Review: Subway Pepperoni Flatizza

Heyyyyy, everybody! How it's been???

...............Looks like I got some explaining to do for my sudden absence, huh?
Well, trust me, it has got NOTHING to do with sheer laziness.
Well, maybe a little. But you can't hardly blame me- I'm just a kid!
It's not like I meant to just stop writing, I really didn't... It just sort of happened like that. Things got a little busy and I didn't find myself having any time to write food review posts. There are a few reasons for this, of course:
1. School
2. Extracurricular activities
3. Sheer laziness
4. Trying to focus on what I want to do over what I feel I "have" to do
5. Another writing project (which may or may NOT be a book- I'll never tell!)
So there you have it! And, well, with all these things taking up my time, it gets a bit hard to write on the ol' blog. Especially with that last reason. Really, you don't wanna finish writing something just to start writing something MORE. I mean, BLAH! ...But I know the responsibilities of a blog, and I would never EVER want to disappoint my readers, cuz' that's not cool. That'd make me, like, a traitor! So, here's a BRAND NEW blog post! Yaaaaaaaaay!
Like I said, I feel incredibly bad for just dropping out of the blogging world, without giving even a moment's notice or anything of the sort... I can't promise this won't happen again, but I will, for sure, tell all of you ahead of time if I'm going to put my blog writing on a brief hiatus from here on out. So, I'm really sorry everyone! I am! And in all honesty, I wasn't even sure if I was ever going to return to the world of food reviews anytime soon. But someone came along and inspired me to get writing again- my boyfriend! Yup, I have a boyfriend now, and he's the sweetest, strongest, funniest guy you'll ever meet!
Yeah, my boyfriend is the best- he evens likes to read Sweet & SavoRi. And one day, he really wanted me to review Subway's New Flatizzas. I didn't know when I'd really get around to it, but luckily I went to Subway just in the nick of time! For you see, today is me and my boyfriend's one-month anniversary and I really thought it'd be nice to write the review he ever so wanted me to write for the celebration. It may not seem like much, but I'm flat broke, y'know, and it's the thought that counts! Either way, I hope you like the review, baby!
So, right- like I said, this time I'll be reviewing Subway's Pepperoni Flatizza! It comes with sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and all the veggies you want- a six inch costs $4.00.

REVIEW: Subway Honey Oat Bread

Well, looks like it's time for another Subway review! Ooooooh, they've released a LOT of new products lately... Could I be reviewing the Flatizzas? The Frito Sub? Well...? Nope and nope! Today I'm reviewing something REAL special... Subway's Honey Oat Bread! ...Yay!

Okay... well, Subway's Honey Oat Bread may not be new to most of you, but it's new to me. I've never tried it before. Honestly! And besides, the Flatizzas don't look very filling, and the Frito Sub isn't supposed to be all that tasty... The reviews I read were pretty negative. Plus, Fritos on a sub? I don't eat Fritos by themselves! So, why not review the Honey Oat Bread? What have I got to lose?

The Honey Oat Bread does not add any up-charge to your sub.

Fiber One Assorted Fruit Fruit Flavored Snacks

Hello, everyone! At the behest of one of my readers, Dorothy, I am going to go ahead and try these new fruit snacks from Fiber One! Now, I usually jump at the chance immediately to try NEW products, but I wasn't allowed to eat fruit snacks when I was younger, so I never really developed a taste for them. So, seeing fruit snacks on the market- even if they are new -just kinda evokes an indifferent "meh" from me in response. But since one of my readers requested me to try these, how can I say no? Plus, they seem pretty healthy for fruit snacks, so that's good. I don't really know of any fruit snacks that actually have fiber, except for these. Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and try the Assorted Fruit flavor! I hope that's the one you would suggest, Miss Dorothy! 

So, an 8 oz. box containing ten 0.8 oz. pouches costs around $3.49.

REVIEW: Chobani Pomegranate Greek Yogurt

Yay, more Chobani!!!

...You know... are you guys sick and tired of Chobani? Do you guys think I oughta review others yogurts? ..Oh well, guess this's what I'll be reviewing for now! Hope ya'll don't mind...

Anyway, today I'll be reviewing Chobani's Pomegranate Greek Yogurt. Zero fat!

A 5.3 oz. container of yogurts costs around $1.29.

REVIEW: Fiber One Protein Cranberry Almond Granola Cereal

A while ago, I reviewed one of Fiber One's new protein granola cereals: the Maple Brown Sugar flavor. It was okay, but not all I thought it was going to be. Oh well. Maybe I just had too high of expectations for the yumminess that is "maple brown sugar." Anyway, today I'm giving Fiber One's new cereal a second chance with their Cranberry Almond variety. I like such a flavor, with its berryish and nutty ways... I don't like Cranberry Almond as much as Brown Sugar, so maybe I won't hold this cereal to such high standards. I know I shouldn't hold any cereals to high standards, but hey! Whatevs! At the end of the day, I try to be as unbiased as possible. And now, I think all my words are sounding like mumbo-jumbo, so let's start the show!

A 15.8 oz. box costs around $3.39.

REVIEW: Stride Sour Patch Kids Lime Gum

Not too long ago, I reviewed the Red Berry Sour Patch Kids Gum from Stride. While it wasn't the best gum I'd ever tried, it sure had potential, so I decided the try the other flavor that's been produced- Lime. Self-explanatory enough. The Lime Sour Patch Kid is probably my third favorite Sour Patch flavor... with Red Berry being first and Lemon being second. The Orange ones just stink. They're the flops. You know how you have those four ghosts in Pac-Man? Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and... Clyde? Yeah, well, Clyde doesn't rhyme with ANY of the other ghosts' names. He's more than like supposed to be the screw-up. And, coincidentally, Clyde is orange. Just like the worst flavor of Sour Patch Kids. Hey, dispute me if you wanna!

But anyway, I'm here to eat LIME-flavored Sour Patch gum, not Orange, so let's not get sidetracked and be on our way!

A fourteen piece pack of gum costs around $1.29.

REVIEW: Chobani Strawberry Greek Yogurt

Who doesn't love yogurt? Well... probably more people than I think, but... oh well. I'm doing a yogurt review anyway! And, like all most of my yogurt reviews, I'm doing another one on Chobani. If you haven't guessed already, I really like Chobani. I like any Greek yogurt, really. I'm not gonna dictate your food habits or anything- I'm not that type of gal -but if you've never tried Greek yogurt yet, you really should. Although, Greek yogurt is a really big thing by now, so I'm guessing most of you have tried at least one cup of Greek yogurt before. It's everywhere in stores now. Like, just five years ago, it wasn't. My, my... life moves pretty fast!

So anyway, today I'll be reviewing Chobani's Strawberry Greek Yogurt.

A 5.3 oz. container costs around $1.29.

REVIEW: Nature Valley Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits

Gee, it sure has been awhile since I've reviewed any Nature Valley products. But I guess now's a good as time to get back on track as any! Hey, in my defense, Nature Valley hasn't released any new products in FOREVER. But finally, finally... they're here. Nature Valley's Breakfast Biscuits. A product so innovative, so original, so unique, so one-of-a-kind that-

Just kidding. I mean, where have I heard the term "breakfast biscuits" before? Uhhhhh, duh! belVita!!!

These "new" Nature Valley biscuits are nothing more than a rip on belVita's biscuits. And I should know. I reviewed the Apple Cinnamon belVitas before (which really weren't that good, but that's irrelevant), and they looked COMPLETELY like these Nature Valley biscuits. But, with a perceptive eye, one can also see that these NV biscuits are more granola-like than the belVita biscuits. I suppose that makes sense, because what does Nature Valley specialize in? Yes, granola! Correctomundo!

Well, while these biscuits don't show too many signs of originality, they are new, and they are Nature Valley, and who knows? They could be mighty tasty, even if they are ripoffs. So today, I'll be reviewing the Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits. Why Blueberry? A cuz' Blueberry sounds a lot more tastier than plain ol' Honey, that's why.

Anyway, an 8.85 oz. box with five 1.77 oz. packages costs around $3.39.

REVIEW: Fiber One Trail Mix Chewy Bar

I tend to stick away from trail mix-flavored granola bars; I'm not a big fan of the raisins and the cranberries and all that... Trail mix bars, in my opinion, are just too mainstream. Everybody sells trail mix-flavored granola bars. There are just more interesting flavors out there- why should I waste my time on trail mix bars? Booooooring.

However, on the other side of the equation, I love trying new products. See, if you're the one to review a new product first, then you're like the journalist who's got the scoop before anyone else!

So, when I saw that Fiber One had a NEW Trail Mix Chewy Bar, I was a little conflicted. It was new, but... It was trail mix-flavored, but... It was new....

So, if you can't tell already, my affinity for new food items ultimately won out over my disdain for trail mix-flavored bars. It's just... the NEW! on the box was calling out to me... Plus, these bars are covered in chocolate; how bad can they be? Well... my gut feeling better not fail me this time!

A 6.75 oz. box with five 1.35 oz. bars costs around $3.39.

REVIEW: Kashi Heart to Heart Oat Flakes & Blueberry Clusters Cereal

I love Kashi cereals, and I'm always looking for ones to try next. So, when my friend relayed onto me how much she liked their "blueberry kind", as she so described it, I jumped at the chance to try the cereal I think she was talking about. That cereal would be Kashi's Heart to Heart Oat Flakes & Blueberry Clusters. 

A 13.4 oz. box costs around $4.09.

REVIEW: Stride Sour Patch Kids Red Berry Gum

Sour Patch Kids are definitely one of my favorite candies- I'd be scrunched to find someone who DOESN'T like these chewy, fruity, sour-than-sweet, tiny children of deliciousness.

Wait, no. That doesn't sound quite right.

Anywho, even if you were to take my weird analogies out of the equation, I'm pretty sure we'd ALL agree that Sour Patch Kids are the BOMB. Unfortunately, they're full of sugar. Just chock-full to bursting with the stuff, I kid you not! So, for those of you who have thought you'd have to swear off Sour Patch Kids for eternity and forever, there IS a solution- Sour Patch Kids-flavored gum from Stride. By the wayyyyy... it's sugar-free! Obviously, this gum is certainly an intriguing creation, whether you are looking for the taste of Sour Patch Kids guilt-free, or just are interested in chewing gum that tastes like Sour Patch Kids. 

There are two available flavors of this new candy-esque gum: Red Berry and Lime. Great thought was taking into consideration when selecting which of the two flavors to taste-test first, but eventually I decided on the Red Berry. I think, after weighing out the odds, Red is my favorite Sour Patch flavor. 

A 14-pack of gum costs around $1.29.

REVIEW: Kashi Honey Almond Flax Chewy Granola Bar

Have you ever tried Kashi's Honey Almond Flax Cereal? Well, I have! It was pretty okay. I gave it a 6.5. But Kashi also has Honey Almond Flax Chewy Granola Bars, and I got to thinking, "How do those taste?" Better than the cereal, or worse? So now I set out on another review to find out!

A 7.4 oz. box with six 1.2 oz. bars costs around $4.09.

REVIEW: Bear Naked Banana Nut Granola

In one of my previous posts, I was tipped off by a reader that one of his favorite granola cereals was Bear Naked. So, I might as well give this brand a review! Now, keep in mind that my reader's favorite favorite was the Fruit & Nut flavor, but this granola review was more of a spur of the moment kind of thing. I was just hanging out at a friend's house, and I looked up at their refrigerator to see a package of Bear Naked granola right sitting there! It wasn't the Fruit & Nut flavor my reader yearned for- it was their Banana Nut flavor. But I guess that's close. Bananas are a fruit, and this granola has nuts in it too. Don't worry, Mr. Reader! I'll get to the Fruit & Nut someday. Till' then, I'll take your word on its deliciousness. But, for today, I'm reviewing Bear Naked's Banana Nut Granola. 

A 12 oz. package costs around $4.09.

REVIEW: Edy's/Dreyer's Slow Churned Cinnamon Bun Fun! Ice Cream

You know what sounds nice during this last stretch of winter? Some warm pastries, hot from the oven... Donuts, muffins, danishes... Maybe a cinnamon bun! Oh yeah, totally a cinnamon bun! Warm, gooey, yummy, cinnamon-y, bun-y... They're great. Who wouldn't want a warm cinnamon bun during this everlasting Wisconsin cold!?

Well, apparently me, since I'm eating cold, icy, shivery, cinnamon bun ice cream. So yay. But heyyyy, it won't be so bad. It's Cinnamon Bun FUN! Ice Cream. Funnnnnn.

But in all honesty, this is a flavor I've been meaning to try out as soon as I heard about it. It's one of the three seasonal Bakery Treats flavors Edy's/Dreyer's have just released not too long ago- the other two being Luscious Red Velvet Cake and Coffee & Cookies Delight. They all sound good, really. And I wanted to buy both the Cinnamon Bun and the Red Velvet Cake flavors at the same time, but my dad didn't want to get the Red Velvet Cake since there was only a marginal difference between its appearance and the appearance of Edy's Strawberry. Maybe Dad didn't know Red Velvet is completely different from strawberry or something, I dunno. Either way, I'll make do with what I can and test-out this delicious, pastry-esque ice cream! (Or is it delicious? I suppose we'll find out!)

A 1.5 qt. container costs around $3.39.

REVIEW: Kashi Peanut Peanut Butter Chewy Granola Bar Review

Kashi granola bars are blah... And not just moderately blah: they are FULL-ON BLAG-BLAH FORCE kind of blah. I only opt for Kashi granola bars over so many others because they are marginally healthier for you.  I guess the healthiness could be a contributing factor to the blahiness, but I've had a few other granola bars that are similar to Kashi bars nutritional-wise, and they weren't very blah at all.  Maybe I just haven't been eating the right kind of Kashi bars: I've been purchasing all the chocolatey ones, you see, and with chocolate, it is hard to balance out the richness of the indulgent sweet with the healthiness Kashi aims for. So, today, I'm going to set my sights a little lower with Kashi and try their Peanut Peanut Butter Chewy Granola Bar (Yes, Peanut is used twice in the name. Don't ask me why. Honestly, I don't think it's a much better market gimmick than just saying "Peanut Butter", but what do I know?). I like peanut butter, but I've never cared much for it when it's put into granola bar form. Maybe Kashi will do it some justice.

A 7.4 oz. box with six 1.2 oz. bars costs around $3.99.

REVIEW: Fiber One Protein Maple Brown Sugar Granola Cereal

Welcome to the wonderful world of Fiber One Protein Cereal, where you can fart while lifting weights for muscle mass! ...And now that I think about it, that is NOT such a wonderful world to be in. Well, at least this cereal fills you up, with a two-punch combo of protein and fiber. 

Fiber One already created protein bars a long while ago- and protein meal bars more recently, but they just started making protein cereal now. Which seems a little odd to me, considering Fiber One started out as a cereal company in the first place... riiight? I dunno. Maybe I should do my research a bit more, but I really don't care. As long as Fiber One is making some protein granola now, I don't mind! Seriously, trying a new granola from one of my favorite food brands is pretty exciting, so without further ado, let's dig in!

A 16.2 oz box costs around $3.39.

REVIEW: Atkins Endulge Peanut Caramel Cluster Bar

Today's another day for an Atkins review! The subject we'll be focusing on today is this Endulge Peanut Caramel Cluster Bar. From its name and appearance, we can deduce that its a healthy, low carb alternative to a PayDay. But, you know, it just occurred to me- why does there have to be a healthy alternative to a PayDay? Why can't all PayDays be only 130 calories, have only 2g net carbs, and only contain 1g of sugar. Why do we have to be paying high prices for healthy candy alternatives, when all candy could be healthy? I mean, this system is an outrage! I DECLARE HERESY! (Or should I say HERSHEY? Nyuk nyuk nyuk!)   I mean, you might say that it's impossible for candy to be healthy! That's right! I'm starting a candy revolution! Viva La ResisTONCE! Let them eat healthy, reasonably-priced candy!

And you may say it's impossible for companies to make healthy candy and still make it in the food market, but I disagree. Atkins has proved that healthy candy can sell, as evidenced by this product right here! And there are other examples too! Maybe someday our shelves will be stocked with average price, healthy candy, but till' then, looks like we'll have to turn to the diet aisle for relief. I'm not scolding Atkins or the guys who make PayDays, just suggesting some forward-thinking is all. 

Anyway, a 6 oz. box with five 1.2 oz bars costs around $4.88.

LOCAL REVIEW: Soon's Sushi Cafe of Kenosha

Alright, everyone, listen up! Kenosha is a tough place to live in. Not only do we have to endure 11 months of winter, but we also have a stunning lack of foreign restaurants. Sure, greasy burgers and 24/7 breakfasts are great and all, because- as the Japanese puts it -us Americans, "...basically like sweet, high fat, high calorie things."

This is true.

But, but, buuuuut... As a Kenoshan- or as a Wisconsinite, even - you have to wonder what the alternative to sweet, high fat, high calorie things is. I suppose the Japanese would know, huh? I guess the only sensible thing would be to go out and try their food. Like sushi! But for many Wisconsinites, this may prove to be a challenge, as- like I said -foreign restaurants are far and few between in our lowly Midwestern state. Most towns in Wisconsin would never have a sushi restaurant, let alone know what sushi is. But thankfully, Kenosha is, like, the fifth biggest city in Wisconsin, so we have one golden sushi joint. One. Technically, there is another sushi restaurant in Pleasant Prairie, a village located in Kenosha County, but I'm focusing on the city of Kenosha alone. 

So, yeah! We have ONE Japanese restaurant. And it's not even really Japanese. It's Korean. But, whatev! That just makes the place all the more unique! What's the name of this place, you may ask? Well, it's Soon's Sushi Cafe- a teeny tiny building tucked away in a really shady party of town. But, hey, I got my pepper spray and have my phone ready to type 911 into any second, so let's go!

LOCAL REVIEW: Villa D' Carlo's Pizza of Kenosha

If there was any pizzeria in Kenosha that would be considered a "generational" restaurant (well, to my family, at least) -it'd be Villa D' Carlo's. My mom's mom used to work at Villa D's dontown and make the pizzas. My mom and her brothers knew when their pizza was from my grandmother as the best center piece was always missing, and the pizza box would always having something funny written on it, like, "Ron- Sober up! Kids- Go to Bed! Love You, Mom." 

It's no big surprise that, to this day, my mom still orders from Villa D' Carlo's more frequently than any other pizza joint. No, I'm not saying she orders pizza "frequently" as in ALL THE TIME- Hey! How dare you call my mom a lardo! Let me finish! -it's just that, when she DOES order pizza, you can pretty much guarantee it's going to be from Villa D's. And if by some odd chance our family were NOT to order pizza from Villa D' Carlo's, you would hear Mom's near-catchphrase, "It's good... But not as good as Carl's!" as if it were some kind of slogan.

In today's review, instead of focusing on all aspects of this restaurant, I am solely going to focus on one type of food served there, and one alone- the pizza. One reason being that our family usually orders from Carl's instead of going out to eat, so judging the restaurant as a whole would not be fair in this point in time. Another reason being that Carl's pizza is just so famous, it deserves a whole review dedicated to itself. Of course, I can talk about SOME aspects of the customer service at Villa D's too... how employees answer the phone, delivery time, yadda yadda. By the way, I will be reviewing the Villa D' Carlo's that is DOWNTOWN (otherwise known as Carl's East).

So, with that, andiamo! ("Let's go" in Italian).

REVIEW: Girl Scouts Savannah Smiles Cookies

I've been reviewing all the new cookies that Girl Scouts has just released this Cookie Season: first I went for the Citrus Cranberry Crisps, then I tried the Chocolate Chip Shortbreads. And now that I've got those two out of the way, there aren't any more new Girl Scouts cookies to review! Oh noooooooo! So now... I guess I move on to some slightly older Girl Scouts cookies- em, not old as in stale, but old as in "not the stars of this year's cookie trend." If that makes any sense. So anyway, I don't see a problem with reviewing some has-been cookies, do you? Me neither! So let's be on our way! Today's victim on the cookie dissection block will be Girl Scouts' Savannah Smiles.

One 6 oz. box of costs around $3.75

REVIEW: Kraft Oscar Mayer Selects Chicken Breast Franks

I love Hebrew National's 97% Fat Free Franks, but lately in Health Class, we've been discussing how "bad" and "detrimental" additives and chemicals in food are to your well-being. So, frankly (get what I did there?), I wasn't much in the mood for Hebrew National's low-calorie dogs. They just have way too many weird ingredients- most I can't even pronounce. So I decided to pick up a package of more all na-tu-ralll hot dogs. These Chicken Breast Franks from Oscar Mayer seemed to be a good choice- no artificial preservatives, low calories, fairly big size -all sounds swell to me! So let's dig in.

A 15 oz package with eight hot dogs costs around $4.25.

REVIEW: GoLean Crisp! Cinnamon Crumble Cereal

I've progressively been going through all the cereals that Kashi has to offer, whether it be super-protein packed cereal, deliciously fruit-infused cereal, or heart-shaped cereal. There have been hits, there have been misses. It's been a fun journey so far. And now I'm here to review their Cinnamon Crumble Cereal. I've had this cereal once before, but I never really gave it an in-depth taste-test, so now it's time to correct my errors and review this stuff! 

A 14 oz. box costs around $3.99.

REVIEW: Girl Scouts Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Out of the two new cookies Girl Scouts unveiled this Cookie Season- the Cranberry Citrus Crisps and the Chocolate Chip Shortbreads -I was definitely more excited for the Chocolate Chips. I mean, don't me wrong, I totally LOVE it when my cookies taste like oranges, but something about chocolate chips is so alluring. Plus, Girl Scouts' Shortbread cookies are pretty much amazing, so adding chocolate chips to the mix is like making a perfect snack even more perfect...er. So I just knew that I had to pick up these cookies AS. SOON. AS. POSSIBLE.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for me to spot a table of Girl Scouts when I was out grocery shopping. The little girls were all wearing these ponchos with a design of each cookie in the center with the cookies' names encircling each design. It was all kinda silly, especially the Peanut Butter Patties poncho- it looked like there was a big, brown, flat circle right in the middle of the fabric, nothing more.

But kooky advertising tricks aside, I went up to the table and looked for the Chocolate Chip Shortbreads. And then, I found them! ...Kind of. See, they were in this plastic bags- kind of like the ones granola or pistachios come in -and they were labeled as "gluten free." Plus, they were, like, a dollar more than the normal Girl Scouts cookies. I figured this was only because they were gluten free, so I kindly asked one of the ladies that the table if there were UNgluten free Chocolate Chip Shortbreads, and she said no.

Well then- nobody told me that these new cookies were gluten free! Now what? I wasn't gluten-intolerant, so why would I settle for gluten free cookies? 

Right after, I saw a grocery store employee come up and ask the same lady if they had the gluten free chocolate chip cookies. I asked the employee if she knew if they were any good or not. She said no- she hadn't tried them yet. Well, if SHE was willing to try them...

I put my money down, picked up a bag of the gluten free cookies, and went home, wondering how they would turn out.

A 5 oz. bag costs around $5.00.

REVIEW: Nasbisco belVita Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Biscuits

I've reviewed belVita's new Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits (both the Mixed Berry and the Oats & Chocolate varieties), which is all fine and good since those products are relatively new. However, I've never EVER reviewed the original belVita biscuits. In fact, I've never even TRIED them! Well, that just won't do! I believe in  the phrase "better late than never", so here I am- at least trying these things now instead of never doing so.

A 8.8 oz. box with five 1.76 oz. packs costs around $2.98.

LOCAL REVIEW: Gateway Cafe of Kenosha

It's Valentine's Day, and love is in the air! Ahhhh... Each reader gets a complimentary kiss on the forehead. Kiss for you... Mwaah! Kiss for you... Mwaah! Kiss for you... Mwaah! Kis for you...

But just kidding. Most of you probably have someone special to kiss your forehead for you. If not, join the club.

Anyway guys, you better be taking your gal somewhere pretty special for Valentine's dinner. Iffin' you ARE taking her to Valentine's dinner. If I had a date (my lack of which I'm oddly ever-to-eager to proclaim), I would have him take me to somewhere that serves breakfast 24/7. It doesn't have to be some fancy place, no sir. I'm fine with the breakfast, thanks. And if my date suggests we go out for breakfast without even having to take my heed, he is probably Mr. Right. 

And where would I like to go for breakfast specifically? Well... the Gateway Cafe is certainly a viable option here in town. I wouldn't mind going there at all, just to give you guys a little review spoiler. But, today I'll be going over there menu items, prices, service, etc, to make sure that you guys are taking your gals to a restaurant that will fit both your Valentin-y tastes. Or whatever tastes. 

REVIEW: Frito-Lay Baked! Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream Potato Crisps

Yum, yum, yum... baked chips, baked chips. It's what happens when you find yourself reeeally hungry at lunchtime but realize you haven't packed enough to quench said hunger. So these baked chips are the best option. At least at my school anyway. Our cafeteria doesn't have the best snack selection, to put it simply. But, hey! I was really impressed with the Baked! Flamin' Hot Cheetos from Frito-Lay- these Baked! Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream Potato Crisps shouldn't be that much different. Geez... that's a long title for a chip flavor... Plus, why the exclamation point after the "baked?" Chances are people won't be too excited by eating baked chips- let's not emphasize the fact with an exclamation point. 

A 9 oz. bag costs around $3.48.

REVIEW: Girl Scouts Cranberry Citrus Crisps

Guess what season it is!!! Winter? No!!! Valentine's? No!!!Feburary? No!!! IT CAN ONLY BE GIRL SCOUTS COOKIE SEASON... The season where you can buy overpriced cookies from your cute niece, or daughter, or neighbor, or whatever. Seriously, most of people's February expenses HAS to come from Girl Scouts Cookies (Honestly guys- we ALL know you're just gonna get Some Dumb Little Thing from CVS for your gal on Valentine's, so that don't got the cost of Girl Scouts Cookies beat).

So, in lieu of the Girl Scout Cookie Season, we'll be reviewing one of the latest flavors to appear on their order forms: these Cranberry Citrus Crisps. I think they're Girl Scouts' latest attempt at trying to make a "healthy" cookie flavor, as they're not selling their godawful Mango Cremes that were available last year, which were the previous "healthy" cookie.

One 6.3 oz. box costs around $4.00.

REVIEW: Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe High Protein Bar

I like having snacks that are full of protein. But as much as I like food like meats and beans and cheeses and all of that stuff- they're not really convenient as on-the-go foods. Or really anything that I'd actually want as a "snack" (well, maybe cheese, but still). No, I just think there's more appeal to eating sweet protein foods when you want a snack. Like protein bars. Plus, there is no end to the variety in protein bars! Cinnamon bun-flavored protein? Blueberry pie? Oatmeal cookie? Really, you can have you protein any way you want it- there are just so many flavors to choose from nowadays. And what craaaazy-cool flavor will I be reviewing today? That's right- Chocolate! Woohoo! What the little daredevil I am!

But this isn't just any Chocolate- it's Chocolate Deluxe. Oooooooh! This bar is made by Pure Protein, and with 20 grams of the stuff in one bar, I wouldn't say the brand name is all too misleading at all.

One 50g bar costs around $1.49.

REVIEW: Fiber One 90 Calorie Chocolate Chewy Bars

I have tried the 90 Calorie Chocolate Peanut Butter Chewy Bars from Fiber One, and I have tried their Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Chewy Bars as well, so it'd make sense for me to try the last remaining flavor of 90 Calorie Bars: the classic Chocolate. It WOULD make sense, riiiiight? But I think I held off on trying these so long just because they ARE so... classic. As in, boring-sounding. Why settle for Chocolate when you can have Chocolate Peanut Butter, or even Chocolate Caramel Pretzel? I was so passive about actually trying these things that someone ELSE bought them for me. But since they're here now, sitting in my pantry, I can't really say NO to trying these things, now can I? Well, okay- I COULD, but I'm not one to say no to a granola bar, no matter how boring. Especially if said granola bar is only 90 calories.

A 4.10 oz. box with five 0.82 oz. bars cots around $2.98.

REVIEW: DaVinci Gourmet Zero Calorie Amaretto Syrup

Typically, Torani is my stand-by coffee syrup brand, but every now and again it's nice to branch out and try new things. Break the mold, you know?

Or maybe WalMart just doesn't carry your favorite syrup brand, forcing you to purchase something else. But what-EVER.
Anyway, today I'll be reviewing a Zero Calorie Amaretto flavor of coffee syrup by a company called DaVinci Gourmet. I've never seen their stuff outside of WalMart, so maybe it's a brand exclusive to them and them alone...

A 12.7 fl. oz. bottle costs around $2.98.

REVIEW: Kemps Mint Cow Tracks Ice Cream

Okay, so you know how I said in my last mint ice cream review that I wasn't a big fan of the flavor? Yeah, well, apparently SOMEbody in my family is because we keep buying it up for whatever reason. That somebody would be my father. But for some odd reason, I think he's buying all this mint ice cream for ME. When he bought this latest flavor of mint, he said to me, "Bought some ice cream. Got mint flavor in there." Sounds to me like a case of misunderstanding! But for now, I guess I'll just have to make do with what I got. Hey, ice cream is ice cream! I should be lucky as child to even have some.

So, the lastest mint ice cream to be welcomed up to our family's freezer is this Mint Cow Tracks Ice Cream from Kemps. It's a minty ice cream swirled with a thick fudge and dotted with chocolate-mint mini cows. Hey! This is Wisconsin; we ain't got no time for turtle tracks. Feh! Cow tracks all the way, baby!

A 1.5 qt. of ice cream costs around $3.99.

REVIEW: Fiber One 90 Calorie Chocolate Caramel & Pretzel Chewy Bars

You know what someone ought to make? Chocolate AND caramel covered pretzels. Chocolate and caramel and pretzels HAVE been incorporated together in different ways, like in Takes 5's and plenty of desserts, but what about just plain ol' chocolate-caramel covered pretzels? You know? You already have this idea to combine all those ingredients there, so why not just put it into actual pretzel form? They might have already made chocolate-caramel covered pretzels SOMEWHERE out there, but I sure haven't seen em'. So... hop to it, you food companies.

Anyway, with that nice little segway in mind, I present to you today the 90 Calorie Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Chewy Bar, brought to you by the brilliant minds of Fiber One.
One 4.10 oz. box with five 0.82 oz. bars costs around $3.34.

REVIEW: Marathon Crunchy Dark Chocolate Energy Bars

Protein bars satisfy. And you know what else satisfies? SNICKERS. Combine them, and you might possibly have the most satisfying snack on earth. Or the most horrendously unhealthy. I mean, come on- Snickers protein bar??? That kinda defeats the purpose of even EATING a protein bar. 

You would think so, right? But it turns out the same guys who made Snickers are now making these Marathon Energy Bars- and guess what? THEY'RE ACTUALLY HEALTHY. Gaaaaasp!

Well, at least healthy enough by MY standards. I guess it depends on which Marathon Bar you get exactly, but these Crunchy Dark Chocolate Marathon Bars are only 150 calories a pop, and are packed with 11g of protein. Not bad, especially if these thing's taste live up to the Snickers name. But if NOT... that kinda defeats the purpose of even buying these things. I can buy any old protein bar at the gas station- but when I'm buying one with Snickers on the label, IT. BETTER. DELIVER. OR I WILL CONSUME THE EARTH IN A BOUT OF FLAMES!!! AND SAY, "MARATHON! THIS WAS ALL MARATHON'S FAULT! MARATHONNNNNNNNN!!!"

But no pressure.

A 44.2g bar costs around $1.85.

REVIEW: Kashi GoLean Crunchy! Honey Almond Flax

Okay guys, major dilemma: I've been reviewing so many Kashi products as of late that it seems all of my witty Kashi review post openers have drained out of my brain. And it doesn't help that the name GoLean Crunch! Honey Almond Flax doesn't really jog the imagination. I mean, what am I supposed to say? This is like a cereal that the grown up Buzz from Honey Nut Cheerios would promote?

...Actually, that's not too bad. Yeah, I guess that works.

And anyway, what is WITH Kashi putting all these flax seeds in everything?! I suppose they ARE a good source of Omega 3's, but it's not like I care about that. Yeah, I'm a bit narcissistic, so sue me!

So, I'm hoping this Kashi cereal tastes as good as their Toasted Berry Crumble, which I found worthy of a perfect score. Fingers crossed!

A 14 oz. box costs around $3.99.

REVIEW: Kemps Throwback Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

You know what food gimmick I consider silly? Huh? A promotion that I think should just be dropped altogether? One that should be sent to the bottom of a pit, never to return? Huh? Huh? You guessed it- throwback flavors. They're just so darn useless. A mere definition of the word "gimmick." Like, for instance, I remember a few years ago how my dad was so jazzed up for some old-fashioned Mountain Dew that was being released as a throwback item, and I was just like, "Why?" He said it was made with real sugar, but isn't all Mountain Dew? What's the big deal? You can't just slap "Throwback" onto any old food product you see and live a good and decent-

.............

Uh huh. Uh huh... I see...

Well, alright, so a correspondent of mine just informed me that no, not all Mountain Dews are made with real sugar- in fact, most of the flavors are made with high fructose corn syrup.

Well. Alright then. I guess... I was wrong...

Well now, Mr. Correspondent! Do you see what you've done now?! A perfectly good rant ruined! Waaaaah!

...I guess now all I can do is introduce my next reviewing material like it is. Today I'll be trying this Throwback Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, brought to you by Kemps. I think this ice cream is labeled as "Throwback" NOT because it is a variation on Kemps' current Chocolate Chip, but because it is a flavor that the company has made since 1914. Pro deduction skills there.

Anyway, a 1.5 qt. container will cost around $3.89.

REVIEW: Kellogg's NutriGrain Strawberry Cereal Bar

Okay, time for another Kellogg's NutriGrain review! Fun, right?! Cool review, right?! New product review, right?! Totally, right?! Oh yeah!!!

...Yeah, yeah, whatever- don't blame me for filler reviews- they gotta be done. I guess. Anyway, the last bar I happened to taste-test in the NutriGrain line was their Apple Cinnamon flavor, which was OK... But was, in essence, just that. O.K. Not impressive, but not horrible either. I suppose I thought that maybe it was just that specific flavor that wasn't pleasing my taste buds and that there was a great chance that SOME NutriGrain product out there could prove to be tastier, so I bought up a bar of their Strawberry variety.

A 10.4 oz. box with eight 1.3 oz. bars costs around $2.98.

REVIEW: Nature's Path Organic Sweet & Salty Mmmaple Pecan Chewy Granola Bars

So, dear readers: QUESTION TIME: How do you feel about ORGANIC granola bars? Me...? Well, the only organic kind I've ever tried- or at least even close to being called "organic" -is Kashi. And simply put, their granola bars didn't exactly give my taste-buds high hopes for the rest of the organic bar line. 

"So then, Ri," you then might proceed to say, "Why did you decide to do a post on an organic granola bar product today? You didn't make it sound like you were very interested in trying them."

Very true, dear readers! But sometimes, products just jump out at you so much that you just can't NOT buy them, no matter how uninterested in them some might expect you to be. ESPECIALLY if said product is in the dusty corner of the supermarket labeled "Reduced Produce."

Hahaha... What can I say? These Mmmaple Pecan Chewy Bars from Nature's Path Organic were going for less than HALF their original price! HALF, Jim!!! And I think the only problem with them was that the box was pretty dented. Yeaaaaah, theres a chance that they could be totally expired and harboring tons of flesh-eating bacteria, but I'm gonna take my chances! Adventurous eater, awaaaaaay!

A 6.2 oz. box with five 1.2 oz. bars costs around $4.38.

REVIEW: Quaker Cinnamon Oatmeal Squares Cereal

Hey, hey, hey, ladies and gents! Are you struggled with a terribly tough choice at breakfast every morning? A choice of "Cereal, or Oatmeal?" A choice that leaves you banging your head against the kitchen stove with your hands tugging on your hair, shouting, "I DON'T KNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!"

Well, don't have a mental breakdown just yet, ladies and gents. Trust me, a breakfast is not worth the mental examinations. BUT, I'll agree: It IS a tough choice. That's why Quaker has released a breakfast product that gives you the best of both worlds!!! Oatmeal Cinnamon Squares Cereal is THIS product's name, and serving you both oatmeal and cereal is its game.

Although, to be completely honest, I don't really think that was Quaker's intention when marketing this product. They kinda brand it as more of a "Low Cholesterol!" and "Heart Healthy!" and "Diabetes Slayer!" type of cereal. Which was why I wasn't really even looking into trying this cereal until my dad bought it. I mean, come on- a kid like me don't got to eat this for breakfast- a foodstuff that can only be described as "That cereal found in Grandma's cupboards." But since my dad bought this stuff, and since we were all out of my preferred cereals, it was like, "Eh! Why not." So then I gots to reviewing.

A 14.5 oz. box costs around $3.04.

REVIEW: Kashi Chocolate Almond & Sea Salt with Chia Chewy Granola Bars

So, Kashi's had these new Chocolate Almond & Sea Salt granola bars around for awhile (I know, that sentence kinda contradicts itself there), and it seems to have "Made For RiRi" written all over it (Not technically, but still). Sea Salt? I love salty foods! Almonds? They're my favorite nut! Chocolate? I love chocolate!!! (It's not DARK chocolate, but it works). Except for the chia, everything Kashi has put into this bar is making it sound faaaantastic. So I kinda have high hopes for this review! Let's see how it goes.

A 7.4 oz. box with six 1.2 oz. bars costs around $4.09.

REVIEW: Quaker Banana Nut Bread Soft Baked Bars

I like a nice hunk of banana bread every now and again, so it'd make sense for me to buy these Banana Nut Bread Bars from Quaker, right? That's what I thought, but it really was more of an impulsive buy. I mean, I like banana bread, but I like the homemade stuff, not some manufactured junk. Homemade banana bread tastes better and is real easy to make. So I guess I wasn't really thinking. But then again, if you asked me if I felt like making banana bread RIGHT NOW, I'd probably respond with a, "Gee.... I'd LOVE to, butttttt..... I kinda have stuff to do. Like watching videos. About video games. On Youtube."

So as you can see, I have a lot on my plate, and I suppose in the end, it WOULD make sense for me to buy manufactured banana bread!!!

...Ohhhhhh, who am I kidding? I'm just trying to reassure myself...

A 7.4 oz. box with five 1.48 bars costs around $2.69.

REVIEW: Fiber One Oats & Peanut Butter Chewy Bars

Fiber One, I love you,

Yes, oh yes, it's true!

Your Peanut Butter Bars with the yummy chew,

Are the next thing I will review!

A 7 oz. box for around $2.98,

Is something I sure can appreciate!

REVIEW: Nature Valley Oats 'n Dark Chocolate Protein Crunchy Granola

My previous taste-test of Nature Valley's new protein granola left me and my tummy full of tasty granola deliciousness, so of course I HAD to try another flavor on their line- Oats 'n Honey sounds good and all, but of course my heart belongs to a little ditty titled Oats 'n Dark Chocolate. Not only is it CHOCOLATE, but it's DARK CHOCOLATE! Annnnnd it's full of protein! It's like this granola was made for me!

An 11 oz. bag of granola costs around $3.98.

REVIEW: Frito-Lay's Baked! Flamin' Hot Cheetos

Welcome again to another installment of Sweet and SavoRi's "Chip Kick!" Yaaaaaay! ...You know, have you ever really thought of Cheetos as chips? Honestly now. I mean, despite the fact they're crunchy and greasy, they are FAR from chips. They AREN'T made with potatoes, they AREN'T cut into thin, little slices like potato chips- in fact, they look more like little cheesy clubs. See, seeeee?! Even on the bag in the picture right above, that bag of Cheetos is official labeled as "Cheese Flavored Snacks." NOT. CHIPS. So I guess... Cheetos are just Cheetos... Right?

Well, while you all are off cracking the code on what makes Cheetos part of the "chip" food group, I'll be here reviewing this lightened-up, lower-fat version of the popular snack. I was in line at my school cafeteria hoping to get some flavored Baked Lays or something, but all they really had was these Baked! Flamin' Hot Cheetos or the Original Baked! Lays (yawn), so I went with the former. Besides, it had been FOREVER since I had a bag of Cheetos... even baked ones!  

An 11 oz. bag of chips costs around $3.89.

Review: Kashi Crunchy Granola & Seed Honey Oat Flax Bars

Recently, Kashi's released a whole new line of granola bars with the addition of seeds in them. Well, if you call two flavors a "line", that is. I reviewed one of the flavors so far- the Chocolate Chip Chia. They were a bit seed-like in taste to being with (well, dur-hur... they ARE seed bars), but all in all the taste was yummy and hearty enough to bring me back to try the other kind of new granola bar Kashi has released- their Honey Oat Flax Bars. Whereas the Chocolate Chip Chia Bars were made with... chia (dur), these Honey Oat Flax Bars are made with... flax. Hopefully you all deduced that for yourselves before I had to spell it out!

A 7 oz. box with five, two-bar, 1.4 oz packages costs around $4.09.

REVIEW; Edy's/Dreyer's Slow Churned Mint Cookie Crunch Ice Cream

Well, it's the middle of winter everyone, and you know what that means... ICE CREAM! Yes, ice cream! Freezing cold ice cream for allllllll! I like to eat mine outside in the middle of the night, while the snow is coming down in plumes and I'm in nothing but my pajamas. Just pure fun. Super. But it's even BETTER when you have an icy slushie to accompany you instead. Oh well. I guess this Slow Churned Mint Cookie Crunch ice cream from Edy's/Dreyer's will have to do.

A 1.5 qt.  container of ice cream costs around $3.89.

REVIEW: Kellogg's Special K Sour Cream & Onion Cracker Chips

Next product I'll be reviewing on my newfound chip kick is these Sour Cream & Onion Cracker Chips from Special K. Why Sour Cream & Onion, you may ask? Well, unlike the Honey Barbecue review I posted a little while ago, I did NOT pick this flavor because it had "NEW!" in the title. In fact, I think it's a pretty safe bet to say this is one of the oldest available flavors of the Cracker Chips. I only picked this flavor because sour cream and onion is my downfall potato chip flavor. I can turn up my nose to regular potato chips, or cheddar, or salt & vinegar, but sour cream and onion seems to trip me up more than the rest. So I guess you could say it's my favorite potato chip flavor...? Anyway, a 4 oz. box costs around $2.88.

REVIEW: Subway's New Jalapeno Cheese Bread

Walking into Subway recently, I couldn't help but wondering, "Gee, what will I review now? If only they had a new bread out or something..." And lo and behold, there it was! Subway's Jalapeno Cheese Bread! I couldn't help but pump my fists with joy. Talk about good timing, right? I hadn't even realized Subway had a new bread out already. It seems like just yesterday since I reviewed their Garlic Bread. Gee... does that mean that one's been revoked already? Bye-bye Garlic Bread? Awwwwww.... I really liked their Garlic Bread! This Jalapeno Cheese stuff had better be a suitable replacement, or I'll be maaad...

You can get the Jalapeno Cheese Bread for your Subway sandwich at no additional price.

REVIEW: Kellogg's NutriGrain Chocolatey Crunch Chocolatey Chip Granola Bars

You remember those commercials Kellogg's released for their Fruit Crunch Bars awhile back? You know- the ones with the vampires? Oh yeah, they totally dug those NutriGrain bars. Cuz' that makes sense. Vampires LOVE eating herbivorous foods like fruits and oats. I guess in all seriousness it'd make sense for them to enjoy the Strawberry Parfait flavor, since vampires eat shades of red, but still. That strawberry bar is more of a pinkish hue. AT BEST. So why would vampires be so into these NutriGrain Bars? What is Kellogg's insinuating? Is there some secret ingredient in these that we are unaware of? 

Blood, maybe...?

No, no, that couldn't be- I mean, blood, come on. How could Kellogg's obtain such a thing as blood? It's not like there's gallons upon gallons to be found in every living thing on Earth or anything like that. Yeah, blood, haha- there's no way! That... couldn't...be... Buuuuuuuut...

It does seem a little odd for Kellogg's to just pull the idea of a commercial about vampires out of their heads like that... I mean, the commercial obviously wasn't meant to be FUNNY... So where did the idea for vampires come up from...? Maybe, just maybe...

No, nevermind. There's NO BLOOD in these things. There's not, there's not, there's not.

But just to be on the safe side, I'll try Kellogg's NutriGrain Chocolately Crunch Bars first- you know, the bars NOT advertised in the hidden-message vamp ads.

A 7.4 oz. box with five 1.48 oz. pouches costs around $2.58.

REVIEW: Kashi GoLean Vanilla Graham Clusters Cereal

Kashi GoLean Original is a stand-by cereal in my pantry, on account of the huge amount of protein found in one serving of the stuff.

...Well, admittely, 13g isn't THAT much- but for cereal, that's about as good as it gets.

With 13g of protein, and an admittedly mild enough flavor that you can't accuse any aspect of it to be all that wrong, Kashi Original is a solid cereal. But, but, butttttt... And I mean  DO mean but- sometimes it just gets a little boring. Anything can after awhile, you know. But when you get bored of Kashi's GoLean Original, what other cereal can you turn to for a huge amount of protein and a decent taste? Tell me! What? WHAT???!!! Why, Kashi's GoLean Vanilla Graham Clusters, of course! Just LIKE Kashi's GoLean Original, except with two less grams of protein. And the added taste of vanilla. And graham. And clusters. And the box is blue. And yeah.

A 13.2 oz. box costs around $3.99.

REVIEW: Kellogg's NutriGrain Fruit & Oat Harvest Country Strawberry Bars

Well, looks like I'm on an official quest to review each and every NutriGrain Fruit & Oat Harvest Bar!!! ...Which really isn't hard at all, considering there's only two of them...

So far.
Kellogg's more than likely'll make new Fruit & Oat Harvest Bar flavors, I'm hoping- Maybe a ...Radical Raspberry, or a Grape Goodness? And if you use these names, Kellogg's, I better get a slice of the pie, if you get my drift.

First I tried Kellogg's Blueberry Bliss flavor, and now I'm moving on towards the Country Strawberry. Why did I the blueberry first, may you ask? Well, I like blueberry better than strawberry, plain and simple. The slight tangy, sour undertones of the blueberry just bring more depth to the flavor than the sometimes overly-sweet strawberry can provide. But I don't harbor some strawberry prejudice either, so time to review this Fruit & Oat Harvest Bar's take on the berry.

An 8.8 oz. box with five 1.76 oz. bars costs around $2.50.