OTHER THINGS I CONSUMED: 2/20/2026

Slice Apple Healthy Soda

Slice Apple Healthy Soda

There needs to be more apple-flavored sodas on shelves. Sure, I could stick some apple juice into a Sodastream, but that might void its warranty. One of the best apple sodas I’ve had was from Slice way back when. But then Slice got sliced out of the market. But as we all know, Slice made a comeback last year, and now that we’re a year or so into its resurrection, the brand has brought back its apple flavor, but, um, a healthier version with prebiotics and probiotics.

This isn’t the first apple-flavored soda with gut stuff. Olipop makes a delicious Crisp Apple flavor that is a top-tier Olipop variety. If this Slice version is as good or as good as the original Slice Apple, we’ll have a winner here. However, while its aroma is enticing, its flavor unfortunately pales in comparison to Olipop’s Crisp Apple, which has a fruitiness that, well, um, pops. This Slice soda? Not so much. It’s very underwhelming. I’ll stick with Crisp Apple.

Stiller’s Shirley Temple Soda

Stiller’s Shirley Temple Soda

If you asked me what celebrity would come out with a soda line, I’d probably rattle off a bunch of YouTubers. Didn’t expect Ben Stiller to have one. Much like a lot of new sodas nowadays, it’s a “better for you” soda. Now you might be thinking, “Oh, so it’s like Olipop and Poppi.” Well, I’m going to pop that thought because there’s nothing in this that your gut microbiome will appreciate. No fiber. No apple cider vinegar. No pre- or probiotics. There’s just some fruit juice and natural flavors, along with a bunch of sweeteners: cane sugar, stevia, and monk fruit. The soda has only 30 calories.

The can claims its “The World’s Refreshing-est Soda.” I’m going to follow that with the World’s Eye Rolling-est Eye Roll. Because it’s a soda, by nature it’s most likely going to be refreshing, but “World’s Refreshing-est”? Nope. It smells nice and there’s a mild cherry taste with a bit of citrus in the background. But its flavor doesn’t strike my taste buds as hard as others. Plus, there’s an earthy twist in the aftertaste that makes an okay soda a little less okay. Sorry, Mr. Stiller. I’ll rewatch Severance, but I won’t repurchase your soda.

Wheat Thins Ranch Crackers

Wheat Thins Ranch Crackers

Am I in another timeline? Because I’m pretty sure ranch-flavored Wheat Thins have been a thing for a very long time. Long enough that I’m sure it has gone through box design changes. But here we are in 2026 with Wheat Thins Ranch Crackers with a “NEW” banner on the box. I guess it must be a new and improved version.

Wheat Thins Ranch Crackers close up

I’m 100 percent sure I’ve had the previous version on multiple occasion, but I can’t quite remember what it tastes like, so I’m unable to compare. But I won’t forget these crackers because they are wonderful. Every bite definitely says “ranch.” Their seasoning is tangy, creamy, slightly herby and garlicky, and every cracker is well seasoned. I hate to admit this, but I ate two-thirds of the box while rewatching Severance. I stopped myself once my fingers realized they were hitting the bottom of the box. Okay, I didn’t stop just then. I mean, my hand was still in the box, so why not take out a couple more before closing it. They’re that good.

Poppi Amaya’s Island Colada

Poppi Amaya's Island Colada

I have no idea who Amaya is. Pop singer? Siri and Alexa’s cousin? The can says something about “Love Island.” I have no idea what that is. Is it like a reboot of the TV show “The Love Boat,” but on an island? I’m so out of it in terms of American pop culture. All I do is watch anime and Asian dramas with quirky characters, and listen to 90s rap and Japanese and Korean pop and rock.

However, I do know that Amaya’s Island Colada is a tasty prebiotic soda. It might be in my top 5 favorite Poppi flavors. It starts off with a sweet pineapple flavor that pleases my taste buds, and then it’s followed by a creamy coconut flavor that, thankfully, isn’t overwhelming. The pineapple gets a tad sour in the aftertaste, but not enough to make me pucker because the creamy coconut helps prevent that. Also, unlike some other Poppi flavors, I didn’t notice the apple cider vinegar.

It’s a limited edition flavor, so set sail to pick one up if a piña colada-flavored prebiotic soda interests you.

REVIEW: Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry Float

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry Float bottle

For many years now, Coca-Cola has Oreo-ified its brand model. Releasing countless drops of mystery flavors and odd combinations, utilizing cooling menthol, tropical fruits, and even a collaboration with Oreo itself. Yet the beginning of 2026 sees the company with a return to form of sorts, embracing a new but very familiar pairing for its classic soda with Coca-Cola Cherry Float in both regular and Zero Sugar.

If you have ever walked up to a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine at your favorite movie theater or fast food chain, you may be asking yourself: “Haven’t I had this?” The short answer is, yes. Coca-Cola Cherry Float is a cute name for a drink you’ve likely had before gleefully watching the newest blockbuster at AMC, with the clear distinction of a specific, calculated Coke-approved syrup ratio.

I’m sure you have experienced the varying levels of awesomeness at a soda fountain. Whether that’s at your standard restaurant or a Freestyle machine, sometimes the ratio can taste light, just right, or, less likely, heavy. Which is why McDonald’s fountains have such a stout fanbase — quality control and a unique system that keeps the Coke crispy and consistent. Without the variable of a machine-specific distribution, what does the Coca-Cola company view as the perfect cherry-to-vanilla ratio?

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry Float poured into glass

At first, I thought that there wasn’t enough cherry, which, as a cherry lover, alarmed me. There’s some initial cherry on the front end that finishes pretty strongly on the artificial vanilla flavor that Coke has used in the past. There’s nothing new or special about the “float” flavor other than it is a bold vanilla paired with the cherry taste you’ve known since its inception in 1985.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry Float bottle sitting next to glass

The more I drank the soda, the more the cherry stacked, and by the end of the bottle, an almost even, let’s call it 55/45 split, started to shine. It’s one that should please fans of both cherry and vanilla. I like this better than last year’s Wild Cherry & Cream Pepsi, which is no surprise given my general affinity for one brand over the other (although I am far from a Pepsi hater).

This is another somewhat lazy but comfortable release, akin to last year’s Holiday Creamy Vanilla, but at least it’s a more exciting one since it hasn’t been bottled or canned before. Whereas Holiday Creamy Vanilla desperately lacked some spice or a special element to make it unique, there is nothing inherently disappointing about grabbing a can of pre-mixed half-cherry, half-vanilla Coke from the fridge without having to find a Freestyle Machine. But it also suffers from what I call the “Reese’s Conundrum,” where original Reese’s, much like original Coca Cola (and Cherry Coke), are so good that is this twist really any better than the base beverage itself? And the straightforward answer is simply: no!

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 20-ounce bottle
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle, 20 oz) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Canada Dry Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale

Canada Dry Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale bottle (also available in cans and a zero sugar version)

Ginger ale and I go way back—my nickname as a child was even “Jen-ger Ale”! So, combining my longstanding affinity for this particular beverage with my general love for all things flavored and novel means that Canada Dry’s new Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale was a no-brainer for me to pick up when I saw it peeking from the refrigerator of the corner store that somehow always gets the new releases before anywhere else in my neighborhood.

You may be familiar with the Fruit Splash line from its initial Cherry flavor, and this new Strawberry offering makes a strong impression. It smells potently like the strawberry flavor it advertises—I thought I caught a whiff of kiwi as well, but perhaps I’m just conditioned to associate strawberry with kiwi because they’re so commonly paired with each other. Strawberry is the only fruit mentioned on the ingredients label, so I probably was just smelling things that weren’t there. In any case, I was excited about the prospect of some fruity sweetness to offset ginger ale’s typical fizziness and spice, and that’s exactly what I got.

Canada Dry Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale poured into a glass. Fancy.

In fact, this soda was so sweet and mild upon first sip that I wasn’t sure I would even have identified it as ginger ale until the aftertaste, where that familiar bite kicked in. It struck me as more fruity than gingery, but that’s not to say that the drink was overly sweet. While the mellowness did take me by surprise, especially compared to other flavored ginger ales I’ve had, I quite enjoyed it. The ginger flavor was still present, just in a slightly different way—the juiciness of the strawberry flavor meant that there wasn’t that spiky acidity that can sometimes prevent me from finishing my glass.

Canada Dry Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale looking down in to a glass.

There was a slight tartness as well, which makes sense given that the Fruit Splash line advertises that they’re “made with a splash of real juice”. Sure, the pale pinkish-gold color of the ginger ale didn’t scream “fruit juice”, but the taste sure did. And while the ginger ale fizzed up quite nicely when I first poured myself a glass, it quickly simmered down, so my drinking experience wasn’t overly bubbly. Overall, Strawberry Fruit Splash went down quite smoothly— crisp, refreshing, and very drinkable!

Canada Dry Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale label up close.

I think this flavor is a winner. Ginger ale has a reputation as a good mixer, and it certainly mixes well with strawberry flavoring, leading to a well-balanced drink that goes down easy. And best of all—unlike many of the unique flavors I’m used to loving and losing, this one is a permanent addition to Canada Dry’s lineup, so if you enjoy it as I did, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to drink your fill. If you’re in the market for some ginger ale that contains sugar and spice and all things nice, Strawberry Fruit Splash will indeed make a splash!

Purchased Price: $2.44
Size: 20 fl oz bottles
Purchased at: A local convenience store
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 240 calories, 0 grams of fat, 80 milligrams of sodium, 63 grams of carbohydrates, 62 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Liquid Death Sparkling Energy Drinks

Liquid Death Sparkling Energy Drinks all flavors

It’s hard to know whether Liquid Death is killing it in the sparkling water world. Everywhere I shop, its cans and multipacks are buried within the hordes of LaCroix, bubly, Waterloo, and store brands. While the company is concerned with murdering our thirst, I wonder if the others are slaughtering its market share. Well, to get a little market share elsewhere, Liquid Death is taking a stab at the energy drink market with a line of Sparkling Energy Drinks.

Available in four flavors—Scary Strawberry, Tropical Terror, Orange Horror, and Murder Mystery—Liquid Death’s energy drinks have zero sugar, no sucralose or aspartame, no artificial colors or dyes, B and C vitamins, and 100 milligrams of caffeine naturally sourced from coffee beans.

Yup. Just 100 milligrams of sweet caffeine. A nice round number that Liquid Death calls “unextreme.” I’m a bit flabbergasted by that amount because for a company that wants to murder our thirst and bring death to drowsy (the can’s words, not mine), I’m disappointed these don’t have 187 milligrams of caffeine. But I guess 100 isn’t so bad since a 12-ounce can of Red Bull has 114 milligrams.

If you’re familiar with Liquid Death’s other products, you won’t be surprised by the mild, watered-down flavors these have. If you’re not familiar, they have a taste that’s between the other sparkling water brands I mentioned in the opening paragraph and any other energy drink, but leans more towards water.

Liquid Death Murder Mystery Sparkling Energy Drink

Liquid Death Tropical Terror Sparkling Energy Drink

Among the four varieties, the two that stand out are Murder Mystery and Tropical Terror. I initially thought the former would be a mystery flavor, but it turns out it has the same flavor as Liquid Death’s Doctor Death, which has a Dr Pepper-like taste. As a fan of Doctor Death, I approve of it. I also endorse Tropical Terror, which tastes terrific. It has a noticeable, tasty pineapple flavor with a hint of coconut, which makes me wonder if this is similar to Liquid Death’s Pina Killada, which I have never tried.

Liquid Death Scary Strawberry Sparkling Energy Drink

Liquid Death Orange Horror Sparkling Energy Drink

Scary Strawberry and Orange Horror were also great tasting and reminded me of strawberry and orange sodas, but, you know, watered down like the others. I believe there have been strawberry and orange Liquid Death options, but I haven’t tried them, so I can’t compare. But all four are worthy of a rebuy.

While there’s a lot to like about these, not coming in 16-ounce cans from the get-go is disappointing. Most new energy drinks seem to come in 12-ounce slim cans, which I don’t mind. But if I’m standing in front of tens of thousands of milligrams of caffeine, and they’re all roughly the same price, my hands are more likely to pull off the shelf something with 16 ounces. If these are someday available in 16-ounce cans, maybe they could have 187 milligrams of caffeine?

Overall, I think Liquid Death’s foray into energy drinks is a successful one. A negative I’ve had about its sparkling water is the lack of caffeine, but these have erased that issue. If you’re a fan of the company’s previous beverages, the way these taste won’t be unfamiliar to you. However, if you’re used to sweet energy drinks with a ton of flavor, these might not appeal to you.

Purchased Price: $2.50 each (sale)
Size: 12 fl oz cans
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Murder Mystery and Tropical Terror), 7 out of 10 (Scary Strawberry and Orange Horror)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can – all flavors) 5 calories, 0 grams of fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Monster Ultra Wild Passion Energy Drink

Monster Ultra Wild Passion Energy Drink can

To make my five-year-old son feel like he has some control in my life, I let him pick which Monster Ultra Energy Drink flavor I’ll drink to give me the energy to play with him for the rest of the day.

He can’t read most of the names yet, but he can easily point out colors, so he tells me which Monster Ultra to choose by pointing to the color. Take that, Cocomelon! If you’re unfamiliar with the Monster Ultra lineup, they come in different cans that span the color spectrum in a Kindergarten class. But now there are two purple cans: Ultra Violet and the new Ultra Wild Passion Energy Drink.

Granted, Ultra Violet is a dark purple can, while Ultra Wild Passion is a light purple can, and my son knows the difference between light and dark. When daddy doesn’t have caffeine, he’s Dark Tired Daddy, and when he does, he’s Light Awake Daddy.

Monster Ultra Wild Passion Energy Drink in measuring cup

While there’s a flavor difference between the two purple Monster Ultra Energy Drinks, after drinking Ultra Wild Passion, I can’t help but think it tastes oddly similar to another in the Monster Ultra Rainbow — the Monster Ultra in the white can. The energy drink company describes Wild Passion’s flavor profile as “passionfruit with citrus,” while the white one is “light refreshing citrus.”

I’m very familiar with Ultra White because my kid has chosen it for me many times, and it’s a default when my body goes into decision paralysis and can’t make up my mind between the gazillion flavors. The two energy drinks aren’t identical taste twins; I think Wild Passion is slightly more tart and fruitier, while the White one is a bit sweeter. But from the moment I took a sip, I realized the newest flavor might be just a slight tweak of one of the oldest.

Does it bother me that they taste similar? Not anywhere as close as it bothers my son that he absolutely can’t have any of the energy drink he picked. Since Ultra White is one of my most consumed flavors, I don’t mind a slightly tweaked tasting version. Besides, since there are now two purple Monster Ultra flavors, I can teach my son the difference between violet and lilac the next time we play Choose the Caffeine.

Who’s the teacher now, Cocomelon!

Purchased Price: $2.69
Size: 16 fl oz can
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 400 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 2 grams of erythritol, 0 grams of protein, and 150 milligrams of caffeine.

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