REVIEW: Ghirardelli Limited Edition Milk Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Squares

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With some chocolate and mint candies it feels as if your mouth was assaulted by multiple candy canes or 9 out of the 10 dentists who recommend a particular toothpaste armed with the toothpaste they recommend. But that’s not the case with these Ghirardelli Limited Edition Milk Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Squares.

They have a mild peppermint flavor that doesn’t overpower the milk chocolate exterior or “brownie” filling. What’s with the quotation marks? I’ll get to that in a moment.

The filling has tiny crunchy bits and you might think it’s peppermint candy because everything about the packaging SCREAMS peppermint candy, but it’s not. Digging one out of my mouth reveals they’re mint chocolate cookie crumbs that look like part of a cavity all 10 of those dentists would remove from a mouth.

The milk chocolate is creamy and the filling is smooth, but with every square I’ve eaten I keep wondering when the ”brownie” flavor will show up. I’ve had enough brownies in my lifetime to know what they taste like and I don’t get an inkling of the baked good in these.

The squares have the right balance of milk chocolate and mint, the filling is smooth, and I love the crunchy cookie bits. But what excited me about these was the word “brownie” and I didn’t get any of it with flavor or texture.

For a minty chocolate candy, they’re really pleasing. And if the squares were used as tile in the bathroom of the witch in Hansel and Gretel, she would have to redo it after every time I came over because I would eat most of it.

But as I lay on her bathroom floor made from Ghirardelli Limited Edition Milk Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Squares, stuffing my face with the surface I’m lying on, I’ll be extremely disappointed they didn’t have brownie flavor or peppermint candy bits in them.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 square – 80 calories, 45 calories from fat, 5 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.)

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: 5.1 oz. bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Wonderful mint and chocolate squares. Crunchy bits add a pleasant texture. Creamy milk chocolate. Brushing your teeth. Being able to leave the witch’s house in Hansel and Gretel without being eaten.
Cons: No brownie flavor. No peppermint candy bits. The witch in Hansel and Gretel sending me the bill for her bathroom repairs. Cavities.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Godiva Cookie Inspired Holiday Chocolates

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Godiva Cookie Inspired Holiday Chocolates

Godiva Cookie Inspired Holiday Chocolates 2

Godiva could’ve taken the easy route and bake holiday cookie, but it took the hard route and made chocolates that taste like holiday cookies. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Tom Thumb.)

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.

FAST FOOD NEWS: Starbucks Pokémon GO Frappuccino

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Starbucks Pokemon GO Frappuccino

Are you still playing Pokémon GO? If so, yesterday, approximately 7,800 Starbucks locations in the U.S. turned into PokéStops or Gyms. Since I don’t play Pokémon GO, I have no idea what the previous sentence means.

If you do visit a Starbucks while playing Pokémon GO, you can catch the new Starbucks Pokémon GO Frappuccino. Also, remember to look up from your screen so you don’t run into anyone with hot coffee in their hands.

The blended beverage combines a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, raspberry syrup, and freeze-dried blackberries, all of which is topped with whipped cream. It’s available for a limited time at participating Starbucks stores.

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

(Image via Starbucks. Hat tip to Rene B.)

REVIEW: Andes Mint Cookie Crunch Thins

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Andes Mint Cookie Crunch Thins

December 25, 1995.

I thought I hit the jackpot. Not only did my stocking contain a Gumby keychain, but it contained an entire package of Andes mints, to keep all for myself! That was way better than the blueberry and butterscotch candy canes I got. (Those are two different flavors, BTW.) Andes were a super fancy candy I only ever got when we snuck them from our wealthy, mint-loving grandmother.

I started to realize they weren’t all that fancy when we would get them as Christmas gifts from those neighbors we barely knew. But even though my estimation of them has gone down, I still find myself decimating a package in a relatively short amount of time, with the wrappers accumulating in my pants pockets and dryer lint screen. Therefore, I was intrigued to try these new Andes Mint Cookie Crunch Thins.

Andes Mint Cookie Crunch Thins 2

The paper wrappers for these are a shiny silver, rather than the familiar green. The packaging makes it look like the wrappers will be green or bronze, but nope, it’s silver. When you strip the candies, they look just like a typical cookies ’n’ creme bar. There’s no green stripe indicating that it will be a mint flavor.

Andes Mint Cookie Crunch Thins 3

However, once you pop them in your mouth, they taste just like regular Andes mints. (At least they taste exactly as I remember them; I didn’t taste the two kinds side by side.) There is no flavor of cookies ’n’ creme. The uniqueness of these is purely textural; there is a definite crunch. It’s not overwhelming, but it’s there. This means that there is no false advertising when the package says, “The Mint Taste You Love, With a CRUNCH!” That’s 100 percent accurate. Nothing more, nothing less.

This crunch will mean different things to different people. Some people will find the crunchy bits a welcome addition to the otherwise uninteresting Andes. Others will find the crunchy bits an unnerving distraction to the mints’ smoothness. It probably depends on whether you prefer creamy or crunchy peanut butter. And me, I usually prefer crunchy, so I like these new Andes.

I would gladly welcome a package of these in my stocking this year. But I don’t need another Gumby keychain. I still have the first one I got.

Andes Mint Cookie Crunch Thins 4

(Nutrition Facts – 8 pieces – 210 calories, 110 calories from fat, 13 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 21 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.00
Size: 4.67 oz. package
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Crunchy bits provide new texture. Tastes exactly like standard Andes mints, as promised by the package. Keeping Christmas toys for 21 years.
Cons: Change is purely textural. Wrappers accumulating in pockets and lint screens.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 12/9/2016

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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.

Jones Wiz's Energizing Elixir

Jones Limited Edition Wiz’s Energizing Elixir

Orange and cream flavored soda for $2.99? It better be very energizing. (Spotted by Gary A at Target.)

Entenmann's Limited Edition Minis Raspberry Creme Jelly Rolls

Entenmann’s Limited Edition Minis Raspberry Creme Jelly Rolls

(Spotted by Caitlin J at ShopRite.)

Martin Dessert Gourmet Chocolate Log and Gourment Sugar Cream Log

Martin Dessert Gourmet Chocolate Log and Gourmet Sugar Cream Log

These gourmet logs remind me of something I’ve seen really recently, but I can’t put my finger on it. (Spotted by Carla at Walmart.)

Hanover Blended Proteins (Cajun Style and Santa Fe Style)

Hanover Blended Proteins (Cajun Style and Santa Fe Style)

Hanover Blended Proteins (Sicilian Style and Caribbean Style)

Hanover Blended Proteins (Sicilian Style and Caribbean Style)

Protein vegetables with some chicken and wash it all down with a protein shake. (Spotted by Gary A at Walmart.)

Blue Harbor Fish Co. Wild Albacore Tuna in Water

Blue Harbor Fish Co. Wild Albacore Tuna in Water

Safe Catch Elite Solid Wild Tuna and Wild Albacore Tuna

Safe Catch Elite Solid Wild Tuna and Wild Albacore Tuna

Combine an expensive can of tuna with some expensive Sir Kensington’s Mayonnaise and you’ve got your tuna fish sandwich that probably doesn’t taste expensive. (Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

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.

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