REVIEW: Mountain Dew x Trolli Cherry-Lemon

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Every year since 2019, Mtn Dew, no, sorry, Mountain Dew (they decided to spell it out again) has unleashed a spooky-themed mystery flavor under the name VooDEW. The freaky flavored opaque grey bubbly liquid ranged from the inaugural candy corn to “fruit candy chews” to 2023’s official collaboration with Airheads candy for a branded cherry flavor. But now Mountain Dew VooDEW is a ghost of the past, at least for 2025. Skipping over the frightful mystery contest in favor of a straight-up co-branded candy collab, this year’s newest Dew is a Trolli Cherry-Lemon gummy, available in only zero sugar.

While this absurdly vibrant red soda may lack the suspenseful surprise of the VooDEW branding, what it doesn’t lack is a punch when it comes to flavor. The cherry lemon gummy presence is just as bold as the coloring, with a strong cherry that verges on syrupy without ever going into the “not good” territory. It’s a big pop of cherry followed by lemon and the classic Dew flavor, which is already lemony in its own right.

The taste of this Trolli collaboration reminds me a lot of the early 2000s fan (and personal) favorite Code Red, with just a touch more citrus flare than I recall from Code Red, which favors the cherry. I imagine that side by side, there may be some additional nuance that comes out, but I’m not sure how much more gummy flavor can be injected into an already potent sweet mix like the foundation of Dew. In the same breath, it does taste remarkably like the yellow and red Trolli gummy worm, so it’s also quite accurate.

Regardless of whether this is a sneaky re-skin or not, it’s a close enough and tasty enough comp for a SKU whose zero sugar version is nowhere to be found in my area. As someone who tries to avoid full sugar drinks, I’m really enjoying this zero sugar Trolli Dew. It is a super sweet, almost-too-much-but-just-enough type of soda that is unique but familiar enough that I can absolutely see myself buying a 12-pack of cans and having no issue finishing it over the course of spooky season.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 20 ounces
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 Bottle) 15 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Papa Johns Papa Dippa with a 4 Sauce Flight

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I am not great at naming things, but I think I can come up with a better name than the new Papa Johns Papa Dippa with a 4 Sauce Flight. Using “flight” is probably too fancy a word for a fast food pizza chain. So my suggestion is Papa Johns’ Papa Dippa GaGarlicfiesta.

Noppa? Gotcha.

The Papa Dippa is a three-cheese pepperoni pizza cut into 16 dippable strips and comes with four sauces, three of which are new: Roasted Garlic Parmesan, Creamy Garlic Pesto, and Garlic Hot Honey. The fourth one is the standard Special Garlic Sauce, which I’m not going to cover in this review.

Before I get to the sauces, which this review will focus on, I have to talk about the cutting of the pizza into strippas. I understand it’s necessary to make dipping easier, but it leads to four non-optimal pieces that are 60-70 percent crust. Yes, those pieces will be dipped into sauces, but, much like me when playing pickup basketball or dodgeball, they will be picked last. I feel sorry for me, I mean, them.

Now let’s get to the three new sauces.

Roasted Garlic Parmesan

With its appearance, smell, and taste, there’s a strong Caesar dressing vibe to this. The garlic doesn’t go as hard as Papa Johns’ standard garlic sauce, despite containing a good amount of minced garlic in it, and it definitely doesn’t take away the helm of this flavor train from the parmesan. Of the three new dips, it is noticeably the thickest and sticks to the pizza sticks well. It works as well as ranch dressing does with pizza, and it’s my favorite sauce of the bunch.

Creamy Garlic Pesto

This dip is similar to the Roasted Garlic Parmesan in that the garlic doesn’t stand out much, even though there’s minced garlic floating in it. It’s pretty much a pesto party, which I don’t mind since it adds another tasty level on top of the pizza’s pepperoni and cheese. However, the pesto doesn’t pop as much as the cheesiness in the Roasted Garlic Parmesan. Also, it has a surprisingly watery texture that doesn’t seem to cling to the pizza as well as the previous sauce.

Garlic Hot Honey

Finally, we have my least favorite of the bunch, and I feel like it’s going to be the least favorite for a lot of eaters. It’s sweet with a spicy kick, which is what you’d expect from hot honey, but there’s also a sour twist to it that may cause your face to grimace like it would if you had to pick me last for a pickup basketball game. With that said, yes, the sourness is weird, but at the same time, I don’t completely hate it, and kept dipping pizza sticks into it. One last thing, this is the most watery sauce of the bunch. So don’t use this dip while wearing your finest band tour t-shirt.

While the name Papa Johns’ Papa Dippa GaGarlicfiesta is not a good idea, Papa Johns Papa Dippa with its four sauces is. I really enjoyed two of them, liking them more than the standard garlic dip, which I find too rich. In fact, I liked them so much that they made me go gaga…rlic.

Sorry.

Purchased Price: $19.99*
Size: Large pizza with four sauces
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Roasted Garlic Parmesan), 7 out of 10 (Creamy Garlic Pesto), 5 out of 10 (Garlic Hot Honey)
Nutrition Facts: Creamy Garlic Pesto – 60 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein. Roasted Garlic Parmesan – 60 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein. Garlic Hot Honey – 25 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 0 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: Taco Bell Mountain Dew Baja Midnight Freeze

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Update: It appears, as of early September 2025, this is no longer on the menu. I had it mid-August, but didn’t get a chance to write a review until later, and didn’t realize it was gone. I’ll post this review anyway, in case it comes back.

Here we are in Autumn 2025, and there’s no sign of my beloved Mountain Dew Pitch Black. Instead, the only dark purple Dew available during this Halloween season is Taco Bell’s Mountain Dew Baja Midnight. Boo! Not ghost “boo.” Disapproval, “boo.”

Unfortunately, both times I went to Taco Bell to try the new exclusive Dew, there was no syrup available. The Baja Midnight soda spigot just spewed clear carbonated water, and I had to settle for Baja Blast to wash down a Crunchwrap Supreme and my sadness that was as dark as the Baja Midnight I was supposed to have in my cup. However, as a consolation prize, I ended up with Taco Bell’s Mountain Dew Baja Midnight Freeze.

Looking at the purple slush made me sad about not having Mountain Dew Pitch Black. Or maybe I’m experiencing some SAD (Slushie Affective Disorder) that’s caused by having to get the slush form of a Dew I wanted. Whatever I was feeling, this Freeze didn’t thaw my mood.

Baja Midnight is a Dew with passionfruit flavoring, which, if you’re keeping track at home, sounds precisely like Baja Passionfruit Punch that came out in 2023, which was also purple in color. Looking back at my review of it, I gave it a solid 7 rating. I can’t remember what it tasted like, which means it was either forgettable or I’m getting forgettable.

If Baja Midnight and Baja Passionfruit Punch are identical twins separated at birth, then maybe I didn’t care for Baja Passionfruit Punch as much as I thought I did. It had a decent tart passionfruit flavor with hints of citrus. But there was also a weird, floral-like aftertaste with the citrusy punch at the back end. But that floral flavor eventually went away the more I drank it. But whatever I was tasting didn’t wow me, and if given the choice between it and Baja Blast to wash down my Taco Bell meal and sadness, I’d prefer Baja Blast.

I guess it’s safe to say Taco Bell’s Mountain Dew Baja Midnight Freeze is not my cup of MounTEAn Dew. Oh, it’s not safe because I shoved “tea” in Mountain Dew, and you’re not impressed with that wordplay? Well then, you have now experienced the same disappointment I had with this Freeze.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: Large
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 0 grams of fat, 55 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 51 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 60 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels Buffalo Seasoned Pretzel Twists

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Even though my weather app tells me it was 95 degrees this past weekend, the store shelves and the calendar tell me we’re in the thick of Pumpkin Spice season. Excessively seasoned pretzel purveyor Dot’s, however, didn’t get the message. Instead, it’s choosing to fight off the impending Autumnal chill with the tangy heat of a new Buffalo version of its popular twists.

When it comes to Dot’s, I’m mostly a purist. I’ve tried the Garlic Parmesan and the Honey Mustard, and while I enjoy both, the original is still my favorite. I’ll also posit that there’s always a bit of trepidation that accompanies taste-testing a new flavor; these things ain’t cheap, and if they’re bad, well, it’s hard knowing you could’ve had two bags of Doritos for the same price. (At least in Walmart money.)

So when I tried the first one, I thought to myself, “What the hell is this?” I was a bit let down. Like a punch-drunk boxer with a costly Faberge egg habit, however, I don’t know when to quit. And so I had another. And I went, “Hey, this is pretty okay.” And by the third, I was thinking, “Oh, wow, okay. This is nice.”

The “Buffalo” seasoning is all that it claims to be via the top of the packaging: “spicy ’n tangy.” The spice isn’t anything the weakest of spice wimps wouldn’t be able to handle, but it’s definitely noticeable. The vinegary punch of the buffalo seasoning really shines, though, and in classic Dot’s fashion, there’s plenty of coverage along the whole twist. There’s even something that evokes the tang of bleu cheese, but I think that’s just my overheated 95-degrees-in-the-middle-of-September imagination working overtime.

In the end, I really liked these. But having said that, I feel like I’ll only buy again if I can find them in the 5-ounce bag. A 16-ounce pouch is just a lot of Buffalo for an itch that a couple of servings can scratch.

Purchased Price: $6.17
Size: 16 oz pouch
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 0.5 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 340 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Wavy Loaded Nachos Potato Chips

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Football season is upon us, and I’m staring down the barrel of another “mid” season at best. It’s been a pretty terrible decade if I’m being honest, but it’s hard to complain when you’ve witnessed two of the greatest Super Bowl wins ever in the past twenty years.

Can you guess which team I root for?

“Can you just get on with the review?”

Yeah, jeez. Allow me to awkwardly transition to today’s review of Lay’s Loaded Nacho Wavy Chips. They remind me of this NFL schedule in a way. While I still get mild excitement from each new season(ing), they ultimately just remind me of more triumphant (champion)chips of the past.

Right from the jump, there’s an identity crisis. They’re confused – kind of like me, insinuating the word is “championchip,” above. Do people actually want nacho flavors on a potato chip?

Tortilla nachos ain’t broke, so why are the corrupt referees at Frito Lay trying to fix ’em?

One might counter, “Who says ‘nacho’ flavor profiles only have to work with corn-based chips?” It’s a fair question to ask, but… nacho flavor profiles only work on corn-based chips. These confirmed it.

The bag literally shows a stack of tortilla chips covered in salsa, nacho cheese, sour cream, and what I think is cilantro. Why make me think of other chips while I’m eating chips? I like a Wavy Lays chip, and while I think they are the best-case potato delivery system, they simply don’t stack up to the real nachos you’re insisting I fantasize about.

The bag reeks of agita, and Taco Doritos, which I actually love, but can’t eat many of.

With that said, the overall flavor is a lot milder than I was expecting. There’s a “kick” that grows as you eat, but as far as the actual nacho flavor, it’s kinda soft.

I tasted a “meat” element, but as far as I can tell, there’s no meat hinted at anywhere on the bag or in the ingredients. More of said meaty flavor would have improved these.

Intentional or not, these ended up really reminding me of three other classic chip varieties: Taco Supreme Doritos, Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles, and Chili Cheese Fritos, with the latter standing out the most.

Now, if I just told you those flavors, you’d probably wanna buy multiple bags, but these Loaded Nacho chips are about 33% as good as any given one of them. They never get there. So, while I’m eating these, I’m not only wishing I was eating real nachos, I’m also thinking about three other bags of Frito-Lay products I’d rather have. Why not just do a special edition “Loaded Nacho Cheese Doritos” or something?

This pointless flavor could’ve been called “Chili Cheese Lite.” They aren’t gross, they’re just aggressively “mid.” The heartburn ends up outpacing the slight flavor enjoyment.

Lay’s Loaded Nachos are a team that’s about to go 8-9. They might have a little stretch where you think they can snag a Wild Card, but in the end, they’re losers.

They’re limited, but don’t rush. Wait for a sale or just punt on them.

Oh, hey, look, another crushing loss for my G-men. Life is full of disappointments.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 7.5 oz
Purchased at: Shop Rite
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (11 chips) 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of total sugars, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 2 grams of protein.

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