Poppi Raspberry Rose Soda (Tesco) By @Cinabar

I first spotted this drink in an Instagram advert and didn’t think much of it at the time. It was one of those taste test campaigns trying to get people to swap their usual soft drink. The can calls it a soda, which still feels very American to me. I’d always call this fizzy pop, but as the brand started out in a Dallas kitchen, that probably explains it.

Poppi positions this as a lower calorie soft drink with added fibre, so it is clearly aiming for that “better for you” fizzy drink space. I picked up this Poppi Raspberry Rose flavour in Tesco as it sounded a bit different from the usual options.

Flavour wise, raspberry and rose is right up my street. I like floral notes, Turkish Delight being a favourite, so this had promise. Pouring it out, the drink has a lovely soft pink colour and a decent level of fizz. It is sweetened with fruit juice and stevia, which keeps it on the lighter side without tasting overly artificial.

Taste wise, this is a really pleasant surprise. The raspberry is fruity without being too sharp, and the rose adds a gentle floral note rather than anything overpowering. Together they create a balanced, refreshing combination that feels quite summery. It is sweet, but mellow, and easy to drink.

If you are looking for a low calorie fizzy pop that feels a bit different from the usual supermarket soft drinks, this is a good one to try. The raspberry and rose pairing works well, and it stands out from more standard fruity flavours.

Overall, this is a solid option and one I can easily see myself picking up again from Tesco, especially on a warm day. It is a perfect refreshing can of pop, or soda depending on where you are from.

McDonald's Card are the Latest Gambling at Lunch Craze [@NLi10]

 At work we go to lunch as a group and take it in turns to choose where.  I've not minded the McDonalds trips recently as there were some interesting drinks on offer (now sadly gone) but there are collectable cards - which is a fun idea.

 

Except you have to buy very specific things

Which means I got a large Big Mac Meal as the least disappointing option

You get a pack of 4 cards, and it's presumably 18+ because of encouraging childhood obesity.  But - wait - prize every time, collect and redeem sets.  Oh no...

This isn't fun trading cards - this is stealth gambling!

There are 24 cards in the set - and as you can see you can get within pack duplicates.

As you can redeem sets of 4 specific things for a prize though that means that 6 of the cards must be rarer.  And as the prizes on mine are £50, and 52 free Medium meals (one a week for a year) that means that at least those two sets won't be things most people can actually finish.

Indeed the card to complete the £50 set is currently selling for £63 on eBay

For the years food? £500 for one where someone has USED the code so you can't get the prize.

My blue card gives me a free fish-burger or half a portion of nuggets.  I guess that you are supposed to redeem that and buy another meal at the same time.

It all feels a little exploitative.  Granted it's a bonus on top of the disappointment that a Big Mac meal is almost £10 now, but I can see why this wasn't that heavily advertised.

Maybe they'll iron out the kinks in future years (easy solution - the foil 4th card in every set also has a regular version which doesn't give the prize - now your set is actually playground collectable).

Fox’s Rocky Stack’d Chocolate Cream Flavour (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

I do like a chocolate bar when I’m out and about to eat after my lunch and Soreen Bar. I am always in favour of finding new chocolatey lunchbox treats. I like something not too big, something crunchy, and not too high in calories. These new Fox’s Rocky Stack’d Chocolate Cream Flavour certainly look like they fit the bill.

It says on the back of the packet that these Fox’s Rocky Stack’d Chocolate Cream Flavour bars are; a milk chocolate flavoured coated sandwich bar with chocolate flavoured cream filling. I have been informed by Cinabar that “milk chocolate flavoured coating’, means there’s not enough cocoa to call it milk chocolate.

On opening the wrapper there was definitely a decent milk chocolate aroma. On taste these Fox’s Rocky Stack’d Chocolate Cream Flavour are certainly crunchy. I liked the mixture of milk chocolate flavoured coating, the crunchy biscuit inside, and then the creaminess from the chocolate cream flavoured filling. Very nice indeed.

Information on the packet: Each 25g bar is 126 calories, with 6g of fat, 9.6g of sugar, and 0.18g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

McVitie’s Harry Potter Cookies Butterbeer Flavour (Ocado) By @Cinabar

With the Harry Potter series back in the spotlight after recent casting news, it feels like the brand is everywhere again. One of the most iconic treats from the books and films is Butterbeer, so it was only a matter of time before it turned up in biscuit form.

These McVitie’s cookies caught my eye online as they sounded a bit different. Butterbeer flavour is not something you see every day, so curiosity got the better of me. On closer inspection though, they are essentially butterscotch flavoured cookies with white chocolate chips, which does make a bit more sense.

Once opened, the first thing I noticed was the size. They felt a little smaller than expected, but that might just be my preference for a chunkier biscuit.

Flavour wise, they are pleasant enough. There are hints of vanilla and caramel coming through, giving that sweet, slightly creamy profile you would associate with butterscotch. That said, the flavour does not quite hit the richer, deeper notes I was hoping for. The white chocolate chips do a lot of the heavy lifting, adding both sweetness and a nice bit of texture.

I do have a sweet tooth, so these worked well for me, but I cannot help feeling they played it a bit safe. With a name like Butterbeer and the Harry Potter branding, I was expecting something a bit more distinctive or indulgent.

Still, a nice enough biscuit, just not quite as magical as the packaging suggests.

Pick N Marks Milk Chocolate Malt Balls (Marks and Spencer) By @Cinabar

When you think of milk chocolate malt balls, let’s be honest, Maltesers are the first thing that come to mind. I struggle to think of another major brand doing quite the same thing. This Marks and Spencer version feels a little more upmarket, which is exactly what you would expect.

These Milk Chocolate Malt Balls come in a dark pink bag and are part of the classic chocolate treats range called Pick N Marks, which is clearly a playful take on Pick n Mix.

As soon as I opened the bag, the first thing I noticed was the size. These are properly big, a real treat rather than something you just mindlessly snack on. I took a bite and immediately loved them. The larger size makes them feel really satisfying and nicely chunky. The chocolate is Belgian, and you can tell. It is creamy, smooth and generous, coating a crisp, crunchy malt centre. The malt itself has a slight salty note, which works beautifully with the sweetness of the chocolate and gives them a bit of an edge.

I genuinely loved these and can see them becoming a regular treat. They take that classic malt and chocolate combination and push it up a level.