The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Blood Orange Refresher

Vin / August 29, 2022 / Reviews / 4 Comments

I’d like to share a joke with you that I distinctly recall reading on a Popsicle stick.

What was the vampire’s favorite fruit?

G’head and take a few seconds to think.

Ready? Here we go. The vampire’s favorite fruit was…

“DRACberry!”

Yeah. It was, uh, it was the Dracberry. Look, it’s a weak joke. They always are. The fact that the answer wasn’t “blood orange” kinda made me want to chisel that popsicle stick into a stake and go vampire hunting.

I guess ol’ Vlad and the boys don’t like citrus? That’s a real shame because that probably means they won’t be trying Dunkin’s new Blood Orange Refresher.

I only look like a vampire, so I tried it, and I have some thoughts.

Just to refresh you on Refreshers, they are Dunkin’s line of B vitamin and green tea-infused fruit drinks, and they mostly live up to their name. Mostly.

Blood orange is a solid flavor addition to the menu, but I’m not sure it’s a worthy “Refresher.”

I’ll cut to the chase; the Blood Orange Refresher is basically just Dunkin’s attempt at an Orangeade. It smells and tastes like orange-flavored green tea. That’s not necessarily a bad thing –- mission accomplished. After the first sip, I thought it was the most refreshing Refresher I’ve tried.

While the orange flavor was vibrant and landed right in a sweet spot between typical fresh Tropicana style orange juices and the more sugared up fare that have to be labeled as “drinks,” I don’t necessarily associate “_____ades” with the word “refreshing.”

I could be alone here, but lemonade isn’t refreshing. It might be for a sip or two, but then it starts to dry my mouth out and just makes me thirstier. That’s exactly what happens here. This should be the drink that peps me up and quenches my thirst, not one that makes me wish I also bought a bottle of water.

With that said, it’s still a good flavor, and the green tea does the job. I think you can get away with replacing a coffee with one of these and get that boost of caffeine you crave, but once more, you’ll probably just be thirsty again once you finish.

I’d also be lying if I told you this was distinctly “blood orange.” I’m not even sure I could articulate the subtle difference I was expecting, but it’s basically just “orange” flavored, so don’t assume any crazy new flavor experience.

So, in the end, this might be the least refreshing Refresher I’ve tried to date, but I guess I still give it a light recommendation. You can also order it cut with coconut milk, which might actually curb that sour drying finish a bit and help with the thirst problem.

I imagine using “blood” orange might be a thinly veiled Halloween tie-in, so I’d expect this flavor to hang around for at least a couple months. If not, get it quick because it could be replaced by “DRAC-berry” any day now.

Purchased Price: $3.69
Size: Medium
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 130 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of total carbohydrates, 29 grams of sugars, 0 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, and 100 mg of caffeine.

SPOTTED: 8/26/2022

Marvo / August 26, 2022 / Spotted on Shelves / 2 Comments

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.

(Spotted by Robbie at Randalls.)

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

Bob Evans Parmesan Chives Mashed Cauliflower — *Bob Evans Parmesan & Chives Mashed Cauliflower*

(Spotted by Rachel J at Fred Meyer.)

*Hu Nut Butter Filled Almond Butter and Almond Crunch Milk Chocolate*

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

*The Humble Seed Everything Grain Free Crackers*

*The Humble Seed Garlic Herb Grain Free Crackers*

*The Humble Seed Sea Salt Grain Free Crackers*

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

*Sprouts Sea Salt Croccantes Italian Crackers*

*Sprouts Sesame Seed Croccantes Italian Crackers*

*Sprouts Rosemary and Garlic Croccantes Italian Crackers*

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

SPOTTED: Gatorade Limited Edition Citrus Kick

Marvo / August 26, 2022 / Spotted on Shelves / 6 Comments

Putting art on bottles makes me want to collect Gatorade bottles now. Nope. Don’t collect bottles. You already have a can collection, Marvo. Where are you going to store them? Just be happy with this picture. (Spotted by Rachel J at Safeway.)

REVIEW: Smartfood Frank’s RedHot Popcorn

Marvo / August 26, 2022 / Reviews

Smartfood’s Frank’s Redhot Popcorn is a limited edition flavor that’s currently exclusive to Sam’s Club. It comes in a 17-ounce bag that’ll look massive sitting on your lap as you watch something like one of the many marriage reality shows that involve not knowing what each other looks like until the wedding ceremony that I’m absolutely not into.

Much like newlyweds a few weeks into marrying someone they didn’t meet in person until their wedding day, some issues have come up after spending some meaningful time with the popcorn.

First off, it doesn’t taste EXACTLY like Frank’s RedHot Sauce. I put that stuff on regular popcorn and compared it with Smartfood’s offering and thought the flavors might be cousins, but they’re not twins. While both are peppery, vinegary, and garlicky, the sauce is also slightly tomato-y, even though the vegetable is not listed as an ingredient in the sauce. To be honest, when I first tried it, I thought the snack’s flavor reminded me more of Tabasco.

Also, I find it odd that the popcorn is spicier than Frank’s RedHot Sauce. However, it doesn’t reach a level that requires me to stop and give my mouth a rest or have something to soothe my mouth nearby when my hand dives into the bag. Of course, your mouth may vary. While it doesn’t burn that much, for some reason, I got the same sweaty scalp and runny nose that I’ve only experienced with much spicier products. Or maybe I need to see a doctor.

While Smartfood’s Frank’s RedHot Flavored Popcorn doesn’t precisely capture the flavors of the hot sauce, it’s a tasty snack in a giant bag that my hand found itself in a lot while watching something that absolutely was not a marriage reality show.

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

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 17-ounce bag
Purchased at: Received from Smartfood
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 2 1/2 cups) 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Frank's RedHot Popcorn Smartfood

SPOTTED: 8/25/2022

Marvo / August 25, 2022 / Spotted on Shelves / 4 Comments

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.