{"id":12856,"date":"2012-07-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-03T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/?p=12856"},"modified":"2020-12-24T11:22:19","modified_gmt":"2020-12-24T21:22:19","slug":"review-hot-pockets-snackers-baked-mac-cheese-bites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2012\/07\/03\/review-hot-pockets-snackers-baked-mac-cheese-bites\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW: Hot Pockets Snackers Baked Mac & Cheese Bites"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hot<\/a><\/p>\n

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results; but they also say if at first you don’t succeed, you should try, try again.\u00a0 So, are “they” advocating madness?\u00a0 These are the kind of thoughts that run through my head as I review my second mac & cheese-based product in two reviews.\u00a0 And\u00a0a pretty good indicator of why I majored in English rather than Philosophy.<\/p>\n

Hopefully you’re all familiar with Hot Pockets, or the slightly lower-calorie alternative Lean Pockets, my preferred indulgence because I like to pretend I could still swim a mile in less than 20 minutes (nope) and we can’t all eat like Michael Phelps.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

You may also be aware of\u00a0HP’s “Snackers” brand<\/a>, an attempt to\u00a0offer a smaller alternative to their usual burrito-sized offerings.\u00a0\u00a0The bag\u00a0contains 12 pieces (3 servings) of pastry crust stuffed with macaroni\u00a0& cheese and promises to microwave in just over a minute, which is big because regular Hot Pockets take 2 full minutes and\u00a0who has that kind of time these days?\u00a0 Not me, that’s an extra review and a half I could have written.\u00a0 These things require a craftsman’s touch!<\/p>\n

(By the way, I know 4 pieces may not sound like much as a serving size, but given how thick each triangle is, trust me that it isn’t insignificant.\u00a0 I guess technically you could eat a full package as a meal, but that would be a lot.\u00a0 Count on either splitting them with a friend or just not having a side dish if you decide to down the whole\u00a0bag at once.)<\/p>\n

\"Hot<\/a><\/p>\n

Diving in, the crust is fairly light and flaky. This reaffirms the package’s boast that they’re baked, not fried.\u00a0 If you’ve ever had a Hot Pocket before, you know what to expect, although these taste just a bit lighter.\u00a0 And as I alluded to\u00a0regarding the thickness, you’re not getting hosed as far as how much mac & cheese is stuffed into each one.\u00a0 I certainly didn’t feel short-changed, and microwaving the triangles caused most of them to either spill out some cheese onto the plate or at least partially crack open, reinforcing the point.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

That said, they’re not messy — I didn’t have any problems with cheese spilling out unexpectedly or big pieces flaking off, so feel free to eat these one-handed on the couch without a napkin like the savage you are.\u00a0 No one is judging.<\/p>\n

The macaroni itself is a good consistency, soft but with just enough firmness to be appealing.\u00a0 It actually looks pretty similar to Kraft Mac & Cheese, but the cheese is a bit different, slightly creamier than Kraft’s flavor without being especially sharp.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Also, it’s a little hard to describe, but the cheese almost feels like a different component than the macaroni; there’s a lot of it, and it tends to ooze around the cracks and crevices formed by the pasta and spill out in large quantities.\u00a0 I’m not complaining because it tastes the same either way, but rather than\u00a0truly coating the macaroni, the cheese feels more like it’s sharing space with it.\u00a0 They don’t exactly meld, but it’s plentiful and tasty, so\u00a0I can’t complain too much.<\/p>\n

Probably the only other criticism I would level against the Macaroni & Cheese Bites is that they lack that certain edge, the extra component that really distinguishes good products from great products.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Don’t interpret that as a criticism — I like the Bites, and I wouldn’t at all mind getting them again.\u00a0 But an extra flavor of cheese inside, maybe something with more bite like colby jack, would’ve really put it over the top.\u00a0 But as it is, this is a good, solid snacking choice that’s quick and easy to make and will fill you up.\u00a0 You could do a lot worse.<\/p>\n

(Nutrition Facts — 4 pieces — 220 calories, 80 calories from fat, 8 grams of total fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 460 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 3 grams of sugars, and 6 grams of protein)<\/small><\/p>\n

Item:<\/b> Hot Pockets Snackers Baked Mac & Cheese Bites
\nPurchased Price:<\/b> $3.99
\nSize:<\/b> 10 oz. \/ approx. 12 pieces
\nPurchased at:<\/b> Acme
\nRating:<\/b> 7 out of 10
\nPros:<\/b> Bypassing one useless degree for a slightly-less-useless one.\u00a0 Light, fairly soft crust.\u00a0 4 pieces makes a good snack.\u00a0 Only takes a minute and change to make.\u00a0 Triangles are stuffed full of mac & (especially) cheese.\u00a0 Swimming references, because when people only notice your sport once every four years, you’ve gotta jump on that opportunity.
\nCons:<\/b> We have yet to break the 1-minute microwave mark.\u00a0 Pasta and cheese feel more like amiable co-inhabitants than a happy couple.\u00a0 Not being able to eat like Michael Phelps.\u00a0 Could use a little more kick.\u00a0 Not lacking in fat and sodium<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results; but they also say if at first you don’t succeed, you should try, try again.\u00a0 So, are “they” advocating madness?\u00a0 These are the kind of thoughts that run through my head as I review my second mac […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1440],"tags":[1571,1689],"class_list":["post-12856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-frozen-food","tag-hot-pockets"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10089,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2011\/08\/31\/review-hot-pockets-limited-edition-four-cheese-garlic-pasta-bake\/","url_meta":{"origin":12856,"position":0},"title":"REVIEW: Hot Pockets Limited Edition Four Cheese Garlic Pasta Bake","author":"Stephanie","date":"August 31, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"The longevity of Hot Pockets has hinged upon two things: 1) Their manufacturer's ability to successfully stuff as many different things into a tender, seasoned crust as possible; and 2) Speedy microwave zap-ability. 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After spending more time than anyone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Limited Edition Spicy Beef Nacho Hot Pockets","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8270\/8712361732_2fc9061dba.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":650,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2008\/07\/18\/hot-pockets-philly-steak-and-cheese-croissant\/","url_meta":{"origin":12856,"position":3},"title":"REVIEW: Hot Pockets Philly Steak and Cheese Croissant","author":"Ace","date":"July 18, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"If Hot Pockets were a movie franchise, it would probably be Batman. Like Batman, the Hot Pocket has a crusty exterior but a center that burns hotter than a thousand blazing suns. 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