SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 7/21/2016

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.

Trader Joe's Blueberry Poppy Seed Cookies

Trader Joe’s Blueberry Poppy Seed Cookies

Trader Joe's Organice Reduced Fat Coconut Milk

Trader Joe’s Organic Reduced Fat Coconut Milk

Trader Joe's Hass Avocado Oil

Trader Joe’s Hass Avocado Oil

Trader Joe's Organic 100% Melon Juice

Trader Joe’s Organic 100% Melon Juice

Mango Poppy Seed Cookies, Organic Reduced Fat Mango Milk, Mango Oil, and Mango Juice. Oh wait, sorry. I haven’t gotten Trader Joe’s mango madness out of my head. (Spotted by Sylvia at Trader Joe’s.)

Pepperidge Farm Harvest Blends Bread (Ancient Grains, Sprouted Grain, and Seeded Grain)

Pepperidge Farm Harvest Blends Bread (Ancient Grains, Sprouted Grain, and Seeded Grain)

Oroweat Healthfull Sprouted Wheat Bread

Oroweat Healthfull Sprouted Wheat Bread

I know what you folks like. New bread porn! Boom! (Spotted by Sarah D at Walmart.)

Quaker Blueberry Bash and Banana Bonanza Instant Oatmeal

Quaker Blueberry Bash and Banana Bonanza Instant Oatmeal

Combine the two flavors and you’ll get a big bowl of Banana Blueberry Bonanza Bash. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Sam's Choice Instant Oatmeal (Creamy Vanilla Bean & Honey and Creamy Blueberry)

Sam’s Choice Instant Oatmeal (Creamy Vanilla Bean & Honey and Creamy Blueberry)

Mmmm. Creamy. (Spotted by Carla at Walmart.)

TGI Fridays Nacho Cheese Loaded Tater Tots

TGI Fridays Nacho Cheese Loaded Tater Tots

There better be oven instructions for these or they come with a crisping tray. #soggytotssuck (Spotted by Melody at Meijer.)

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.

REVIEW: Devour Chicken & Waffles

Devour Chicken & Waffles

One of the saddest frozen meals I’ve ever put into my mouth was the Hungry-Man Selects Boneless Fried Chicken & Waffles. After being punished by radiation, the waffles were soggy and the breaded chicken patties were limp and lacked any discernible crunch. Eggo waffles and Burger King chicken nuggets would be a significant upgrade.

With my previous frozen chicken and waffles experience tattooed onto my head, I purchased this Devour Chicken & Waffles frozen entree with the expectation that it might be slightly better. According to the box, the frozen food features “premium crispy breaded white meat chicken patty strips served with Belgian waffle sticks and a side of syrup for dipping.”

After opening the box, I saw a ray of sunshine. Actually, it was a ray of gray, which usually means sadness, but in this case it was the opposite. The interior of the box was lined with the gray, slick material used for microwaveable crisping trays. Seeing it gave me a glimmer of hope that these chicken and waffles would be okay.

Although the photo below of burnt-looking waffles might make you think otherwise. But I assure you, they might be burnt-looking, but they’re not burnt-tasting.

Devour Chicken & Waffles 2

The crisping tray makes a significant difference when it comes to texture. The waffle sticks have a slightly fluffy interior and a crispy exterior that makes them feel as if they’ve been through a toaster cycle. And the chicken strips have a lightly crispy texture that’s similar to fast food chicken nuggets.

The chicken strips have enough flavor that they could be eaten without dipping them into the syrup, but the same can’t be said about the Belgian waffle strips. They’re bland compared to other frozen Belgian waffles I’ve had.

But thank goodness for the included Heinz Breakfast Syrup. It tastes as generic as its name, but it does bring a satisfying sweetness to this meat and carbs affair. And there’s enough of it to dip all the waffles and chicken.

However, everything is not all sugar, chicken breading spice, and everything nice. If you let the waffle sticks sit out too long, they go from being crispy and fluffy to dry and crunchy.

Overall, I enjoyed Devour’s Chicken & Waffles. I don’t know if it’s the best microwaveable chicken & waffles offering, but it’s definitely better than the rock bottom experience of Hungry-Man’s attempt at the sweet and savory dish.

(Nutrition Facts – 620 calories, 190 calories from fat, 21 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1150 milligrams of sodium, 83 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 36 grams of sugar, 24 grams of protein..)

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 9.25 oz.
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Better than Hungry-Man Selects Boneless Fried Chicken & Waffles. Crisping tray works! Chicken can be eaten on their own. Enough syrup for waffles AND chicken.
Cons: Belgian waffle strips slightly bland. If sits out too long, the waffle sticks turn dry and crunchy. Might not be filling for some people. Hungry-Man Selects Boneless Fried Chicken & Waffles.

REVIEW: Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill Breakfast Sandwich

Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill Breakfast Sandwich

Quite a bit has happened in the world since Chick-fil-A last released a new breakfast sandwich.

The Star Wars franchise has been revived, Nabisco stuck Fruity Pebbles in an Oreo, and Blake Shelton married Miranda Lambert, got divorced from Miranda Lambert, and is now shacking up with the lead singer of my favorite 1990s pop-ska-rock band.

Also, I got sort of chubby. A bit rotund. Somewhat more heavyset.

Frankly, I blame the fast food breakfast sandwiches, in particular Chick-fil-A’s ethereal chicken biscuit. I know I’m supposed to be getting down with this whole moderation thing, but that’s easier said than done. Where other chains at least offer somewhat healthy breakfast sandwiches on their menus, Chick-fil-A offers oatmeal. Oatmeal? Really? Like oatmeal stands a chance against a juicy fried chicken breast nestled between a fresh-baked biscuit slathered with butter.

The new Egg White Grill sandwich changes that, and might just slow the growth of my increasing flabby diameter. And while I’m not normally one to pass on a molten egg yolk, I’m less wedded to the superiority of cooked fast food eggs over egg whites; that is, provided the texture doesn’t remind me of that time I accidentally ate a deflated water balloon (don’t ask).

Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill Breakfast Sandwich 2

Fortunately, that’s not the case with Chick-fil-A’s egg whites. They’re really not at all chewy, and even have a bit of sweetness and a hint of buttery flavor from the grill. I thought they tasted about the same as the whites that McDonald’s uses, but had a better texture.

The grilled chicken is excellent (no surprise) and much better than the overly salty Canadian bacon you’d get on McDonald’s Egg White Delight. The chicken has a bold chargrill flavor and zesty citrusy aftertaste that’s really flavorful without being heavy, while the size is a perfect fit on the toasted English muffin.

The muffin and single slice of cheese, which was melted nicely toward the center of the sandwich, added quite a bit of flavor. If I have one complaint, it’s that there wasn’t a slice of a juicy tomato to add a little sweetness and relieve the gooey saltiness of the cheese. Also: Bacon. But this would probably detract a bit from the healthy angle.

Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill Breakfast Sandwich 3

Along with the new sandwich, Chick-fil-A has revamped some of its sauces and also added a new Sweet and Spicy Sriracha sauce. I tried it on the new sandwich, and while it has an enjoyable kick and sweetness that plays well with the naturally bland egg whites, it leans closer to a conventional sweet chili garlic sauce than a Sriracha sauce. It actually detracted from the savory and salty cheese on the sandwich, and covered up some of the buttery and toasted flavor, but I’ll definitely be grabbing a couple of packets the next time I order nuggets.

Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill Breakfast Sandwich 4

I’m not ready to give up chicken biscuits completely, but the Egg White Grill provides a nice transition for trying to live out this whole moderation thing. Of course, that moderation thing could completely go out the window should Chick-fil-A decide to introduce chicken and waffles, but at this rate, I probably have a six-year cushion before that happens.

(Nutrition Facts – 300 calories, 60 calories from fat, 7 grams of fat, 3.0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 970 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 1 grams of sugar, and 25 grams of protein..)

Purchased Price: $3.35
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Chick-fil-A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: A healthy breakfast sandwich that actually tastes desirable. Juicy grilled chicken breast and buttery egg whites provide plenty of protein. Melty cheese and perfectly toasted English muffin.
Cons: Not quite the life-changing experience of a chicken biscuit. Lacks a crunchy element like bacon or breaded chicken. Could use some more sweetness. Decreasing metabolism.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 7/20/2016

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.

Just Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Just Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Just Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Just Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Just give me a White Out pen and I’ll add more white space to the packaging. Or I’ll erase the dot from the J and make folks think it’s “lust.” (Spotted by Jen H at Walmart.)

Limited Edition Stonyfield Organic YoKids Squeezers Birthday Cake

Limited Edition Stonyfield Organic YoKids Squeezers Birthday Cake

Happy 33rd birthday, Stonyfield! (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Stouffer's Fit Kitchen Roasted Red Pepper Chicken

Stouffer’s Fit Kitchen Roasted Red Pepper Chicken

Stouffer's Fit Kitchen Sweet & Smoky BBQ

Stouffer’s Fit Kitchen Sweet & Smoky BBQ

Stouffer's Fit Kitchen Chicken Enchilada Verde

Stouffer’s Fit Kitchen Chicken Enchilada Verde

Stouffer's Fit Kitchen Teriyaki Chicken

Stouffer’s Fit Kitchen Teriyaki Chicken

Better tasting than protein powder shakes? I dunno. But definitely less chalky. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Jif Hazelnut Chocolate Nut Butter Granola Bars

Jif Hazelnut Chocolate Nut Butter Granola Bars

There’s also an Almond Chocolate variety. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Tasteful Selections Chili Lime Take & Shake Potatoes

Tasteful Selections Chili Lime Take & Shake Potatoes

Tasteful Selections Chipotle BBQ Take & Shake Potatoes

Tasteful Selections Chipotle BBQ Take & Shake Potatoes

Tasteful Selections Black Pepper, Rosemary & Thyme Take & Shake Potatoes

Tasteful Selections Black Pepper, Rosemary & Thyme Take & Shake Potatoes

Shake it, shake it like a mashed potatoes, shake it, shake it. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

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.

FAST FOOD NEWS: Chick-fil-A Egg White Grill Breakfast Sandwich

Chick fil A Egg White Grill Breakfast Sandwich

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

Chick-fil-A’s new Egg White Grill is the first new breakfast entree from the restaurant chain since 2010. The menu item features a breakfast-sized portion of grilled chicken breast with a hint of citrus flavor, freshly grilled egg whites, and a slice of American cheese on a toasted multigrain English muffin.

The sandwich has 300 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 970 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 25 grams of protein.

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

(Image via Chick-fil-A)