SPOTTED: AMC Theaters Cinnamon Butter Microwave Popcorn

AMC Theaters Cinnamon Butter Microwave Popcorn.

Will one get in trouble if someone brings in a bag of popped AMC Theater microwave popcorn to an AMC Theater? (Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: General Mills S’mores and Chocolate Strawberry Loaded Cereals

For the sake of synergy, I was hoping S’mores Loaded Cereal would’ve been Golden Grahams S’mores Loaded. The moniker has been used a couple of times, so why not give the neglected O.G.G. (Original Golden Grahams) some L-O-V-E. As for the Chocolate Strawberry Loaded Cereal, it fits with the current Valentine’s season that began well before all the air was taken out of the last Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon.

The two new Loaded Cereals join a loaded lineup that includes Trix, Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Birthday Cake. Before trying them, I predicted I would enjoy the S’mores one much more than the Chocolate Strawberry, but to my surprise, that wasn’t the case.

With this fruity and chocolatey cereal, the strawberry stands out more than the cocoa creme filling, and thinking back to all the other strawberry-flavored breakfast cereals I’ve had in the past, this one might be the best tasting. While the chocolate plays second fiddle, it adds a bit of decadence to the bowl. Unfortunately, while I was able to eat two bowls of it, my five-year-old son seemed to like these more than I did and protected the cereal like a lioness protecting her cubs. One time, when I wanted some as a snack, he gave me a stink eye as I pulled the box from the cabinet. Then he said, “That cereal is red, and so is your blood. I hope we don’t have to see your blood, Daddy.” I considered that a threat, so I returned the cereal and grabbed the S’mores one instead.

While I prefer the Chocolate Strawberry one and wish I could eat more, the S’mores Loaded Cereal is good. Although, at first, I thought the pieces lacked a marshmallow taste. But after a few more spoonfuls, my taste buds could detect a hint of something marshmallow-y. They have a noticeable chocolate aroma in the bag, but that doesn’t translate to a bold chocolate flavor. It’s slightly less noticeable than the creme in the other new flavor. Also, I taste more of the underlying wheat instead of a graham flavor. It’s not optimal, but it doesn’t ruin the cereal.

When I tried the original Loaded flavors, there was a, for lack of a better word, sliminess to them when they sat in milk for too long. It’s still there with these, but less so than what I experienced before. Also, much like the original varieties, I think these make for a better dry snack than in a bowl with milk, no matter what kind of dairy is used.

As I mentioned, I liked the Chocolate Strawberry Loaded over S’mores Loaded, but I enjoyed both more than the previous Loaded Cereal varieties.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from General Mills. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 15.6 oz box (S’mores), 18.1 oz box (Chocolate Strawberry)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (S’mores), 8 out of 10 (Chocolate Strawberry)
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup – cereal only) S’mores – 230 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar (including 14 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein. Chocolate Strawberry – 220 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar (including 14 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: 1/17/2025

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.

Trumoo Moana Limited Edition Strawberry Banana Milk

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Walmart Freshness Guaranteed Bunuelos

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Trader Joe’s Jingly Jangly
Trader Joe’s Organic Concord Grape Jelly Squeeze Bottle

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

Marie Callender’s Salted Caramel Cream Mini Pies

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)

Atkins Keto Cookies & Creme Clusters

(Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

Kirkland Signature Almond Croissant Pastry

(Spotted by Hydi M at Costco.)

Uncle Crumbles Sugar Cookie Granola
Uncle Crumbles Cinna-Maple Crunch Granola
Uncle Crumbles Brainberry Granola
Uncle Crumbles Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

(Spotted by Amanda Y at H-E-B.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Beyond Steak Korean BBQ-Style and Chimichurri Seared Tips

Beyond Steak Korean Bbq-Style Plant Based Seared Tips.

Beyond Steak Chimichurri Plant Based Seared Tips.

I feel as if Beyond Steak is slightly beyond my price range. (Spotted by Leonard at Sprouts.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Cheesy Dipping Burritos

I’m no expert when it comes to Taco Bell product nomenclature, but I think the new Taco Bell Cheesy Dipping Burritos should’ve been called Meaty Cheesy Dipping Burritos because I found them to be more meaty than cheesy.

An order comes with two burritos, and two versions are available: one with Cantina slow-roasted chicken and another with grilled, marinated steak. Both also come stuffed with a blend of cheddar, pepper jack, and mozzarella cheeses and Avocado Ranch in a flour tortilla with cheese grilled to the outside. By default, a side of creamy chipotle sauce is included for dipping. But you can swap that with the equally creamy nacho cheese sauce or reduced fat sour cream. Hmmm. Maybe these should’ve been called Meaty Cheesy Creamy Dipping Burritos?

Taco Bell describes these as “two snack-sized burritos” and also says that these come with a “full serving” of chicken or steak. However, what I noticed after picking up my bag is that they don’t feel snack-sized, and without any vegetables, rice, beans, guacamole, Fiesta Strips, pico de gallo, jalapeños, or Seasoned Fries in them, they feel like they’re filled to the gills with meat. With just three ingredients in them – meat, cheese, and sauce – maybe these should’ve been called Easy Peasy Meaty Cheesy Creamy Dipping Burritos.

The cheeses inside and outside of them don’t play a significant flavor role because the Avocado Ranch and meat seem to take center stage here. But that’s without dipping it into the creamy chipotle sauce. When the smoky and peppery sauce is applied, it takes over the taste buds, mostly negating the Avocado Ranch but letting the meat’s flavor get some of the spotlight. However, the steak’s flavor stood out noticeably more, making things taste too meaty and less balanced. Between the two varieties, I preferred the Cantina chicken’s taste over the steak’s, with and without the dipping sauce.

While both varieties are good, I still can’t get behind the name Cheesy Dipping Burritos. They have cheese, but whatever is included doesn’t make them taste cheesy. I guess if you really want these to be truly cheesy, swap the chipotle sauce with Taco Bell’s bright nacho cheese sauce and turn them into the Easy Peasy Meaty Cheesy Creamy Orangey Dipping Burritos.

Purchased Price: $6.59*
Size: 2 burritos per order
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Chicken), 6 out of 10 (Steak)
Nutrition Facts: (2 burritos w/Creamy Chipotle Sauce) Slow Roasted Chicken – 720 calories, 50 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 120 milligrams of cholesterol, 1430 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 30 grams of protein. Steak – 710 calories, 49 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 105 milligrams of cholesterol, 1580 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 30 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. The advertised price is $4.99.

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