FAST FOOD NEWS: White Castle Ghost Pepper Cheese Sliders

White Castle Ghost Pepper Cheese Sliders

White Castle is promoting the release of the movie X-Men: Apocalypse on DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital download with a lineup of spicy sliders and a new side.

Ghost Pepper Cheese Slider – an Original slider with ghost pepper cheese. It’s new for most people, but was available in Chicago earlier this year.

X-Treme Ghost Pepper Cheese Slider – an Original Slider with ghost pepper cheese, crispy onion chips, and chipotle mayo.

Apocalyptic Waffle Slider – a Belgian Waffle Slider with a fresh-cracked egg, spicy chorizo sausage, and ghost pepper cheese.

Mutant Loaded Fries – crinkle cut fries topped with onion chips, cheese sauce, barbecue sauce, and bacon crumbles.

If you’ve tried any or all of them, let us know what you think in the comments.

(Image via White Castle’s Facebook page)

REVIEW: Great Value Late Night Cravings Double Decker Chicken & Bacon Sandwich

Great Value Late Night Cravings Double Decker Chicken & Bacon Sandwich

Great Value’s Late Night Cravings Double Decker Chicken & Bacon Sandwich looks like it belongs under the heat lamp at a gas station convenience store. The KFC Double Down-inspired sandwich features smoke-flavored bacon and American cheese between two breaded crispy chicken breast patties.

After microwaving it, cheese oozed out from almost every angle and down onto the plate. The sandwich’s cheesiness is because there are actually three slices of American cheese stuck together to make it look like one. BONUS!

Great Value Late Night Cravings Double Decker Chicken & Bacon Sandwich 2

With every bite there’s a little bit of everything initially — some seasoning from the chicken patty’s breading, a bit of smokiness from the bacon, and a little tang from the cheese. But that gets shoved aside by a wave of saltiness.

My dogs, who like to lick my arms after a run, would say this sandwich is way too salty. One has over 2,000 milligrams of sodium. The KFC Double Down is a healthier option with 1,380 milligrams of sodium. Yes, I just typed the words “KFC Double Down is a healthier option” and you are not in a bizarro dimension.

Great Value Late Night Cravings Double Decker Chicken & Bacon Sandwich 3

With every bite, all I could think of was salt. Salt shakers. Salty sea water. A horse salt lick. The Morton’s Salt Girl. Veruca Salt. Salt from Salt-N-Pepa. I’ve had fast food burgers with more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium, but they didn’t taste as salty as this sandwich. But, let’s be honest, it shouldn’t be surprising the combination of breaded chicken, three cheese slices, and bacon would create culinary salt lick.

Great Value Late Night Cravings Double Decker Chicken & Bacon Sandwich 4

But there’s more to complain about than its saltiness. The chicken patties along their edges were as dry as stale bread; it’s pricey for just two small sandwiches; and its microwave instructions are more complex than they should be. It involves taking apart the sandwich, heating just the chicken, reassembling the sandwich, heating the whole thing, and letting it stand for a minute to cool and to allow you say “YOLO” or push aside any doubts, regrets, or doctor’s warnings.

If there’s one major plus it’s the addition of the paper sleeve with each sandwich. I thought it was for crisping the chicken in the microwave, but it’s just a plain paper one to help hold the sandwich as I ate it, since the “bread” is freshly microwaved chicken patties.

But a courteous attachment isn’t enough for me to recommend the Great Value Late Night Cravings Double Decker Chicken & Bacon Sandwich.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 sandwich – 610 calories, 380 calories from fat, 42 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 11 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 13 grams of monounsaturated fat, 115 milligrams of cholesterol, 2090 milligrams of sodium, 280 milligrams of potassium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 34 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $6.44
Size: 2 sandwiches
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: Paper sleeve included to prevent burnt fingers. A flash of decent flavor with every bite.
Cons: Salty. Pricey. Salty. Dry chicken patties. Salty. Its microwave instructions. Salty. Too much cheese. Salty.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Iced Coffee

International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Iced Coffee

I just wanna stick a bubble tea straw into that carton and suck out all the pumpkin pie spice flavored coffee. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)

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: Totino’s Supreme Stuffed Nachos (2016)

Totino's Stuffed Nachos Supreme

If ramen noodles are the Usain Bolt of cheap eats for students, drunkards and poor folks the world over, then Totino’s is surely…whoever happens to be the second fastest guy in the world.

Okay, now some of what I’m going to say will sound made up, but unless Wikipedia is riddled with errors (which has never happened), this is the God’s honest: Totino’s was founded in Minneapolis in 1951 (!) by Rose and Jim Totino (!!) as a take-out pizza joint (!!!). They eventually expanded to a full-service restaurant (!!!!) that finally shuttered its doors in 2011 (!@#$%!!).

I know, right?

Anyway, in 1993, Pillsbury-owned Jeno’s pizza rolls (first created by Jeno Paulucci in 1968 as “an egg roll filled with pizza ingredients”), were rebranded as Totino’s, and the rest is history.

If you are alive, and human, you have had a Totino’s Party Pizza (the idea of throwing a party involving Totino’s never ceases to make me laugh). You have also had Totino’s Pizza Rolls.

The “pizza” is by no means a real pizza; now, that’s not to say it’s bad. It is a small, crispy disk of bread-like material covered with an amalgamation of hydrogenated oil-based cheese substitutes, flavorless ketchup, and salt-bits masquerading as various types of meat toppings. It regularly retails for $1.39 in my area, and can often be found as a 10/$10 deal.

It has its place as a late-night regret.

It is also a wildly successful brand, producing 240 MILLION discs per year.

So it is no wonder that they would also try to corner the market on another beloved American institution, the frozen, pocket-based delicacy. Not that this is their first attempt. The ORIGINAL Stuffed Nacho from Totino’s was introduced in 1996 and then discontinued, leaving a trail of heartbroken and hungry snack aficionados in the wake.

Totino's Stuffed Nachos Supreme 2

The Totino’s Stuffed Nacho is a triangle pizza roll filled with nacho-inspired ingredients. For the sake of this review, I went with the “supreme” variation. The box promised me “taco seasoned chicken and beef pizza topping, red bell peppers, jalapeños and cheddar cheese rolls in a crispy crust.”

Totino's Stuffed Nachos Supreme 4

The first thing you should know is that you can’t taste ANY of it. There was no heat from the jalapeño, no sweet tang from a red bell pepper, no possible way a chicken ever saw the killing room floor. There may have been cheese, but only in the way that we know God loves us.

The shell was different from a standard pizza roll in that it was corn-tasting. Not in an ACTUAL corn tortilla respect — and not even in a corn chip way — but in the way that Nestle manages to conjure a vague corn-ambiance from its Beef Taco Hot Pockets effort.

The beef too was not unlike the aforementioned BTHP. It was a chewy approximation of meat, but if you received something like it anywhere other than here (Taco Bell included), you’d curse out the proprietor and demand a refund. It has that signature taco taste, though, achieved through “spice” (a real ingredient on the label), as well as onion and garlic powders.

Totino's Stuffed Nachos Supreme 3

Anyway, does this taste like an elf in the Totino’s factory magically impregnated a pizza roll with a plate of delicious nachos? Not a chance.

Would I buy them again, however? Eh, maybe. They seriously weren’t awful — in the same way that pizza rolls and Totino’s pizza discs aren’t awful. But at $4.59 (!) for a 34 count box (NOBODY NEEDS THAT MANY OF THESE THINGS!!), it’s prohibitively expensive. You know, for the target demographic: students, vagabonds, and drunks.

(Nutrition Facts – 6 rolls – 220 calories, 70 calories from fat, 8 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 420 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $4.59
Size: 17.4 oz box
Purchased at: Hy-Vee
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: Vague taco qualities. You don’t have to think much about it. Nice face-stuffing quotient
Cons: Pretty one-note. Idea of “nacho pocket” isn’t a bad one, but execution on this offering lacks. Per Wikipedia, Consumer Reports rated Totino’s as “only fair for nutrition.” Because, duh.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 9/7/2016

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.

Bettty Crocker Limited Edition Snickerdoodle Cupcake & Frosting Kit

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Snickerdoodle Cupcake & Frosting Kit

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Apple Cide Cupcake & Frosting Kit

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Apple Cider Cupcake & Frosting Kit

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Vanill Chai Cupcake & Frosting Kit

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Vanill Chai Cupcake & Frosting Kit

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Sea Salt Hazelnut Cookie Mix

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Sea Salt Hazelnut Cookie Mix

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Strawberry Cheesecake Cookie Mix

Betty Crocker Limited Edition Strawberry Cheesecake Cookie Mix

Sloooow down, Betty Crocker. (Spotted by Adam S at Tops Friendly Markets, Carla at Walmart, and Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Limited Edition Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Fall Duo Squares Caramel and Pumpkin Spice Caramel

Limited Edition Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Fall Duo Squares Caramel and Pumpkin Spice Caramel

I thought Mocha and Milk & Caramel was your Fall Duo, Ghirardelli. (Spotted by Amanda Y at Target.)

Dare Cremes Pumpkin Spice

Dare Cremes Pumpkin Spice

Fresh Finds Pumpkin Spice Drizzle Caramel Popcorn

Fresh Finds Pumpkin Spice Drizzle Caramel Popcorn

Oh, Big Lots. Where we’ll find pumpkin spice products from companies I’ve barely heard of or never heard of. (Spotted by Robbie at Big Lots.)

Brach's Pumpkin Peanut Caramel Clusters

Brach’s Pumpkin Peanut Caramel Clusters

I’m going to say the same thing I said to Betty Crocker, Brach’s. Sloooow down. (Spotted by Chris B at Target.)

Swiss Miss Limited Edition Peppermint Hot Cocoa K-Cups

Swiss Miss Limited Edition Peppermint Hot Cocoa K-Cups

This will be great in several weeks when it cools down a bit. (Spotted by Carla at Target.)

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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