REVIEW: Arby’s Steak Nuggets

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Arby's Steak Nuggets with BBQ sauce container

I’m wholly disappointed that Arby’s Steak Nuggets aren’t beef chunks coated in some kind of breading to give them a crunchy exterior. You know, chicken nuggets, but with beef.

Unfortunately, Arby’s didn’t seize the opportunity to do this and instead plopped five or nine bite-sized morsels of smoked steak into a container, added a side of Hickory Smoked BBQ dipping sauce, and called it a day. However, you can also get these in a special sandwich or in a bowl with mac & cheese and crispy onion strips.

These Steak Nuggets are a bit of a head scratcher for me. The idea of dunking meat into a sauce like chicken nuggets is odd, but I admit it sounds like something right up Arby’s alley. I mean, the chain plays with meat as often as a toddler plays with their food. Maybe they’re skating to where the meat is going, not where it has been, and we’ll see more fast food chains offer dippable steak chunks.

Arby's Steak Nuggets 5-pieces

Steak Nuggets seem like meat that’s looking for a stew to dive into. They have a tender, fall-apart texture that’s reminiscent of beef that has been sitting in a stew for hours. They are tender AF (as flounder).

Arby's Steak Nuggets are so tender

However, their flavor has a strong beef jerky vibe. So if you love the taste of beef jerky, but your teeth don’t like being jerked around by the toughness of it, these very tender morsels of meat will satisfy your taste buds without giving your jaw a workout. Personally, while I love the fall-apart texture, I was hoping for something without a taste that reminds me of convenience store snacking. An order does come with a container of Hickory Smoked BBQ sauce, which hides the beef jerky flavor, but does it so completely that I didn’t really taste any meatiness.

Arby's Steak Nuggets dipped in BBQ sauce

I imagine this would be appealing for an Arby’s customer on the carnivore diet or something similar. It’s kind of funny imagining a carnivore dieter shoving thinly sliced roast beef into their mouth, but less so if they’re popping these Steak Nuggets. As for me, they aren’t enjoyable enough that I’ll be popping them into my mouth again.

Purchased Price: $7.49*
Size: 5 pieces
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 340 calories, 27 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 670 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 17 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.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Oreo Reese’s Blizzard

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Dairy Queen Oreo Reese’s Blizzard top

If you know anything about philosophy, please do not read this review because I’m about to mangle the work of 14th-century friar William of Occam (or Ockham if you prefer that spelling). As I understand it, Willie had some kind of magic razor, and it told him that simple and logical is better than complex and improbable. I might not have that exactly correct, but philosophy is open to interpretation, right?

What does the world’s worst interpretation of the principle of Occam’s razor have to do with Dairy Queen’s October Blizzard of the Month? Well, the new Oreo Reese’s Blizzard is about as basic and old school as possible, and yet it’s also glorious. DQ Blizzards have been around for 40 years, but somehow they have never combined two of the most popular components, Oreo cookies and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Until now.

This one isn’t extreme or potentially explosive like some previous Blizzard names imply, and there’s nothing fancy in it like truffles or red velvet. The name is completely unimaginative, and yet this Blizzard is wondrous for its simple splendor.

Dairy Queen Oreo Reese’s Blizzard Oreo pieces

I thought the chocolatiness of the Oreo might clash with and overpower the more subdued peanut butter flavor of the Reese’s, but just like my explanation of Occam’s razor, I was wrong. The crunch and potency of the Oreos certainly are more noticeable than the Reese’s, but they both complement each other and provide that great chocolate-peanut butter combination.

Dairy Queen Oreo Reese’s Blizzard toppings

I also thought the DQ mixologist tried to skimp on the ingredients in my Blizzard, but once I broke through the mostly barren surface, I found a wealth of large Oreo pieces and an ample amount of Reese’s. Together, the taste was not wholly unfamiliar, as I’ve had countless Blizzards with either one, but it was also different enough to be very satisfying. So I can’t say this is my absolute favorite Blizzard, but it definitely earns a high ranking. And not that DQ asked me, but if they were to mix in some of those decadent cheesecake bites, then this might be the perfect combination.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Small
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 760 calories, 32 grams of fat, 32 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 400 milligrams of sodium, 106 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 85 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Burger King Franken-Candy Sundae

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Burger King Franken-Candy Sundae with Halloween crown

Burger King has had fun with its Halloween-themed menus in recent years, and this year is no different.

From least interesting to most interesting (in my opinion), the 2025 menu includes the following: Mummy Mozzarella Fries, mozzarella sticks in a mummy box; Vampire Nuggets, chicken nuggets shaped like bats and fangs; the Jack-O-Lantern Whopper, with bacon, American cheese, and an orange bun with black sesame seeds; and the Franken-Candy Sundae, vanilla soft serve with “franken-candy” purple syrup, Oreo crumbles, and green and purple popping candy. It is this last item that I’m reviewing here.

Burger King Franken-Candy Sundae with Oreo crumbs and popping candy

The vanilla soft serve is soft and liquid-y enough that I was able to consume it with a thick metal straw. It’s just what you expect: sweet and satisfying, if uninteresting. And Oreo crumbles need no introduction. They add both flavor and textural contrast.

Burger King Franken-Candy Sundae with purple Franken-Candy syrup

The interesting parts of the sundae come from the “franken-candy syrup” and the popping candy. The syrup mostly sticks to the side of the cup, and I can’t really tell what it’s supposed to taste like: It’s just sweet, and the name “franken-candy” doesn’t offer me any clues. It does taste like candy, but I don’t know what kind. Texturally, it’s something like melted white chocolate.

The popping candy is coated in a confection to keep it from popping prematurely, and I felt a need to let some of the pieces melt in my mouth so I could savor the popping qualities. If I just bite down on them, they’re mildly crunchy. I can only guess that the popping is supposed to mimic the electricity Dr. Frankenstein used to bring his creature to life.

Burger King Franken-Candy Sundae soft serve

Like Dr. Frankenstein, Burger King has simply stitched together preexisting ingredients to create something new. But unlike Frankenstein’s monster, this sundae is visually appealing and tasty. All the elements work together for a fun, tasty, and slightly spooky treat.

I associate popping candy with Fourth of July fireworks, so I would love to see BK bring this back in a red, white, and blue version for the summer.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 360 calories, 13 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 grams of carbohydrates, 270 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of fiber, 42 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte with Vanilla Protein Cold Foam

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Starbucks Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte Cup

Do you know those math problems where you try to figure out how many combinations or possibilities something has? I feel like the new Starbucks protein options are the real-life version. Between the protein-boosted milk or protein cold foam that you can add to any beverage, the combos are endless. There’s also a protein menu already created if the thought of that gives you drink paralysis.

I opted to choose from the protein menu, going for the Iced Sugar Free Vanilla Protein Latte with the vanilla protein cold foam added. (Note that adding the cold foam is an additional $2, and if you want the protein-boosted milk, it’ll cost you $1 extra.) I oftentimes order an iced non-fat vanilla latte, so I thought this would be a great comparison.

Starbucks Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte close up

Let’s start with my most important takeaway. I really didn’t notice too much difference between this drink and a non-protein version. The protein is really a behind-the-scenes effect. The protein-boosted milk can give you up to 36 grams in a grande, and the cold foam can provide 15 grams.

Starbucks Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte cold foam

The one thing I did observe is that the protein powder did make the drink a little thicker and creamier – in a good way. The cold foam stayed intact much longer than it usually would, which I think is a win. The cold foam also had a nice, strong vanilla flavor. For those wondering if you can taste the protein powder, I did not. No noticeable taste difference (and I have tried protein powders before that DO make something taste strongly like it!).

All in all, if added protein is necessary for your diet or workout goals, this is a nice option. But otherwise, for me, it was kind of “meh.” I liked the drink itself, but it wasn’t life-changing. I can see myself getting one of these to help recover after a long run, but it won’t be a common occurrence.

Purchased Price: $6.75
Size: Grande
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (iced latte only): 200 calories, 4 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 gram of dietary fiber, 9 grams of total sugars, 29 grams of protein and 150 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins Galactic Brownie Ice Cream

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Baskin-Robbins Galactic Brownie Ice Cream scoop

Was Baskin-Robbins’ Galactic Brownie Ice Cream supposed to be a collaboration with Little Debbie, but one company pulled out at the last minute? So instead of Baskin-Robbins Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Ice Cream, we have an ice cream that sounds like it was influenced by a store brand version of Cosmic Brownies.

Or did this happen because the folks at Baskin-Robbins were inspired by Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownies Ice Cream?

I guess the universe will never know.

October 2025’s Flavor of the Month features brownie batter-flavored ice cream, brownie pieces, rainbow chips, and chocolate icing swirls. The colorful chips stand out in the vast darkness of chocolatey ingredients and are much easier to spot than planets in the sky with the naked eye, without any help from a stargazing app on your phone.

The brownie batter base was tasty, and it did a great job of replicating its intended flavor. The included chewy brownie pieces, which were roughly the size of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, made the brownie flavor stand out more. However, I wished there were more baked good chunks because I counted only three in my scoop. The swirls added a chocolate taste that differed from the ice cream base and brownies.

Baskin-Robbins Galactic Brownie Ice Cream brownie piece

While there weren’t many brownie pieces, like stars in the evening sky, there were A LOT of rainbow chips. There were so many that every spoonful I took had at least one. They added a slight sugary kick that cut through all the chocolate, but they mostly brought big bangs of crunch that contrasted the soft, chewy, and gooey ingredients in the scoop. Actually, they were probably the crunchiest mix-in I’ve ever had in ice cream. With that said, as a texture person, I do love their addition, but I wish there were fewer of them and more of the brownie chunks.

Baskin-Robbins Galactic Brownie Ice Cream was a treat for my brownie-loving taste buds, but because of the highly uneven brownie-to-rainbow chip ratio, I can’t say it’s out of this world.

Purchased Price: $4.39*
Size: 4 oz scoop
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 310 calories, 18 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 2 gram of fiber, 31 grams of sugar (including 26 grams of added sugar), and 5 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.

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