Fanta Chucky's Punch

 

Product circa: autumn 2025

Released as part of a group of horror-themed sodas in preparation for Halloween 2025, I believe this one was the only brand-new flavor among them.

This stuff is good, and I'll tell you why.  Fruit punch sodas often miss the mark.  I would say most often they are simply too sweet, with not enough acid.  After that, they often have very little flavor.  This one bucks both trends with a restrained sweetness and flavor on the level of any proper fruit punch beverage.  Major kudos to Coca-Cola for producing this - too bad something like this isn't available permanently.

Arizona Frost ChillZicle

 

Product circa: 2025

Supposedly a juice cocktail meant to taste like an American "rocket pop", I would say that this doesn't hit the mark of that aim.  It has darker berry flavors that border on grape, and otherwise doesn't remind me of a rocket pop at all.

However, it's delicious.  Specifically, the style of this drink is not too sweet, in a way that reminds me heavily of some of the more well-balanced Snapples or even old-school juice box drinks.  The overall feel of this stuff is very nostalgic.  I will make it a point to try more of Arizona's juice cocktails!

Herr's Kettle Cooked Mozzarella Sticks & Marinara

 

Product circa: 2025-2026

Despite having tomato powder in the ingredients list, it's largely undetectable.  That leaves the expected mélange of Italian seasoning, but somehow this mix nails the seasoning that's traditional in the batter of fried mozzarella, and the taste of these is reminiscent of the real thing.  In the end, however, it's unremarkable.

Gatorade Citrus Cooler

 

Product circa: autumn 2025 

 Evidently a re-release of a vintage favorite from 1987.  I wonder if Gatorade still used glass bottles in that year... I'm too lazy to look it up.  Anyway, this is a product promoting the final season on Stranger Things.

 I can see why it was a favorite. To me, this tastes like a more subtle and natural orange flavor... it's almost as if I can taste the pulp in my mouth.  It's more like an orangeade than a orange sports drink.  I'm not sure I'm tasting any additional citrus in here... but if you told me it was part of the formula, I'd believe you.  If this flavor were available permanently, I probably would never reach for any other flavor.

Goldfish Peppermint Cocoa

 

Product circa: holiday season 2025

I'm not a chocolate peppermint, but these are great.  Why?  Because of the restraint with the peppermint.  These seem to be plain chocolate cookies, with a peppermint "seasoning" on them.  That's it.  And the deft touch from the food scientists ends up being very pleasant, in a way that has you keep reaching for more.

Doritos Collisions Stranger Pizza & Cool Ranch

 

Product circa: autumn 2025

A promotional item commemorating the upcoming final season of Stranger Things (get excited!!!).

I like that these exist, but I hate that this flavor combination exists because of losers who dip their pizza in ranch dressing.

Anyway, the Cool Ranch chips are what you'd expect.  The pizza chips are pretty interesting.  There is a ton of tomato powder on these, with what is likely additional sweetness... these things are very sweet.  There is also the deep oregano flavor which is usually what makes "pizza" snacks taste like pizza.  That's about all I get from these.  Pretty tasty, but not stellar.

No pizza chip will ever rival Pizzarias from the 1990s... IYKYK. 

Kit Kat Blueberry Muffin

 

Product circa: 2022

I like almost all food, but many folks are surprised to hear that I don’t like blueberries, or really any food/candy that they’re in.  I guess it’s a strange dislike to have.

With that said, this candy is impressive and delicious.  They’ve used white chocolate instead of milk/dark, thank goodness.  Upon opening the wrapper, you’ll see that the white chocolate is visually tinged with blue/purple, and olfactorily tinged with a fragrant blueberry smell.

The taste has the perfect amount of blueberry flavoring in the chocolate, and a natural flavor at that, which is not often found with blueberry products.  The wafer of the Kit Kat also has what I might deem as cinnamon added to it.  At the very least, it is not quite the regular Kit Kat wafer in this.

Anyway, this is good as hell, my own preferences notwithstanding.