SPOTTED ON SHELVES: belVita Protein Soft Baked Biscuits

belVita Protein Soft Baked Biscuits

I wish the box said belVita proTein. And that is why I’m not a graphic designer or marketing person. (Spotted by Carla 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.

COMING SOON: Keebler Despicable Me 3 Yellow Bell-Os Fudge Stripes

A post shared by @candyhunting on

According to our friend Candy Hunting on Instagram, these cookies will be cake batter flavored and be hitting shelves near the release date for Despicable Me 3, which is on June 30.

It seems as if Keebler is going at an Oreo-like pace this year when it comes to new Fudge Stripes flavors. There was Cinnamon Roll in January, Lemon Cream Pie this month, and Strawberry Cheesecake coming later this year. I look forward to what else the elves have in store for us in 2017.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Reese’s Miniature Cups Stuffed with Reese’s Pieces

Reese's Miniature Cups Stuffed with Reese's Pieces.jpeg

What if Hershey’s figures out a way to stick a miniature Reese’s Miniature Cup into a mini Reese’s Pieces all of which is in a Reese’s Miniature Cup? That would be awesome and probably taste exactly like these. (Spotted by Sylvia at Vons.)

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: Girl Scout S’mores Sandwich Cookies

Girl Scout S'mores Sandwich Cookies

Call me the s’more connoisseur.

I’ve bought s’mores in stores from shore to shore. Famous to obscure, I’ve explored the s’more tour.

More or less, I’ve put s’mores to the test, and yes, my rhymes ARE poor and in jest. This I confess as you snore unimpressed, I’ll shut up and give you a score and ingest.

You know who I hate? Me.

You know who I appreciate? Those hard working Girl Scouts. They really know how to get my money, especially when they camp outside of supermarkets. Who would dare say no to America’s second most intimidating Green Berets?

To celebrate 100 years of annoying office colleagues shoving order forms in your face, the Girl Scouts have blessed the world with a new cookie flavor – S’mores.

Unbeknownst to me, there are actually two new S’mores cookies available in select areas. The chocolate covered graham variety wasn’t available when I was pressured into spending twenty dollars, so I went with the sandwich cookie.

Girl Scout S’mores are described as “a crunchy graham sandwich cookie with creamy chocolate and marshmallowy filling,” so it tackles the three main ingredients of a standard s’more. Does it taste like a standard s’more? Ehhhhh.

The graham actually tasted more along the lines of a thin shortbread to me. Shortbread is probably my least favorite Girl Scout cookie, so I was bummed to be reminded of it.

The smell and taste instantly put me in mind of generic supermarket sandwich cookies. You know the ones that they toss on the top shelf that are two bucks cheaper than Oreo? The cookies there to make Hydrox feel better about itself? Those. They aren’t the worst snack on Earth, but Oreo cookies are at eye level for a reason.

The marshmallow cream may have had actual marshmallow flavor, but really just tasted like standard white cookie cream. If you’re jonesing for a cheap Golden Oreo with a little bit of chocolate cream thrown in the mix, these are for you. Sadly, the chocolate is also pretty generic.

S’mores are obviously best when hot, so I nuked one of these in the microwave for 25 seconds. The chocolate got nice and melty, and the cookie softened a tad, but that’s about it. The box gives no indication they’re meant to be heated or anything, I just figured I’d give it a try.

As a whole I wasn’t blown away. It seems that most of the time brands try to emulate a s’more they never really hit the bullseye. Kellogg’s Smorez cereal is pretty good, Oreo made a decent s’mores cookie, and Chips Ahoy tried their best, but it’s never the same as making a messy homemade s’more over a flame.

My fellow s’more connoisseurs will probably be pretty disappointed. Not quite as disappointed as they’d be if I started busting out my bootleg Dr. Seuss rhymes again, but disappointed nonetheless.

I can’t tell you NOT to try these, but you might want to just stick to the old reliables next time Heather from Accounting chases you around with a Girl Scout Cookie order form. Man, she’s pushy. Other people have daughters too, Heather!

Thin Mints are a classic. Samoas are too. Girl Scout S’mores rank near the bottom of the product line. If the chocolate covered graham variety is available to you, spend your Abe Lincoln on those instead and let me know how they are.

Look, the sandwich cookies aren’t awful. They’ll do in a pinch, but compared to other Girl Scout staples they might as well be called “B’ores.” (™ Vin at The Impulsive Buy.)

(Nutrition Facts – 2 Cookies – 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of sugar (includes 10 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $5.00
Size: 8.5 oz. box
Purchased at: My Buddy’s House (You know where to get them.)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Girl Scouts branching out more. A decent albeit unremarkable interpretation of a s’more. 100 years of cookies. Young businesswomen.
Cons: Tastes like a boring Golden Oreo. Marshmallow doesn’t really shine. No heated option. Pushy adult cookie peddlers. My whimsical rhyme schemes.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES (STORE BRAND EDITION) – 3/17/2017

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.

Great Value Twist  Shout Chocolate Banana Cookies
Great Value Twist & Shout Chocolate Banana Cookies

My Dearest Oreo: Please make a Golden Banana Oreo Cookie. Sincerely yours, Marvo. (Spotted by Carla at Walmart.)

Great Value Twist  Shout Thins
Great Value Twist & Shout Thins

I look forward to seeing Great Value Vanilla Twist & Shout Thins, Great Value Mint Twist & Shout Thins, Great Value Lemon Twist & Shout Thins, and Great Value Chocolate Twist & Shout Thins. (Spotted by Carla at Walmart.)

H E B Limited Edition Red White  Boom Twisters
H-E-B Limited Edition Red, White & Boom Twisters

Firework Oreo isn’t out yet, but if you live in Texas you can experience the thrill of eating cookie that pop in your mouth. (Spotted by Jennifer B at H-E-B.)

Market District Gelato  Sea Salt Caramel Double Dark Chocolate and Southern Butter Pecan
Market District Gelato (Sea Salt Caramel, Double Dark Chocolate, and Southern Butter Pecan)
Market District Gelato  Sicilian Pistachio Tahitian Vanilla Bean and Mint Chocolate
Market District Gelato (Sicilian Pistachio, Tahitian Vanilla Bean, and Mint Chocolate)

(Spotted by Bob K at Giant Eagle.)

Sam s Choice Apple Bar Mix
Sam’s Choice Apple Bar Mix
Sam s Choice Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix
Sam’s Choice Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix
Sam s Choice Caramel Blondie Mix
Sam’s Choice Caramel Blondie Mix

The apple bar mix box says, “just add apple & eggs.” But I’d like to add to that, “but not those horrible Red Delicious apples.” (Spotted by Carla at Walmart.)

Clear American Wild Berry Sparkling Water
Clear American Wild Berry Sparkling Water

This seems like an old flavor, but it appears to be new. I find it to be a bit crazy there was a Clear American Pumpkin Spice Sparking Water before a wild berry one. (Spotted by Carla 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 or if the product is old, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.