SPOTTED: Snyder’s of Hanover Sticks
Even Snyder’s of Hanover is getting into protein and fiber. (Spotted by Phil at Weis and Tommy at Shaw’s.)
If you spotted something new, send your photos to [email protected].
REVIEW: McDonald’s The HUNTRIX Meal
The promotion for McDonald’s KPop Demon Hunters asks you to pick a meal to pick a side. Those two sides are The HUNTRIX Meal versus The Saja Boys Breakfast Meal. If you have no idea what the previous sentence means, I suggest going to the Wikipedia page for KPop Demon Hunters to get yourself caught up, which is what I had to do because I know the music, but I do not know the movie.
But is it a hard choice? If you compare the two, it seems easy to pick a side. The Saja Boys Meal comes with just a Sausage McMuffin with Egg covered in Spicy Saja Sauce, hash browns, and a small soft drink. The HUNTRIX Meal, meanwhile, is a spread of 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with two special sauces — Hunter Sauce and Demon Sauce — Ramyeon McShaker Fries, and a medium drink. Both meals come with photo cards of the characters, but the HUNTRIX Meal offers so many more flavors. It’s not even a contest.
That said, while the HUNTRIX Meal offers more flavors, the two McNugget sauces taste suspiciously similar to previous ones. Let’s start with the Hunter Sauce, which McDonald’s describes as a sweet and slightly spicy sauce that blends chili, garlic, and pepper. I swear it tastes like one of the limited-time dipping sauces McDonald’s offered within the past three years, though I can’t pinpoint which one. It’s a pleasant, sweet, and peppery sauce with a mild kick. Tasty, but the Demon Sauce was more intriguing.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you, and my iPhone’s nearly four-year-old camera isn’t messing with the colors — the Demon Sauce really is purple. If you’re wondering how it got its pretty purple pigment, the ingredients list butterfly pea flower extract, fruit juice, and vegetable juice. The color brings back memories of those Heinz EZ Squirt ketchups from the ’90s, available in green, blue, pink, and purple.
It tastes almost exactly like my favorite McNuggets sauce, Hot Mustard — which still exists, though not everywhere, I think. So it’s no surprise I prefer it over the Hunter Sauce. The only differences between the Demon Sauce and standard Hot Mustard are the color and the heat, with the Demon Sauce building spiciness the more you eat.
Finally, the Ramyeon McShaker Fries feature a savory blend of soy, garlic, sesame, and spices. The flavor reminds me of the seasoning packet from a bag of instant noodles, so McDonald’s did a solid job of replicating ramyeon flavors. There’s a strong soy sauce note throughout, though I was a little surprised there wasn’t any heat — ramyeon is typically known for being spicy. The seasoned fries were enjoyable, but not enough to make me miss them when they’re gone or to buy them à la carte while they’re still around.
The standout of the HUNTRIX Meal was the Demon Sauce, for its striking purple color and its Hot Mustard flavor. But despite that being the only true standout, I still think the HUNTRIX Meal is far more interesting than the Saja Boys one. So I guess I picked a side — I’m Team HUNTRIX.
Purchased Price: $12.19*
Size: Medium
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Hunter Sauce), 9 out of 10 (Demon Sauce), 6 out of 10 (Ramyeon McShaker Fries)
Nutrition Facts: (w/medium Diet Coke) 930 calories, 54 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1915 milligrams of sodium, 88 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 28 grams of protein.
*Because I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.
SPOTTED: Bubble Yum Bubble Gum Filled Lollipops
I just learned the Bubble Yum duck has a name, and it’s O-S-C-A-R. Just kidding. It’s Floyd D. Duck. While this gum is available on Amazon, it’s also going to end up in stores. (Spotted by Robbie at Amazon.)
If you spotted something new, send your photos to [email protected].
SPOTTED: Maison Perrier French Kiss Sparkling Juice Beverage
Do not French kiss a can of Maison Perrier French Kiss Sparkling Juice Beverage. The drink comes in four flavors — Blackberry & Lemon, Peach & Cherry, Mango & Coconut, and Raspberry & Lime. A can has 6 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar. A kiss of sugar and a French kiss of fiber, if you will. (Spotted by Phil at Weis.)
If you spotted something new, send your photos to [email protected].
Fruit Riot Sour Patch Kids Sour Pineapple Tropical Mix Review
Fruit Riot has never caused a riot in my house because, well, I’ve never invited any of its products into my place. I’ve known about Fruit Riot products for years, ever since the original version debuted, but never made room in my freezer for the pouches of sour-coated frozen fruit. All it took for me to finally open my freezer door to welcome a bag of Fruit Riot was a collaboration with Sour Patch Kids.
Before you question whether gummy candy freezes well, know that this Fruit Riot Sour Patch Kids Sour Pineapple Tropical Mix is freshly frozen pineapple with a Sour Patch Kids-inspired sour coating. So, no gummy candy shaped like kids were harmed in making this product.
It appears the sugary, sour layer aims to replicate the flavors of Redberry, Orange, and Grape. However, the pouch mostly contained yellow-colored pieces, which made me wonder if they were lemon-flavored rather than orange. The next most plentiful were the Redberry chunks, and trailing far behind with only four purple bits was Grape.
It was surprising that there was no need to let the fruit thaw before biting into it. As someone who freezes fruit because I don’t eat fresh ones fast enough, I know how solid fresh pineapple can get when frozen. The varied sizes of the pieces also took me aback — some were standard pineapple chunks you’d find in a can, while others were noticeably smaller.
Of the three Sour Patch Kids flavors in the pouch, the only one I could identify with certainty was the Redberry, which ended up being my favorite. Orange didn’t taste like orange, and I’m not sure the purple pieces were grape, but that didn’t take away from how much I liked them. The pineapple’s flavor, which can be a bit tart on its own, wasn’t overpowered by the coating. Instead, the sugary layer amped up the sourness, though not to a face-puckering level. The coating’s grittiness wasn’t off-putting either, adding a sugary crunch to the firm chew of the pineapple.
I don’t know if these are as sour as Fruit Riot’s other products because, as I mentioned earlier, I haven’t had any of them. But I enjoyed the taste of every piece, even though with most, I was not sure what I was tasting beyond the sourness and pineapple. If you’re a fan of sour candy, these are a fun way to eat fruit, and definitely worth opening your freezer door for.
Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 8 oz pouch
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 3-5 pieces) 45 calories, 2 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar (includes 4 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.