5 Other Things I Consumed This Week: 10/24/2025

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7-Eleven Hawaii Pickle Juice Slurpee

7-Eleven Hawaii Pickle Juice Slurpee

This one came out at the same time as the Cinnamon Toast one I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. Oddly, I was more curious about this one because I’ve been enjoying all the pickle-flavored products that have crossed my taste buds. However, I will not be purchasing this Slurpee ever again, and I regret getting a medium size instead of a small.

Look, it tasted like sweet pickle juice. It was, as the kids I totally made up like to say, sou-weet. But I wish that sweetness was a bit stronger to tame that sourness, much like with the pickle mochi ice cream I had a few years ago. Even though I got a medium Slurpee, I did end up finishing it, but not in one sitting or two. After my initial tasting, I put it in the freezer and ate chunks over the next couple of days. But that cup was all I’ll be sticking into my mouth.

Slate Mocha Latte High Protein Iced Coffee

Slate Mocha Latte High Protein Iced Coffee

Protein plus calcium plus caffeine? That sounds like my kind of drink to give me a shortcut to reach my protein and calcium goals while still drinking my usual amount of caffeine. However, I’m not too high on this high-protein coffee’s flavor and texture.

Its consistency when I swirl it around in a glass doesn’t match what it feels like in my mouth. In a glass, it’s creamy, but in my mouth, it’s almost like water. The can states that there is no carrageenan, which explains how it feels in my mouth. As for its flavor, it doesn’t have a punch like other coffee drinks. I guess “flat” would be the best way to describe it, and I assume the stevia and monk fruit sweeteners are the reason for that.

However, it tastes okay and thankfully its texture isn’t gritty, so I could turn a blind tongue to its lacking taste and texture because of the 20 grams of protein, 550 milligrams of calcium, and 175 milligrams of caffeine.

Celsius Spritz Vibe Snowball Frost Energy Drink

Celsius Spritz Vibe Snowball Frost Energy Drink

This is the second Celsius flavor I’ve ever had. I don’t even remember the first one I had. With that said, I’m not saying Celsius Energy Drinks are unmemorable, because I do remember that first one was tasty.

I will not forget this Snowball Frost seasonal flavor because I’m writing about it here for posterity. But I also won’t forget about it because this flavor seems weird to me. With a name like “Snowball Frost,” I expected it to have a wintery flavor or a taste that matches the colors of winter, like a blue raspberry or blueberry to convey cold weather. Instead, it’s citrusy, which I do not associate with winter. I usually think of anything citrus as a summer flavor. However, I’m not quite sure what citrus fruit I’m tasting. I’m thinking possibly tangerine. It’s not OMG delicious, and I won’t cry tears of sadness when it disappears in spring. If you do see me tearing up, it’s because of my allergies.

Joyride Sour Blue Raspberry Strips

Joyride Sour Blue Raspberry Strips

I’ve been rolling my eyes at Joyride candies ever since they came out because of how little sugar they contain. How can CANDY with little sugar taste good? But after tasting these sour strips, I’m going to have to eat my words, which I’ll substitute with more Joyride candy. 

Because I didn’t give this candy the time of day, I didn’t know it had fiber. This package, which has just six sour strips, has 12 grams of fiber, which is 40 percent of your daily recommended amount. DANG! Yes, it’s much better to get fiber from actual food, but it feels like magic to get it from candy.

But the candy doesn’t taste like it has much fiber. It’s one or two levels of sourness below Sour Patch Kids, but it has a flavor that’s almost as good. And it does it with only 5 grams of sugar. As someone who’s trying to sneak more fiber in my diet, I think I’ll be taking more Joyride flavors for a joyride.

Cove Smurfberry Probiotic Soda

Cove Smurfberry Soda

Bacillus subtilis DE111 is a probiotic. It’s also now in my search engine history with “bison vs buffalo,” “Jason Statham catchphrases,” and “[REDACTED].”

I bought this soda for the probiotics and the Smurfs, but was a little smurfed at the lack of fiber since, as you’ve read above, I’m trying to find ways to sneak the nutrient into my body. I’m also extremely smurfed that this beverage is clear, with no hint of Smurf color. What the smurf is up with that?

According to the can, Smurfberry is supposed to taste like blue raspberry, and it does give me Louie-Bloo Raspberry Otter Pop vibes, but it’s subdued like it’s been watered down a little. It tastes good enough that I’m slightly curious about the other flavors in Cove’s cove. 

5 Other Things I Consumed This Week: 10/10/25

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7-Eleven Hawaii Cinnamon Toast Slurpee

7-Eleven Hawaii Cinnamon Toast Slurpee

I know the place card for the Slurpee is janky, but this flavor is decent. I’m not sure if it’s trying to replicate the cereal, but if it is, I don’t think it quite hits the mark. It has that hot cinnamon flavor, but without the hot. It’s kind of like a very mild Big Red chewing gum flavor. It’s a good attempt, but since it doesn’t seem to use actual cinnamon, its flavor isn’t quite comparable to the cereal. With that said, this was an enjoyable slushie, and its flavor is good enough that I might pick up another one before it disappears. However, I don’t know if you can tell, but there’s another new flavor with a janky place card that I’ll probably try next week..

Alani Nu Hawaiian Shaved Ice Energy Drink

Alani Nu Hawaiian Shave Ice Energy Drink

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been loving my journey through the Alani Nu energy drink flavors. However, that journey has hit a bit of a snag. While this flavor is good, it’s also too sweet for me. I mean, all the Alani Nu flavors I’ve tried are sweet, but this one goes over the edge. The flavor tastes like a combination of strawberry, pineapple, and vanilla, with a hint of coconut and a flavor that reminds me of the wooden spoon that comes with shave ice. It’s definitely not a flavor I’d repurchase.

Wonderful Chocolate Covered Pistachios

Wonderful Pistachios Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee

I received free samples of these from Wonderful in the two varieties available: Chocolate Toffee and Chocolate Sea Salt. Both are coated in dark chocolate. These are, um, what’s a word that would best describe these? Wicked. The good wicked. Wicked good. Or maybe Wicked Elphaba Good because the pistachios are green? If I had to pick between the two, I’d pick Chocolate Toffee over Chocolate Sea Salt. The latter definitely hits the sweet and salty spot, but I enjoyed the mild butteriness of the toffee more.

Mela Watermelon Water + Pineapple

Mela Watermelon Water + Pineapple

I picked this up after playing a round of mini golf on the least crazy mini golf course ever. No windmills. No mystery tunnels. No walls to bank off of. I was thirsty dealing with the heat, humidity, speed of the greens, and the fact that I haven’t touched a putter in over a decade. This tasted like I squashed watermelon with my hands because I was frustrated with taking 12 strokes on one hole, letting the juices go through a strainer, and into a glass. The pineapple is milder than the watermelon, so it was kind of easy to miss. Perhaps it tasted like I squeezed a pineapple wedge with my bare hands to let out my frustration for taking 11 strokes on another hole. While I suck at mini golf at this particular course, this watermelon water with a hint of pineapple did not suck.

Humm Mango Passionfruit Probiotic Kombucha

Humm Mango Passionfruit Probiotic Kombucha

My parents have a habit of picking up random stuff at Costco, even if they have no idea what it is. For example, they bought a case of Alani Nu Energy Drink, not realizing it contained 200 milligrams of caffeine per can. Another example is this kombucha from Humm. They picked it up based on the flavor combination, but didn’t know what kombucha was. So when my parents offered this to me during this week’s visit to my childhood home, I had to educate my parents about the fermented drink, which was one of the better-tasting kombuchas I’ve ever had. Sometimes kombucha has a light alcoholic vibe to it because of the fermentation, but I didn’t notice that with this one. It had a taste and feel that’s more like a probiotic soda than a kombucha, with a sweet mango flavor and a bit of tartness from the passionfruit. It’s decent enough that I’m kind of glad my parents impulsively bought this.

REVIEW: 7-Eleven Mint Oreo Hot Chocolate

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7 Eleven Mint Oreo Hot Chocolate

I’ve never been a big fan of buying hot chocolate from a gas station, food truck, or stand. Why fork out that money when you can go home and make your own from a powder? It’s a lot cheaper, and you won’t waste a disposable cup.

But, strangely, there’s something alluring about buying food from 7-Eleven. It might be overpriced garbage, but it’s tasty garbage. A guilty pleasure.

7 Eleven Mint Oreo Hot Chocolate 2

When I filled up my cup with 7-Eleven’s Mint Oreo Hot Chocolate, I was excited about how thick, chocolatey, and sugary it looked. What could be better than that on a foggy, freezing day? But it would be several minutes before I would actually get to try it.

First of all, it was very steamy when it came out, and I wouldn’t be able to taste it if I scalded my tongue. Second, I didn’t want to be tasting it and taking pictures there in the 7-Eleven. Would people be judging me? (I did some judging of my own at 7-Eleven: I was grateful the cashier didn’t touch my cup or give me a receipt because she had just sneezed into her hand. Srsly, people, Dracula sneeze!)

And third, I recently got a new car, so I made it a rule not to eat or drink in it. I put my cup in the cup holder and didn’t touch it until I got to my work’s parking lot.

7 Eleven Mint Oreo Hot Chocolate 3

When I finally tasted it, it had cooled but was still warm. It fulfilled its purpose as hot chocolate: warm, chocolatey, comforting.

Unfortunately, it fulfilled its purpose as Mint Oreo Hot Chocolate in all the wrong ways. The mint flavor was only subtle, and the Oreo flavor was even more subtle. A few sips almost seemed bland. Yet the one way it did seem like an Oreo was in a slimy, oily mouthfeel. It felt like I had a wad of Oreo creme in my mouth, but without the satisfaction of that actually happening. They left out the best part of a Mint Oreo (the flavor) but kept the worst (the post-cookie mouthfeel).

During the cooling period, a lot of the flavor had settled to the bottom, so the last few sips were better than the rest had been. I thought, “Oh, maybe it’s not so bad.” But then it occurred to me: if I had drunk it before the flavor had settled out, it would have been more flavorful than most of my experience, but it still would have been more diluted than the end. As it was, I thought the dregs were on the low end of the flavor I would have liked.

If your car breaks down on a winter’s day and you’re stuck next to a 7-Eleven, the Mint Oreo Hot Chocolate would comfort you against the chill. Otherwise, you’re better off making your own from powder and dropping in a candy cane.

(Nutrition Facts – Not available on 7-Eleven’s website.)

Purchased Price: $1.49
Size: 12 oz. cup
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Fulfills its purpose as hot chocolate: warm, chocolatey, comforting.
Cons: The mint and Oreo flavors are subtle. Leaves an unpleasant mouthfeel. Less economical than making your own.

REVIEW: 7-Eleven Caramel Bar Made with Twix Donut

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7 Eleven Caramel Bar Made with Twix Donut

I open my review with a quote from pop culture’s most famous convenience store proprietor, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon:

“You’ve clearly taken items from the candy rack and placed them on top of the donut in an attempt to pass them off as sprinkles. A Mounds bar is not a sprinkle! A Twizzler is not a sprinkle! A Jolly Rancher is not a sprinkle, sir. Perhaps in Shangri-la they are, but not here!”

So, is a Twix bar a sprinkle? Did 7-Eleven break the convenience code, or do they use a different rulebook than the Kwik-E-Mart?

I guess a better question is do you care?

You don’t care. You just wanna know if a donut sprinkled with Twix pieces is good. I’ll kill the suspense right here. Yes. Of course a donut covered in Twix pieces is good.

Do you like heavy donuts? Your entire enjoyment of the 7-Eleven Caramel Bar made with Twix Donut might hinge on that question. This donut was almost as big a mouthful as that name.

I personally like really dense donuts, so this was right up my alley. If you wanna know what the texture was like, think of two chocolate frosted Dunkin’ Donuts violently mashed together. This is a heavy piece of pastry. The fact it’s oblong and hole-less definitely added to that density.

Sticking to that comparison, this basically tastes like a chocolate frosted Dunkin’ Donut with caramel added (Note to Dunkin’ Donuts: Sell those.)

7 Eleven Caramel Bar Made with Twix Donut 2

The caramel is painted on top like a standard icing, and definitely tasted authentic to a Twix. I will say that it did get a bit overshadowed due to the chocolate drizzle and candy pieces that were caked on top as well as the dense dough, but it was still tasty.

The Twix bits, which looked like pretzel pieces on first glance, did their job just fine. I probably could have even used more of them. The Homer Simpson approach of just tossing an intact bar atop the donut may have worked better. Instead of chopping Twix up, I would have liked five or six mini Twix on top – one per bite.

7 Eleven Caramel Bar Made with Twix Donut 3

I thought for sure there would be some kind of caramel or chocolate filling, but I cut it open and was proven wrong. That may have been overkill, but I can imagine some people yearning for a little something to cut the dough.

The donut had a pleasant scent, but everything in a 7-Eleven bakery cabinet smells the same over time.

I would recommend the 7-Eleven Caramel Bar made with Twix Donut for sure. I’d also recommend picking up a Twix and chasing each donut bite to really hammer home the Twix experience. Why not? You’ve been good all week.

This is a winner for 7-Eleven in my eye, but it might be too heavy and too skimpy on the Twix pieces for some people. Still, if you’re stopping in for a morning coffee, this beast will hold you over ’til lunch.

Thank you, come again.

(Nutrition Facts – Not available.)

Purchased Price: $1.69
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: I really like dense, chewy donuts. Fresh. Tasty combination. Can’t go wrong with Twix. Your brain reading that quote in Apu’s voice. There’s a Simpsons reference for everything.
Cons: Caramel gets masked a bit. Not enough Twix pieces. Oblong donuts. Could have come up with a better name. Nutritional facts not available on website.

REVIEW: 7-Eleven Birthday Cake Slurpee

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7-Eleven Birthday Cake Slurpee

It’s Slurpee’s 50th birthday, and to celebrate, 7-Eleven has released a slew of celebratory products, from the Birthday Cake Slurpee I bought to Birthday Cake Cappuccinos and Slurpee doodle Pop-Tarts.

Heck, I’m surprised they didn’t inject their hot dogs with Funfetti, since those same dogs have probably been rolling under that heat lamp for the past 50 years anyway.

Since I rode my bicycle to 7-Eleven in the summer heat, I wouldn’t make it home in time without a birthday puddle in my cup. So I was forced to photograph my Birthday Cake Slurpee in front of pedestrians who looked at me like an escaped zoo animal.

But most of them were capturing Pokémon with their phones anyway, so I like to think my weird photo-shoot was hidden behind a Snorlax.

7-Eleven Birthday Cake Slurpee 2

My first Slurpee sip was more “funeral” than “birthday.” A flowing log flume of watered-down vanilla flavor cascaded through my mouth, and it was chased by a faint lemon zest. If nothing else, I give 7-Eleven’s mad food scientists credit for including a more subtle frosting note.

All debates about icing authenticity aside, the watery vanilla made an awful first impression. Iciness in a cola or fruity Slurpee is acceptable, because soda and fruit juice are things that actually occur in real life. But runny liquid vanilla paste tastes sadly unnatural, as if someone had cried all over a cake.

Maybe 7-Eleven accidentally booked “Prenuppo the Recently Divorced Clown” for Slurpee’s birthday party.

But it wasn’t all tears and tragedy, because the Slurpee actually improved as time and the laws of physics went on. Gravity sent the sweet ribbons of syrupy vanilla extract twisting to the bottom of the cup, while thermodynamics turned the slush into crystallized batter.

The increased vanilla flavor concentration made my Birthday Cake Slurpee considerably more pleasant, so I tried greedily Slurpee-ing down the remaining purée before it could metamorphose into something even more melted and sloppy.

I didn’t make it in time, though (damn you, sun!). I was soon left with a dizzyingly sweet concoction that made me grimace like the time I sipped straight from a vanilla extract bottle (damn you, tempting smell!). But all hope was not lost, because I still had reinforcements to call in.

7-Eleven Birthday Cake Slurpee 3

Slurpee’s birthday celebration also includes a new Birthday Cake Doughnut, and for only 99 cents, I couldn’t resist garnishing my Slurpee and turning myself into a gawk-worthy street performer.

I’m surprised no one tossed a handful of change into my Slurpee cup.

The dry and crumbly doughnut sucks up the “juices,” and the lightly golden-sweet pastry lends a welcome, floury yellow cake flavor to a Slurpee that’s otherwise pure frosting. Meanwhile, the ring’s own caked on icing provides a buttery pop that complements the drink’s vanilla and lemon combo.

This birthday is an afternoon-long affair, too. Even as I tried biking my calories off, an aftertaste of tangy vanilla custard lingered. And like any post-party funk, it was simultaneously uncomfortable, bittersweet, and a little sticky.

So while I was able to derive some enjoyment from its various ups and downs, this Birthday Cake Slurpee was just too high maintenance to ever be a repeat purchase. The Slurpee is barely worth a novelty buy, and I hope 7-Eleven tries a birthday cake milkshake for Slurpee’s 100th birthday party instead. It would be less texturally off-putting, and I likely won’t have any teeth left by then anyway.

Oh, and I hope they don’t hire that darn clown again. I think I saw the poor fella sleeping in his tiny car last night.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 fl oz – 5 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $1.19
Size: Small
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Half-melted cake batter Slurpee abdomens. Spiraling vanilla tentacles. Using a doughnut like a paper umbrella. The sweet feeling of air conditioning on my vanilla-stained face.
Cons: “Crying Clown” cake flavoring. Custard hangovers. Shouting “I am not an animal!” to helpless passerby. Becoming a real life Snorlax after too many doughnuts. Frosting-filled frankfurters.

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