REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream

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Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream

What is Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream?

This exclusive flavor that can only be purchased from the Albertsons family of grocery stores features chocolate and banana ice creams with mini peanut butter cups.

How is it?

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream Top

It has the creaminess that should be expected with any Ben & Jerry’s ice cream product. True to the name, all three flavors make an appearance but don’t share the stage equally. When I first opened the lid, I noticed the predominant brown (i.e., chocolate) ice cream. I love chocolate, but I’m also a banana fan, so I definitely wanted the “split” represented.

Thankfully, the ice cream distribution quickly evens itself out as you dig in, and you taste both chocolate and banana. Chocolate is, in general, a stronger flavor and was also more present with the peanut butter cups, so I would have been open to slightly more banana ice cream.

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream PB Cups

Now you might be wondering about the peanut butter part – don’t worry, there’s an ample supply of mini peanut butter cups! Unlike other ice creams where you have to dig around for the mix-ins, that’s thankfully not the case here.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The description on the pint is pretty accurate: “We’ve loaded our banana and chocolate ice creams with a chocolatey lot of bite-size PB surprises, so if you find your chocolate-covered, peanut-buttered banana fantasies aren’t fulfilled in every spoonful, we suggest a bigger spoon.”

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream Spoon

Nearly every spoonful (or maybe it was every spoonful) did have peanut butter cups. But, my fantasy may have a little more banana in it.

Conclusion:

Overall, it’s worth a try if you like chocolate, peanut butter, and banana…which I do!

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Albertsons (Exclusive)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 35 grams of total sugars, 29 grams of added sugars, 7 grams of protein

REVIEW: Fanta Piña Colada

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Fanta Pina Colada

What is Fanta Piña Colada?

Fanta adds a new flavor to its extensive collection of fruit sodas: a combination of pineapple and coconut inspired by the tropical cocktail.

I found this one at Country Fair, a regional convenience store and gas station chain native to northwestern Pennsylvania. According to some guy on Yelp, Country Fair is known for its kind employees and suspect pickled eggs.

How is it?

Before we begin, let’s all make a pact not to mention that famous song in which a certain tropical cocktail is mentioned alongside surprising circumstances of inclement weather. That tune has been running through my head on a continuous loop for the past 24 hours, and I would appreciate your cooperation as I regain full control of my brain.

Now back to our regularly-scheduled review.

Fanta Pina Colada Outdoors

Among its rainbow of products, Fanta Piña Colada is an opaque white color and smells of faintly of coconut. The first taste is a mellow pineapple flavor that is all sweetness with very few notes of acid. The artificial flavor reminds me of the pineapple Lifesaver from the original Five Flavors pack, but is much more subdued.

The coconut taste subtly smooths out the pineapple, but does not stand out immediately, revealing itself more in the aftertaste. Although the coconut “dilutes” the pineapple taste and prevents this very sugary drink from being too cloying, pineapple is still the star of each sip.

This Fanta flavor mimics that of a real piña colada (minus the rum), but the drink was not as refreshing as it could have been. Compared to other sodas, it felt more lightly carbonated, falling flat only a few minutes after being poured into a glass. To achieve the taste of a piña colada, Fanta had to go easy on the acid, but the flavor combined with weak carbonation prevented the soda from fully quenching my thirst.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Fanta Piña Colada contains no juice, no caffeine, and (clearly) no alcohol. Feel free to add your own!

Conclusion:

Coconut is pineapple’s supporting player in Fanta Piña Colada, a smooth, sweet drink that lacks a sharp element needed to be truly refreshing. If you like piña coladas (sigh…) better than bubbles, give this one a try.

Purchased Price: $1.16
Purchased at: Country Fair
Size: 20 oz. bottle

Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 230 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 61 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 61 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Checkers/Rally’s Fully Loaded Fries Bacon Steak Sub

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Checkers Fully Loaded Fries Steak Sub

I don’t know who dreamed up the idea of putting fries inside of every fast food sandwich, wrap, crepe, and pupusa imaginable, but whoever that person is, rest assured, he or she is my hero.

Carrying on the proud tradition of L-T-Os like Taco Bell’s Buffalo Chicken Nacho Fries Burrito is the latest and greatest potato-stuffed fast food roll-up from Checkers/Rally’s, the newfangled Fully Loaded Fries Bacon Steak Sub. As the name implies, the product consists of all the usual Philly cheesesteak ingredients — albeit, sans the onions and with some good old American cheese subbed in for the more traditional Swiss.

Also in the mix is a decent Montreal Au Jus mayonnaise (which I think we can all agree is way better than the kind they make in Quebec City), an ample amount of bacon and, of course, a sizable smattering of the fast food favorite’s beloved “Famous Seasoned Fries,” all wedged inside of a lightly microwaved — I mean, “toasted” — hoagie roll.

This is definitely a fast food novelty that proves the validity of the expression “big surprises come in small packages.” When I ordered my sub, I was kinda’ disappointed by how small the sandwich was. From end to end, the thing is barely six inches long, but I promise you, there is a LOT of meat, cheese, sauce, and French fry hanging out inside the roll.

Checkers Fully Loaded Fries Steak Sub Closeup

By now, you really don’t need me to tell you how great Checkers/Rally’s fries are — even though they end up getting a tad soggy amidst all the other ingredients, they still taste fantastic here. And the steak strands, while perhaps a bit too stringy for some, are nonetheless chewy, juicy, and flavorful. To me, the bacon was good, but not great — I don’t know if that’s attributable to too much salt, but when all else fails, I’m always the first to blame sodium for everything.

I wasn’t too enamored by the American cheese, which was practically frapped with my order. And the Au Jus juice — while a welcome condiment in today’s Sriracha-this/Boom Boom Sauce-that fast food marketplace — didn’t strike me as anything truly noteworthy. This sub would have benefitted from having an entirely different sauce in the mix — a nice mesquite BBQ sauce or tangy honey mustard would’ve been my preferred accoutrements.

While it would’ve been nice to see the fast food chain make this sucker as ingredient heavy as its Philly Cheesesteak Sub forerunner, for just $4 and some change this isn’t a bad little pick-me-up at all. It’s fairly unique and quite filling, and best of all? You don’t even have to worry about finding a place to stow away your carton of fries — because they’re like, already in there, man.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Checkers
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 630 calories, 300 calories from fat, 34 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 2 grams of fiber, 29 grams of protein, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1520 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar

REVIEW: Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal

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Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal

Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal confuses me, much like the puzzle on the back of its box.

I’ll get to the cereal in a moment, but the Arctic Water Park puzzle is lame. The game asks, “Who’s going to make a splash? Follow the slides and see who ends up in the Polar Bear pond!” Now, I believe almost every solver will look at the numbered flags and start with Slide #1. And guess what? Yeah, SPOILER ALERT, Slide #1 leads to Polar Bear pond.

Why make the first choice the correct choice that turns the slide into a drive-thru window for the polar bear? Because it’s so quick to solve, children will now be forced to avoid conversations with their parents by watching TikTok videos on their phones.

As for the cereal itself, it confuses me because I thought all Honey Bunches of Oats varieties had only frosted flakes. I guess that wasn’t the case, and maybe I should start taking my time eating Honey Bunches of Oats so I can catch whatever nuances they have, instead of scarfing it down before the flakes get super soggy.

Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted Cereal Closeup

Every corn flake in the box is frosted, but I kept wondering how much of the coating is on them because they’re not as sugary as Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes or what General Mills has been using. They are sweeter than the flakes with other Honey Bunches of Oats varieties, but the cereal overall tastes less sweet than my go-to Honey Bunches of Oats variety, Honey Roasted.

The coating may not make the cereal as sugary as I expected, but it helps the flakes remain crunchy for a little longer than other Honey Bunches of Oats varieties. So all the crunch lifting isn’t done by just the granola clusters, and I don’t have to scarf it down to avoid Sogsville. But, sadly, the bunches themselves taste bland.

Even though I’d like it to be a little sweeter, Honey Bunches of Oats Frosted is a satisfying cereal. But unlike the answer to the slide puzzle on the back of the box, it’s not choice #1 when it comes to Honey Bunches of Oats.

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 20 oz. box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Sprite Ginger

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Sprite Ginger

Sprite has always marketed itself to teenagers, so this Sprite Ginger seems a little off-brand. Maybe it’s only me, but I’m not sure if ginger appeals to the younger crowd.

Of course, as someone who will be admitting for the 2020 Census that he is in a much higher age bracket than teens and has never spelled the word “thick” with two c’s, I don’t know what kiddos like nowadays.

But my adult palate does know what it likes when it comes to caffeine-free, non-alcoholic carbonated sugary beverages to help me relax after a long day of adulting — lemon-lime soda and ginger ale.

Deciding which one to drink is never a difficult decision, but with this new beverage, I have another option that combines the two.

Visually, it looks like an original Sprite. But when the cap is twisted off, a noticeable ginger aroma comes out of the bottle. An equally prominent ginger flavor comes through with every sip. That flavor drives the beverage, while the lemon-lime takes a backseat, making it taste more like a ginger ale than a Sprite.

I can understand why the lymon soda brand decided to add the spice to its classic, clear, and citrusy beverage. It’s because the combination is delicious. Before this, the only proof I had to back up that statement was Canada Dry’s Ginger Ale and Lemonade that’s been around for a couple of years.

Sprite Ginger with Canada Dry

When comparing Sprite Ginger with Canada Dry’s Ginger Ale and Lemonade, the former tastes more ginger-forward, while the latter is more lemon-forward. While their flavors are on different sides of the ginger spectrum, both are equally refreshing and satisfying to my taste buds.

Sprite Ginger is an excellent beverage. But if you’re not a fan of ginger ale, you probably won’t feel the same way.

Purchased Price: More than any human should pay*
Size: 20 fl. oz. bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 210 calories, 0 grams of fat, 110 milligrams of sodium, 57 grams of carbohydrates, 56 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

*Sometimes it takes awhile for products to end up on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so I purchase some of them on eBay so I get them in a timely manner.

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