SPOTTED: Cheez-It Puff’d
There’s also a Double Cheese flavor. So now there’s Snap’d and Puff’d. Anyone want to guess what the next apostrophe D snack from Cheez-It will be? (Spotted by Sarah D at Meijer.)
SPOTTED – 1/18/2022
Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments.
(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)
(Spotted by Bob K at Walmart.)
(Spotted by Tommy at Shaw’s)
(Spotted by Sarah R at Whole Foods.)
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)
REVIEW: Oreo Cakesters (2022) and Nutter Butter Cakesters
Oreo Cakesters look like what would happen if you accidentally let a regular Oreo slip from your fingers while dunking it in a glass of milk and letting it sit and swell in the dairy while you design and build a Rube Goldberg machine to retrieve it from the glass’ bottom.
I could give you a history lesson of these soft-baked Cakesters that’s as bloated as the cookie itself. But all you need to know is that they debuted back in 2007, were available for several years, had a few varieties, and then disappeared from shelves while we were probably all enamored with shiny, new limited edition Oreo flavors.
But now Oreo Cakesters are back, and they brought along a Nutter Butter version.
After allowing my taste buds to experience Oreo Cakesters after a decade-long absence, I reread my very positive Oreo Cakesters review from 2007. My thoughts about their flavor haven’t changed, but I like them less now than I did back then.
Overall, they’re a nice sweet treat that tastes like icing-less Hostess CupCakes, Ho Hos, and Ding Dongs, but in a better portion control size. However, the cakey cookie’s slight greasiness and/or the fact they don’t taste like Oreo cookies might deter first-time eaters from becoming second-time buyers.
The Nutter Butter version smells and tastes like the original cookie, which, again, I can’t say about the Oreo one. There’s a nutty taste in the soft cookie that enhances the creme, which is made with real peanut butter.
While I enjoy regular Nutter Butter, and these taste similar, I find myself wanting the Oreo ones slightly more. Also, I don’t know if it’s just me, but the light-colored cakey cookie is as greasy as the dark one but has a drier texture.
Even though they were on shelves for longer than the original runs of Crystal Pepsi and Pepsi Blue combined, I can’t believe there was a lot of interest in bringing back Oreo Cakesters. They don’t taste like regular Oreo cookies and the half dozen new Oreo flavors released every year are far more interesting.
Although, the “in” thing right now is bringing back discontinued products. Plus, it has been 10 years since they disappeared from shelves, and I guess if there’s a good time to bring back something, whether it’s cookies, TV shows, or pets, it’s a nice round 10 years after they cease to exist.
Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 5 packs
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Oreo), 6 out of 10 (Nutter Butter)
Nutrition Facts: (1 pack) Oreo – 260 calories, 13 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 21 grams of sugar (20 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein. Nutter Butter – 260 calories, 12 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 210 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 22 grams of sugar (21 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.
SPOTTED: International Delight Hostess Twinkies Creamer
“Cake Your Coffee Up a Notch”!? I want to take those hearts on the bottle and give them to the person who came up with that. (Spotted by @ReneBarba89 at Walmart Neighborhood Market.)
REVIEW: Dunkin’ Bacon & Cheddar Omelet Bites
I’ve eaten many an egg bagel in my day, but eggs shaped like little bagels?! What is this madness?
Yeah, I’m not gonna lie, Dunkin’ got me to try its new Bacon Cheddar Omelet Bites mostly because of the shape. Seeing egg bites with a donut hole somehow filled the massive hole in my ever-aging heart.
It takes a lot to get a dedicated Bread Head™ like myself to order eggs without some kind of carb surrounding it, but I had to find out if these were as good as they looked.
As it turns out, I’m a fan. Sure, the expectation of the menu picture didn’t quite match the reality of what I got, but I still found the presentation to be pretty fun.
The bites come in a serving tray with a fork, but have enough structural integrity to hold in your hand if you wanna be a weirdo and eat them like the holed out treats that preceded them.
The egg is cooked sous vide, and it made me realize that I’ve never had eggs that way. I’m not sure I’ve ever had anything sous vide, and I honestly don’t even know if I’m using it right in a sentence – I uh, I don’t know how to write sous vide. … Sue me. I’m what the French call, “les incompetents.” I’ll just be an uncultured dummy and use the English translation, “under vacuum.”
Guess what? “Under vacuum” eggs taste pretty damn good.
They had a slightly mushy almost potato-like texture that might not be for everyone, but I genuinely enjoyed it. It was as if they took the filling of Pillsbury Breakfast Scrambles (the savory Toaster Strudels) and rolled it into a patty. The flavor was very similar to me, but it was also right in line with what you know and love from Dunkin’ or most other fast food breakfast menus.
The cheddar and bacon definitely pop. The cheese is blended perfectly into the egg, so there’s no ooze to worry about. I’d say the bacon leans towards that artificial “bacon bits” taste, but it’s fine. Those are good too.
I’m glad they used this gimmicky shape, because I’m not sure I would have gravitated towards them without it. I’ve seen omelet bites at other places like Starbucks, but never gave them a second thought.
So yeah, these are fun and satisfying. They’re a really good source of protein also, which I appreciate.
Dunkin’ is also selling an egg white and veggie variety. I might try them at some point, but I’m definitely going back for the Bacon Cheddar bites. Even though they stand on their own, I’d like to see if I can try to slide these between two little biscuits. It might end up being an overwhelming starch bomb, but I know it’d be delicious. Hopefully they release more of these with some crumbled sausage next time.
After the speed bump that was the Mini Pancakes, it’s good to see Dunkin’ innovating the “mini” food game once again. You’ll never go wrong with a Munchkin, a mini bagel ball, or a couple of these new Omelet Bites.
Purchased Price: $4.14
Size: 2 Bites
Purchased at: Dunkin
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 19 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 185 milligrams of cholesterol, 520 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of total sugars, and 17 grams of protein.