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The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW LIGHTNING ROUND (YOGURT EDITION) – 3/28/2013

Here are some quick reviews of new-ish yogurt varieties we’re too lazy to write full reviews for:

Item: Yoplait Pro-Force Mixed Berry Burst
Purchased Price: $2.49 (on sale)
Size: 4 3.5 oz. cups
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Nice generic berry flavor. Fat free. Good source of calcium. No berry seeds. Good source of protein and calcium. Contains live and active cultures. Product name doesn’t have a Z that replaces an S.
Cons: No chunks of fruit; blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry flavors come in the form of puree. An adult eating kids yogurt. Product name is kind of silly; it’s as if they’re saying they want to force protein into kids.
Nutrition Facts: 1 container – 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 60 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of sugar, 9 grams of protein, and 25% calcium.

Item: Yoplait GoGurt Twisted Strawberry Mango Tango
Purchased Price: $3.00
Size: 8 2.25-oz. tubes
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Strawberry Mango combo is tasty. Very portable. Contains live and active cultures. Gluten free. No spoon needed.
Cons: It’s disappointing the yogurts were not in separate chambers. Two colors in every tube that look like one color when I open the box. Not that great of a source for protein and calcium. Trivia printed on tubes will help your kids become know-it-alls.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tube – 70 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, and 10% calcium.

Item: YoCrunch Yopa! Blueberry with Granola
Purchased Price: 62 cents (on sale)
Size: 5.3 ounces
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Nice blueberry flavor. Fruit on the bottom. Good source of protein. Contains live and active cultures. Granola provides a nice crunch.
Cons: Unnecessary exclamation point in name. Not as tangy as other Greek yogurt I’ve had. My urge to say, “Yopa! Gangnam Style!”
Nutrition Facts (with topping): 180 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 105 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, 13 grams of protein, and 15% calcium.

Item: YoCrunch Yopa! Vanilla with Toasted Almonds
Purchased Price: 62 cents (on sale)
Size: 5.3 ounces
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Surprisingly good (I thought it was going to be boring). Vanilla-y with a hint of almonds. Crunchy almonds. It’s got live and active cultures: it’s what digestive systems crave! Almonds provide more protein and vitamin E. Good source of protein.
Cons: May seem like a boring flavor to some. Not as tangy as other Greek yogurt I’ve had. Stop it with the exclamation points. See, I didn’t use one in the previous sentence; I totally could’ve. Has same amount of sugar as a Pop-Tart.
Nutrition Facts (with topping): 200 calories, 8 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 55 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, 15 grams of protein, 20% calcium, and 20% vitamin E.

Item: YoCrunch Breakfast Blends with Post Fruity Pebbles
Purchased Price: $1.50 (on sale)
Size: 4 3.75-oz. cups
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Might possibly be better than Fruity Pebbles in milk. Fat free. Gluten free. Crispy Fruity Pebbles cereal. Contains live and active cultures. Perfect Fruity Pebbles to yogurt ratio.
Cons: Should’ve been Cocoa Pebbles (which is better). Size is only enough to be part of a complete breakfast. Not a great source of calcium.
Nutrition Facts: 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 80 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, 3 grams of protein, and 10% calcium.

March 28, 2013
REVIEW: McDonald’s Chicken & Ranch Premium McWrap

I can’t help but feel inadequate when I look at the McDonald’s Chicken & Ranch Premium McWrap. Look at its length. Look at its girth. If you compare it to one of my body parts, the McWrap makes it look pathetic.

I’m talking about my arm wresting arm. If somehow a McDonald’s Chicken & Ranch Premium McWrap came to life and I had to beat it at an arm wrestling match to prevent it from taking over the world, I’m going to lose and we’re going to have to call it Supreme Ruler McDonald’s Chicken & Ranch Premium McWrap.

When Apple’s iPad was first introduced, many people said it was just a big iPod touch or iPhone. And when I first heard about McDonald’s new McWraps, I thought they were just larger McDonald’s Snack Wraps. However, McDonald’s McWraps are much more than larger Snack Wraps.

A Chicken & Ranch McWrap can be made with either crispy or grilled chicken. I decided to try both varieties. (To be honest, I really wish McDonald’s would stuff these McWraps with McNuggets.) When the McCrew Member handed me the bag with my McWraps, I was McSurprised by how McHeavy it was. How McHeavy? I believe with a regime that involves several sets of wrist and bicep curls with a bag filled with two McWraps, I could take on and beat an animated McDonald’s Chicken & Ranch Premium McWrap intent on taking over the Earth.

Along with your choice of chicken, the 9-inch McWraps are stuffed with half slices of tomatoes, cucumber slices, shredded lettuce, cheddar jack cheese, spring greens, seasoned rice vinegar, and buttermilk ranch sauce. I’d list the plants that make up the spring greens, but it’s filled with names you’re probably unfamiliar with, so instead I’m just going to tell you it consists of greens from the Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Amaranthaceae families.

The McWraps come in sleeves that work a lot like convertible pants. But because of my muscle memory from eating a lot of Taco Bell burritos, I took the McWrap out of its sleeve and grabbed it like I was fighting a snake.

The crispy version is better tasting than the grilled one, thanks to the chicken’s breading, but I would buy either one again. I haven’t tried the other McWraps yet, so I can’t compare it with them, but these Chicken & Ranch versions are quite tasty. The buttermilk ranch sauce was spread evenly throughout the McWrap, ensuring flavor in every bite (and preventing ingredients from falling out), and the seasoned rice vinegar was ever so slightly noticeable but I think most people won’t realize it’s there.

Another ingredient eaters probably won’t notice is the cheese, which got lost in the buttermilk ranch sauce’s flavor. Since it doesn’t add any flavor, might I recommend asking to leave it out, which will knock off a good amount of fat and around 100 milligrams of sodium.

Thanks to the farmer’s market level of vegetables in each McWrap, its innards were filled with orange, dark green, light green, and dark purple colors. The veggies were also spread evenly within the flour tortilla as if they were placed there by a Subway Sandwich Artist.

While the McDonald’s Chicken & Ranch Premium McWrap makes my forearms look inadequate, it adequately fills my stomach and gratifies my taste buds.

Click here to read our McDonald’s Sweet Chili McWrap review

(Nutrition Facts – Crispy – 590 calories, 260 calories from fat, 29 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 05. grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 1300 milligrams of sodium, 56 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, 26 grams of protein. Grilled – 430 calories, 140 calories from fat, 16 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 1130 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, 30 grams of protein.)

Item: McDonald’s Chicken & Ranch Premium McWrap
Purchased Price: $4.99 each*
Size: N/A
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Crispy)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Grilled)
Pros: Nice flavor. Filling. Crispy is better tasting than grilled. Stuffed with, um, stuff, giving them a nice heft. Nice variety of veggies. They’ve got cucumbers. Dropping in plant family references to make me look smarter than I really am.
Cons: Cheese was unnecessary. Makes my arms look weak. Fast food trying to take over the planet. Awesome source of sodium. A McWrap probably doesn’t contain every green listed under “spring greens.”

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

March 27, 2013
SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 3/27/2013

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.

Bread toasts in the microwave? I’ve come close to doing that on my own. I’ve toasted bread on top of a microwave. Because our toaster is on top of our microwave oven. (Spotted by Troy at Walmart.)

I could’ve sworn Keebler Pitter Patters were already covered in a previous Spotted post. I spent two minutes looking for a previous photo, but couldn’t find one. I’m sorry if this is a repost. (Spotted by Kayla at Safeway.)

These Rockstar Green Apple Super Sours Energy Drink cans hurt my eyes. They look as if the early 90s threw up on them. (Spotted by Marvo at Safeway.)

Some things I miss from the 90s include: the Snapple Lady, Nirvana, and making music with dot-matrix printers. (Spotted by Marvo at Safeway.)

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. Almond Joy’s got nuts, Mounds Eggs Ice Cream bars don’t. (Spotted by Paige at Walmart.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf (or really unusual), snap a picture of it, and send us an email ([email protected]) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

March 27, 2013
REVIEW LIGHTNING ROUND (STORE BRAND EDITION) – 3/26/2013

Here are some quick reviews of new store brand products we’re too lazy to write full reviews for:

Item: Market Pantry 90 Calories Fiber & Chocolate Chewy Bars
Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 5 bars
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Pleasant chocolatey flavor and aroma. Nice chewiness; a bit chewier than a Rice Krispies treat. Same amount of fiber and cheaper than Fiber One 90 Calorie Chocolate Chewy Bars. There’s a coffee-like flavor at times.
Cons: Bars are on the small side. Only 5 bars, so if you’re sharing a box with someone, you may have to fight for the last one. .02 ounces lighter and half a gram more fat and saturated fat than Fiber One version.
Nutrition Facts: 1 bar – 90 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

Item: Market Pantry Peanut Butter Crunchy Granola Bars
Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 12 bars/6 pouches
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Edible. 18 whole grains per two bars. Crunchy. Easy to chew. Two bars per pouch so you can share or eat one and then smash the other on the ground while a starving person watches.
Cons: Weird peanut butter flavor. Weak weird peanut butter flavor. They kind of look as if they’re decomposing. Extremely awesome at making crumbs.
Nutrition Facts: 2 bars – 190 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 6 gram of protein.

Item: Market Pantry Fuji Apple Sparking Water Beverage
Purchased Price: 69 cents
Size: 33.8 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: So good that I could drink a lot of this. When well chilled, it tastes very close to Fuji apples. Inexpensive. Zero calories, fat, and carbs. Naturally flavored.
Cons: Contains no juice. Artificial sweeteners stand out when it gets a little warm. No caffeine, but that’s usually the case with sparkling water. So good that I could drink a lot of this.
Nutrition Facts: 8 oz. – 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 gram of protein.

Item: Market Pantry Mango Colada Fruit Smoothie
Purchased Price: $2.49
Size: 8 oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: Pleasant pineapple flavor. Awesome source of vitamin C. Tastes not bad when water is used instead of juice. The sound of ice being crushed in a blender.
Cons: Not much coconut flavor. Not much mango flavor. Yogurt comes in the form of a powder packet. If you like thick smoothies, you’re going to have to add ice. Might go well with rum.
Nutrition Facts: 1/2 package (made with water) – 140 calories, 0 calories from fat, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 26 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, 20% vitamin A, 6% calcium, and 50% vitamin C.

March 26, 2013
ANNOUNCEMENT: Denny’s Gift Card Winners

Here are the $20 Denny’s gift card winners:

Echo710 & Tim

Congratulations to them!

Thanks to everyone who participated! Also, thanks to Denny’s for providing the gift cards. Go Baconalia!

Finally, just in case you missed it, we’re currently running another giveaway, but this time for an iPod Shuffle. You have until Sunday, March 31, 2013 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time to enter.

March 26, 2013