Taste Test: Strawberry yogurt

 

My family and I aren't very big breakfast people, we get together for the occasional holiday breakfast, but we don't eat it traditionally. Often we just grab something simple in the mornings like a fruit bar or granola bar and eat it as we get through the morning wake up/preparation phase of the day, So I figured what better to taste test then something else my family could easily eat in the mornings that wouldn't slow them down but yogurt. 

I decided on the simple but lovable flavor of plain old strawberry, not only was it in abundance for choices, but I mean come on, who doesn't like strawberry? I picked three brands I have never tried before and neither had my mother, who I had help me with this test. To ensure that it was fair and unknown, I had my dad place them in three different colored bowls and mark which was which on a note for me to have after for the data. 

The first we tried was the yellow bowl, which turned to be brown cow, I didn't notice this when I first grabbed it but thinking back it makes sense for the high score we gave it, but the brown cow had a sort of cream topper mixed into the yogurt that gave it a nice cream edge, without the creaminess taking away from the strawberry flavoring. Both my mom gave this out highest rating, finding it to be the best of the three yogurts, the only real complaint was the frozen taste of the fruit it had. Solid 7/10.

The second we tasted was blue, which contained the Häagen-Dazs, which I did not know made yogurt until today, I thought it was just ice cream! But it may explain the odd texture of the yogurt. It has a almost, pudding like texture, or like melted ice cream in a semi solid state. I told my mom it felt like liquid cheesecake and she laughed but said it was accurate. This brand also had that same bitter frozen fruit flavor in the actual strawberry bits. Neither of us liked this one much, so we gave it a disappointing but fair 4/10.

the final brand was Hill country in a red bowl, this is the one my mom and I actually came to disagreement. Like the other two, this also had actual strawberry bits inside, but they seemed to have been blended into the yogurt itself instead of being solid chunks which took away from the fresh flavor of the fruit, I felt the yogurt tasted like a plain generic yogurt like Yoplait, that it was just, eh, not bad but not inherently good either, I thought it had a good enough taste and was nice and creamy without being to thick. My mom on the other hand said she didn't like the strange aftertaste it carried and that there wasn't enough of a real strawberry flavor compared to the first two, she gave hers a rating of 2/10 while I gave mine a 6/10, so we'll come in the middle and say 4/10.

The brown cow was the winner of this taste test, and knowing what I know now I am curious to go try it again, knowing now that its placed in the cup like layers in pudding, which will probably help with the taste then mixing it together like I did for the test to try and make them all look so similar. I wont be buying the Häagen-Dazs again, they should just stick to the ice cream, they're good at that.

Taste Test: Vanilla Ice Cream

 Ice cream is one of the most versatile desserts of the world; you can put it on pies, cobblers, pair it with a soda to make a float, it is very flexible. The most flexible flavor in my opinion is vanilla. A good vanilla ice cream should be… creamy and a little light, fluffy, and most importantly the vanilla flavor should be prominent over everything. After all, it is vanilla ice cream. Another thing to consider with a good ice cream is the flavor when it melts. It has happened to all of us: it’s a hot summer day and you stop by somewhere to get ice cream, but it gets so hot that the ice cream begins to melt. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the enjoyment of ice cream to purely come from the temperature, the flavor is paramount. I will be letting each contestant sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes to get all the ice melted and loosen up in texture. But let us dilly dally no more, let the games begin. 

Our first WONDERFUL contestant is HEB’s Creamy Creations vanilla bean ice cream.  The texture on this contestant really butters my biscuit: perfectly creamy, but hard enough to slowly melt on my tongue. Rarely do you get an ice cream with the perfect texture, but Mr. Creamy Creations has nailed it! This is where I would usually put a “however”, but that word has no place near this contestant! Creamy Creations has the sweetest and richest vanilla flavor I have had in a while. Sometimes I think the vanilla beans in some ice creams are trying to placebo you into thinking it taste like vanilla, not this one. The vanilla is there, the sugar is not too distracting, and the melted version has all the same perks. Contestant number 1 gets a 9/10!

Our second contestant is Swoon, by HEB…again. Contestant number 1 may have spoiled me, because my biscuit is not buttered by the texture of this ice cream. Although cream is in the name, it feels as if HEB slapped a cup of heavy whipping cream in there after the product was done. I am almost suffocating by how thick this ice cream is, this will lose contestant number 2 a lot of points. The flavor does make up for the texture in some ways; the vanilla beans in this ice cream are not placebo at all. Though not as rich as Mr. Creamy Creations, the sweetness is very well balanced, and I am not overwhelmed by the sugar within this ice cream. Although we have a happy ending, contestant number 2 still gets a 5/10.

The last contestant is Haagen-Dazs’s vanilla ice cream. Dear Lord, where do I start? I have never had any Haagen Dazs ice cream, but the advertising they do has to come from people who do not try the ice cream. To be honest, Haagen Dazs starts off fairly well: decent texture, even a good melted texture and taste. The vanilla flavor is there, but a little faint. Then we get to the horrendous after taste. It feels like sour cream was shoved in my mouth after I swallow a scoop. The rotten taste I get after enjoying the ice cream drops this down to the bottom of the bin. Contestant number 3 gets a 3/10. 

Besides Haagen Dazs, this was a very enjoyable experience. Ice cream is a perfect sweet treat and will hold its place at the top of the dessert world until the end of time.

Taste Test: Hot Sauce

 Sounds funny but truthfully hot sauce has been a part of life since i was very young, my favorite is Louisiana hot sauce. Growing up my summers were spent in Louisiana visiting my family, just about every meal served came with a bottle of hot sauce. My grandma swore that hot sauce deserved to be on absolutely everything, from red beans and rice, to jambalaya, she would not eat unless she drizzled her bottle of Louisiana hot sauce on top. She loved hot sauce so much that for one of her birthdays i got her a twenty four pack of different samples of the hottest hot sauces on the market. 

There’s not many items i can say that I would truly enjoy taste testing except for hot sauce. When i saw this assignment to me it was an easy choice since we never run low on a variety of hot sauces. My three choices are, Louisiana hot sauce, Valentina, and cholula- three very iconic and well known budget friendly choices. I have always been a firm Louisiana hot sauce type of person and i have never had another kind before so i thought this would be the perfect opportunity.  i think being able to break down and compare a few will be fun. 

To make sure I wasn’t being bias i had my mom pour the three into three different containers and had her label them one, two, and three. I tested these using a spoon full of rice for each choice since it is bland and also allows for a noticeable difference. For a bit of a spin i decided to blindfold myself after taking down the visual appearance of each. My mom did random order so i was unable to tell which was which. I will also be using water to clear my palette after each taste test. 

Louisiana hot sauce and Valentina shown, cholula was in a small container not shown

Sample 1: had a deep brick red color and thick texture, my first thought was it reminded me of a taco sauce texture. No shine just very rich

Sample 2: much more color, bright red/orange, very thin and runny. 

Sample 3: it looked to be right in between the other two, medium thickness.

Sample 1 was Valentina, it tasted like a chili flavor, kind of smoky. The texture was thick and seemed to be stuck to the rice. Not very hot but a lot of flavor. Sample 2 was Louisiana hot sauce, classic, the heat hit very fast but fades just as quick. Left a tangy, peppery taste. Sample 3 was cholula, very balanced. The flavor was sweet and the heat was more of a slow build the more i consumed. It didn’t hit as hard as the puissant hot sauce but i will say the heat remained a lot longer.

Overall i will say i really enjoyed this assignment and i was pleasantly surprised to say i might even prefer cholula than my go to Louisiana hot sauce. The taste was more than just the heat element, it was great flavor and well balanced. I will definitely be buying Louisiana and cholula hot sauce again but i was not a fan of Valentina as it was too thick of a texture for me, i like the more runny type of texture. 

Taste Test: Chocolate Snacks

As someone who’s always on the lookout for a quick, healthy snack before hitting the gym, I recently realized I’ve been stuck using the same breakfast bar for the last 5+ years, so maybe it is time for a change! This assignment was perfect for my problem.

I decided to explore the world of chocolate-based snacks—specifically, ones that seem marketed as a semi-healthy or energy-boosting treat. After browsing the snack aisle, I landed on three products I had never tasted before: Keto Wise Chocolate Fat Bombs, CLIF's Builders Chocolate Protein Bar, and Bel Vita Choclate Creme Sandwiches I chose these because I have no previous experience with any of them, no brand loyalty, no expectations making them perfect candidates for a fair and unbiased taste test.

To keep the experiment as impartial as possible, I’ll be unwrapping each snack and trying them blindly—no packaging, no logos, just me and my taste buds. I’ll also make sure to cleanse my palate between bites, so each one gets a fair shot. Through this test, I hope to discover which chocolate snack checks all the right boxes: flavor, texture, and that perfect pre-workout satisfaction.

Let the chocolate showdown begin!

Now, from a visual standpoint, the Bel Vita Sandwiches were calling my name. I prefer brands that have an image of the item within the wrapping, that way I know what I am getting, and Oh Boy, those Sandwiches looked tasty. The Keto Wise Fat Bombs looked pretty decent from their image, but they did look just like a bar of chocolate. I don't even know what Keto is, but I know my Mom always raves about it. Now, the Clif Bar didn't really stand out as I didn't get any visuals on the wrapping, so as of now, they are at the bottom, but my expectations are still high for them.

I realized after I bought them that the consistencies and shapes were going to be off so it may be easy to tell which is which by feel, so to negate this potential room for Bias, I decided to use a fork which was honestly an awful choice but I just needed a way to try the Bars without feeling them with my hands. I also blind folded myself to not see anything, which made this much harder than it needed to be. I decided I was going to drink Milk in between each Snack so that I could wash out any of the taste from the previous.

I also am not going to look at what brand I just ate, that way I can't figure out the rest with deductive reasoning.

Now Onto the Tasting!

1. Keto Wise Fat Bomb

When I took my first bite, I noticed right away that the flavor was very light. There was a hint of chocolate, but it didn’t deliver the rich, indulgent taste I usually associate with a chocolate snack. The texture was soft and a little chewy, but not unpleasant. It was clear that this one leaned more toward the “health-conscious” side of the snack spectrum. While it didn’t taste bad, it lacked that satisfying punch I was hoping for. It felt more like something you eat because it’s good for you, not because you’re craving it.

Overall, Snack #1 was mild and inoffensive, but it didn’t leave much of an impression. A decent option if you’re looking for something light and not overly sweet, but maybe not the first choice if you’re after bold flavor. This Snack turned out to be the Keto Wise Fat Bomb. I'll rate it a 4/10

2. BelVita Chocolate Creme Sandwich

After chugging my Milk, it was time for Snack #2. From the first bite, I could tell this one was going to be different. The chocolate crème filling was smooth, silky, and surprisingly rich—just the right amount of sweetness without being overpowering. It paired really well with the slightly crunchy, grainy outer layers, which reminded me of an oat-based cookie. The combination of textures worked nicely too: crisp and soft, all in one bite.

This snack definitely leaned more toward a dessert-like experience while still feeling like something you could justify eating in the morning. It had a balanced flavor and a satisfying feel, making it a strong contender for anyone who wants it. I was not too surprised to find out this was the BelVita Chocolate Sandwich. I really enjoyed this one, so I'll give it a 9/10.

3. CLIF Builders Protein Bar

The third snack came with a noticeable heft to it, dense and solid, with a thick outer coating of chocolate. Biting into it was a bit of a workout; the bar was so thick and chewy that it took some effort to break down. That said, the flavor made up for the chew time. There was a subtle hint of peanut butter in the chocolate, which added a nice twist. Inside, it had a grainy, granola-bar-like texture that gave it some substance and made it feel like a filling, high-protein snack. While the chocolate itself wasn’t particularly memorable, the overall flavor and texture combo worked well, especially if you’re looking for something to keep you full for a while. I'd give this a 7/10. 

All of these snacks were good in their own way. I may continue looking for more breakfast bars, but they were all a pleasure to eat. The ranking finished BelVita 1st, CLIF 2nd, and Keto Wise 3rd. This was fun and has inspired me to try exploring new brands and stepping outside of my comfort zone. Maybe I'll find something new!

Taste Test Review: Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

 Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

I like to eat cold food, especially now that summer is here, and the heat is at it highest. Throughout the day, I'm either eating ice or hoping the ice cream truck is passing by soon to get a Bomb Pop. So for the taste test I wanted to review ice cream, but having it be a flavor I've never gotten before, I am a cookies and cream girl. I am very picky when it comes to my ice cream, and so I would only like to eat the HEB's ice cream. But I wanted to try something new for this taste review.

First was the "Cherry Garcia", cherry ice cream with cherries and fudge flakes. Deliciously smooth and sweet. The cherries bits in the ice cream are small and have a very separate taste compared to the vanilla ice cream. I would say it is sweeter than the vanilla, but it is not overpowered. But instead it balances it out. And with the fudge flakes its taste remind me of the taste of dark chocolate, which is my favorite kind of chocolate. It is delicious, but afterword does have an aftertaste.

Overall, 7/10!!!!

Second was "Chocolate Fudge Brownie", containing chocolate ice cream and fudge brownie. In all honesty, sweets are good, but this one is like a pocket full of sugar and diabetes. It does taste good, but I think it was smart that this is only the 4oz ice cream cups, or I would not have finished it. First taste was bitter, but not in a bad way. Adding chocolate ice cream and chocolate brownies on top of each other would make it bitter and sweet at the same time. And I by no means hate chocolate ice cream but adding the brownies in it was a bit too much. The brownie tasted good, both sweet and thick, yet the thickness through me off because it got stuck on the roof of my mouth a bit and I did not like that.

Overall, 5/10!!!!

Lastly is “Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough”, vanilla ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough. It was okay, I'm not a fan of cookie dough. Because the thought of eating raw cookie dough in any form just does not sit right with me. Tasted good for vanilla ice cream, but the texture and taste of the dough only threw off. They were in clumping in the cup and I did not like that. The coco brownie ice cream was similar, but the texture of the brownie was far different from the dough. My least favorite of the three ice creams.

Overall, 3/10!!!!

All three of Ben & Jerry's ice cream had its pro and cons. They good for a sweet cold treat, but I found that they melt REALLY fast. So eat them quick if you're interested.

Taste test: Chocolate chip cookies

I chose chocolate chip cookies to taste test because they are something I know I enjoy eating, but they also aren't my favorite cookies. I went with three different brands of cookies that you must bake in the oven, so I made sure I was able to try them one after another. The brands I chose were Nestle, Pillsbury, and lastly Great Value brand from Walmart. I decided on those cookie brands because two of them are named brands and very popular, and the third one is just store brand. I wanted to see which one I enjoyed better without knowing which one I was actually trying. I picked chocolate chips for the flavor and made sure they were the same size of cookie; some offer 12 jumbo cookies or 24 regular cookies. I decided to go with the 12 jumbo cookies, so I can have more of a cookie to fully taste test. They're cookies and most cookies are very enjoyable to eat, so I went into this taste test with the mind set of all of them would be good but slightly different textures.  

 

I baked one cookie from each brand and once they were completely cooled, I asked my partner for help. I asked if he could remember which cookies were which and put them on a plate for me without me knowing. I decided on a cup of milk to drink with the cookie, along with helping me rinse my pallet between cookies. My partner then handed me the first cookie on a plate, and I began to taste test. 

 

When looking at my first cookie, I can see that it looks like any normal chocolate chip cookie. It is round, the dough is a little lighter than I expected, and it smelt good. The first bite was dry, and I needed to wash it down with milk immediately. I took another bite just to give it another chance. The cookie was still dry, not moist, and hardly had any chocolate chips in it. 

 

 The second and third cookies looked very similar, they were round, there were a lot of chocolate chips in the cookie, and the dough was on the darker side. Each cookie was slightly different but overall tasted like a very good chocolate chip cookie. The second and third were both very moist, very chocolatey, and not chewy! They were both moist throughout eating them, and chocolate chips in every bite. I like cookies that are baked enough to be a little crispy on the edges but moist on the inside, and that's exactly how cookies two and three were. It was very hard to be able to tell the difference between the two. I ended up finishing all of cookie three and I had to know which one it was.  

 

I actually ended up guessing which cookie was which brand, my guess was cookie one, Great Value, cookie two, Nestle, and cookie three, Pillsbury. They were actually Pillsbury, Nestle, and Great Value. So, I ended up getting one right, but I was very surprised I enjoyed the Great Value brand over the Pillsbury cookie. I would buy Nestle and the Great Value brand again, I don't personally enjoy chewy cookies so I wouldn't go out of my way to get the Pillsbury brand again. I do not think it was a bad cookie at all; it just wasn't my favorite. My partner tried the Pillsbury brand and loved the chewiness of it, so it's just a preference!  

 

Overall ratings: 

Pillsbury: 5/10 

Nestle: 10/10 

Great Value: 10/10 

I have now found a chocolate cookie that I enjoy and can rely on, I will always love sugar cookies more though! 

Wings and Rings

 I'll start this off by preferencing that I know Wings and Rings seems like an odd choice, but truth be told I'm not a huge wing person, so I've never really gone out to try the establishment before. I got off of work and wanted something fast and easy to deal with that I could grab on the trip home and low and behold there it was less then five minutes from the house. The place of business is easy enough to identify, sitting right at the corner of a four way intersection which gives it plenty of opportunity for business and customers. Looking through the menu I had a tough time deciding what to pick to take home, the appetizers all looked great and the sandwiches were very tempting, but I instead settled for a chicken cobb salad. The staff were very friendly and answered my likely to many questions while I was there, offering me all kinds of recommendations for my next visits based on todays order and other types of food I told them I had considered ordering. The inside is easily identifiable as more of a louder get together type of restaurant than a cozy sit down place. Very much a sports bar appeal with plenty of large tables with televisions and seated bars, but not very clutter or messy, the establishment makes exceptional use of the space they have indoors to make it feel packed without feeling to cramped to be inside.

The food itself was fairly decent, I didn't order much on account of having a bigger breakfast then I would normally. The whole thing smelled amazing, the seasoned chicken and the bacon made my mouth water before I could even finish opening the box, the bacon was nice and crunch, not rubbery and chewy, which paired very well with the egg and chicken. The lettuce had a nice crunch to it, which worked well with the grilled chicken. The ranch helped tie it all together, but the taste was a little to familiar for it to be house made, it tasted like a brand I could go buy at the grocery store. There was a bit to much lettuce for my taste, Id say they either need to lower the amount they stuff in or add a little bit more of all the other ingredients. I'd end it with a steady 7/10, some slight modifications could easily shift it to a 9/10. I'll definitely be going back the next time I get through an annoying shift and want some fast and delicious food on my way home from work.