FAST FOOD NEWS: Burger King Have-sies

Along with the new Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries and the return of the Ghost Pepper Whopper, Burger King is also now offering Have-sies. It’s a mix of half Classic Fries and half Onion Rings, and the side is available in two sizes: medium and large.

A medium order has 380 calories, 17 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 690 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

Is this something Burger King fans have always wanted? Let us know what you think of it in the comments.

(Image via Burger King.)

REVIEW: Lunchables Crispy Grilled Cheesies

As a former child and current adult who requires a snack plate to feel truly at peace, I know a thing or two about Lunchables. In fact, most of my culinary preferences revolve around variety, portability, and the ability to arrange different foods in a cute little segmented container.

Now the Lunchables brand has extended its offerings well past cheese and crackers — and, for the first time, into the frozen food aisle. Lunchables Crispy Grilled Cheesies delivers frozen, microwavable grilled cheese sandwiches in two varieties: Original and Pepperoni Pizza.

I tested the Pepperoni Pizza flavor because why wouldn’t I? The package contained two full sandwiches, individually nestled in microwavable crisping sleeves and wrapped in plastic. The preparation was easy: remove the plastic, nuke the sandwich in its crisping sleeve for one minute, and then let it cool for another minute. The hardest part of the process was using the word “cheesie” as a noun.

The result smelled and tasted deliciously buttery, as though the cheesie (no, still weird) had just emerged from a sizzling pan. The crisping sleeve clearly did its job to encourage toasty texture on every surface of the bread, while still retaining some absorbed butter. Although crispy, the bread seemed to get chewier as time elapsed. The crusts were just plain tough.

The filling consisted of a slice of creamy, well-melted processed cheese, one to two tablespoons of marinara sauce, and three slices of pepperoni. Everything together made for a warm and comforting bite, and the pepperoni and marinara were just enough to ensure that the flavor wasn’t boring. The cheese would appeal to kid and adult tastes alike, but another slice — preferably added to the plain slice of bread — would have amped up the cheese flavor and helped the sandwich to adhere together as a whole.

Depending on one’s appetite, Lunchables Crispy Grilled Cheesies would make a fast, convenient (although hard to chew) snack or meal component at a low price point. Older kids could easily prepare a cheesie independently at home, but keep in mind that sending frozen foods to school can be tricky. If your child is prepared to negotiate a lunch box filled with ice packs and locate a kindly lunch-lady or lunch-lord to help them use the school microwave, then they have more fortitude than I do and deserve all the grilled cheesies in the world.

If that is too many cheesies (okay, I’m getting used to it), start with two for the Lunchables fan in your life. Although the product isn’t perfect, it delivers the comfort and convenience that so many have come to love from the brand.

Purchased Price: $4.79
Size: 6.2 oz box (2 pack)
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per sandwich): 300 calories, 18 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 660 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: 10/13/2023

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.

Enlightened x Metallica Vanilla Dark Chocolate Light Ice Cream Bars

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Betty Crocker Batchables

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Member’s Mark Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Semisweet Chocolate Chips

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Dunkin’ Caramel Cold Ground Coffee
Dunkin’ Cold Powdered Instant Coffee

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Choceur Peanuts & Cornflakes Milk Chocolate Bar

(Spotted by Tommy at Aldi.)

The Village Pie Maker Minis (Apple and Cherry)

(Spotted by Allison H at Wegmans.)

Zero Brands Mango Cream Bars
Zero Brands Strawberry Cream Bars
Zero Brands Triple Berry Cream Bars

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

FAST FOOD NEWS: Burger King Ghost Pepper Fries and the Return of the Ghost Pepper Whopper

Burger King’s Ghost Pepper Whopper is back for a limited time. Click here for our review. But along with the spicy Whopper, the fast food chain has also rolled out its new Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries. It features white meat chicken fries with ghost pepper spice added to the breading. It’s available in four, eight, and 12-piece sizes.

An 8-piece serving has 280 calories, 17 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 770 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.

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

(Image via Burger King.)

FAST FOOD NEWS: Taco Bell Toasted Breakfast Tacos, Steak & Bacon Grilled Cheese Burrito, and Vegan Nacho Sauce

Taco Bell is rolling out several new products today — Taco Bell Toasted Breakfast Tacos, the Steak & Bacon Grilled Cheese Burrito, and Vegan Nacho Sauce.

Taco Bell’s previous attempts at breakfast tacos were about trying to stand out in a crowd of fast food breakfast options. Remember the Waffle Taco? And let’s not forget the Naked Egg Breakfast Taco. The chain’s new Toasted Breakfast Tacos take a simple approach.

They combine fluffy eggs, melted cheese, and come with either bacon, sausage, or potato in a grilled tortilla. They’re available for a limited time during breakfast hours with an advertised price of $1.49.

The sausage one has 230 calories, 15 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 110 milligrams of sodium, 440 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 9 grams of protein. The bacon version has 230 calories, 14 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 115 milligrams of sodium, 550 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 11 grams of protein. The potato one has 220 calories, 11 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 440 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

Then there’s the Steak & Bacon Grilled Cheese Burrito. It features marinated, grilled steak, nacho cheese sauce, creamy chipotle sauce, potatoes, reduced fat sour cream, and a three-cheese blend wrapped inside a warm flour tortilla with more of the three-cheese blend and bacon grilled on top.

The menu item has 700 calories, 39 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 1730 milligrams of sodium, 57 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 30 grams of protein.

Finally, Taco Bell is now offering Nacho Fries with Vegan Nacho Sauce, certified vegan by the American Vegetarian Association. The ingredient originally appeared in a Vegan Crunchwrap that was tested earlier this year. The Nacho Fries with Vegan Nacho Sauce is available in two sizes, regular and a new large size that debuted last month.

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

(Images via Taco Bell.)

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