As a consumer, fast food pizza is like a tennis match out there, and I’ve been watching Domino’s and Papa Johns volley back and forth. Earlier this year, Papa Johns launched toasted sandwiches, a mainstay on Domino’s menu. Then Domino’s was like, Oh yeah? We’re going to launch a Slice Sauce and stake our claim right on the packaging: “The Ideal Sauce for your Slice.”

Bold claims require bold evidence, and as a self-declared garlic butter loyalist, I was ready to officiate.

For context, Papa Johns’ Garlic Butter is one of the primary reasons that its pizza is my #1. I always have a spare garlic butter cup in the fridge; you know, for these moments, or impulsive late-night pizza eating.

So a direct head-to-head was non-negotiable.

The Slice Sauce runs $0.99 as an add-on in the app, where it’s described as “creamy and zesty with a hint of Parmesan.” Respectable price point.

In the container, it skews orange-ish, closer to Thousand Island dressing with the flecks and everything, but the smell is zesty and promising. On the first bite, the Parmesan and Asiago cheese blend shows up – genuinely the first taste, not just marketing copy. But it quickly gives way to something more ranch-coded, with a buttermilk finish that keeps things interesting.

To keep this tennis analogy going – here’s where it goes to deuce: I preferred it on the MeatZZa, where it amplified the cheesiness and left a tangy, ranch-like aftertaste that worked. On my mushroom vegetarian slice, it overly accentuated the tomato in a way that felt like there was too much tomato sauce.

Papa Johns’ Garlic Butter, by contrast, played nice with both – universally complementary, and deeply buttery in a way that just hits like a Serena Williams serve.

Would I buy the Slice Sauce again? Nah. It’s not bad, it’s just fine, especially when Papa Johns’ garlic butter exists and is elite. Domino’s talked a big game, and the sauce is a solid showing, but it wasn’t the upset I was hoping for.

Purchased Price: $0.99
Size: 1 cup (35g)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 170 calories, 18 grams of total fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of total sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

Taylor Farms Caesar Power Kit

Taylor Farms Chicken Taco Family Meal

Taylor Farms Peach Whiskey Veggie Kit

Saffron Road Crossroads Hatch Chile Chicken Pesto

Saffron Road Crossroads Butter Chicken Cavatappi

Saffron Road Crossroads Lemon Miso Chicken Alfredo

Arih Modern Noodles (Soy Sauce Butter and Gochujang Butter)

Arih Modern Noodles (Spicy Seaweed, K-Super Spicy Seaweed, and Truffle Bulgogi)

Arih Modern Noodles (Black Pepper Tteokbokki and Vongole)

Private Selection Caramelized Onion & Chicken Pot Pie

Private Selection Mediterranean Inspired Vegetable Pot Pie

Milà Black Pepper Beef & Stir Fry Vegetables With Steamed Rice

Mìlà Creamy Udon Noodles With Chicken & Shiitake Mushrooms

I just realized something. Why isn’t Ghost Energy’s slogan something like “Give Yourself an Energy BOOst with Ghost”? (Spotted by Andrew V at Target.)

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When life give you lemons and America’s 250th birthday, make strawberry lemonade. (Spotted by Sage G at Walmart.)

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The list of limited time only Popeyes Chicken Sandwiches is long. However, it’s not CVS-receipt-long, like the list of Taco Bell’s loaded Nacho Fries or Burger King’s Whoppers. Out of all those chicken sandwiches, only one comes to mind that I’d like to see reappear — the Golden BBQ Chicken Sandwich.

But now there’s another one I’d like to see make a return someday, or become a permanent addition: the Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Yep, another sweet barbecue-sauced crispy chicken sandwich. Can’t help it. My tongue loves what my tongue loves.

I’m actually surprised this honey BBQ sauce-slathered sandwich didn’t happen sooner, because I’m pretty sure this is the same sauce used with Popeyes wings. So when this disappears from the menu, I could honey muster the courage to ask nicely for a chicken sandwich that swaps the mayo for the honey BBQ sauce used with Popeyes wings. Or I could write a letter to Popeyes corporate with a CVS-receipt-long list of reasons why customers should be able to easily customize their sandwich with whatever sauces Popeyes offers.

Anyway, the Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich comes with Popeyes’ chicken breast filet marinated in Louisiana herbs and spices, barrel-cured pickles, and a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, all on a toasted, buttery brioche bun. Along with being surprised that this sandwich didn’t come out sooner, I’m also surprised this isn’t topped with hot honey, because looking at store shelves, it appears that hot honey is still hot, honey.

The sauce is sweet, savory, and a little peppery, and it goes extremely well with Popeyes’ chicken fillet and the tangy pickles. The honey’s flavor leaves a strong impression. However, I wish the sauce had been applied more liberally, because I wanted more of that sweet and tangy flavor. The slightly sweet bun and the poultry tempered the sticky sauce a bit. While the barbecue sauce was applied to both buns, I wish the crispy fillet had been coated with it, even if that meant one extremely messy experience. I’ll gladly trade cleanliness for a mouth that looked like it was bobbing for apples in a barrel of barbecue sauce.

As for the chicken, it was its usual juicy and tender self with a crispy coating. Though I’ve had maybe three Popeyes chicken sandwiches over the past six months and all of them had fillets that were thick on one side and thin on the other. So there’s one meaty side and the other is mostly breading. Of course, your Popeyes locations may vary.

Overall, Popeyes’ Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich is a winner winner chicken dinner…or lunch.

Purchased Price: $7.79
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 630 calories, 24 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 2020 milligrams of sodium, 78 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 26 grams of protein.

Angie’s Cinnamon Churro Popcorn

Amos Peelerz Blue Raspberry

Bettergoods Black Forest Cake Style Crispy Rice Bites

Bettergoods Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Bites

Good & Gather Berry Cereal

Good & Gather Cocoa Cereal

Good & Gather Apple Cinnamon Cereal

Good & Gather Honey Oat Cereal

Sundae Shoppe Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Pops

Sundae Shoppe Limoncello Ice Pops

Moser Roth Délice Mango Fine Truffles

Moser Roth Strawberry Délice Fine Truffles

Moser Roth Délice Coconut Fine Truffles

Favorite Day Mixed Berry Lemonade Mini Muffins

Barebells Orange Creamsicle Protein Bar

Rejoice! ‘Tis the season for burger-flavored potato chips! Also, apply sunscreen. (Spotted by James C at Giant.)

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Two scoops of gainz! (Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

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If I were to be crowned Dairy King, I would decree that ice cream is a perfectly acceptable breakfast food. But Dairy Queen beat me to it with the new “Breakfast Collection” that includes the Choco Frosted Donut Blizzard, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Dipped Cone, and Fruity Pebbles Shake. As a dutiful peasant of the Kingdom of Dairy, I honored the crown by partaking in all three offerings. In this review, I hereby declare that the Fruity Pebbles Shake is indeed glorious, though with one caveat.

I had muted expectations for this shake, as I assumed it would take some kind of wizardly magic to keep the Fruity Pebbles from turning mushy in their ice cream bath. And while I’m a big fan of any sugar- and/or color-enhanced cereal, I’ve always preferred Cap’n Crunch (Crunch Berries, of course) or Lucky Charms. It turns out, however, that as the kids say, this really slaps.

The fruity flavor of the fancy Rice Krispies in this shake is astounding. Plus, this is just fun to look at and to eat. I was not prepared for the delicious punch of sweetness that paired perfectly with the creaminess of the vanilla ice cream and milk. It truly was a wonderful combination packed with flavor.

The aforementioned caveat is that it seems Dairy Queen’s best wizard could not suspend the laws of physics involved with putting Fruity Pebbles into a liquid, which I guess is how a shake would be classified. I wouldn’t say the cereal turned soggy, but it also wasn’t crispy in any sense. I wolfed down the shake with impressive speed, so I imagine if I had done so at a more leisurely pace, then perhaps sogginess would have entered the chat. The texture was just a tad off-putting, but aside from that, this is a delicious, not-so-nutritious “breakfast.”

As a side note, I learned in my review of the Choco Frosted Donut Blizzard that some Dairy Queens serve actual breakfast food during breakfast hours. Unfortunately, there are no DQs in my area that are open for breakfast, so the best I could do was have this shake shortly after 10 a.m. But I assume you can get the Breakfast Collection items before the sun comes up if you are lucky enough to live near a breakfast-enabled DQ.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: Small
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 500 calories, 23 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 210 milligrams of sodium, 64 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 52 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of protein.

Trader Joe’s Gummy Worms Sweet & Sour Fruity Flavored Candies

Trader Joe’s Red White & Blue Cookie Bites

Trader Joe’s Shrimp Chips Garlic

Trader Joe’s Lemon Flavored Wafer Cookies

Trader Joe’s Sugar Cookie Dough Flowers

Trader Joe’s Al Pastor Diced Pork Shoulder

Trader Joe’s Lemon Tiramisu

Trader Joe’s Organic Guava Nectar

Trader Joe’s Lychee Sparkling Juice Beverage

Trader Joe’s Pollo Asado Chicken Thighs

Trader Joe’s Assorted Belgian Chocolates

Trader Joe’s Passion Fruit Orange Guava 100% Juice Blend

Trader Joe’s Flat Taffy Raspberry

Trader Joe’s Creamy Dreamy Hummus To Go

Trader Joe’s Pickled Red Onions

Trader Joe’s Spicy Salmon Roll

Trader Joe’s Organic Lactose Free Reduced Fat Milk

Trader Joe’s Main Squeeze Extra Virgin Olive Oil

It’s electric boogie woogie woogie! (Spotted by Sage G at Target.)

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They look like what would happen if an ice cream sandwich and an ice cream bar had a baby. (Spotted by Tommy at Walmart.)

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My knowledge of Star Wars is limited, but one of the rare bits of trivia that stuck with me is the fact that Luke Skywalker drinks blue milk. So when I saw that Burger King’s new limited edition Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu menu features a blue-tinged milkshake, I was equal parts excited to try a brightly colored twist on my favorite dessert and just proud that I understood the reference!

Specifically, this shake is called Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake (and if that name doesn’t ring a bell, you’re probably more familiar with its adorable namesake’s nickname, “Baby Yoda”). BK’s press release states that it contains “Grogu’s favorite snack – blue cookies.” I’m not sure if that’s just a play on the blue milk or something that’s actually depicted in the Mandalorian series where Grogu appears (Star Wars fans, sound off in the comments!), but either way, as soon as I tasted the shake, I understood why the little guy likes blue cookies so much.

The size of the crumbled cookies in the topping felt perfect to me and yet was different than most other cookie-themed desserts I’ve tried—the pieces aren’t so big that they interrupt your slurping experience, yet are still big enough to have a noticeable taste and texture. I worried they would be, like Anakin Skywalker infamously complains about sand, “coarse and rough and irritating,” but no, the cookie pieces are actually quite soft. They reminded me of a cross between frosted animal crackers and those pillowy Lofthouse Cookies. They did their job of looking pretty, but also were an interestingly chewy and delicious addition to the shake. My only critique is that it would be fun to have cookie pieces blended into the shake too—as is, they’re limited to sitting on top.

The shake has a vanilla base, but it gets both its sweetness and its color from “blue sugar cookie syrup,” giving it a birthday cake-like flavor. It is certainly sweet, but to me at least, it didn’t cross the line into overly sweet territory. I was also impressed by the thick and creamy texture, not watery like the most underwhelming fast-food shakes can be. It even comes in a snazzy cup featuring a cute image of Grogu either concentrating very hard or preparing to take a nap. (Just don’t be fooled by the tiny stars speckled across it—they’re a design on the cup, not extra cookie bits like I originally assumed.)

All in all, Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake is an out-of-this-world experience. I wish I could come up with a cleverer pun to convey just how much I liked it, but I’ve officially exhausted all my Star Wars knowledge, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Or not… unlike a Jedi, I can’t Force you. (Never mind, I knew I could fit one more pun in there!)

Purchased Price: $6.59
Size: 16 oz
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 620 calories, 16 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 60 milligrams of sodium, 105 grams of carbohydrates, 84 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.

While I may not be able to eat an insane amount of hot dogs to participate in a hot dog eating contest, I could probably finish off a box of this while watching any two hour movie. (Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

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I really hope this name was created by someone who watched a lot of Love Island or Fantasy Island. (Spotted by Sage G at Harris Teeter.)

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Turkey Hill and Entenmann’s sitting in a tree. C-O-L-L-A-B-I-N-G. (Spotted by DJ at Giant.)

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Well if this isn’t the drink of the summer, I don’t know what is.

Starbucks just released its summer drink menu, which includes the Tropical Butterfly Lemonade Refresher. It marries lemonade and ice with guava and passionfruit flavors, and you’ll find mango-pineapple pearls and a butterfly pea flower infusion.

Wow, that description sounds like there’s a lot going on. But rest assured, this drink tastes and looks beautiful. Like seriously, you’re going to want to get your camera out. The color cascades from purple to pink to orange, thanks to the pearls at the bottom.

I loved it at first sip, and then the refresher truly got better as I went. The mix of fruity flavors is smooth, unique (in a good way) and the right amount of sweet, and the lemonade adds a refreshing touch. It did have a tiny hint of tart to it – which I LOVE – but you might want to get the lemonade-free version if that isn’t your jam. While the butterfly pea infusion didn’t have a strong taste, the guava was the strongest fruit flavor.

The pearls were a nice fruit burst to finish everything off. The mango was definitely more prevalent than the pineapple in the pearls. The flavor held strong as I nursed it, and my colleagues once again made fun of me for taking my time on an iced drink. But it was in the name of research! (And, OK, it IS how I normally do it…)

One of the coolest things about this new Refresher is the ability to adjust your caffeine. There are three options: light caffeine (that’s what I chose, as it was my afternoon beverage), extra caffeine (which makes it an Energy Refresher), or caffeine-free. I am absolutely loving the ability to customize depending on your caffeine situation. Go Starbucks!

I’m looking forward to trying the other options, including the Energy version and the one with coconutmilk. If these don’t become a permanent addition, I might be writing a strongly worded letter to Seattle. Enjoy!

Purchased Price: $5.55
Size: Tall
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 90 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 21 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of protein and 20 milligrams of caffeine.

Hot Ones BBQ Sauces

Smash Kitchen Organic Red Taco Sauces

Smash Kitchen Organic Green Taco Sauces

McCormick Signature Seasonings

Jack Link’s 3-Ingredient Hickory Smoked Steak Slices

Snak Club Mike’s Hot Honey Bears

Snak Club Mike’s Hot Honey Bombs

Fan Foods Outer Rim Ranch Tortilla Chips

Simply NKD Cheetos and Doritos Variety Pack

Signature Select Limited Edition Rainbow Sherbet Sparkling Water

Signature Select Limited Edition Pineapple Creme Sparkling Water

Signature Select Limited Edition Retro Rocket Ice Pop Sparkling Water

Protein, fiber, and banana flavor? That’ll make my muscles, gut, and taste buds all happy. (Spotted by Allison H at Target.)

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This would’ve been better as Printed Fun Pop-Tarts. It would’ve brought “Gotta catch ’em all” excitement. Instead, it’s one box with all the same standard looking Pop-Tarts inside. Yawn. (Spotted by Allison H at Target.)

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It makes just four cookies. That’s not much face stuffing with these stuffed cookies. (Spotted by Tommy at Walmart.)

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I’ve had more Dairy Queen Blizzards than any dietician or doctor would ever recommend, but I don’t believe I’ve ever had a DQ dipped cone of any sort. That all changed when I strolled into DQ and ordered up the new Cinnamon Toast Crunch Dipped Cone with Cinnadust. It’s part of the new “Breakfast Collection,” which, despite the name, is available all day. It turns out, I have been missing out.

I’m not sure I would have been impressed by a standard chocolate-dipped cone, but this upscale version did get my attention. I did not see it being made, as my local DQ has the kitchen and treat preparation area hidden from view, but the DQ website implies a two-step process with the vanilla cone dipped in a cinnamon coating and then sprinkled with Cinnadust. The result is splendidly sweet cinnamon goodness.

When the cone was delivered to my table, it appeared to be sweating in fear that it was about to be consumed. And those fears were well-founded, as not long after, only the paper cone wrapping remained. The coating was quite thick and took a bit of careful use of the teeth to prevent any major spillage, but it was worth the effort. The Cinnadust added some nice texture and extra flavor.

What makes this cone special is that the coating has tiny pieces of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal embedded in it. There’s not a lot, but it was enough to deliver the distinctive flavor of the classic breakfast staple. If you like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and you like ice cream, then you will enjoy this no matter the time of day.

Purchased Price: $3.19
Size: Small
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 290 calories, 12 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.

Bloom Pop Limited Edition Rocket Blast Soda

Member’s Mark Animal Parade Mix

Member’s Mark Confetti Bar Cake

Member’s Mark 4-Inch Assorted Mini Pies w/Key Lime, Vanilla Bean, and Chocolate

Pure Leaf Mental Focus Peach Sparkling Tea

Pure Leaf Mental Focus Raspberry Sparkling Tea

Cake Bites Minions Banana Oat Crumble Golden Grains

Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Mix

Walmart Freshness Guaranteed Spring Flower Linzer Cookies

Scoot Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Slushie

Unreal Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Kit

Tate’s Bake Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies Multipack

So is this Special K with Blueberry Cereal, but with the word “Summer” in its name? (Spotted by Allison H at Target.)

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Your move, raisins! Let’s see you get as crazy as cranberries. (Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

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