6 Other Things I Consumed (August 2025 Edition)

Here are six other things I consumed last month that I felt like writing about:

Nescafe Ice Roast

Nescafe Ice Roast.

I’m sure coffee fanatics would roll their eyes at the thought of cheap instant iced coffee, like this Nescafé Ice Roast, but like raccoons and cockroaches, I don’t discriminate against how it tastes. As long as its flavor is fine with lots of creamer and non-dairy milk, and carries caffeine into my system, I’m as cheerful as a morning show personality.

Unfortunately, the bottle doesn’t indicate the amount of caffeine in each serving. Fortunately, someone on the internet inquired about its caffeine content and learned it’s approximately 60 milligrams per teaspoon. There are a gazillion teaspoon servings per bottle, which will last us a month.

I love how quickly and easily I can make my morning iced coffee now. Will be repurchasing for the rest of my life. Or until Nescafé discontinues it.

7-Eleven Hawaii Banana Bread Slurpee

7-Eleven Hawaii Banana Bread Slurpee.

Another Slurpee flavor you can only get here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! I wrote about a couple of others in a previous post, but this flavor appeared in August, and it’s not as sweet as the standard Banana Slurpee.

It has that artificial banana flavor that I love (Go Banana Runts!), but with a little something something that I’m not sure what it’s trying to emulate. Walnuts? Baked goodness? Banana overripeness? Speaking of overripe bananas, the Slurpee’s color reminds me of them. I’ve slurped this multiple times in August.

Baskin-Robbins Oreo ’n Cold Brew Ice Cream

Baskin-Robbins Oreo ’n Cold Brew Ice Cream.

Not a new flavor, but it’s one I’ve never had before until this past month. It features cold brew coffee flavored ice cream made with cold brew concentrate, Oreo cookie pieces, and chocolate cookie swirls. I was a bit disappointed with it.

Cold brew coffee is supposed to have a smoother flavor than regular coffee, and I guess you could say that this ice cream’s flavor was smoother than coffee-flavored ice creams I’ve had. However, perhaps it was too smooth because I didn’t taste a noticeable coffee flavor.

It’s not awful, and I would eat it if offered some, because the Oreo pieces and swirls complement the ice cream base’s mild coffee flavor. Also, it’s been a long minute since I’ve had Jamoca Ice Cream, and I can’t remember what it tastes like, so I’m unable to compare.

Monster Ultra Violet Energy Drink

Monster Ultra Violet Energy Drink.

I’m 100 percent certain I’ve never had this Monster Ultra flavor before this past month, despite it being available since 2017. I’m 100 percent sure because how can I forget something so delicious?

There are so many Monster Ultra flavors that it’s easy to miss one, but I usually opt for the standard one in the white can or any of the other flavors that have been released within the past five years or so.

But on a whim, I decided to pick the purple canned one, and I’m glad I did. I drank this three times in August. I guess I’m making up for lost time with this excellent grape-flavored energy drink.

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon.

Another new-to-me product. If you’re not familiar, these rangoons are fried wonton wrappers filled with cream cheese and served with sweet and sour sauce.

I have skipped over these for years and years because I didn’t think I would like them. But it turns out, they’re okay. However, they’re so mid that I would be fine if I never had another for the rest of my life. People must like them, though, because they’ve been on the menu for a very long time.

Doritos Twisted Queso

Doritos Twisted Queso Other.

Our reviewer, Sean, has already written a full review of this chip flavor, and he loved it. So, when I saw it at 7-Eleven, I decided to pick up a bag. And I have to second what he wrote. These are delightful chips that perfectly capture the cheesy and peppery flavors, evoking thoughts of queso.

Now that I think about it, I should’ve heated them in the microwave for a few seconds to feel the warmth of the queso. It was a seasonal flavor, but it’s so great that I expect it to come back next year.

SPOTTED: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Mexican Hot Chocolate Cereal

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Mexican Hot Chocolate Cereal.

Okay, now that General Mills is making toast taste like beverages, how about a horchata version. Cinnachata Toast Crunch? Chai? Chaiamon Toast Crunch? (Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

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: Limited Edition Oreo Reese’s Cookies

Limited Edition Oreo Reese's Cookies.

If you’re wondering how different these are from the previous Reese’s Oreo Cookie, this new one has Reese’s Peanut Buttery Creme with Oreo cookie crumbs, while the older one had chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter-flavored cremes. (Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

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: Starbucks Pecan Oatmilk Cortado

Ask any of my colleagues, they can vouch for me: While the official first day of fall is the day Starbucks releases its PSL and other fall menu items, I definitely bragged about a new beverage around the water cooler.

After introducing the Cortado at the start of the year, Starbucks has a new variation just in time for sweater weather. It’s the Pecan Oatmilk Cortado, and it features three shots of ristretto blonde espresso, oatmilk, pecan syrup, and pecan crunch topping.

Let’s cut to the chase. This thing is delicious. For starters—and for something that has nothing to do with the flavor—the 8-ounce size remains absolutely adorable. The original Cortado had whole milk as its standard, but now that I’ve had it with oatmilk, I am not going back.

The flavor here is smooth, creamy, and definitely nutty. The Pecan Syrup has a very authentic flavor, and when paired with the oatmilk, it’s the perfect combination. I find the syrup to be the perfect amount of sweet, and would recommend sticking with the two pumps included rather than customizing and adding more. The flavor held up over time (I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… I’m a notoriously slow coffee drinker, but it really helps when evaluating things such as how flavor holds up!). And the short size is truly perfect here. It packs just enough of a punch to kickstart your day and get you ready for those cooler temperatures on the horizon.

I’m knocking it down a point due to the lack of visible pecan crunch topping. It might have sunk into the drink, but you couldn’t see anything with the naked eye.

Despite the lack of topping, this is an amazing drink here. I’ve been super pleased with the Starbucks Cortados, and I’m crossing my fingers for more options in the future!

Purchased Price: $4.95
Size: Short
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 120 calories, 3.5 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of protein, and 230 milligrams of caffeine.

SPOTTED: 9/1/2025

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.

Kirkland Signature BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese With Bacon
(Spotted by Robbie at Costco.)
Life Savers Pineapple Punch Drink Mix
(Spotted by Tommy at Dollar Tree.)
Wyler’s Light Vanilla Sugar-Free Drink Mix
(Spotted by Tommy at Dollar Tree.)
Simple Truth Strawberry Protein Greek Yogurt Coating Granola Bars
Simple Truth Raspberry Vanilla Protein Greek Yogurt Coating Granola Bars
(Spotted by Amanda Y at Kroger.)
Cravings Creamy Tomato Sauce
Cravings Spicy Miso Alfredo
Cravings Creamy Corn & Truffle Sauce
Cravings Spicy Thai Basil Marinara
(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)
Annie’s Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers
(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)
Drumroll Blueberry Mini Muffins
Drumroll Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
(Spotted by Sarah R 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.

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