my mochi - vanilla bean

Behold, a new flavor, available in PA! You know it's vanilla bean and not just regular vanilla because there are little black specks in it. Oooh, aahh (except that's a negative in my book because it could be bad to see black specks in most foods). Anyway, this was a bad, freezer burn-y texture, even after much defrosting time, but I don't know if that's due to my parents' bad freezer, the store's bad freezer, or the product somehow. Most likely the first thing. Other than that, it was indeed very vanilla. The white mochi makes me lol because it looks like modelling clay. Anyway, I only had one so I can't say much more, but it was fun and cute as are they all. And nut free!

Overall
Cost: ?/10
Taste: 7/10 

Hanover Frozen Asparagus Spears

Finally, a veg! For some reason, I have a memory of (some??) Hanover veggie having a peanut warning, but I couldn't find any record of this online or in my blog tome, so maybe it was something else. Anyway, these are fine. Not as good as real asparagus, but we're in PA, so, no veg box and no real asparagus. Wet and fine. Could do worse!

Overall
Cost: ?/10
Taste: 6/10 

Skinny Pop - Sea Salt (Microwavable Version)

Blergh, the micowavable version of this is much less delicious than the prepopped version! But it is still nut free and, I guess, skinny. Certainly the portion size is larger here than with the other stuff, and I guess the taste is just the same as other microwave popcorns, so maybe I'm just not in the mood for popcorn. I am only eating this to have something to review, after all! (Why was it at my parents' house, I wondered, since my mom can't eat popcorn and my dad righteously has no interest in Skinny Things? Is it because it's nut free, on my behalf?! Is it because Hershey makes it so they got it for free? Questions I wish I had asked!)

Overall
Cost: ?/10
Taste: 6/10 

Ortega Mild Original Taco Sauce

Just like the cheese, I eschew taco sauce on tacos et al. But for you, blog, I es-chewed it. Or es-schlorped it. It was less captivating than the taco cheese. Tastes just like I remember: a tomato-based thin sauce with taco-seasoning-ish vibes. More vinegar than spice. Haven't you people heard of salsa and/or hot sauce!? Anyway, it didn't ruin the taco experience, but I do think it made things slightly worse. Maybe if you have a very dry meal (couldn't be me), then a tiny dab of this would be OK.

Overall
Cost: ?/10
Taste: 5/10 

Giant brand Taco Blend Shredded Cheese

I never put cheese on my tacos, but since I was searching for something to review, I did it with this cheese. I always liked Giant the grocery store (and therefore Giant the brand), but the idea of a shredded taco blend cheese (cheddar, a bottom tier cheese, plus MJ, a good cheese) that has taco seasoning (garlic, onion, paprika, salt) built in is like... a little unnerving. But you know what? It was good. Probably more delicious than without the cheese. Shows what I know. Plus I read that cheese is good for staving off dementia, so all things considered, cheese me up.

Overall
Cost: ?/10
Taste: 7/10 

Prego Meat Sauce

My parents only eat Prego sauce, which now that I'm 20 years removed from eating, I find bafflingly sweet, like when international students eat our bread and go "ugh, why is it like that?????". Well, it's because sugar is delicious and makes you happy. But I get where they're coming from because it's a completely different flavor profile. It's fine, I'm not disgusted by it or anything, but I don't like it on noodle. Like me, though, my parents are extremely set in their branded ways, so I'll save my complaints for this blog. No soy in the "meat" at least. Also no veg. Frankly, this is almost like a completely different product from the pastes and tinctures that I'm used to. Also it gave me a massive stomachache (and I only ate a little bit)!!! But what doesn't, tbh.

Overall
Cost: ?/10, hopefully cheap
Taste: 5/10 

Kellogg's Cocoa Loops

Who wanted this!? Then again, I bought it, so joke's on me. I can't resist a cartoon bird mascot with a rainbow beak. I guess I was expecting/fearing some Froot taste, but luckily there isn't any, these are a totally different thing. Aesthetically I approve; the box is a nice dark purple and the loops are much darker in color than I would have guessed. True cocoa in these loops. Taste-wise they're a miss. Not horrifying, but like a denser cocoa puff with a strange, hard-to-place aftertaste. Paper? I dunno. It does make the milk chocolatey, and they do have a crunchy Froot Loop texture, so I guess I see why these are getting decent reviews. But maybe I don't miss chocolate all that much because I hardly yearn for more (of these). 

Overall
Cost: 4/10 [5.59$]
Taste: 6/10 

Wandering Bear Cold Brew - Straight Black

Some of my best friends are straight black! OK so I was really hoping to love this because it came in my veg box, the packaging is cute, and they purportedly don't use allergens in their cold brews (which I doubt a little since I just saw an ad for their "amaretto flavor" but whatever). This is just plain, so it's fine. The taste was mid, though. There's also not that much in there (32oz); it's supposedly 5 servings but to me it's more like 3 servings. It's also really hard to tell how much you're using unless you measure it out, which is wild. Tastes like bottled cold brew. Dunkin is superior. The bear is cute though.

Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 6/10 

DeCecco Fusilli no 34 (monocolor edition)

I was not expecting to like this much, since fusilli is only for pasta salad in my world (and fusilli jerrys, rip seinfeld being unembarrassing to have watched). But I used this for a lasagna bake (broadly construed) and it was surprisingly suitable there. Good texture, fun, goes good with your meat and your sauce and your cheesers. IDK if I'd like it plain, but either way, it exceeded my expectations. 

Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 6/10 

Stouffer's French Bread Pizzas - Three Meat

Did I eat these because I'm getting sick, or am I getting sick because I ate these? The age old question. But these were good. I mean, "three meat" is probably the pizza type I'm least interested in, but my store didn't have any other options, and stouffer's are the only soy-free pizzas now. Freakin' soy protein. Somehow these guys made 3 meats without it! Why can't you [Red Baron, Tony, etc]?! So, the three meats are: roni pieces, snausage, and.. bacon?? I definitely did not taste any bacon. But that's good, because bacon sounds bad on pizza. Also, it's Hanukkah. Do not ask me the contents of the other meats please. These cook in the oven for 21 minutes, which is long but not that long when you have a billion things to do. I will buy them, or whatever flavor there is, again. Thank you sweet soy-free frozen meal of bread pizza.

Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 7/10 

Pepperidge Farm Milano - Mint Chocolate

The prodigal blogger returns! Things have been pretty fraught in my life so I took a wee hiatus, but, when it is time to seek comfort, we all may look to the cookie. Especially mint choco cookies! These are lovely. I thought I had them before, but that was just 8 million other milano flavors crossed with 5 million other peppermint chocolate cookies, I guess! Anyway, the milano formula is lit, and the peppermint choco is fairly subtle since it's just the innards. Andes-ish innards, which isn't as good as the big round peppermint cocoa cookies, but the milano shell is pretty hard to pass up. Basically these are a refreshing delight. The bag also says "Crafted by our bakers... for you." Me??? Maybe I should buy more of those snoopy goldfish since they seem less indulgent. But sometimes it's OK to indulge. 

Overall
Cost: 6/10
Taste: 7/10