Pillsbury is poppin’ out its Grands Poppin’ Flavor products. (Spotted by Tommy and Amanda Y at Walmart.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

Ugh. McDonald’s new Caesar Sauce makes me annoyed because it reminds me that the Golden Arches used to offer salads, like Caesar, Bacon Ranch, and a few others. And of course I can’t forget about the Southwest Salad, which was my go-to when it was available. Oh, and Salad Shakers. Man, I miss those.

But now there’s a new Caesar Sauce with no salad to put it on. Instead, it’s for dipping McNuggets and McCrispy Strips, and it’s also being added to a new Snack Wrap and McCrispy sandwich. I ended up getting the Caesar Sauce with the McNuggets that came with my $6 McChicken Meal Deal, and I also got the Caesar Snack Wrap.

This sauce, sadly, doesn’t have a unique name, like Nether Flame or Special Grade Garlic. If I were in McDonald’s marketing, I would’ve called it Et tu, BruDIP? Horrible name, you say? You’re absolutely correct.

So yes, it basically tastes like Caesar dressing. Not the kind made tableside at a fancy restaurant with a dress code, but the kind that comes out of a bottle from the grocery store. Oh, you’ve never had Caesar dressing out of spite because of the silent A? Because the first time you pronounced it, you said SAY-ZER, and you could sense everyone judging you? No? Just me?

Not surprisingly, since chicken is usually included in Caesar salads, the sauce works well with the McNuggets. It’s savory from the parmesan cheese, a little tangy, and has a hint of garlic. It clings to the chicken the way a creamy sauce should, and despite its strong flavors, the McNugget taste still comes through. Dipping my fries into it was also enjoyable.

I can’t say the same about the Snack Wrap, though. The sauce’s flavor doesn’t come through as much as I’d like because all the other ingredients dilute it. Though that’s probably a Snack Wrap problem more than a Caesar Sauce problem. However, with the lettuce in the Snack Wrap, it was the closest I’ve gotten to having a salad at McDonald’s again.

While McDonald’s Caesar Sauce makes me annoyed for reminding me about my beloved and discontinued Southwest Salad, I’ll probably order it again with McNuggets. It’s a familiar flavor, but a tasty one. So now that we’ve got a Caesar sauce, maybe it’s time to have a Caesar salad again at McDonald’s.

Purchased Price: FREE (as part of my Meal Deal)
Size: 0.78 oz container
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 120 calories, 13 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Cholula Queso Blanco Chicken Burrito Bowl

Reese’s Sweet & Salty Packs

Drizzilicious Fudge Brownie Bites

Babybel Pro Semisoft Cheese

Jack Link’s Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Sticks

Member’s Mark German Chocolate Cake

Member’s Mark Dubai-Style Chocolate Mousse Cake

Gorton’s Classic Crispy Battered Fish Fillets

Chex Mix Sweet and Salty Mix Snack Mix

Shiner Haunted Brewhouse Variety Pack

Do the muffins look like the one on the box? If not, I’d pay some money to have muffins that are colored like that. (Spotted by Sascha at Kroger.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

A&W Root Beer Float. Mug Floats Vanilla Howler. Wassup, Barq’s. (Cans spotted by Robert J at Smith’s – Kroger. Bottle and mini cans spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

Gettin’ dirty is all the rage. While the United States continues to consume a bit less alcohol each year, the amount of cream-infused craft soda seems consistently on the rise.

What originated as a fancy and fun alternative to a cocktail or even a caffed-up coffee in states like Utah has become a full-on trend. And like most things that get popular, the big brands are here to capitalize.

Yet nothing feels like a more natural fit for this craze than some extra creaminess infused into a spicy, crisp root beer, which has often been turned into an ice cream-laden float throughout my life. PepsiCo’s Mug Root Beer, which was just given a Zero Sugar version in 2024, gets its first new limited edition flavor: Mug Floats Vanilla Howler.

The additional flavoring in this limited edition root beer solves one of the issues I have always had with Mug – it always tasted a little flat in terms of its flavor profile. The added creamy depth of the Vanilla Howling really helps bring more dynamics to the flavor. It still has a sharp and spicy bite on the front end but evolves to a pleasant and authentic, very well-rounded ice cream-adjacent flavor on the finish.

Vanilla-flavored sodas are hit-or-miss for me. Sometimes the flavoring used in Coca-Cola Vanilla or especially in last year’s Wild Cherry & Cream Pepsi comes across way too artificial, in a way that clashes with the pleasant spiciness of the cola profile. That’s not the case here, not at all. The robust vanilla flavoring added to Mug strikes the perfect root beer float balance and truly transforms an okay-tasting soda into a pretty great one. It’s a simple fix, but it’s tremendously effective.

Purchased Price: $8.97
Size: 12-pack/12 oz cans
Purchased at: Amazon
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can, 12 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 45 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.

Red’s Snackers Chicken Maple Sausage Egg & Cheese Burrito

Red’s Snackers Savory Sausage

Made Good Oats & Dark Chocolate Organic Crunchy Granola Squares

Made Good Sweet Cinnamon & Sea Salt Organic Crunchy Granola Squares

Kroger Original Steel Cut Oatmeal

Kroger Raisin & Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal

My Cooking Box Lemon Tiramisu Kit

My Cooking Box Classic Tiramisu Kit

My Cooking Box Double Chocolate Tiramisu Kit

My Cooking Box Pistachio Tiramisu Kit

Mmmmm…sweet, sweet lemon-flavored caffeine. (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

How many chews does it take to get Airheads Super Chews into the middle of my body? (Spotted by Breanna at Dollar Tree.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

When I look at these Limited Edition Cajun Spice Crispers, and Crispers in general, I can’t help but think of those Even Thinner Wheat Thins from several years ago.

You don’t remember them? Well, this ancient website has a review of them.

I feel these Crispers are even thinner than Even Thinner Wheat Thins, which makes me wonder when Paper Thin Wheat Thins will come out. And if that does happen, Mondelez should re-release The Most Oreo Oreo Cookies with it.

I haven’t tried any of the original Crisper flavors yet, so this Cajun Spice flavor is my first experience with the snack. They’re crackers I wouldn’t mind snacking on while watching YouTube videos about tiny homes or livestreams of volcano eruptions. However, if given the choice between Wheat Thins and Crispers, I’m going to pick the former because these thinner crackers don’t have the same flavor punch.

While they do have a decent amount of seasoning, it’s applied a little lighter than what you’d find on Wheat Thins. As for what’s there, I taste garlic, onion, cayenne, and a slight chili pepper flavor, and all of it creates a nice savory blend. However, it doesn’t instantly register as Cajun to me. The only thought that quickly hit me while eating these was how much the flavor tastes like Campbell’s Vegetable Soup.

Ugh. Now I want to eat these crackers with Campbell’s Vegetable Soup.

While tasty enough and delightfully crispy, I won’t miss these limited edition crackers after they disappear from shelves.

Purchased Price: $3.17
Size: 5.11 oz pouch
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (22 pieces) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar (includes 1 gram of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

Folks in Philly are known for booing anything and everything, so here’s one more thing they can boo — Jack in the Box’s Philly-Style Bonus Jack.

A wise old woman once said, “Where’s the beef?” I’d like to redirect those words to Jack in the Box and ask, “Where’s the bonus?” The burger barely looks like it belongs on a value menu, which, to be clear, it is not. To be fair, it’s also available with two or three patties that look more substantial in the promotional photos, but this single version looks like the bonus it received was being sat on.

The Philly-Style Bonus Jack features a beef patty, Swiss-style cheese, mayo, and grilled onions and peppers on a toasted bun. At the same time, Jack in the Box is also offering a Philly Cheesesteak, which uses grilled seasoned shaved steak on a hoagie roll with the same cheese and grilled veggies.

I really wish I had ordered that instead, because the Philly-Style Bonus Jack is disappointing. Along with being value menu-small, the veggies are underwhelming. Some provide a bit of crunch, but the flavor is lacking, and what little there is loses the battle to the melted cheese. THE CHEESE. Not just any cheese, mind you, but Swiss-style cheese. Mild, inoffensive, timid Swiss cheese. Onions losing to Swiss? French onion soups everywhere are weeping savory tears.

Also, the veggies in my burger seemed a bit too wet. I originally thought the extra liquid was from a juicy beef patty, but after a closer examination, it was not.

With the beef patty and cheese coming through the most, everything tastes like a plain cheeseburger with Swiss. Not awful, but not thrilling either. Maybe the two or three patty versions are better, but I was so dissatisfied with this single patty burger that I’m pretty sure more meat won’t move my satisfaction needle.

Now, everyone in Philly, please repeat after me.

BOOOOOO!

Purchased Price: $4.49*
Rating: 3 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 440 calories (No other nutritional information available on the Jack in the Box website.)

*Because I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

The instructions say to shake the bottle for at least 30 seconds after adding milk or water. So with this product we’re not only getting protein and fiber, we’re also getting a workout. (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

Campbell’s Chunky Bowls: the meal that eats like a meal. (Spotted by Sara at Save Mart.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

I’ve been on a few cruises, but being packed on a ship with drunk adults, screaming kids, and various communicable diseases that are likely to cause gastrointestinal distress is not really my thing. One of the only positives I can say about cruising is the availability of unlimited chocolate lava cake. So, I was excited but also dubious when I saw Blue Bell’s new Chocolate Lava Cake Ice Cream.

My first reason for dubiousness is that the base is vanilla ice cream, which seems odd for chocolate lava cake. The second reason is the presumed lack of hot lava in something I got from the grocery store freezer. But my concerns were unfounded. It turns out that Blue Bell, which has been making ice cream for well over 100 years, knows more than I do about making said ice cream, because this flavor is simply magnificent.

Casting vanilla ice cream in a supporting role with the chocolate cake pieces, chocolate sundae sauce, and dark chocolate fudge swirl was a smart move, because using chocolate ice cream might have resulted in a chocolate overload and probably wouldn’t have allowed the other components to shine. The vanilla flavor is almost imperceptible, and that lets its chocolate friends do their thing. And they do it well.

Even using my spoon as a dissection tool, it was tricky to tell what’s what between the three types of chocolate in here. At first, I thought it was the chocolate cake pieces that were tremendously dense, chewy, decadent, and delicious, but the fudginess of it seemed to indicate it was actually the swirl. The cake pieces don’t impart much of a cakey consistency, but I didn’t mind that. The end result was a surprisingly complex mix of different chocolates that I don’t recall getting from any other ice cream. Of course there was no oozing, warm chocolate like in an actual lava cake, but you can’t expect Blue Bell to defy the laws of physics.

Sadly, I did not have any chocolate sauce on hand at my house because the kids would just guzzle it for breakfast, but I might have to get some and hide it behind the vegetables because the only way to make this better would be to warm up a bit of that and drizzle it over the top.

This truly is one of my favorite ice cream flavors, and I don’t have to live in a tiny room for several days to enjoy it.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: One Pint
Purchased at: Brookshire Brothers
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 300 calories, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

Lioness PickMeUp Caffeine-Free Fruit Bites

Lioness Calm Herbal Unwind Fruit Bites

Mosh Chocolate Sea Salt High Protein Bar

Mosh Peanut Butter Cup High Protein Bar

Southern Grove Pineapple Mango Margarita Trail Mix

Southern Grove Pina Colada Trail Mix

Southern Grove Shiitake Mushrooms

Southern Grove Dried Veggie Chips

Publix Natural Mango Hibiscus Herbal Tea

Publix Natural Blueberry Pineapple Lemonade

Harris Teeter Peach Mango Applesauce Squeezable Pouches

Jus-Rol Blueberry Puff Pastry Turnover Kit

Exclusively available at Kroger and Kroger-owned chains, which are nowhere near me. (Spotted by Sage G at Harris Teeter – Kroger.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

A wise man once said, “I make ya slide, make ya slip, make ya wanna backflip.”

I wish Backflip Chocolate Sundae Cereal made me want to slide, slip, or backflip, but the only movements it inspires are: make ya take notes, make ya write, make ya wanna say it’s not a delight.

Backflip Cereal is brought to you by a YouTuber I’ve never heard of, but who has millions of subscribers. Its selling points include less sugar than other cereals, it’s gluten-free, six grams of protein per serving, it’s free from the top nine allergens, no BHT (a preservative), no synthetic dyes, no seed oils, and glyphosate-free. There are also cinnamon, fruity, and strawberry milkshake flavors.

Organic yellow corn flour, sugar, pea protein, rice flour, whole oat flour, cocoa, coconut oil, calcium carbonate, natural flavors, salt, and monk fruit extract.

You might be wondering why I abruptly included the ingredients list above. I did it so I could type the following line: Not a lot of ingredients. Not a lot of flavor.

With so many chocolatey cereals available, you could create a cocoa cereal spectrum. Cocoa Pebbles at the most flavorful end, Cocoa Krispies at the least, with Cocoa Puffs and others somewhere in between. If I were to place Backflip Chocolate Sundae Cereal on that spectrum, it would create a new low end entirely.

While the cereal looks extremely chocolatey, if I fed it to you while blindfolded and tied up because I’ve kidnapped you for ransom money. I’m not sure you’d be able to figure out what flavor it was. You might think coffee, or something slightly fruity. Whatever it is, it’s not a strong flavor. The dark coating seems to provide whatever flavor there is, while the cereal inside appears to have no chocolate and comes in a standard beige “cereal” color.

The coating does wash into the milk, making it look super chocolatey. But as you can probably guess from the cereal’s lack of flavor, the milk also shares the same fate.

There are some non-flavor positives though. The artwork looks cool, although the style reminds me of what characters in movies hallucinate when they’re on LSD. The artwork extends to the back of the box, where you (or your kids) can “color our world.” As you can see below, my kid colored his feelings on the back of this box. Finally, the not-very-flavorful cereal has a great crunch and stays crunchy in milk.

I went in hoping this might be a gosh darn good cereal, since YouTubers tend to make decent food products. For example, Joyride Gummies are hella good. But Backflip Chocolate Sundae Cereal is not, and it doesn’t convince me to try the other flavors. There’s enough sweetness to make it palatable and finishable, but as a chocolate cereal, it make ya yawn, make ya spurn, make ya wanna return.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 8 oz box
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 3 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 7 grams of sugar (includes 7 grams of added sugar), and 6 grams of protein.

Healthy Choice Simply Steamers Blackened Chicken Alfredo

Stouffer’s Chicken Alla Vodka

Stouffer’s Carbonara With Chicken & Bacon

Stouffer’s Rigatoni With Italian Sausage

Rao’s Made for Home Gnocchi Al Forno

Hood Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches

Kemps Limited Edition Lemon Bar Ice Cream Sandwiches

Nature Raised Farms Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Strips

Nature Raised Farms Lightly Breaded Chicken Nuggets

Just Bare Spicy Oven Roasted Chicken Wings

Lily’s Toaster Grills Four Cheese Quesadilla

H?E?B Texas Shaped Hashbrown Patties

The Thin Mints Doughnut is an Original Glazed Doughnut with chocolate icing that’s topped with Thin Mints cookie crumbles, dark chocolate chips, and a drizzle of green icing. (Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

I kind of understand why it has vanilla ice cream to prevent it from being chocolate overload, but at the same time it’s seems odd that it doesn’t have a chocolate ice cream base. (Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

It’s hard to believe Burger King has never done a Club Original Chicken Sandwich before, since it’s just an Original with tomatoes, bacon, and Swiss cheese — all ingredients that have been in BK kitchens. Also, could this have been called the BLT Original Chicken Sandwich? Not a BLT, you say? Can’t you just attach BLT to anything? Well, if Burger King did it earlier this year, why not keep it going?

Ugh. I just wasted more grey matter thinking about this than it took to cook up this sandwich.

So yeah, it’s basically an Original Chicken Sandwich (lettuce, mayo, NASCAR track-shaped chicken patty, and hoagie bun) with tomatoes, bacon, and Swiss cheese added. Not an exciting sandwich, but a tasty upgrade over the original.

The highlight, and the main reason this version is tastier, is the bacon. Its smokiness and saltiness come through loud and clear, which isn’t always the case with fast food sandwiches. It pairs nicely with the chicken patty. The Swiss cheese is also a better choice than the usual American slices. Its mild flavor lets the meats shine while still contributing something of its own.

As for the vegetables, the lettuce provides some crunch, and the tomato adds a little acidity. The mayo was applied lightly on my sandwich, which is strange because every regular Whopper I’ve ordered seems to have too much of it. However, I could still detect a faint tanginess from it.

Despite having most of the components of a club sandwich, it doesn’t really bring one to mind since there’s no turkey or ham. (Sidenote: a Yumbo Original Chicken Sandwich would be a great idea, Burger King!) Calling it the BLT Original Chicken Sandwich or the Deluxe Bacon Original Chicken Sandwich would’ve made more sense. Though if it came cut into triangles, had toothpicks poked through it, or featured a third bun, any of them might’ve helped sell the “club” idea a bit more.

While not the most exciting offering because it pretty much tastes like a regular Original Chicken Sandwich with bacon, I prefer it over the Loaded Jalapeño Original Chicken Sandwich, the other limited-time Original Chicken Sandwich on the menu right now. And if I ever get a hankering for it after the promotion ends, maybe I’ll customize a regular Original Chicken Sandwich to taste it again.

Purchased Price: $10.39*
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 840 calories, 53 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 2020 milligrams of sodium, 64 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 35 grams of protein.

*Because I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

Walmart Freshness Guaranteed Pineapple Chile Lime Cotton Candy

Walmart Freshness Guaranteed BBQ Snack Mix

Marketside S’mores Brownie Grillable Dessert

Bettergoods Puff Pastry Squares

H-E-B The Mint Night Rodeo Cookie

Specially Selected Hot Honey Brioche Buns

Southern Grove Apple Pie Trail Mix

Sundae Shoppe Passionberry Sorbet

Burman’s Dill Mayonnaise Dressing

Burman’s Bacon Mayonnaise Dressing

L’oven Fresh Jalapeno Cheddar English Muffins

Liquid Death did a great job with its Pop-Tarts flavored drink, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this tastes good. What does surprise me about this is how it doesn’t have a Liquid Death-y name. (Spotted by Sage G at Five Below.)

If you spotted something new, send your photos to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com.

My initial plan for this review was to write a parody of Danzig’s seminal hit song, “Mother.”

After tasting a few of Mother’s new Frosted Animal Cookies with Nerds, I realized the words didn’t even need to change.

It’s more like, “oh, brother!” These cookies should’ve been kept in the dark for life. They should’ve been hidden from the waiting world. Do you hear that, Mother?

These stink worse than the zoo animals they’re shaped like.

On the surface iced shortbread cookies skimpily dotted with Nerds sounds like a lot of fun. I was ready to have a great time and let my inner child out, but these are an atrocity against both man and beast.

The cookies are coated in a waxy substance that tastes like… maybe a light berry flavor? I have no idea. I’m guessing because they’re painted like a “one boy, one girl Twin” birth reveal. The inner shortbread cookie is red, for some reason. I guess we’re cool with food dyes again, because that’s basically the entire ingredient list.

And don’t you dare ask Mother about the flavor, because all she tells us is that they are “sweet and tangy.” While Nerds do add a little tang to the equation, there aren’t enough Nerds big or flavorful enough to stand out over the gross wax-cing.

The icing literally tastes like wax, and the cookies have a bad texture too. They’re too hard. I’ve had frosted animal cookies in the past, probably from this brand, and I swear they weren’t this terrible.

As you can see I bought these during the recent heatwave. They were in the car for all of a half hour, with AC, and still melted into a massive ball of animal carnage. I guess it’s a rule that all circus animals be treated poorly.

It’s like this massive cookie Katamari. Worst Nerds Cluster ever!

If I have to highlight some positives, how about the fun classic animal shapes? I think I saw a lion, a bunny that was probably a big Nerd mascot? A camel perhaps. The fabled Chupacabra? Is that Slimer from Ghostbusters? I don’t know, I couldn’t really tell even before they were all just an amorphous pink and blue glob of Nerds measles.

Nerds! That’s a positive. We love Nerds! Well, this must be the “Revenge of the Nerds” I keep hearing about. Mother doesn’t do them any favors, but I genuinely don’t think Nerds would work as a sprinkle on even the best cookies.

I genuinely don’t even think kids will like these. If my mother baked these, I would have emancipated.

Danzig couldn’t really sum up my ultimate feelings – only one man could.

To quote the legendary thespian, Samuel L. Jackson:

May have misquoted him. Call your mother!

Purchased Price: $3.74
Size: 9 oz package
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 2 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (7 Cookies) 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

Marketside Watermelon Loaf Cake

Walmart Freshness Guaranteed Mango Chile Mini Cupcakes

Marketside Mango Chili Lime Cookies

Patti’s Good Life Banana Pudding Cookies

Walmart Freshness Guaranteed Tropical Sandwich Cookies

Marketside Orange Passion Fruit Muffins

Marketside Key Lime Loaf Cake and Cake Delights

Marketside Key Lime Crème Filled Sandwich Cookies

Cake Walk Minions Cake Pops

Member’s Mark Honey Almond Shortbread, Birthday Cake Shortbread, Chocolate Cherry, Blueberry & Creme, and Salted Caramel Cashew Cookies

Member’s Mark Mixed Berry Lemon Bliss Zucchini Walnut Muffins

Member’s Mark Lemon Bar Blondie