Snack Review: Kellogg’s Special K Blueberry, Special K Crackers, and FiberPlus Antioxidant Bars

In the wide world of snacking, the people at Kellogg’s are definite rockstars. I mean, they make most of the country’s favorite cereals. Sure, cereal is a tasty and simple-to-prepare breakfast. But most people in my acquaintance agree that the crunchy, highly-sugared goodness of Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes are just as satisfying - if not moreso - at three A.M., in the aftermath of a wild party, than before school or work.

Because of this legendary greatness, I was surprised, and flattered, when I heard Kellogg’s wanted to send l’il ol’ me a sampling of their newest products to review. When I received a package from the company’s headquarters in Battle Creek, MI, and accepted that the offer wasn’t a put-on, I began to worry. What if I didn’t like the samples I was sent? Would I be blacklisted by the crunchy conglomerate? Labeled a “cereal killer” and banned from major grocery stores for all eternity? Would I awaken at some ungodly hour to find the Honey Smacks Frog pelting me with poisonous goo while Tony the Tiger mauled me to death?

I gave these loathsome possibilities, and countless others, careful consideration. In the end, I squared my shoulders, gulped, and made the braver and morally sound decision. Supermarket snubbery and killer mascots be darned - in the name of journalistic integrity, I’d offer my honest opinions.

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A Dissenting Opinion: Micheal Season’s Honey Chipotle Chips

The people at Micheal Season’s are masters at putting their products in the hands of capable snack reviewers, so both Rachel and I wound up with a bag of Micheal Season’s Baked Honey Chipotle Chips. Yet, despite our superior snacking skills, we’ve managed to come up with starkly different opinions on this product, just as experienced wine tasters often disagree on the best years for Burgundies (I still say the ‘92 was better than the ‘03, dammit!). So sit back and relax as I make a case for my new favorite chips, Michael Season’s Baked Honey Chipotle.

As I’ve stated before on this blog, I’m a spicy snack lightweight. This hearkens back to the days when my dad would pay me a dollar to eat a Blue Chip, and I would spend the next fifteen minutes with my tongue under the kitchen faucet (that dollar was totally worth it, though).

My fear of all things spicy was only reinforced by traumatic food accidents – such as the time I was eating fried vegetables at a Chinese restaurant, and accidentally swallowed a whole chili pepper. After losing hearing in my left ear, I sprinted out of the restaurant (sticking my friends with the check) and into a nearby CVS, where I ripped open a gallon of milk and chugged it until I felt nauseous. That chili pepper haunts me to this day.

So, imagine my surprise when I tried one of Michael Season’s Honey Chipotle chips and f’ing loved it.

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Snack Review: Medora Snacks

With the harried and hectic lifestyle demanded by the modern world, just finding time to eat feed yourself can be a luxury. Sitting down to eat with the family? That’s a pipe dream for most of us. Still, those of us blessed-slashed-cursed with others who depend upon us for sustenance (kids, husbands, Manorexic boyfriends, etc.) like to know that everyone is properly fed. All too often, that means frequent trips to the drive-through, Chinese takeout, or - when all else fails - bags of chips or cookies.

With all of the recent media attention paid to childhood obesity, it’s only natural for a parent to feel guilty about feeding greasy, preservative-packed snacks to his or her family, and to wish for a healthier alternative that’s just as easy. Enter Rockville, NY-based Medora Snacks. Medora (literal translation = a Mother’s Gift) has a noble mission:

“To bring to the world wholesome, great tasting snacks made from the very best, all-natural ingredients. To be true to our brand values of delivering better-for-you snacks that mothers can feel good about eating and sharing with their family and friends.”

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Snack Review: Michael Season’s Honey-Chipotle Baked Multigrain Chips

An unexpected package arrived for me yesterday. Unfortunately, by the time I reached my apartment complex, the office had been closed for hours. Inaudibly cursing L.A. traffic, I headed home for the evening, hoping the package would contain a shipment of delicious, or at least borderline-edible snacks for me to review. Based on the info provided by our lovely editor Caitlin, I was expecting either ice cream or chips and crackers from a small artisan company.

What I found upon retrieving my booty this morning was indeed Snackerrific-related. It consisted of chips from a small purveyor of high-quality snacks, but not the chips I’d been anticipating. Observing the postage, I noted my parcel came courtesy of Michael Season’s, a brand with which this site and its reviewers have an intimate familiarity.

I’m sure opinions vary from snacker to snacker, but I’ve grown quite fond of Michael Season’s all-natural twists on salty snacking favorites. The brand’s wholesome, healthy image is nearly sufficient to reassure me I’m treating my body as a temple while I inhale a half-bag of their cheese curls. So although I would have liked to try something new and adventurous, I was grateful for the opportunity to visit a not-so-old favorite.

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Snack Review: Food Should Taste Good Chips

I recently had the chance to review a brand of chips that I had never heard of before called Food Should Taste Good. I thought that was quite a catchy name; one that would most likely make me buy them in the store just because of the cool name.

I was sent many varieties to review and wasn’t quite sure what to pick first. The choices I had were Multigrain, Olive, Buffalo, Jalapeño, Chocolate, Sweet Potato and The Works. These were all exciting-sounding flavors to try. Surprisingly, the one I was most afraid to try became my favorite one of all.

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