SPOTTED: 4/11/2024

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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.

Sensible Portions Mac & Cheese Garden Veggie Puffs

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Townhouse Pretzel Flip Sides Minis House Seasoned

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Member’s Mark Southwest Style Cheesy Rice

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Sir Kensington’s Truffle Garlic Aïoli

(Spotted by Tommy at Hannaford.)

Beyond Burger Plant-Based Patties Made With Avocado Oil

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Amylu Mushroom & Gouda Chicken Burgers

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Skinnygirl Caesar Dressing

(Spotted by Erin K at Walmart.)

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.

REVIEW: Betty Crocker Oreo Brownie Mix

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Betty Crocker could’ve been lazy with its new Oreo Brownie Mix and taken its regular fudge brownie mix, included Oreo wafer pieces, and then dusted off its brownie mix-coated hands to call it a day. But Ms. Crocker didn’t do that. Instead, it’s an Oreo-flavored brownie mix with an added packet of Oreo pieces, some of which have the iconic cookie’s creme filling. But I do wish the box came with whole cookies and a mallet for smashing them. Maybe Betty Crocker should look into that.

The brownies appear are darker than Betty Crocker’s regular fudge brownies, making me think of Oreo wafers and lava fields. It also makes me wonder if I burnt them. Fortunately, I did not. There were enough cookie pieces to sprinkle all over the brownie batter in the 11 x 7 baking pan I baked them in. If you’ve eaten brownies from a mix before, you’ll have an idea of how chewy these were. But the cookie pieces provided a nice crunch that nicely contrasts the chewiness, and it stamps your taste buds to let them know you’re eating an Oreo product. After I stuffed my face with a few brownie squares, I nibbled on just the brownie part, and it also reminded me of Oreo.

Remember Nabisco Oreo Brownies? Well, if you’re disappointed with the Oreolessness of those, this baking mix will make much better tasting Oreo brownies.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from General Mills. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 13.6 oz box
Purchased at: Received from General Mills
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/12 package – as prepared) 190 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar (including 17 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: Twizzlers Pink Lemonade Filled Twists

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Twizzlers Pink Lemonade Filled Twists.

If only these weren’t completely filled, I could use it as a straw for a pink lemonade. (Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

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.

SPOTTED: Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers

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Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers Frosted Strawberry Crunch.

Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers Frosted Brownie Crunch.

Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers Variety Pack.

I wonder how these taste in milk. (Spotted by Tommy at Hannaford. Variety pack spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

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.

REVIEW: Red Bull Summer Edition Curuba Elderflower Energy Drink

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I have no idea what curuba or elderflower are, but I do know they make 2024’s Red Bull Summer Edition one very delicious caffeinated beverage. And I assume many of you are also unfamiliar with them. So, let’s learn something about the two together. Off to Google we gooooo…gle!

Curuba is also known as a banana passionfruit because of its length and yellow color when ripe, but it doesn’t curve like typical bananas. The plant is also passionate about killing trees in areas where they are an invasive species. Ay curuba! Elderflower sounds like either something you should equip yourself with in a Final Fantasy game, someone you meet behind a waterfall to help you achieve enlightenment, or the name of a Swedish indie pop band. Oh, wait, I’m being told that the last one is true. However, actual elderflowers are plants with small white flowers that bloom in late spring, which is a perfect flavor for a Red Bull Summer Edition that also shows up in spring.

The energy drink’s color resembles a curuba’s flesh, while the green can could represent an unripe curuba’s skin. It has a delightful tropical passion fruit punch aroma that I wish I could purchase as an essential oil for my mindfulness meditations behind a waterfall with some guy named Elderflower. When I first tried it, I could only think of pear and lychee. But the more I drank, the more the tang from the curuba and its tropical fruit flavor stood out. And I assume the floral lychee hints I taste is the elderflower. The fruit and flower flavor combo is so tasty that it makes me want to sing “Curuba. Jamaica. Oooh, I wanna take ya. Bermuda. Bahama, come on pretty mama” every time I type curuba. Ugh. That reference makes me feel so old.

Red Bull Summer Edition Curuba Elderflower tickles my taste buds so much that I’d recommend getting the four-packs available, and it deserves to be the new Green Edition. So let’s kick to the curb the current Green Edition flavor, Dragon Fruit, and replace it with this. I’m going to start a petition to make that happen right now. Okay, not right right now, but if I chug enough of these curuba elderflower-flavored Red Bulls, it might give me the wings to do so.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 8.4 fl oz can
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 90 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugar (including 26 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 80 milligrams of caffeine.