SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 12/30/2016

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

Reese's Peanut Butter Creme Egg

Reese’s Peanut Butter Creme Egg

I received this photo on December 29, 2016. It’s not even the 2017. It’s not even close to Valentine’s Day. But, yet, here we are with an Easter product on the shelves. (Spotted by Rachel C at Walmart.)

Fiber One Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Layed Chewy Bars

Fiber One Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Layered Chewy Bars

Fiber One Double Chocolate Almond Layered Chewy Bars

Fiber One Double Chocolate Almond Layered Chewy Bars

Wow, 28 percent of our daily value of fiber. The Fiber One I remember would shoehorn 30 percent into one bar. (Spotted by Rachel C at Target and Amanda Y at Target.)

Kellogg's Special K Dark Chocolate Pistaschio Nourish Bites

Kellogg’s Special K Dark Chocolate Pistachio Nourish Bites

Kelloo'gs Special K Blueberry Almond Quinoa Nourish Bites

Kelloog’s Special K Blueberry Almond Quinoa Nourish Bites

Kellogg's Special K Caramel Nut Protein Bites

Kellogg’s Special K Caramel Nut Protein Bites

Kellogg's Special K Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bites

Kellogg’s Special K Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bites

Kellogg's Special K Caramel Almond Sea Salt Nourish Chewy Nut Bars

Kellogg’s Special K Caramel Almond Sea Salt Nourish Chewy Nut Bars

Kellogg's Special K Caramel Pretzel Cashew Protein Snack Bars

Kellogg’s Special K Caramel Pretzel Cashew Protein Snack Bars

Kellogg's Special K Chocolate Cherry Nut Protein Snack Bars

Kellogg’s Special K Chocolate Cherry Nut Protein Snack Bars

It appears Special K R&D folks have been really busy. (Spotted by Rachel C at Target and Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Limited Edition Dannon Danimals Smoothie Strawberry Explosion and Frosty Marshmallow

Limited Edition Dannon Danimals Smoothie Strawberry Explosion and Frosty Marshmallow

Frosty Marshmallow was a yogurt drink flavor. With artificial flavoring and shelf stablers. And some sweeteners to help us savor. (Spotted by Carla at Walmart.)

Crazy About Cookies The Colossal Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie

Crazy About Cookies The Colossal Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie

Sorry, Crazy About Cookies. I’ve seen more colossal cookies than that. (Spotted by Blaire at Giant.)

7-Select x Jones Soda Sour Patch Kids Watermelon and Green Apple Sodas

7-Select x Jones Soda Sour Patch Kids Watermelon and Green Apple Sodas

7-Select x Jones Soda Orange & Cream and Blueberry Lemonade Soda

7-Select x Jones Soda Orange & Cream and Blueberry Lemonade Soda

Only the Sour Patch Kids Watermelon is a new flavor. The rest are current Jones Soda flavors in special 7-Select bottles. (Spotted by Josh G at 7-Eleven.)

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.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Hershey’s Cupcake Kisses

Hershey's Cupcake Kisses

Hershey's Cupcake Kisses 2

The paper plume is alive. It’s holding a tray of cupcakes! Next, it’ll hold a weapon. We’re doomed! DOOMED! (Spotted by Robbie 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.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Little Debbie Be My Valentine Strawberry Creme Rolls

Little Debbie Be My Valentine Strawberry Creme Rolls

Be My Dietbuster, Little Debbie! (Spotted by Amanda Y 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.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Milka Oreo Choco-Mix Snack Mix

Milka Oreo Choco-Mix Snack Mix

This snack mix features mini Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, mini Golden Oreo sandwich cookies, Milka chocolate candy buttons, and candy-coated chocolate pieces. (Spotted by Roli 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.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Oreo Cookies

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Oreo Cookies

Two years ago, on a hazy New Year’s morning (my birthday), my girlfriend woke me up with a package of Birthday Cake Oreo in bed, and the secret junk food junkie in me silently screamed with joy.

Now, thanks to the cookie scientists at Nabisco, I can return the favor to my one true love on Valentine’s Day with the Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Oreo. Whether or not a crinkly package of factory cookies can successfully replace four-dollars-a-pop chocolate-covered strawberries remains to be seen, but whether or not these Oreo’s are a decent start to the pending onslaught of 2017’s limited offerings can be laid to rest right now.

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Oreo Cookies 2

The Oreo cookies look no different than the always available chocolate flavor, with a dark creme sandwiched between two classic wafer cookies; but the aroma is distinctly different and heavy on the strawberry. Something about the chocolate strawberry smell is immediately nostalgic, channeling Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches, kiddy cereal, and strawberry Pocky sticks. While it is definitely an artificial fruit smell, it is not too perfumey or cloying in any way.

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Oreo Cookies 3

Digging into the cookies, the strong strawberry smell is put on the back burner as chocolate takes the more dominant role in overall flavor, which makes sense as the chocolate outweighs the strawberry components 2-to-1. The textures of the chocolate and strawberry cremes are exactly the same, which mixes the two flavors together in a way that is cohesive but ultimately not too special.

There’s nothing off-putting about the fruit flavor like the strange Swedish Fish Oreo, but there’s also nothing particularly new or unique, like the slightly differing textures in the Filled Cupcake Oreo.

Limited Edition Chocolate Strawberry Oreo Cookies 4

A chocolate covered strawberry, as the design of the package directly implies, should have a more strawberry-forward flavor, and while these cookies do a good job of conveying both elements, the ratios and authenticity feel a bit off.

They’re a tasty crunchy cookie that will definitely be agreeable to most average palates but don’t provide any level of satisfaction that the original Oreo have delivered for over 100 years (literally). I’m not sure my Valentine’s chocolate thirst will be satiated with these come February 14, so I may have to go back to dropping $30 at Godiva to show how much I truly care.

(Nutrition Facts – 2 cookies – 140 calories, 60 calories from fat, 6 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein..)

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 10.7 oz. package
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Full choco-strawberry aroma. Not too artificial tasting. Hey, it’s an Oreo.
Cons: Not enough genuine strawberry flavor. Not enough contrast, too much chocolate. Will not replace expensive Valentine’s Day candy.