangit! I think a brookie sundae in DQ’s Hot Desserts section would have been much more satisfying.

Dairy Queen Guardians Awesome Mix Blizzard 3

Also, I couldn’t taste the caramel. I could see the remnants lining the cup, but no warm caramel notes at all – just cloying sweetness. As the cherry on top, said sweetness was paired with a strange artificial aftertaste. I couldn’t tell if it was coming from the soft serve, the caramel, or the brookie?!

Dairy Queen Guardians Awesome Mix Blizzard 4

Even though all the mix-ins were a bit too blended for my liking, I did enjoy the texture. The soft serve was creamy and the mix-ins broke up the monotony of vanilla soft serve. I kept thinking that Cold Stone Creamery would make a killer version of this.

Don’t get me wrong. The Guardians Awesome Mix Blizzard isn’t bad. It just isn’t awesome.

(Nutrition Facts – Mini – 380 calories, 14 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 56 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 45 grams of sugar, 8 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $3.09
Size: Mini
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Tastes like chocolate chip ice cream. Good texture.
Cons: Hodge-podge of unidentifiable sweetness. Cloying sweetness + artificial aftertaste = Ugh.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Ben & Jerry’s Keep Caramel and Cookie On Ice Cream

Ben  Jerry s Keep Caramel and Cookie On Ice Cream

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

It would’ve been cool if the cow had a royal crown on its head as sort of a nod to the original Keep Calm and Carry On poster. (Spotted by Rachel C at Target.)

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, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.