REVIEW: Hostess Limited Edition Birthday CupCakes

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Hostess Limited Edition Birthday CupCakes

What are Hostess Birthday CupCakes?

Hostess celebrates its centennial with a limited edition themed version of its iconic cupcake in a birthday variety. It’s a frosted speckled yellow cake with creamy filling complete with Hostess’ signature squiggle and tons of rainbow colored sprinkles.

How are they?

In some of my past reviews I have sometimes decreed something as a sugar bomb, but I need to rethink my definition because these things take the cake (and yes pun intended, of course). Between the squiggle, the sprinkles, the icing, and the cream on the inside, these were hard to eat and to be honest I had trouble finishing just one.

Hostess Limited Edition Birthday CupCakes Innards

If there was more cake a la a regular Twinkie or a different flavor going on to break it all up, it wouldn’t be so bad. But sadly it’s just sugar on top of sugar on top of more sugar filled with sugar that overall tastes like sugar.

To be fair, I guess that’s what a tried a true birthday cake is but again with not enough of the cake part and in such a compact form it comes together as disappointing. The biggest offender though is the icing which has a little bit of vanilla flavor but is on the harder side and overall seems sort of stale. It reminds me of fondant which isn’t known to be delicious, but it makes up for it because it’s used to create insanely decorated cake masterpieces, of which these are not.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Hostess Limited Edition Birthday CupCakes Icing

It’s not all birthday tears as there are some positives since the cake is sufficiently moist and Hostess didn’t skimp on the sprinkles, which are full size and represent every color of the rainbow.

Also, here’s some fun history about Hostess: Did you know the its cupcake was the first commercially produced one and it may have been the first snack cake ever introduced to the market? Although, rival Tastykake refutes this.

Conclusion:

I love snack cakes, birthday things, and all things Hostess, but these are not that good unless you have an extreme sweet tooth as they’re pretty one-note taste-wise. They’re festive with the colorful adornments, but it’s nothing mind-blowing (hello, Funfetti) that you need to see in person like those cool slime Ghostbusters Twinkies from years’ past.

If you want to celebrate Hostess’ birthday, pick up the O.G. chocolate ones and hum happy birthday as you indulge. There’s a reason they’ve lasted a century.

Purchased Price: $2.97
Size: 13.1 oz. box/8 count
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 3 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cake) 190 calories, 9 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 23 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Donut Sticks

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McDonald s Donut Sticks

After the employee handed me the bag that contained my six-piece order of McDonald’s Donut Sticks (it’s also available with 12 pieces), I wondered if there were cameras around and I was being pranked. Because it was so light, it felt as if it contained only the obligatory napkins.

But after opening the bag, getting a sweet whiff of cinnamon sugar and not so sweet whiff of oil, and seeing six sticks staring back at me, my Punk’d fears subsided. I don’t know why I thought they’d be more substantial than they are.

McDonald s Donut Sticks Airy

The Donut Sticks are sweet golden-brown dough, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and made fresh every morning. They’re also a little disappointing. The cinnamon sugar is everywhere, but there’s no cinna-plosion in my mouth. Because I can taste a bit of the oil used, I thought its flavor dulled the sweet seasoning. However, even licking off whatever cinnamon sugar clung to my fingers didn’t have a strong taste.

No dipping sauce comes with them, although I imagine hot fudge or soft serve would pair well. Unfortunately, I read Donut Sticks are only available in the morning so it might be hard to get them with either, but they really should be an all-day thing.

If I had to compare these with

If you order these, don’t let them sit around. Eat them fresh because, just like McDonald’s World Famous Fries, they taste better when they are and have a bit of crispiness that fades if not eaten quickly. If you pick some up via the drive-thru, eat them while you drive, even though there is a 100 percent chance the Donut Sticks are the nimbus clouds that will rain cinnamon sugar onto your crotch.

Although, like most donuts, you could stick them in the microwave for about 10 seconds, to get some of that fresh-from-the-fryer quality back.

Overall, McDonald’s Donut Sticks are decent, if eaten fresh, and slightly less so, if not. They are not at the luscious level as my sorely missed

Purchased Price: $2.29*
Size: 6 pieces
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 13 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Ruffles Double Crunch Potato Chips

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Ruffles Double Crunch Potato Chips

UPDATE: We also reviewed the Sweet & Smoky BBQ, Honey Mustard, and Spicy Cheddar Jack flavors.

As an ice chewer, I am all about crunchy goodness. So, Ruffles “new” Double Crunch chips are right in my wheelhouse.

The “new” is in quotes because Ruffles launched very crunchy chips a couple of times before with Ultimate and Deep Ridged lines. It even secured two U.S. patents for the “chip’s ornamental design,” and 24+ prototypes were created to land on this specific crunchy form that incidentally looks like the chevron design on Charlie Brown’s shirt.

Full disclosure, I haven’t tried the previous iterations. But, I see it as it as a blank slate!

It seems like Double Crunch is closer to Deep Ridged because of the similar flavors AND because Ultimate seemed more wannabe macho with its pseudo-metal pattern on the packaging and tailgate-inspired varieties like Kickin’ Jalapeno Ranch, Sweet & Smokin’ BBQ, and Loaded Bacon & Cheddar Potato Skins.

This version even leans into the same “2x” claim but instead of saying “Ridges 2x As Deep,” it reads “2x The Crunch.” The fine print indicates that it’s only versus original Ruffles, so that’s kind of disappointing.

Ruffles Double Crunch Potato Chips Ridges

But, it is dang crunchy though. It’s so much so that you probably don’t want to eat this in class or work cubicle because someone will side-eye you for being too noisy. The chip itself is very kettle chip-like down to the smell (slight stale oil eau de parfum), which makes sense because that’s how it’s cooked as noted on the back panel. I don’t smell either the Zesty Cheddar or Hot Wings seasoning. Take that at face value based on your own preferences! I don’t mind either way.

Ruffles Double Crunch Potato Chips Open Bags

The Zesty Cheddar is basically like a saltier Cheddar & Sour Cream. I was so surprised by the saltiness that I immediately went to check the nutrition facts but learned that both flavors have the same amount of sodium. Unless the salt was supposed to be the zesty part, I didn’t get a kick either. Disappointing.

Ruffles Double Crunch Potato Chips Closeup

On the flipside, I enjoyed the Hot Wings variety! It’s like a true buffalo wing flavor dancing on my taste buds with a touch of tanginess followed by this creaminess that I can only describe as eating a side of celery with ranch. I don’t know if my mind was playing tricks on me because it tasted so similar to actual wings that I imagined the actual eating experience with sides and all. I didn’t find it THAT spicy but could see folks finding this a bit on the spicier side.

These Ruffles do indeed have some crunchy r-r-r-ridges, but not quite consistent flavors!

Purchased Price: $3.00 each
Size: 7 3/4 oz. bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Zesty Cheddar)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Hot Wings)
Nutrition Facts: (about 10 chips) Zesty Cheddar – 150 calories, 8 grams of total fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 1 gram of sugars, and 2 grams of protein. Hot Wings – 150 calories, 8 grams of total fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, less than 1 gram of sugars, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

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Ben Jerry s Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

If you’ve been following Ben & Jerry’s over the past few years, you know the brand has come out with a line of Core pints that feature a sweet middle that in the past has included cookies, cheesecake, caramel, and whatever Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Gurus dream during REM sleep (Of course, REM meaning Ruminating on Edible Middles). This time, though, it’s cookie dough.

The line features three varieties — Chocolate Chip, Sweet Like Sugar, and Wake & “No Bake” — and they all have a cookie dough core running through the middle of each pint. But here’s the thing about these, they sound exciting, but they’re very similar to other flavors. Ben & Jerry’s has basically Core-ified its core (totally intended) varieties.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

If anyone knows how to make completely safe edible cookie dough, it’s Ben & Jerry’s.

Its classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor that features vanilla ice cream with gobs of cookie dough has been around for decades. All that experience, I imagine, has helped with the development of the new Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream.

Ben Jerry s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

The pint has cookie milk ice cream with fudge chips and a chocolate chip cookie dough core. After trying it, it’s hard not to think of this as kind of like a reboot to the Ben & Jerry’s classic because the difference in taste between the two is so slight.

The cookie milk base seems to have a bit of the brown sugar that the cookie dough has, but I have to really think about it to notice it. If eaters don’t look at the label, they may assume it’s vanilla.

There’s more of a chocolatey presence because of the fudge chips, which, thankfully, are smaller than fudge flakes. Because they’re smaller pieces, there are more throughout the pint, which ensures that you’ll get a little bit in every spoonful.

As for the cookie dough, I want to say it’s slightly different from what’s in the classic in that it has a stronger brown sugar flavor and it tastes as if there’s a little maltiness. Its texture is the same sugar gritty feel as the gobs in the classic, which I love chewing on.

Bottom line with this variety is that if you love Ben & Jerry’s classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, then you’ll most definitely enjoy this.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 290 calories, 18 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Sweet Like Sugar Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

This features sweet cream ice cream with a hint of almond flavor, shortbread cookies, cherry ice cream with cherries, and a sugar cookie dough core.

Ben Jerry s Sweet Like Sugar Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

From the first spoonful, I’ve wanted to call this by another name, Cherry Garcia Dressed Up as Santa Claus. But I don’t think any graphic designer could legibly fit that on the front of a pint-sized ice cream container. My logic for the name is this: It has a lot of the same flavor as Cherry Garcia (mainly the cherry), but both ice creams are light in color like Santa’s beard and sugar cookies are what you leave out for Santa.

The cherry base and cherries are going to remind you of Cherry Garcia, minus the fudge flakes, which I don’t miss here. The other base is sweet cream with a hint of almond, but “hint” is a little modest. Eating the ice cream and its mix-in, the shortbread cookies, tastes like I’m eating Chinese almond cookies and it’s wonderful.

Haven’t you had Chinese almonds cookies? Find some, they’re wonderful!

Combining the almond with the cherry makes it divine. Cherry is the driving flavor, but at times I thought the combination tasted like pistachio. But no matter how I scooped it, I loved it. Although my love for Cherry Garcia, probably plays a major role in how I feel.

If I didn’t have to stop to type out my thoughts, I think I might’ve eaten half a pint in record time. You can see my lack of willpower with this in the photo above. Notice how far I’ve dug into it before taking a photo. Now look at the other pics. I didn’t dig very far into those.

As for the sugar cookie dough core, it doesn’t play a prominent role in terms of flavor. It has that wonderful sugar grittiness like the other cookie dough, but its taste is kind of plain compared with the chocolate chip one.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 270 calories, 16 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 22 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Wake & “No Bake” Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

So if the first pint was like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and the second pint was like Cherry Garcia, then the third must also be like another. And, it is, Sherlock. It reminds me of Peanut Butter Half Baked, which had chocolate and peanut butter ice cream mixed with gobs of peanut butter cookie dough and fudge brownies.

Ben Jerry s Wake No Bake Cookie Dough Core Ice Cream

Wake & “No Bake” features vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cookies, peanut butter ice cream with fudge chips, and a no bake cookie dough core.

You may think, due to its color, that the core will bring a chocolatey-ness. It does, but it’s also noticeably nutty and salty. I don’t know if that’s because the peanut butter ingredients somewhat permeated into it, but it shifts the flavor of the pint more into a nutty direction. Also, I’m not going to test this scientifically, but the core feels grittier than the other two, which I liked.

The fudge chips weren’t too plentiful in my pint, so that could also explain why it leaned more toward peanut butter. The vanilla base also helps prevents it from becoming too peanut butter-heavy.

While this has the best name out of the three, because I do love them Ben & Jerry’s pint names that are also weed references, it’s my least favorite of the three. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s a great flavor if you like peanut butter, but don’t want to be smacked in the face with it. I found it easy to control myself around this pint, unlike the other two, which I had to force myself to put back in the freezer.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 290 calories, 19 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 22 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

Other Things

  • Don’t think of the cookie dough as this spreadable. I mean, if you let it thaw enough, it might be spreadable, but, at the same time, your ice cream will also be liquid.
  • Even though they’re new and wonderful, the flavors are too familiar.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples from Ben & Jerry’s. Doing so did not influence my review in any way. Although I know with 7, 8, and 9 ratings, it reads like it, but I assure you it did not.

SPOTTED: Tillamook Limited Release Blood Orange Cream Ice Cream

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Tillamook Limited Release Blood Orange Cream Ice Cream

There needs to be more blood in my life, I mean, um, there needs to be more blood ORANGE in my life. Ahhh, THE SUN! (Spotted by Rachel C at Walmart.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email ([email protected]) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. Or reply to us (@theimpulsivebuy) on Twitter with the photo, where you spotted it, and the hashtag #spotted. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if the product is old, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

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