REVIEW: Caramel M&M’s Pop’d

Caramel M&M’s Pop’d pouch

The freeze-dried candy craze has yielded some pleasant and strange surprises from major brands and small businesses alike. While freeze-dried Skittles or Lemonheads are tasty and fun, for example, I would argue that the freeze-dried Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes I once sampled are an abomination to both science and sweets.

Maybe we are still in the process of distinguishing what we can freeze-dry from what we should freeze-dry. As M&M’s enters the freeze-dried fray, I’m happy to report that the brand got it right on the first try.

Caramel M&M’s Pop’d in the pouch

Of all the flavors to work with, M&M’s Pop’d pulled a Peter Piper and possibly picked the perfect product to pop. Milk chocolate? Too basic. Peanut? Not great for freeze-drying. Enter Caramel M&M’s, which consist of milk chocolate and a chewy caramel center, two elements that, when freeze-dried, are familiar and yet transformed.

Caramel M&M’s Pop’d close up

The result is delicious. The expected flavors of milk chocolate and sweet, buttery caramel are recognizable, although lighter and less rich. I was expecting a dulled chocolate flavor, but it remains vibrant. The candy shell—so constant across all M&M varieties that it is almost boring—seems sweeter and more interesting in freeze-dried form.

Caramel M&M’s Pop’d innards

The real excitement of these candies is, of course, the texture. The M&M’s are light and crispy with grainy, airy centers that easily dissolve in the mouth. The caramel center is necessary to push this product from fun novelty to tasty treat. It reminds me of sponge candy, a light and crispy confection made with caramelized sugar that is so popular where I live that local shops sell t-shirts proclaiming, “You either love sponge candy or you’re wrong.” I will admit when I am wrong, but if polishing off these candies by myself is wrong, I see no point in being right.

Caramel M&M’s Pop’d in a bowl

My only qualm with M&M’s Pop’d is the higher price point that comes with any novelty. Depending on where you shop, you could pay as much as three times more per ounce compared to a bag of standard M&M’s. Because Pop’d candies are so light, it’s easier to eat more, which makes it feel like the product doesn’t go as far. Once I figure out a way to collect and use the candy dust that settles at the bottom of the bag, I may make M&M’s Pop’d a regular purchase rather than a once-in-a-while treat. If you have any ideas, please share . . . I’m getting close to the bottom of the bag already.

Purchased Price: $7.79
Purchased at: CVS
Size: 5.5 oz (155 g) bag
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 oz, about 11 pieces) 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein

5 Other Things I Consumed This Week: 11/28/2025

Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate Bar wrapper

Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate Bar

Unless prices start going down, this might be my first and last Dubai-style chocolate bar. This bar, which was not that much bigger than a Left or Right Twix, was over six dollars. Yes, it shouldn’t have been surprising since other Dubai Chocolate products on this site have had Dubai-ble, I mean, double-digit prices. Now that I’ve tried it, I have to admit its flavor and textures are really great. However, I can’t say I would regularly pay its price to experience them.

Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate Bar innards

The creamy Lindt chocolate pairs wonderfully with the even creamier, crispy pistachio-flavored filling. It’s all like a melted milk chocolate Nestle Kit Kat with pistachio-flavored creme between the wafers. Oh geez, that last sentence almost convinced me it’s all worth it. I could spend the six dollars on another bar, or spend it on a few bags of holiday-shaped Reese’s after Christmas at 50 percent off. The latter sounds like a better deal.

Liquid Death Severed Lime and Doctor Death

Liquid Death Severed Lime and Doctor Death cans

I’m attempting to spear all the Liquid Death flavors. These two are the ones that readers said I should smash. Ugh. How does Liquid Death cram violent verbs into its names so easily? My fingers can’t keep stabbing my keyboard to stuff violence into every sentence. Ugh. They’re dead.

Oh, they’re alive again to type how much I enjoyed both sparkling water varieties with the right amount of flavor. Severed Lime has a light lemon-lime soda vibe, while Doctor Death has a Dr Pepper-like flavor. Although I got more recommendations for Severed Lime, I loved Doctor Death much more. But both make me regret not getting on the Liquid Death train earlier. So much hydration I missed out on. If you’re not into Bubly or La Croix because you want more flavor from your sparkling water, Liquid Death will give you what you want. Now that I’ve consumed and liked three flavors, I want to buy all the different variety packs on Amazon.

Nerds Strawberry Punch Juicy Gummy Clusters

Nerds Strawberry Punch  Juicy Gummy Clusters pouch

As I mentioned many times on this site, Nerds Gummy Clusters surprised me. I didn’t think something as simple as sticking Nerds candy to a gummy would be so pleasing. But after trying it, I was hooked. Since its introduction, other flavors have been introduced, all of which are great. However, I think its latest evolution makes it even better.

Nerds Strawberry Punch  Juicy Gummy Clusters innards

Think of these as Gushers candy inside a Nerds coating, but with a better gummy candy. The liquid-filled candy creates larger clusters and gives the candy three levels of texture: chewy, crunchy, and gooey. I absolutely love chewing on these. Then there’s the flavor. Nerds have a sourness to them, but the gummy candy and its filling amp up the sweetness, giving the candy an almost equal balance between sour and sweet. It’s a difficult candy for me to put down. This should be the default Nerds Gummy Clusters.

Too Good & Co Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer

Too Good & Co Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer in a mug with my morning caffeine jolt

After trying to gain some market share in the crowded yogurt market, next to its cousin, Dannon, Too Good & Co is now attempting to get into the crowded-but-not-as-crowded-as-yogurt coffee creamer game next to its cousin, International Delight. I guess it’s competing with Coffee mate’s Natural Bliss line.

Along with this Sweet Cream flavor, there are also Lavender (seasonal) and Roasted Vanilla varieties. The creamers are made with real milk, have 40% less sugar than leading coffee creamers, and have no artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, added gums, oils, or preservatives, and come in small 25.4-ounce cartons.

As someone who buys mainly sugary coffee creamers with artificial flavors, added gums, oils, or preservatives, and sometimes artificial sweeteners in 32-ounce bottles, I enjoyed the mild but sweet taste and the creaminess from this Too Good & Co creamer. But I wouldn’t replace my usual choices with it. Much like the Natural Bliss line, price is an issue. These natural products are more expensive. And on top of that, it comes in a smaller bottle.

Bloom Pop Limited Edition Winter Pomberry Soda

Bloom Pop Limited Edition Winter Pomberry it's clear

Is this supposed to be pomegranate- and cranberry-flavored? I ask because it tastes like a cranberry soda to me. And I’m pretty sure the “pom” in pomberry isn’t for pomelo. The ingredient list says it has cranberry juice, but no pomegranate juice. However, it does have pear juice. Maybe the “P” in pomberry stands for pear, while the “om” stands for something else. Of course, all of this confusion could’ve been avoided if this soda’s flavor were called cranagranate, which is a 100 percent better name than pomberry. Om well. Anyhoo, this tasty cranberry-flavored soda has prebiotics and a tiny amount of sugar, but no fiber, which is a bummer.

REVIEW: Hershey’s Snickerdoodle Cookie Kisses

Hershey's Snickerdoodle Cookie Kisses bag design

Halloween has come and gone, and while the Pumpkin Spice Period isn’t totally over (you usually see some straggling items until at least Thanksgiving), we are now firmly entrenched in Christmas Food Season.

Everything is sugar-cookied or gingerbreaded, with the occasional item even getting nogged. The best Christmasization, arguably, is when things get snickerdoodle’d. I don’t remember “snickerdoodle” being so ubiquitously Christmas when I was young. But I also have a working theory that pumpkin spice wasn’t even a thing until about 15 years ago, so who really knows.

Hershey's Snickerdoodle Cookie Kisses foil wrappers

Well, I do love a snickerdoodle— regardless of the season, quite frankly— but I truly wasn’t expecting to enjoy these new Hershey’s Snickerdoodle Cookie Kisses as much as I did.

Part of my trepidation was likely due to the “white creme” base of these Kisses. Oftentimes, any cheap confection labeled “white creme” or “white chocolate” is waxy and prone to leaving a weird film in your mouth. These delightful little nuggets did nothing of the sort. Instead, there was a genuine bit of creaminess, which was surprising.

Hershey's Snickerdoodle Cookie Kisses cookie bits

The contrasting texture of the cookie pieces worked well, too, adding a light, sweet crunch. Speaking of, each Kiss had plenty of little cookie bits. They lent a subtle hint of cinnamon and sugar, and dare I say… butteriness? I didn’t expect as much nuanced flavor as these little Kisses provided.

In the end, I was left with a surprising amount of fondness for these Snickerdoodle Kisses. Will I eat this whole bag well before Christmas? Yes. And will I buy another bag to use for thumbprint snickerdoodle cookies? That actually sounds like a great idea.

Purchased Price: $4.97
Size: 9 oz bag
Rating: 8 out of 10
Purchased at: Walmart
Nutrition Facts: (7 pieces) 160 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kit Kat Peppermint Stick

Kit Kat Peppermint Stick wrapper

In the shift from spooky season to holiday cheer that happens overnight, the junk food subculture marks the equally important transition from pumpkin spice season to the winter of merri-mint. While I stock my candy cupboard with mint chocolate like Andes or York Peppermint Patties year-round, the white chocolate (or, more often, white crème) and peppermint concoctions of the winter season represent a flavor pairing as timeless as milk and holiday cookies.

Kit Kat Peppermint Stick makes me wish these flavors were more accessible throughout the year, but if wishes were horses, we’d all enjoy free sleigh rides.

Kit Kat Peppermint Stick coating

The Kit Kat’s white crème base is a sweet combination of creamy vanilla and peppermint flavors. The peppermint is refreshing and noticeable, but not overwhelming. On the scale of pastel dessert mints to Life Savers Pep-O-Mint (which I cannot taste for more than three seconds without spitting them out and re-pledging my allegiance to Wint-O-Green), the minty strength lies slightly above an Andes mint. Anyone who likes mint but is wary of a toothpaste quality will welcome these Kit Kats to their holiday candy dish.

Kit Kat Peppermint Stick center

The Kit Kat’s pleasant creaminess does temper what could be a sharp peppermint flavor. The combination reminds me of peppermint ice cream, a milder version of the seasonal Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, or Russell Stover’s long-gone Rosebud Mints. If you still remember the latter, you may need to ask Santa for an anti-wrinkle cream this year.

Like many peppermint candies, Kit Kat Peppermint Stick contains an extra flourish in the form of “crunchy candy bits,” which are essentially crunchy red and green nonpareils. They add a light crunch and visual interest, but no additional flavor. I like them as an alternative to candy cane pieces; they don’t detract from the light crunch of the wafers.

In addition to the single-size bar, Kit Kat Peppermint Stick is available in a bag of individually wrapped snack-size pieces. Whether you are adding a festive flair to your holiday celebrations or hoarding candy under the justification that it contains peppermint oil and is therefore a useful digestive (Who would do that? Not me!), add Kit Kat to the top of your Nice List.

Purchased Price: $1.24
Size: 1.5 oz (42 g) bar
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 220 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 21 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

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

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. 

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