4 Other Things I Consumed This Week: 11/7/2025

Huel Peach & Hibiscus Daily Greens

Never again. I don’t care that it has 42 vitamins, minerals, and superfoods. Even if I got it for free, I would not drink another Huel Daily Greens. The can says, “Powerful greens in every sip,” but it was a bit unpleasant to power through every sip for me. I couldn’t even get through one-fourth of the can. Let me tell you my horror story.

For the most part, this is one of those rare products that smells worse than it tastes, and that might be the nicest thing I’m going to say about this. A savory mushroom smell came out of the can the instant I opened it. While not at all pleasant, I thought it made sense since Lion’s Mane mushroom powder is one of the highlighted ingredients. However, that aroma later became an issue, which I’ll get to in a moment.

The number of juice concentrates in this drink would make you think they could overcome the mushrooms, and they do to some extent. Let’s see now, there’s strawberry, sour cherry, red raspberry, apple, carrot, cranberry, and blueberry.

But despite all that, the sip is like a roller coaster over a landfill. It starts with that savory mushroom flavor dropping onto your tongue, then the fruitiness rises above the less pleasant flavors, making things taste like a tolerable fruity and peachy mushroom soup, and then the aftertaste drops your taste buds back to Earth(y). Also, any burps will have you reliving the aftertaste. Better hope you don’t get hiccups at this time. Oh, here’s another nice thing I’m going to say about this drink: It’s still mostly unpleasant and I needed something to get rid of the taste in my mouth, but I didn’t gag.

But back to that aroma. I thought maybe things would be better after I let it sit in the fridge. Do not let it sit in your fridge! Better yet, do not buy this! That mushroom odor will spread throughout the air-tight box and make any open baking soda box in your fridge tap out, wishing it had been used for baking fruitcakes that will go uneaten instead. Even as I typed this, the open can was next to me, and its aroma silently assaulted my nostrils. So I dumped the rest of the can down the drain, and left the empty can in the sink. I thought that was the last I’ll have to deal with it.

However, minutes later, I could smell it again from the can, which was 15 feet away. Squirting some dish soap and filling it with water seemed to have corralled the odor problem for now. Not sure if I want to recycle the can or throw it in with the other trash so it’ll be burned.

Huel Daily Greens come in other flavors, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they have the same blech-ness. If you’re a Lion’s Mane mushroom fanatic, you should try this. And if you like it, you should wait until they’re on Target Clearance for 99 cents to buy them all. But please open them in the privacy of your own home. But for the rest of you, don’t even think about it. Just hurl your cart past these Huel drinks.

Nestle Tokyo Banana Kit Kat

This Japanese Kit Kat flavor has been around for several years, and I feel like I’ve had it before, but I didn’t document it on this site or in my camera roll. Bad food blogger! Not taking pictures of everything you eat!

My older brother gave me a variety of Kit Kat flavors he collected on a recent trip to Japan, and this was the one that stood out because I LOVE banana-flavored stuff, and it’s the only one I instantly recognized without having to read Japanese writing. Anyhoo, these are delicious, and I’m EXTREMELY sad my brother gave me only one.

If you’re not familiar with Tokyo Banana, you can read more about it here. Basically, think of it as an elegant Twinkie with a sponge cake-like coating and banana creme within it. This Kit Kat, though, has banana-flavored creme between the wafers with a chocolate coating. So I guess think of it as eating a chocolate-covered banana-flavored Kit Kat.

McDonald’s The New Buffalo Ranch

Tiffany recently reviewed the sauce and one of the McCrispy Sandwiches, but I finally got to taste it with the Chicken McNuggets in my $5 Meal Deal. (Pro tip: The Meal Deals come with small drinks, but when you go to the checkout page and edit your Meal Deal, you can change it to a large without an up-charge. Well, at least, I’ve been doing that.)

Anyhoo, back to the sauce. I’m having a hard time believing this is different from other Buffalo sauces I’ve had from McDonald’s. It might be creamier or something, but it still has a familiar vinegary and buttery flavor. Although, if my memory is correct, the previous Buffalo sauces were spicier. If there are notes of ranch, my taste buds didn’t notice them. With that said, it’s a tasty McNuggets sauce, but it’s not quite good enough to surpass my beloved Hot Mustard.

Clear Simple Eats Peach Mango Creme Clear Protein Water

It seems like I’m trying a protein drink every week. Well, what can I say? I’m like a moth to a light when it comes to protein drinks. Or maybe it’s all the influencers in my Instagram feed that tell me I need to consume more protein. This clear protein water from Clear Simple Eats comes in a variety of flavors, like Blackberry Vanilla, Raspberries & Cream, and this Peach Mango Creme. Why does Raspberries & Cream use “Cream,” while Peach Mango Creme uses “Creme”? Well, that’s not clear to me. You walked yourself into that one, those of you who thought that question.

The drink is clear and colorless, but there’s some stuff floating on the surface, which I assume is the grass-fed whey protein that provides 20 grams of protein and gives it a slightly grainy texture you’d expect from a whey protein drink. It has no sugar; its sweetness comes from stevia leaf extract. There’s no juice, but it has a lovely peach mango flavor, with the peach standing out just a tad more. However, I’m not sure about the “creme” part.

Click/Tap here for our previous Other Things I Consumed posts.

REVIEW: Bang Any Means Orange Energy Drink

Bang Any Means Orange is my first experience with a Bang Energy Drink, and ever since I’ve consumed it, my heart has been racing. However, I don’t know if that’s because I’ve fallen in love with this energy drink flavor or because of the 300 milligrams of caffeine the beverage has.

Any Means Orange is probably the most random-sounding energy drink flavor name ever, but I assure you that there is meaning behind it. The flavor is a collaboration between Bang and Any Means Possible, or AMP for short. They’re a collective of online streamers.

I know some of you wordsmiths are thinking, “If their group is called Any Means Possible, why wasn’t this Any Means Pomegranate?” Well, I’m going to be honest, probably because pomegranate is so (insert whatever the kids say instead of “uncool” here), and there’s something Weird Al Yankovic-ish about that name.

However, I am extremely thankful that it ended up being orange-flavored because my fondness for how Any Means Orange tastes is as high as this energy drink’s caffeine content.

First off, this isn’t just straight-up orange. While the brand says it’s “Refreshing orange with a zesty kick,” I swear it’s orange creamsicle-flavored. So it really should’ve been, “Refreshing orange with a creamy kick.” That is as clear as the beverage when poured into a Pyrex cup. It hits the citrus and cream flavors so well that I’m surprised this isn’t liquid from an ice cream truck with broken freezers that’s sitting in the middle of the desert. It’s so delicious.

Much like I’ve experienced with Monster Energy’s Ultra line, this zero sugar energy drink doesn’t taste like there’s no sugar in it. (Oh, for those who don’t follow energy drink companies like sports teams, Bang’s parent company, Vital Pharmaceuticals, was purchased by Monster in 2023.)

If you’re a fan of orange creamsicle-flavored energy drinks and want 300 milligrams of caffeine, pick this up by any means necessary.

DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary product samples from Bang. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 16 fl oz can
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 40 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 300 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Monster Viking Berry Energy Juice

When I first learned about Monster Energy’s Viking Berry Energy Juice, I thought “Viking berry” was a weird name for a fruit. But after commanding Siri to do some light research for me, like an unpaid intern, I learned that the fruit has an even more unusual but totally unmarketable name for a food product — chokeberries.

According to Wikipedia, “The name ‘chokeberry’ comes from the astringency of the fruits, which create the sensation of making one’s mouth pucker.” Sadly, that is a disappointing and boring explanation of its name, which creates the sensation of making one’s mouth yawn.

Why couldn’t the reason for its name be something dark, chilling, and worthy of a Netflix documentary? For example, the fruit was responsible for the deaths of many sailors at sea when it was used as ammunition by Viking slingshot snipers who targeted the mouths of their enemies.

But after all that reading and Siri-ing, I’m confused about whether or not this contains Viking berries. The ingredients list mentions a trio of B-berry juices – black currant, blackberry, and bilberry – but no chokeberries. Not even the can’s copy says anything definite. Instead, the following is printed: “Inspired by Wild Nordic berries and Scandinavian fruit, Viking Berry blends real fruit juices and exotic flavors for a whole new taste experience.”

“Whole new taste experience,” eh?

Well, a distinct pattern of neurons in my brain started firing when I took a sip of this. But I can’t quite figure out why it tastes so familiar. While it’s not a whole new taste experience to me, it is in the Monster Juice line because almost all the new flavors over the past decade have been tropical flavored.

The red-ish purple Viking Berry Energy Juice has a mixed berry aroma and taste that leans towards blueberry and maybe red raspberry. Much like chokeberries, I’ve never had bilberries, so I wouldn’t know one even if it was shot down my throat by a slingshot sniper. It starts off a bit tart but has a sweeter finish. However, it’s not sour enough to create the sensation of making one’s mouth pucker. It is tasty enough that I see this being a repeat purchase. Although, I can’t say I enjoy it more than some of the tropical Monster Energy Juice varieties.

Something else that came to mind while drinking this is that it has a Monster Ultra vibe to it. I might be the only one who thinks this, but even though there’s sugar in this (and some sucralose), I could confuse its flavor for a zero sugar Monster Ultra.

Monster Viking Berry Energy Juice may not contain actual chokeberries, but it has 160 milligrams of sweet, sweet caffeine and a berry delicious taste.

Purchased Price: $2.59
Size: 16 fl oz can
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 0 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 49 grams of sugar (including 47 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 160 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Aqua Blast Gatorade

As soon as I saw the bottle, I was hooked by the 80s retro yet somehow modern vibes. A bit of vaporwave never hurt anyone!

I wanted to go into this review blind, so to speak, so I avoided looking up what flavor it was supposed to be. If the aqua and purple were any indication, maybe grape? Blue raspberry? Dragonfruit?

Bzzztt! Wrong!

Upon opening the bottle, I was immediately hit with that sort of tangy, sharp-yet-sweet scent I usually associate with tropical fruit-flavored candy. Pouring some into a glass, the aqua hue mimics the exterior wrap on the bottle. Very neon, very aqua.

Having had a lot of Gatorade, I expected it to smell a lot stronger than it tasted, and it didn’t disappoint in that regard. The flavor is very much a sort of toned down pineapple gummy bear with a hint of something else, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on, all wrapped in that sort of salty background note that electrolyte-enhanced beverages all have in common.

I took a few more sips and decided the flavor was probably a very pineapple-forward tropical fruit. Then I Googled and found out it was supposedly pineapple mango. I have to admit, I really don’t taste mango at all. Just a vague hint of something tropical beyond the pineapple. You could have told me it was pineapple guava or pineapple papaya, and I wouldn’t have doubted it.

In conclusion, it’s not bad. If Gatorade is your jam, you’ll probably like this one, especially if you like artificial pineapple-flavored things.

Purchased Price: $1.72
Size: 28 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Per Serving: 80 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of total carbs, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 21 grams of total sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream

In 2024, we saw Coke discontinue its Cherry Vanilla flavor, and perhaps sensing this void in the market or wanting to get in on the dirty soda trend, Pepsi is starting the new year by introducing a new permanent flavor, Wild Cherry & Cream. I’ve always been more of a Coke person if I’m going to choose a cola, but I enjoy Wild Cherry Pepsi, so I was curious to see how it would fare when given the soda shop addition of a creamy vanilla twist.

Opening the bottle, I got those familiar, slightly spicy scents of Pepsi with a cherry hint. The cream wasn’t immediately obvious, and after a few sips, I still found it to be not very pronounced. It rounds things out on the back end of a swig, but it isn’t a strong cream soda flavor. The wild cherry is similarly kind of tame here, being more mild than in your face. I think “wild cherry” in the soda flavor world is just a way to make “cherry” sound more exciting and not necessarily a nuanced flavor based on certain cherry varieties, but I wish these cherries were bringing more exuberance to the party. C’mon, cherries, knock over a lamp or something. Spill some more cream in the communal pitcher of Pepsi.

I wish these flavors were a bit more amped, but that isn’t to say this drink is bad. In fact, it’s quite good. These are classic tastes, and they work together in harmony. I enjoy that the cherry and cream aspects obscure some of the things I don’t always love about Pepsi to begin with. It’s sweet and the cherry brings to mind candy, but I don’t find it too sweet in the way I sometimes do an original Pepsi.

This drink could work alongside a meal, at the movies with popcorn, or by itself. The flavor combo isn’t groundbreaking, but it is solid. If you’re a Pepsi fan, I could see this becoming your new favorite. If you hate Pepsi, I could see you not refusing this and perhaps even admitting that it doesn’t suck.

While Wild Cherry & Cream is currently available in cans and bottles, the bottles are only for a limited time. Also worth noting, I tried the zero sugar variety and it does not hit the same pleasant notes for me. Pepsi drinkers, rejoice in your new blend of old favorites! Everyone else, opt for full sugar if you’re going out on a limb and giving this a try. It may not be wildly innovative, but it’s a worthy addition to the Pepsi lineup.

Purchased Price: $2.49
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: I received a free bottle from Jewel-Osco and purchased a bottle of zero sugar, also from Jewel-Osco
Rating: 8 out of 10 (regular), 4 out of 10 (zero sugar)
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle regular) 260 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 55 milligrams of sodium, 69 grams of total carbs, 69 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.

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