SPOTTED ON SHELVES (TRADER JOE’S EDITION) – 11/22/2017

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 Hot Cocoa O s

Trader Joe’s Hot Cocoa O’s

Trader Joe s Chocolate Bar Quintet

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Bar Quintet

Trader Joe s Chocolate Covered Pretzel Twist Assortment

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Covered Pretzel Twist Assortment

Trader Joe s Danish Butter Cookies

Trader Joe’s Danish Butter Cookies

Trader Joe s A Taste of Vermont Maple Syrup

Trader Joe’s A Taste of Vermont Maple Syrup

Trader Joe s Eucalyptus Blossom Honey

Trader Joe’s Eucalyptus Blossom Honey

Trader Joe s Green Apple Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe’s Green Apple Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe s Winter Sangria Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe’s Winter Sangria Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe s Pineapple Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe’s Pineapple Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe s Berry Bubbly Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe’s Berry Bubbly Sparkling Spring Water

Trader Joe s 3 Seed Beet Crackers

Trader Joe’s 3 Seed Beet Crackers

Trader Joe s Lip Treatment Duo

Trader Joe’s Lip Treatment Duo

Trader Joe s Fruit  Nut  Other Stuff Crisps

Trader Joe’s Fruit & Nut (& Other Stuff) Crisps

Trader Joe s Stroopwafel  2017

Trader Joe’s Stroopwafel (2017)

Trader Joe s Organic Rice  Quinoa Hot Cereal

Trader Joe’s Organic Rice & Quinoa Hot Cereal

Trader Joe s Caperberries in Brine

Trader Joe’s Caperberries in Brine

Trader Joe s Organic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Trader Joe’s Organic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Trader Joe s Salad Dressings  Green Goddess Carrot Ginger Miso and Almond Butter Turmeric

Trader Joe’s Salad Dressings (Green Goddess, Carrot Ginger Miso, and Almond Butter Turmeric)

(Spotted by Rachel C and 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.

FAST FOOD NEWS: Dunkin’ Donuts Frosted Sugar Cookie Donut and Gingerbread Cookie Donut

Dunkin Donuts Frosted Sugar Cookie Donut and Gingerbread Cookie Donut

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

For a limited time, Dunkin’ Donuts is offering two new cookie-flavored donuts — the Frosted Sugar Cookie Donut and Gingerbread Cookie Donut.

The former features a frosted donut with cookie dough-flavored filling, topped with crumbled frosted sugar cookies. It has 420 calories, 21 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 410 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Dunkin’s Gingerbread Cookie Donut is a caramel frosted donut sprinkled with gingerbread cookie topping. It has 310 calories, 17 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 360 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

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

(Image via Dunkin’ Donuts.)

REVIEW: Burger King Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich

Burger King Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich

Burger King’s Chicken Cordon Bleu is like me realizing I’ve run out of soap while in the shower. I’ll use whatever else is available, which is shampoo.

With the sandwich, Burger King forgoes chicken cordon bleu’s traditional Swiss cheese and uses the mozzarella it has lying around because of its Chicken Parmesan and Crispy Chicken Buffalo Melt sandwiches.

The BK Chicken Cordon Bleu features a 100 percent white meat seasoned crispy chicken filet that’s topped with black forest ham, two mozzarella slices, and a tomato pepper signature sauce on a golden brown potato bun.

I picked one up at my local airport’s Burger King, so excuse the almost $14 meal price below. But, at first, I thought it was a good thing because the last time I ate at this airport Burger King, I had the best chicken sandwich I’ve ever had in my life from a BK. It was the Crispy Chicken Sandwich that came out earlier this year and it was delightful. It was crispy, juicy, and at a temperature I’ve never experienced at a Burger King in decades. So I expected my taste buds to be pleased again.

But when I bit into it, I noticed the temperature contrast between the hot chicken filet and cool-to-warm ham and cheese. I was surprising because I watched the BK employee make my sandwich and after layering on the cheese and ham and wrapping it up, I thought I saw her lift into a microwave, stand there for several seconds, and then pull it out of the microwave. But it tastes like I imagined that.

Burger King Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich 2

The lukewarm ham and cheese is an issue because they take away from the chicken’s crispy breading and slight juiciness. They also take away from the flavor of the new sauce, which is tasty. It’s like sweet and peppery Thousand Island dressing, but without the relish.

Eventually, the chicken causes the cheese to melt a little, but that happens halfway through eating the sandwich. The ham uses the mozzarella as a cheese shield, preventing any heat from affecting it. The worst part is that the ham and cheese don’t add to the flavor of the sandwich, they just subtract from the heat of the sandwich.

Overall, Burger King’s Chicken Cordon Bleu isn’t a horrible sandwich. There’s a lot of good — the sauce and crispy chicken filet. But, the lukewarm ham and cheese bring down the whole experience.

(Nutrition Facts – 730 calories, 39 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 1930 milligrams of sodium, 63 grams of carbohydrates, 16 grams of sugar, and 32 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $13.79*
Size: Small Combo
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Crispy chicken filet. Tomato pepper signature sauce has a nice flavor.
Cons: Warm-to-cool mozzarella and ham brings the sandwich’s temperature down. Ham doesn’t add to the sandwich’s flavor. Uses mozzarella instead of Swiss.

*I bought this from an airport Burger King, where things are a bit pricier.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Brach’s Fruit Cake Nougats

Brach s Fruit Cake Nougats

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

Yum? (Spotted by Barbara B at Walgreens.)

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: Limited Edition Nutmeg & Cinnamon Triscuit Crackers

Limited Edition Nutmeg  Cinnamon Triscuit Crackers

I’ve got to admit, I only eat Triscuit once or twice a year.

My family has a tradition at holiday gatherings to make one of the simplest yet most delicious appetizers you’ll ever try. A block of Philadelphia cream cheese covered with a jar of salsa and served with Triscuit. I know, it might sound kind of bizarre, but don’t dog it ’til you’ve tried it cause it’s damn delicious. I love Triscuit in this setting, they’re perfect. Better than Wheat Thins or any other chip when combined with this dip, but I don’t ever buy them for myself.

Popcorn, Cheez-Its, Doritos – these things all find their way into my snack cabinet, but I’ve never felt compelled to buy the hard little squares of shredded wheat on my own…until now. My inner spice sense began tingling the second I saw the new and autumn-kissed Nutmeg & Cinnamon Triscuit.

Limited Edition Nutmeg  Cinnamon Triscuit Crackers 2

The crackers look no different than your average Triscuit – square, brown, and wheat-y. The aroma is similarly familiar – wheat with a hint of lingering sweetness.

The flavor, though, is surprisingly soft and very good. The overwhelming feeling I get when biting into these crackers is warmth. The presence of the spice doesn’t smack you over the face with artificiality or some kind of sweet pumpkin spice foil – they simply elevate the flavor of the wheat and add a wonderful spicy flourish to the already established successful profile.

Cinnamon and nutmeg are definitely the key players in the mix, but I also get a nice tingle of ginger. Nothing about the flavor is harsh and, shockingly, the crackers aren’t sweet either. In fact, they aren’t even really salty, less so than the original. Being devoid of sweet and salty would imply that they’re bland, but the spices make up for it.

Limited Edition Nutmeg  Cinnamon Triscuit Crackers 3

Since the flavor comes off as more of a warm feeling than bold tongue-tingling taste, they lend themselves very well to different applications. Smeared with some cream cheese? Awesome. Topped with peanut butter? Delicious. Garnished with a bit of medium cheddar? Divine. The spices don’t bully their way to the forefront of the experience and yet they stay there in the background like lovely jazz in a cozy coffee shop – never taking over the conversation, but elevating the atmosphere immensely.

If you’re a Triscuit fan and are looking for a slight festive twist on something you already love – look no further than Nutmeg & Cinnamon. They’re subtly complex and fitting for your next holiday gathering, and hey, maybe even try topping them with cream cheese and salsa – you might be pleasantly surprised.

(Nutrition Facts – 6 crackers – 120 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 8.5 oz. box
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Nice subtle but complex blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. Hints of ginger. Not sweet. Flavors work well with variety of toppings.
Cons: A Triscuit can only be so good. They will never be Cheez-Its or Sweetos

Scroll to Top