Mandatory Update

When the title of your blog is Twinkie Wiener Sandwich, and "Weird Al" Yankovic releases a new album, it goes with the territory that you have to do something special. Some may claim that having a blog like this is a Lame Claim to Fame but in My Own Eyes I find it a Handy way to express myself. Since an Inactive blog has never been our Mission Statement, I say we get over our First World Problems, dispense with the Tacky openings, and get to the Word Crimes.

 

Since today also marks the one year anniversary of the return of Hostess, I can think of no better way to celebrate the occasion than with an entry about the snack cake that has had the biggest impact on American pop culture, the Twinkie. Pop culture references to the Twinkie could be its own entry but among our favorites are:  (obviously) UHF's Twinkie Wiener Sandwich and Ghostbusters' "That's a big Twinkie", with an honorable mention going to Genghis Khan and his excellent sugar rush. No snack cake, perhaps no snack food, has so deeply imbedded itself into our culture. It's why I believe people were so upset when Hostess folded. Not because they like Twinkies, but because they are a part of us.
 

Anyway, on to the tasting!

 

Today we bought the Strawberry Creme and Blue Raspberry Creme varieties. I feel the same about both. Both retain their original Twinkieness but add a slightly different dynamic in the middle. Both are tasty without being overpowering. Granted, you have to like Twinkies in the first place to consider these, but if you do they could be a welcome change of pace.

 

NOW That's What I Call a blog entry!

(Yeah I missed a couple. So what?)

More Limited Edition Oreos

Well Nabisco is at it again with another batch of temporary Oreo flavors. It's getting a little ridiculous at this point. Like they're just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. Alas, a junk food blogger's work is never easy, so here goes.

 

Watermelon Golden Oreos

 

In a word, awful. These are watermelon candy flavored, not watermelon flavored. They taste like someone melted down watermelon Jolly Ranchers and stuffed them into a cookie. Way too sweet and I couldn't bring myself to eat even three of them. I'm told these are the second best selling seasonal variant behind only Halloween Oreos (and those hardly count as they aren't a flavor variant) but I can't understand why. These are a Target exclusive if you want to seek them out.

 

Limeade Golden Oreos

 

I'm not a big fan of lime at all. Still, I was convinced to try them and I'm sorry I did. Truth be told, they weren't quite as vile as I expected them to be. The limeade creme almost works, but not with the Golden Oreo cookie. I ate one cookie and couldn't bring myself to eat another. But again, I'm biased against lime.

 

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Oreos

 

We teased this one a while back in our review of Oreo Creme Chips Ahoy and have been anticipating it for some time. Sadly, these are a tiny bit disappointing. They actually taste really good, but they're just peanut butter cup Oreos and there's nothing particularly "Reese's" about them. Still, they are very good and I'm sure the Reese's name is helping them sell. Nabisco seems to be doing a huge push on these, which leads me to speculate that these may actually become a permanent flavor sometime in the future.

 

I really wish Nabisco would sell mix packs of these flavor variants. I'm starting to feel cheated by buying three packages and hating two. If you're going to flood the market with all these flavors, at least make it a little easier for consumers to try them. Not everyone is as adventurous as we are!

Doritos Jacked 404

Funnily enough, when we first reviewed the Mystery Doritos we couldn't find flavor 404 (the orange ones). We have them now, so here goes.

 

I have literally no idea what these are supposed to be. They're sweet and citrusy, yet spicy. Perhaps another style of barbeque?  Regardless, I hated them. They're just plain awful. If these were a person, and I passed them trapped in a flaming car on the side of the road while I was driving a truck full of fire extinguishers, I wouldn't stop. It's not the sweetness, it's the obnoxious citrusness that I just can't get past. I ate 3, now I'm throwing away the bag.

 

So Frito is 0-3 with these for me (ok 855 wasn't too bad but it wasn't a win). Here's hoping the next contest has better offerings.

Birthday Frosting Chewy Chips Ahoy

We received a request to review the Birthday Frosting Chewy Chips Ahoy right after our review of the Oreo Creme ones. After a horrifying experience with the Birthday Frosting Oreos, we weren't really too keen on trying these (probably the only time in my life I've thrown out a package of Oreos). But a reader request is a reader request, so here's hoping my pancreas is up to the challenge.

 

Pleasantly surprised. I expected these to be way too sweet. They're not. Actually I think they're a little less sweet than the Oreo Creme flavor. These also have the candy coated chips which adds a different texture. Truth be told, I like this variety more than the Oreo Creme, and that I definitely didn't expect.

 

Remember that you too can submit requests through our Facebook page!

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Puffs

Goldfish crackers are a regular purchase for us. Now Pepperidge Farm has put the Goldfish name on their new line of cheese puffs. Let's see if they measure up.

 

First the texture. These fall somewhere in the middle of a cheese puff and a crunchy cheese doodle or Cheeto. It delivers a nice blend of lightness, satisfying crunch, and substance. It also makes them a little different from their competitors. We always welcome change.

 

Mega Cheese Flavor

 

Honestly, a little bland. Salty, yes, but not terribly cheesy for something called Mega Cheese. I'd rather have Cheetos.

 

Buffalo Wing Flavor

 

A nice wing sauce flavor but not much heat. These are tasty, but I like my wings on the hotter side, so I'd like to see them release an amped up version of this flavor.

 

Cheddar Bacon Flavor

 

Being part of the internet, we are contractually obligated to like bacon. Thankfully, that's not a problem for us. Bacon flavored snacks however tend to be smoke flavored and not really bacon flavored. These are the exception to the rule as they are surprisingly bacony. A quick review of the ingredients list explains why. These contain pork stock and pork fat as well as smoke flavoring. Adding two kinds of pig has made all the difference to these and easily catapulted them to my favorite of the three.

 

In summary I'd call these a win for Pepperidge Farm. The Cheddar Bacon flavor will most likely stay in my regular rotation.

Oreo Creme Chewy Chips Ahoy

Well Nabisco is at it again and this time they've impregnated America's most popular chocolate chip cookie with the creamy white goodness from America's favorite sandwich cookie (hey give us a break, we have to generate hits somehow and we are on the internet after all). All I want to know is what took them so long to think of this one?

There really isn't much to say about this one other than that they are fantastic. The texture is the same as a normal Chewy Chips Ahoy and the creme filling adds a little sweetness but doesn't overpower.

Nabisco really hit a homerun with these. Our first package disappeared in about 3 days, and that took restraint. This is truly the best idea Nabisco has had in quite some time, until next week when they release Reese's Oreos!

Keebler S'mores Cookies

Personally I'm a fan of Keebler cookies. I find them to be reasonably priced, well portioned, and hey, many of them are coated in chocolate. Today I'm giving the new S'mores sandwich cookies a shot.

I was a bit disappointed in these for a couple reasons. First, there's the marshmallow cream. There isn't enough of it. When you make a s'more you toast large or jumbo marshmallows, these have about the equivalent of two mini marshmallows worth of cream. This throws off the ratios. The problem is then compounded by the fact that Keebler's cookie coating chocolate is very sweet when compared to a Hershey Bar, and this results in the marshmallow flavor getting lost entirely. Also note this contains marshmallow flavored cream and not actual marshmallow.

Second is the portion. This package was purchased in the regular Keebler cookie section, on sale, for $2.50. There are eight cookies inside. EIGHT!  I expect that kind of thing from Pepperidge Farm, but not from Keebler. Especially when you consider that these are just Deluxe Grahams with some cream in the middle, and there's a lot of Deluxe Grahams in a package by comparison.  This bothers me even more because the package is deceptively large. It measures about 10" x 6" and is taken up mostly by a segmented plastic tray that houses each cookie individually. 

My verdict is that while these don't taste bad, if you want a s'more sandwich cookie you'd have a better experience just buying a package of Deluxe Grahams and a bag of marshmallows. Or better yet, just buy graham crackers, marshmallows, and a Hershey bar. 

Fruit Punch Oreos

Well Nabisco is at it again with another set of limited edition flavors and today I decided to give the Fruit Punch flavor a shot. You may remember from our last review of Limited Edition Oreos that we aren't the biggest fans of Golden Oreos so these have a bit of a disadvantage right from the start. This flavor overcame that disadvantage pretty easily. They taste pretty much exactly like you want them to, like somebody mixed red Kool-Aid powder into Oreo cream (yes, I know exactly what Kool-Aid powder tastes like, and so do you. Who hasn't stuck their finger in to taste it? Stop judging me!). I'll have no problem finishing this package and might even grab another before they're gone, but I don't know that I like them enough to buy them on a regular basis if they stay available. Still a delicious and fun summer variant.

Mystery Doritos

If you follow our Facebook page you may have seen us post about the Doritos Jacked flavor contest. It's another choose a flavor contest from Frito-Lay but this time they aren't telling you what the flavors are. We here at Twinkie Wiener Sandwich are willing to put our taste buds on the line so you don't have to!

Obviously this will contain spoilers.

Flavor 855 (The red ones)

Some sort of super spicy nacho. These are a little tangy at first, then hot, then hot, still hot, then a slow afterburn. These are blasted with cayenne pepper and it demolishes any subtlety that may have been present. Not necessarily a bad thing, I liked them, but I'd only want them in moderation.

Two Cents from the Wife:
The Spicy Nacho Doritos are my absolute favorite. My initial impression of Flavor 855 is that they are basically Super Spicy Nacho. Other than an increase in cayenne pepper, I didn't notice much else different in flavor, which is a good thing. I hope this flavor sticks around. They didn't try to do anything crazy, they just made a very spicy chip, and it works. I recommend picking up a bag, if you like spicy.

Flavor 2653 (The blue ones)

Sadly, barbecue. I like barbecue, I just don't like barbecue snacks. Potato chips and Doritos always seem to be much too sweet and not smoky enough when they're barbecue flavored. These are headed in the right direction but unfortunately they didn't go far enough. The sweetness is still there and sweet Doritos are a turn off for me. I may get through this bag, but I will never buy them again.

Two Cents from the Wife:
I'm trying to be fair to this flavor, but the bottom line is that I don't like barbecue. As far as barbecue flavored chips go, these aren't the worst. They certainly aren't AS sweet as most barbecue chips tend to be, but there is still that underlying brown-sugar sweetness that just doesn't do it for me. I won't be helping to finish off this bag.

Our grocery store didn't have the yellow ones. We'll update when they do!

Easter Onslaught

Regular readers will no doubt be familiar with our previous Easter related posts, Limited Edition Peeps, Cadbury White Mini Eggs, Marshmallow 3 Musketeers, and Nerds Jelly Beans. With a holiday so closely tied to candy though it would be a shame to stop there.  So today, under the guise of needing candy for my niece and nephews for Easter, I went to Walmart and went a little crazy.  Here is the Twinkie Wiener Sandwich Easter Onslaught!

Lifesavers Jelly Beans
These are a very straightforward approach to jelly beans. Based on Lifesavers hard candy they are very sweet and a little uninteresting. Not at all bad, but not at all exciting either.

Starburst Crazy Cores Jelly Beans
Another fairly straightforward approach but with a twist of whacky flavor combinations. Each color is dual flavored (one on the outer shell and one in the center) meaning you can really get "crazy" by mixing multiple colors. Also not bad and definitely more interesting than the Lifesavers.

Warheads Jelly Beans
Fairly standard jelly bean flavors coated in citric acid. Not as sour as a regular Warhead but delicious anyway. My favorite of this lot (although Nerds are still my favorite overall).

And now for the Peeps!

Party Cake
Tastes like a marshmallow dipped in cake batter. While it is a little on the sweet side, it stays tolerable and even a little pleasant.

Bubble Gum
Surprisingly good. A subtile enough flavor to not overwhelm. The only issue is forcing yourself to swallow something chewy and bubble gum flavored.

Sweet Lemonade
I liked this a lot. Almost tastes like the Peeps were dipped in Country Time powder (although a lot less sour).

Blue Raspberry
Another decent one here. A little sour and tart, it balances the sweetness of the marshmallow. A great option for someone who finds Peeps too sweet.

Sour Watermelon
Didn't love this one. The flavor felt a little too strong and the marshmallow does nothing to cut it. Tastes like watermelon Jolly Ranchers.

Given how little I liked the Limited Edition Peeps, I didn't have high hopes for these and was pleasantly surprised. I'd say Sweet Lemonade was my favorite of the lot.

Happy Easter from Twinkie Wiener Sandwich!

Triscuit Thin Crisps Cinnamon Sugar Flavor

When you have a blog about food sometimes you've got to suck it up and take one for the team by trying something that doesn't sound that good. If you read my review on the Wasabi & Soy Sauce flavor you know how much I loved it, so I figured I owe it to Nabisco (yes, I feel obligations to snack companies) to give the second of these new flavors a try. But sweet Triscuits?

 

There a a few things wrong here. First, what is the best cinnamon sugar flavored thing there is?  Cinnamon rolls, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, churros, snickerdoodles? All of these things are soft and even if you don't put milk on your Cinnamon Toast Crunch it's pretty light in texture. Now think about the texture of a Triscuit, and not just a regular Triscuit mind you, a brown rice Triscuit. And that's where these go wrong. Truth is these taste great, but it takes so much saliva and mastication to dispense one of these little rock hard wedges that by the time you swallow any cinnamon sugar goodness is long gone (something the wasabi solved in that other flavor by hitting late and up the back of the nose).

 

Second, these are not just brown rice Triscuits, they're brown rice and sweet potato Triscuits. My guess is the sweet potato is there to help hold the sweetness during the aforementioned problem, but it just ends up muddling up everything. Cinnamon, sugar, brown rice, wheat, and sweet potato just end up being a bit confusing for my taste buds.

 

So in the end I'd recommend you skip this one. I applaud Nabisco for trying something different again (the third of their new flavors is sour cream and chive which is obviously their safe offering), but I didn't like this one anywhere near as much as the wasabi & soy sauce flavor.

Limited Edition Peeps

With the possible exception of Cadbury Creme Eggs, no candy is most directly associated with Easter than Marshmallow Peeps. Oh sure, in recent years we've seen Peeps popping up shaped like ghosts at Halloween or gingerbread men at Christmas, but to many of us the novelty just isn't there. For me Easter just isn't Easter until I've bitten the head off a sugar coated marshmallow chick or bunny. Today I decided to give these limited edition flavored ones a shot.

Strawberry Creme

As soon as I opened the package the aroma hit me and I worried these would be much too strongly flavored.  Sadly I was sort of right. These don't taste at all like marshmallow anymore, just some ultra squishy strawberry candy. The strawberry flavor is pleasant however and I didn't have any trouble finishing off the package.

Orange Creme

Creamsicle. That's it. That's what they were going for and that's exactly what they accomplished. Like the strawberry ones however they don't taste of marshmallow at all.

Neither one of these flavors tasted bad, but neither one was terribly interesting either. The fact is there are plenty of other candies on the market that taste exactly like these. I can't help but feel they should have toned down the flavor a bit because I feel strawberry/marshmallow and orange/marshmallow would have been unique. Also, at $1.99 for a 3 pack these are not cheap, certainly too expensive for a flavor you can get elsewhere. Kids would probably love the fun novelty though and I suppose that's what is important.

Triscuit Thin Crisps Wasabi & Soy Sauce Flavor

This is my first venture into Triscuit's Thin Crisps line. At first I was hesitant because my perception is that they're trying for a lower calorie option with these. That hesitation was bolstered by the fact that these are also the brown rice variety of Thin Crisps. However I try to be an equal opportunity snacker so I plunked down $2.50 and decided to give these a shot.

BEST DECISION EVER!

First the texture. The rice / wheat combination produces a cracker that's crisp like a rice cracker but hearty like a Triscuit. However it is a bit lighter than a regular Triscuit which means less of a workout for your jaws. This makes them very easy to keep eating.

Then there's the flavor. For whatever reason Americans have never really embraced a lot of Asian flavors in our snacks. Sure, that's starting to change as wasabi seems to be popping up a lot more (especially in things like mustard) but it's still a bit of a niche flavor. These are excellent. The soy is up front and hits immediately but it's almost not until you swallow that you get the pleasant, somewhat floral wasabi wafting up through your nose. If I have one complaint, I wish the wasabi was a little stronger, but considering the risk of this flavor with Americans I can understand starting slow.

All I can say is that I really enjoyed these. Hopefully this is a gateway for Americans to experience flavors in their snacks other that cheese and salt.

Cadbury White Mini Eggs

I love white chocolate. On any given day I'd much rather have white chocolate than any other candy out there. Easter is a great time of year for me because of the increased availability of white chocolate. This year my favorite (non white chocolate) Easter candy, Cadbury Mini Eggs, released a white chocolate variety. Imagine my excitement! 

I'm pleased to report that these lived up to everything I wanted them to be. They have the same sugar shell as the regular Cadbury Mini Eggs but with a white chocolate center. The white chocolate used appears to be high quality too, at least it tastes that way. This makes for a very rich flavor that does get a little overwhelming after a few pieces but that is their only drawback.

Obviously this is a seasonal novelty, but it's made even rarer by the fact that it's only available at Target. Hopefully next year we get a wider release as I can't see sales from one department store chain justifying Cadbury keeping this one around. In the meantime, white chocolate fans need to get to Target and check this one out! 

Tostitos Fajita Scoops

Tortilla chips are a staple for us. We find them to be a delicious snack that morphs easily into a meal with a little chili and cheese. Naturally we were intrigued by this new flavor on store shelves, but with a pretty saturated tortilla chip market would these stand out or drown in a sea of mediocrity and cheese powder?

I'm happy to report these are a total success!  For starters, these are lightly seasoned. They taste like regular chips with just a little something extra and don't bludgeon your taste buds with spice or fake cheese powder.  Secondly, it's not just a spice powder at work here but also a blend of bell peppers in the corn itself that give these a deeper flavor. They've really hit on something here, they're tasty enough to snack on unadorned but subtile enough to not get in the way of a plate of nachos. 

Highly recommended, we immediately went out and bought a second bag. 

Chips Ahoy Root Beer Float Flavor

A few weeks ago Nabisco launched this new line of flavors called "Ice Cream Creations". None of the flavors sounded particularly interesting to us, but I do love a good root beet float so I figured I'd give this one a try.

 

I'm pleased to report that these are not anywhere near as bad as I expected. There's a pretty distinct root beer flavor but it stays sweet and doesn't cross that line into offensive. The flavor appears to be in both the cookie and the chips, and the vanilla chips keep the root beer in check. I'm also glad these are chewy cookies because I'm not sure the flavor would translate well to crispy ones.

 

I suppose the verdict is that these are decent. Certainly nowhere near as disgusting as I expected them to be, but not really good enough to get into my regular cookie rotation. I would like to try them with some vanilla ice cream though.

Skittles Desserts Flavor

Skittles have always been a welcome change of pace for me in the largely choco-centric American candy selection. Over the years several flavor variants have appeared on shelves, most notably the wildberry and sour versions. Today I sampled their newest offering, Skittles Desserts. The palette is comprised of Key Lime Pie, Orange Creme, Raspberry Sorbet, Strawberry Milkshake, and Blueberry Tart. Whether any of these actually live up to their namesakes is debatable, certainly no more or less than the regular fruit flavors do. Each flavor is unique and pleasant but the blueberry and orange stand out the most for me. While this new flavor combo is good, ultimately it stands no threat to the good old red bag (and the aforementioned wildberry and sour combos in this humble blogger's opinion) but is still worth a taste if you're looking for something a little different.

Marshmallow 3 Musketeers

I'm not a huge fan of 3 Musketeers. They're a bit uninteresting with no substance and just one note, chocolate. Yet I was intrigued by this Easter themed variant because I love marshmallow. These however were a bit disappointing. For starters they used marshmallow flavored nougat instead of actual marshmallow. Secondly, these are way too sweet with no substantive or textural counterpoint (graham cracker bits, I can't be the only one who's thought of that)

In the end I'd say skip this one. As much as I wanted to like it, it feels like a missed opportunity.

Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups

I think we can all agree that there's pretty much only one name associated with peanut butter cups, Reese's. Sure there are some off brands and gourmet varieties, but I think the general population only has one name on their tongue when it comes to this confection. So why would Nestle want to throw their hat in the ring against such strong competition?

For starters, these are different.  Too often competitors try to make their peanut butter cups "just like Reese's only better". Nestle went in the other direction and tried to make something different while maintaining a link to their popular Butterfinger candy bar . 

These contain a smooth peanut butter that contains fine bits of that crispy Butterfinger interior. This results in a fairly unique texture unlike other peanut butter cups and the regular candy bar. 

In the end these will never replace Reese's, but do deserve a spot on the shelf right next to them.  

Cookies & Cream Chex Mix

I've always loved Chex Mix, perhaps because it's so modular. It's one of the few snacks that people make at home and everybody's got a different twist. Which brings us to this, Cookies and Cream Chex Mix! 

We first found this as a holiday flavor a couple years back, then it disappeared. It seems to pop up once in a while but a lot of major retailers don't seem to carry it (our only source was a local gas station for a while) and I don't know if they even make it on a consistent basis.

I think this stuff is outstanding. They really hit the right balance between cookies and cream. Just when you start to feel it's a little too sweet you hit the Chex in the middle and it's balanced out. This might be the best cookies and cream flavored thing that isn't called Oreos.

Girl Scout's Savannah Smiles

Everyone loves Girl Scout Cookie season, and everyone has their traditional favorites. This year we decided to try the new lemon wedge cookies, the Savannah Smiles.

Move over Samoas, there's a new favorite in this house.

Now, if you don't like lemon, don't read any further. These cookies are VERY lemon-y. The first bite hits you in the taste buds, and can be a bit of shock at first. The flavor is tangy and distinct without ever crossing the line into sour, which makes them easy to just keep eating. The description on the box states that they are "Crisp, zesty lemon wedge cookies dusted with powered sugar." I feel this is misleading. It isn't simply a powdered sugar coating. There seems to be lemon flavor in the sugar, as well.

So, bottom line:

If you like lemon, or if you're looking for an interesting new cookie, give the Savannah Smiles a try.

Two cents from Hub:

This doesn't do justice to how much she liked them. She had me get back in touch with my girl scout and get more. Still not sure I got her enough. While I agree with her assessment that these are magnificent, Samoas are still my personal favorite.

Cap'n Crunch's Sprinkled Donut Crunch

        I am generally not the biggest fan of cereal. My husband, on the other hand, refers to standard size boxes of cereal as "Single Serve". Perhaps this is due to the fact that, as a kid, my parents had no problem buying us the fun cereals (like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cookie Crisp, Oreo-Os, Waffle Crisp etc). So for me, cereal is never a go-to snack option, and only rarely a choice for breakfast.

       The new 'crazy' flavors that come out are usually and interesting novelty, but I'll only eat a handful and then never touch again. 

       Here, I present to you, is The Exception. Right away, I was interested. Sprinkled donut flavored cereal? Put that in the cart! Not long after getting home, Adam decided to try it. He ate some, then handed the box to me… and I never gave it back.

First impressions:
        Other than the shape, there isn't much that makes it 'donut', but that's fine by me. A better name might be something like "Sugar-Glazed Vanilla Rings with Sprinkles". They aren't too sweet, and they are delightfully crunchy. The sprinkles add a different sort of crunch, and some pieces have more than others, which keeps things interesting. They are a Cap'n Crunch product, so they will shred the inside of your mouth. They didn't stop me from eating the entire box in less than 2 days (eating ~18 oz of a Cap'n Crunch cereal in less than 2 days did stop me from eating much else until I healed.)

This cereal is so good, I am actually willing to go back to Wal-Mart for the second time in a week. If that doesn't convince you, I don't know what will. Go try this cereal.

Please pay no attention to the demon cat at the top. 

Two cents from Hub:

To paraphrase Vera from Harlem Nights, you got my mouth all ready for sprinkled donuts and you ain't got sprinkled donuts.  My only real issue here is the name.  If they had called it Frosted Cap'n Crunch with Sprinkles I would have been fine, but if you call something "donut" and then don't deliver donuts it's a bit disappointing.  To be fair, I've only had a handful of this because I don't have the heart to take it away from the wife what with her stroking the box and referring to it as her "precious". 

Chocolate Toast Crunch

I'm not sure whether I like this or not. It's the same texture as their other cereals so it immediately turns soggy the moment you take the milk out of the fridge. The flavor is a bit confused. Not super chocolatey and they kept the cinnamon in the background. So ultimately it doesn't do either one very well. I guess the verdict is that while I'm glad I bought a box and tried it, I won't be buying it again.

Blue Diamond Blueberry Almonds

Admittedly I'm a sucker for fruit flavored things, however I generally avoid sweet nuts. These taste like the belong in some kind of fancy pants Kashi cereal with a bunch of twigs or I could also see mixing these into some sort of trail mix. Since I'm not pretentious enough for Kashi and I have no businesses anywhere near a trail, I'm not the biggest fan of these. Truthfully they taste pretty good and you can tell that the coating is real blueberry, but they're just a little weird for out of hand eating.

Update from the Wife:

I really kind of hated these. But, if all fairness, I don't much care for almonds anyway. The blueberry coating falls kind of flat, I think. And it doesn't seem to work as a compliment to the flavor (or texture) of the almonds. I think Adam has it right. These seem like they are meant to be mixed with something, like a trail mix or some fancy 'all natural' cereal. Neither of those things exist within this house, and so our opened, half-eaten bag of blueberry almonds sits gathering dust in the pantry. 

Poppin' Pebbles

You know what Fruity Pebbles have always been missing?  Pop Rocks!  I seriously wonder what the looks on the board members faces must have been like when this idea was pitched. In an era where most cereals are reducing sugar content and trying to become healthier, this product brings us back to a time when cereal was fun and ups the ante on those circus peanut marshmallow bits. Poppin' Pebbles have a berry flavor going on that's a bit different than their fruity forefather. The real story is those poppin' pieces though. Carbonated crystals suspended in little balls of powdered sugar and nonfat yogurt powder (that's healthy, right?). This amps up the normal poppiness of a rice based cereal and the crystals being suspended in the dense little boulders keeps the from popping in the milk. Kind of brilliantly engineered actually. I wouldn't necessarily rush out and buy another box, but it's a fun novelty.

Nerds Jelly Beans

These have been around for a while but are a bit rare as they're only available during officially sanctioned jelly bean season. Basically what you have here is a hard outer shell flavored with Nerds and a soft chewy jelly bean center. Sour and tart, they're worth a try whether you're just a Nerds fan or, like me, a fan of weird jelly beans.

Limited Edition Oreos

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
 

Seems like a good idea right?  Unfortunately it falls a little short. There's something a little off here, like a slightly maple flavor or something. Don't get me wrong, they're ok, maybe even good, but I won't be sad when they're gone.
 

Marshmallow Crispy
 

HOW HAS NOBODY THOUGHT TO PUT MARSHMALLOW CREAM INSIDE AN OREO BEFORE?  I'm not a fan of the Golden Oreos but these are fantastic. The flavor is spot on and immediately takes you to marshmallow crispy treats. These I will be sad to see go, because I could eat them by the case.

Updated from the Wife:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

I disagree a bit with his review of the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oreos. While they aren't something I would buy all the time, I think they are delicious. I wouldn't say they 'fall short', but they are definitely a bit weird at first. But the more I eat them, the more I like them. I agree that the creme has a bit of a maple flavor, which I love. And its the same texture as the creme in regular Oreos. My advice if you are looking to try them: give them a chance. Be prepared for the fact that they aren't going to be quite like the traditional Oreos you know and love. 

I, personally, will try to stock up on a few packages before they disappear. 

Marshmallow Crispy Golden Oreos
 

These should become a permanent flavor. The regular Golden Oreos are, frankly, kind of boring. These add a unique flavor that's not shocking or unexpected. Every one knows what a rice krispy treat tastes like, and these Oreos capture that flavor exactly! It's spooky, really. 

Bottom Line:

If you're feeling adventurous in your snacking endeavors, pick up a package of the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oreos. 

If you're looking for something new, but safe and familiar, go for the Marshmallow Crispy Golden Oreos. 

Or, if you're like us, go out in a snowstorm and get two packages of each. 

Topitos Tortilla Chips

Salsa Verde Flavor

We've all been down this road before with salsa flavored chips. The thing about salsa is that it's wet, and dry salsa powder on chips is always missing a little something. Wise seems to have figured this out though. These chips manage to be tangy (ascorbic acid is listed in the ingredients and my guess is that's why) and that tanginess invokes a little more of a real salsa feel. Two bucks a bag is a pretty decent price too. Highly recommended.

Nacho Cheese Flavor

Just buy Doritos. Nothing special here.

Update from the Wife:

I enjoyed the Salsa Verde ones so much I went to no fewer than THREE stores looking for them one afternoon. The salsa flavor of these is really rather strong. They are tangy and spicy and really keep you wanting more. At only $2 for a 7oz bag (comparatively small), its dangerously easy to eat an entire bag in an afternoon. 

Word of caution: Eat too many too quickly (like 2 bags in as many days) they WILL burn your mouth. As with all snacking moderation is key (but boring. Eat ALL THE SNACKS!)

Genesis

Christine and Adam are adventurous junk food enthusiasts.  We love to try those new flavors and discover new favorites.

This is our blog about our junk food taste experiments.  While you may occasionally find a healthier snack reviewed on here, don't expect it to be the norm. If you're looking for a review of the latest GMO free soy - quinoa monstrosity then this isn't the blog for you.

Happy snacking!