Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Grilled, Seasoned & Fully Cooked White Meat Chicken Strips

 

I popped into Wal-Mart one evening after work and for some reason ended up in the refrigerator section near the prepared meats (heat and eat bagged chicken, pulled pork/chicken containers, etc.). I wanted something quick and easy to have on hand so I opted to give the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Grilled, Seasoned & Fully Cooked White Meat Chicken Strips a shot.

I admit, I’m a big chicken snob. If there’s any fat on it, stringy bits or any hint of a vein my stomach pretty much taps out. Upon opening the package, I was surprised to see the chicken strips inside the package pretty much resembled the picture (you know how food marketing goes). The outside of the strips weren’t as darkly colored as the packaging, but it wasn’t a big deal. I weighed out a 3 ounce serving and wrapped the rest up for another day (which ended up being part of my lunch one day along with a salad).

I have to be honest and say I really liked these – much more than the Purdue Shortcuts. These are flavored well – they are not quite a barbecue, but they have a smoky flavoring to them. They come off as real white meat chicken strips – not chewy like some of the processed stuff can echo. I did find two small pieces of fat on two separate chunks of chicken – but even for my picky stomach that wasn’t a nail in the coffin.

A serving, 3 ounces, is 140 calories or 2 smart points.

 

Hostess Banana Twinkies

I am a banana dessert lover ... if it has banana in it (flavoring or actual banana) I am compelled to try it. Case in point: Hostess Banana Twinkies. I have seen these from time to time and one day on a quick trip through Wal-Mart I decided to pick up a box to give a whirl.

Coinciding with the whole minion craze, the Twinkies are individually wrapped (which is better for portion control) and have little minions on each of the wrapper. Based on sight alone, these look exactly like your average Twinkie and no one would know they were banana if you didn't tell them (the package isn't labeled as such).

Taste wise, it's your classic sponge cake, whereas instead of the regular vanilla cream in your average Twinkie, the cream in these are banana flavored. It's artificial but it's not a grotesque banana flavor. It's smooth, mild and actually quite enjoyable. Truthfully, I'm not the biggest fan of Twinkies ... but I quite enjoyed these, as did everyone that also gave them a try (my boyfriend, my mother, my niece and nephew - who exceptionally loved them). Overall they were quite the win in my opinion.

A serving, 2 cakes, is 270 calories or 7 points plus values or you can have 1 cake for 4 points plus values.

Yoplait Greek 100 Calories - Orange Creme

I'm a pretty avid Yoplait and Dannon Greek yogurt fan, pretty much if I see a new flavor, I'm going to give it a try. One of the flavors that's been out for a while, but I haven't been able to find anywhere has been the Yoplait Greek 100 Calories - Orange Creme.

I have seen this shown on numerous Instagram postings for months and I finally found the allusive yogurt at a local Wal-Mart. Sadly, not all retailers carry this flavor ... and sadly I only purchased one container while at the store. Note to self: buy more when you find this again.

Granted, with that statement you can pretty much sum up the fact that I completely LOVE this yogurt! It tastes just like an orange creme popsicle. It's got that cool orange flavor, while having a creamy vanilla base which in my mind tastes along the lines of the ice cream in a orange cream popsicle. It's definitely a dessert like yogurt, that I'd enjoy as an after lunch or dinner "dessert". It's refreshing, delicious and a complete win for me. I need to venture my way back to my local Wal-Mart to get a couple of these to stash away in the refrigerator when I want something dessert-like.

A serving, 1 container, is 100 calories or 2 points plus values.

Dannon Light & Fit Greek Chocolate on Top - Banana

When I first heard Dannon launched a brand of Light & Fit Greek yogurt with chocolate on top I made it a priority to track them down. Dannon Light & Fit is my #1 favorite brand of Greek yogurt. So when I finally spotted the Dannon Light & Fit Greek Chocolate on Top - Banana at a local grocery store, I didn't even think twice before adding it into my grocery cart.

The yogurt is your classic, thick banana flavored Greek yogurt, which has a layer of runny chocolate over the top. Initially in my mind I thought the chocolate would be more along the lines of a ganache or even like a slightly thicker version of chocolate (like a sundae sauce).

Upon first bite, I really wasn't impressed and upon second bite I wasn't a huge fan. The chocolate completely overwhelms the flavor of the yogurt. The chocolate syrup reminds me of sugar free chocolate syrup that you'd mix with milk. The chocolate is bitter, not sweet and overpowering. I really couldn't taste the flavor of the yogurt at all when eating it together. I truly didn't enjoy it, which is saddening since I typically am a huge fan of anything Dannon pulls out of their magic hat.

Each serving is 100 calories or 3 points plus values.

Thomas' Banana Bread Bagels

On a quick lunchtime trip through Wal-Mart I noticed a display of Thomas' bagels. I know Thomas' likes to come out with limited edition bagels and since it had been some time since I've had a bagel I decided to see what was to offer. Low and behold I stumbled upon the Thomas' Banana Bread Bagels and immediately was sold.

The bagels themselves smell amazing through the bag. They smell very reminiscent of banana bread. There's a banana and cinnamon scent clearly evident running throughout the bag which was just a heavenly scent.

Unfortunately that tickle on the senses doesn't as smoothly run over into the taste of the product. They certainly don't scream banana bread when you eat it. It's got a plain bagel flavor, perhaps even a cinnamon raisin (without the raisin) flavor to the bagel itself. Although you do get a banana flavor when you bite into one of the banana pieces within the dough itself. I guess you can say they're a hint of banana bread to it but certainly not quite. I'd say, don't bite into it expecting to taste the real deal banana bread because you'll be disappointed.

They're certainly not a bad bagel, but they're not as flavorful as I may have hoped for. Although I did find I enjoyed them most with some peanut butter and a few pieces of sliced banana on it. It made for a killer tasty, peanut buttery banana filled breakfast.

Each bagel is 260 calories or 7 points plus values.

Hostess Red Velvet Cupcakes

Growing up we had a local Hostess factory that sold Hostess products at a discounted price. My mother would pick up snacks for my brother and I ... so I guess you can say my enjoyment of Hostess goodies was born early. There are some snacks by the brand that I'm not a fan of .. but others I am. Case in point when I spotted the Hostess Red Velvet Cupcakes at Wal-Mart I had to pick up a box.

 

It seems like red velvet flavored snacks are taking over grocery store shelves. What I liked about these cupcakes was that they were so fresh. The texture of the cupcake was soft, slightly moist and nicely sweetened. I found them to not be as sweet as say, the Hostess orange frosted cupcake (which for one reason really hits me as sa-weeeet!). The cake is your classic red velvet - a bold chocolate flavor with has a light and airy cream in the middle of the cupcake. The frosting on top is a classic vanilla, but not overly vanilla-y.

 

They're definitely along the lines of the classic chocolate frosted cupcake (just colored red) but I feel this variety is not as sweet. Which may be in part to the vanilla frosting? But either way, they're pretty good.

A cupcake is 170 calories or 4 points plus values.

Yoplait Greek 100 Calories Banana Caramel Greek Yogurt

I'm a Greek yogurt fan to the core, but there's a piece of me that has a weakness when it comes to banana flavored yogurts. If it's new and it's got banana anything in it, I'm going to buy it ... try it and either love it or hate it. Case in point a new find courtesy of Wal-Mart's refrigerator section: Yoplait Greek 100 Calories Banana Caramel Greek Yogurt.

 

My immediate thought was this would be similar to say a bananas foster yogurt. I was game and sold immediately. But since I have slight issues with caramel flavorings in yogurt (they can come off overwhelming, too bland or far too artificial tasting) I opted to purchase only 2 containers. Which after trying this I was kind of glad for doing so.

 

The yogurt is in a round about way, a big ole miss, which was disheartening. I mean, it's alright ... but nothing to light a candle against the Dannon Banana Creme yogurt.  The flavoring is a milder banana flavor with a small hint of caramel in the background. By hint, I mean, you have to really seek out the flavor otherwise it can be missed entirely.  It's okay ... it'd probably be better served over some fresh fruit with a little granola on it ... but it is not a contender as the best banana yogurt find. It's different, but I wouldn't rush out to find them again.

 

A cup is 100 calories or 2 points plus values.

Dannon Oikos Triple Zero - Banana Creme

One afternoon on a quick trip though Wal-Mart to pick up a few groceries, I spotted the newly released Dannon Oikos Triple Zero yogurts. After scanning the flavors, I opted to go with my tried and true Banana Creme (truthfully, if there's a banana flavored yogurt, it'll be the first yogurt I try from any brand). I picked up only one container, and truthfully I wished I got more ... because now it seems incredibly hard to find!

 

There are a few high points for this yogurt. One of the first being it is enforced by the NFL and it contains 0 added sugar, artificial sweeteners or fat. What I love the most is that it's also got a whopping 15g's of protein in it! If you keep an eye on protein in foods, you'll know this is a jump of 3g's when compared to some other Greek yogurts on the market. It may not seem like a big difference, but at the end of the day it all adds up.

 

The yogurt is absolutely delicious. It's thick, creamy, and packed with flavor. It's not overly sweet, but the banana creme flavor was right up front and wasn't artificial tasting or 'zippy' (tangy/sour) on the tongue. It was mild, but flavorful and the yogurt was perfect. Nice and thick, without being too thick and/or watery. Truthfully, one of the better Greek yogurts I have had in a long while.  Now if only I can get my hands on some more ...

 

A serving is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

Red Velvet Oreo's

When I heard Oreo's was adding a red velvet flavor to their limited edition line-up I have to say I was very intrigued. I love red velvet cakes/cupcakes/desserts so I knew when I found them I'd be giving them a try. Low and behold on an afternoon trip to Wal-Mart I spotted the limited edition Red Velvet Oreo's and they found a little spot in my carriage and a one-way ticket to my humble abode.

One thing I noticed immediately, not about the cookies, but about the packaging is that it's 1/3 the size of a normal Oreo cookie package.  The package is much smaller and oddly enough (or not as oddly, considering this is a new 'trick of the trade') it's the same price regardless of the reduction in product. Regardless of how many cookies you get in a package (which in an odd way may actually be a good thing) ... these particular cookies are phenomenal.

The cookies themselves have that classic red velvet flavor - that rich chocolate flavor, while the cream is your classic Oreo cream which is cream cheese flavored. It's the essence of red velvet in a cookie form ... which is a total home run. I don't find them to be overly sweet and I'm able to enjoy 2 cookies without feeling the need to go overboard. All that have tried the cookies have been fans and gave them 2 thumbs up.

A serving is 2 cookies which is 140 calories or 4 points plus values.

Arthur Paul's Birthday Cake Cake Pops

I spotted a box of Arthur Paul's Birthday Cake Pops at Wal-Mart in the freezer section and decided to pick them up. I figured it would be a special little treat when my niece and nephew came over to visit. So on Super Bowl Sunday, I took the box out of the freezer as a special little treat and they turned out to be a hit!

Admittedly, when I saw the box I assumed it might be an ice cream/cake mixture covered in frosting with jimmies on it (BTW .. by "jimmies" I mean sprinkles ... I'm from Massachusetts and that's what we call them). The cake pops themselves are packaged quite well in the box to avoid them from hitting one another and breaking apart. I had these in my deep freezer so they were quiet hard, but after letting them sit out for a few minutes they softened a tad.

 

The cake pops are essentially a piece of vanilla cake on a stick, covered in a frosting (which isn't overly sweet) which is encased in colorful jimmies/sprinkles. It was quite tasty, satisfying and satisfied my sweet/snacky tooth without being sickeningly sweet. Overall they were a fun little treat ... and they were adult and kid approved!

 

Each pop is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

Bolthouse Farms Cilantro Avocado Yogurt Dressing

I've been getting bored of my plain ole regular salads to the point that I would take a few bites and would end up throwing the rest away ... or not even touching it.That's in part to the fact that I've allowed myself to get bored. I make the same "type" of salad and relay on 2 salad dressings to kick it up a notch ... but in reality, it's not enough anymore.

 

While at Walmart, picking up a few items to jazz up my week I picked up a bottle of the Bolthouse Farms Cilantro Avocado Yogurt Dressing. I'm not the biggest fan of cilantro, but I figured it would be a different flavor and something that would go good with, say, a taco salad. With that in mind, I whipped up a batch of taco meat for lunches for the week and have been using the dressing alongside it and I have to say, it's pretty delicious.

 

The dressing is smooth and creamy and 2 tablespoons, when mixed into greens really does go along way. It's flavorful, without being overly bold. The cilantro flavoring is very mild which I think is in part of the added avocado. It's along the lines of a ranch dressing, but it doesn't have that zip that comes with ranch. It's got a pretty good flavor and blends well with really whatever you decide to add to a salad. 

 

A serving is 2 tablespoons which is 40 calories or 1 points plus values.

Old El Paso Bold Nacho Cheese Flavored Taco Shells

Tacos are one of my favorite meals to have ... but usually the plain ole corn taco shells just aren't "worth it" to me. But a nacho cheese flavored taco shell certainly is. Unfortunately they're not easily accessible at the grocery store ... so when I spotted these Old El Paso Bold Nacho Cheese Flavored Taco Shells at Wal-Mart I made sure I picked up a box.

 

The shells themselves are coated in a nacho cheese flavor (think Doritos) and they're a large flat bottomed taco shell which makes for easy presentation/eating. Filling the shells with taco meat, salsa, lettuce, tomato and guacamole it's a complete and delicious meal. The nacho cheese provides delicious flavor to the dish. I'm all about flavor ... so anything to help add to that is delightful.

 

This is about as good as you'd get before you crumbled up Doritos into a taco salad. With hope these are going to be a new addition to the Old El Paso taco shell line.

A serving, 2 shells, is 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

Gold's Gym Waist Trimmer Belt

My coworkers and I walk 2 or 3 times a day Monday through Friday. One day while on our walk, they had mentioned they were wearing their belts. Belts? I was confused and inquired ... that's when they told me they picked up these Gold's Gym Waist Trimmer Belts last time they were at Wal-Mart. Intrigued I filed the thought and decided to look them up online later on.

 

Now I have seen folks in my gym wearing these belts ... but I truthfully never thought anything of it. The belts are $4.96 at Wal-Mart and are quite a decent product for the price. The belt is moderately thick, with a smooth fabric on the outside which makes it easily concealable under your clothing. While the inside of the belt is this smooth neoprene/"rubber" type of fabric.

 

The idea is you put this belt on before you workout and it helps trim your waist, by essentially sweating out any of the bloat/water weight you'd carry in your mid-section. It's not going to necessarily make you lose weight ... but it will help you sweat out any added bloat in your midsection. What I can say is ... this thing makes you SWEAT. You can actually feel the perspiration building up beneath the fabric against your skin. It's quite amazing.

 

The one thing I will say is, this can cause some minor irritation if you have sensitive skin. I found I wore it a few times and after wearing it during some cardio and after taking it off I had a small patch of irritation on my abdomen. That when I scratched, I caused some inflammation. Moving forward when I wear this, I will wear a very thin tank top underneath the belt to have a small barrier between my skin and the waist trimmer.

 

If you're interested these trimmers are available, nearly everywhere that sells workout gear. Wal-Mart does have the lowest price (right under $5).

Pace Nacho Cheese Taco Shells

 If you’re a fan of tacos and even possibly Doritos, then you may have at one point or another ventured over to Taco Bell and tried a Doritos Locos Taco. Since I saw Taco Bell offering these tacos I have been anxiously waiting to see the taco shells sold in a grocery store. Thankfully, that day had come when I picked up a box of Pace Nacho Cheese Taco Shells at Wal-Mart.

I want to start off by saying these are not an exact “dupe” of the Taco Bell Doritos shells … but they’re as close as you’re going to get.  The shells are not as firm/hard as traditional taco shells; they’re on the softer side of crunchy. As the box describes, they’re nacho cheese flavored and they’re perfect stuffed with taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream … or whatever may tickle your fancy. I found they added great flavor to my meal and I enjoyed them even the next day crumbled over a taco salad.

Pace also sells an original and kickin’ jalapeno flavor. So far, I’ve only noticed them at Super Wal-Mart locations. Price wise, if I recall correctly, they were under $1.50

A 2 shell serving is 130 calories or 3 points plus values.

Harvestland Chicken Burgers

Harvestland Chicken Burgers are an item I would have probably never stumbled upon if it weren’t for Instagram. My local super Wal-Mart is constantly rearranging their frozen foods section and since then one needs a microscope to find anything that’s not a frozen dinner.  Since I’ve ventured into the frozen chicken/turkey burger realm, I’m always open to trying new burgers.

Harvestland chickens are raised with no antibiotics, have an all vegetarian diet and have no animal by-products. There are no hormones or steroids added and the burgers themselves are made with all natural ingredients.  Each chicken burger patty is ¼ pound. The great part about these burgers is they are uncooked and are seasoned. I like the fact that they are seasoned because chicken tends to be very plain and if it’s not seasoned, I find chicken has a distinct “chicken taste” for the lack of a better description. I did of course add a little burger seasoning to one side before cooking just to add an additional level of seasoning.

There are 6 burgers in each box, which the only downside is they come packaged with 3 burgers in a pouch. I was able to cook my burgers in a hot skillet straight out of the freezer. There was no need to defrost them and they cooked up evenly and perfectly in under 10 minutes. Even cooking them in a frozen state the burgers retained their moisture while cooking and were moist and delicious. I refrigerated the leftover cooked burgers and reheated the following day without the product quality degrading. Overall I was quite pleased with these burgers and will undoubtedly be purchasing them again.

They were perfect served on a light hamburger bun, with lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard.  Also thanks to the 22 grams of protein in each burger they are mighty filling. Winner, winner, chicken burger dinner!

Each burger is 150 calories or 3 points plus values.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Fire Roasted Vegetable Soup

I’m typically not a person who reaches for soup on a cold day, but lately my taste buds have been gravitating towards soups/stews.  So while the weather has been less than stellar in my area, I decided to try out one of the frozen Smart Ones soups I had tucked away in my freezer.

I have tried vegetable soups in the past, and for the most part they’re not usually my “forte” because of the tomato base. So that thought in the back of my mind was the main reason I held off on giving this soup a try sooner. I heated the soup in the microwave per the directions and enjoyed this along with my dinner.

I have to say … the soup is pretty darn good! Although with the name “fire roasted vegetables” I assumed that simply meant vegetables that have been charred over an open flame. Well … that’s the case in one aspect, but “fire” in this instance also means this soup is spicy! I certainly wasn’t expecting the heat but it ultimately made the soup that much more delicious. It certainly wasn’t that plain ole tomato base that I’m not a big fan of.

Each bowl is 60 calories or 1 points plus value.

Dannon Light & Fit Greek Blends Strawberry Cheesecake

After trying the Yoplait Light Greek Strawberry Cheesecake yogurt, I was asked if I had tried the Dannon. I had seen it at Wal-Mart but it was in a 6-pack with a flavor I wasn’t quite sure I’d enjoy so I passed up on it. After I had finished up a lot of my yogurts, I decided to swing by Wal-Mart to get a few groceries I can only get there and picked up the pack.  Dannon is one of my favorite light Greek yogurt brands and it’s the one I typically reach for at the super market.

I have to say the Dannon Light & Fit Greek Blends Strawberry Cheesecake really takes the cake on this flavor.  It’s very reminiscent of strawberry cheesecake, it’s nice and thick, and it’s just delicious. I didn’t pick up on any “crust” flavor but the yogurt itself reminds me of a strawberry cheesecake filling. Having this alongside some strawberries is just a delicious snack to rave about. So far I have only seen these sold at Wal-Mart, but I’m sure it’ll be popping up on grocery shelves elsewhere.

A serving is 80 calories or 2 points plus values.

Lean Cuisine Wrap Additions Buffalo-Style Chicken

I’m not a huge frozen food fan, but I do enjoy them from time to time for convenience foods or I even give them a whirl when one may look particularly tasty. While shopping one day I noticed a line of new Lean Cuisine’s and decided to pick on up.  Our of the 3 varieties available at my shopping center, I opted to go with the Lean Cuisine Wrap Additions Buffalo-Style Chicken.  It seemed to be the “safest” of the varieties even though it was to be the spiciest.

When I first spotted the meal I assumed that perhaps the wraps were inside of the box to make a complete meal. After looking over the box I realized that the components to make a wrap were included and I’d have to choose my own wrap to assemble a sandwich. The idea is good in one way but I can see how it might be confusing for others who are just grabbing to go without realizing they need tortillas on the side.  The meal itself includes a spicy buffalo-style seasoned white meat chicken, carrots, celery, tomatoes and onions alongside a spicy buffalo-style sauce, which has a slight cooling effect to it, perhaps due to a slight presence of ranch dressing?  At first I was thinking “celery and carrots steamed alongside chicken?” but it all works well together.

The inner sandwich components are rather plain jane on their own. The chicken is mildly spiced – but the flavor category without a doubt comes from the sauce. The sauce is spicy, flavorful, while it also has a bit of a creamy cooling effect – which is similar to something you’d get with a ranch dressing. Overall, it’s quite delicious and a great meal idea.

I opted to pair my wrap addition to ½ of a lavish which is 1 points plus for the half – making my whole meal only 5 points plus. Not bad!

Each package of 160 calories or 4 points plus values. Of course depending on the type of tortilla that is used that will increase the calories and points plus respectively.

Yoplait Greek 100 Calories Blended Strawberry Cheesecake Bliss Yogurt

While popping into Target the other day I noticed they carried a few “Target exclusive” flavors from Yoplait.  I was all excited when I saw the Yoplait Greek 100 Calories Blended Strawberry Cheesecake Bliss Yogurt so I snatched up two containers.  I do want to note this isn’t exactly an “only at Target” flavor because I spotted and repurchased these at Wal-Mart a few days later!

The yogurt itself is your classic Yoplait Greek yogurt. It’s moderately thick, sweetened and a pretty tasty snack/meal.  Taste wise … it tastes just like a strawberry cheesecake, minus the crust. It’s creamy, it’s sweet and it’s just perfect. I’ve enjoyed it on its own, while I’ve also paired it with some fresh cut up strawberries.

Each yogurt is 100 calories or 2 points plus values!

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the new Yoplait Greek launches?

DiGiorno Pizzeria! Bianca/White Pizza

Pizza is one of my favorite foods and lately my boyfriend has been on a frozen pizza kick. While shopping at Walmart, I spotted the DiGiorno Pizzeria! Bianca/White Pizza and decided to get it for myself to try.  One day after running holiday errands with my mother, in order to avoid going out to eat, I suggested I make this pizza … and that’s what we did.

I cooked the pizza in my convection oven and when done, cut it up into 8 slices. The pizza has the classic DiGiorno Pizzeria! crust which is thicker but not as thick as classic DiGiorno. The pizza is described as having mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, spinach, garlic, cream fraiche sauce and olive oil on it.

I am quite a fan of the Pizzeria line, but I have to say this particular pie looked a lot better straight out of the oven than it did in the taste category.  It’s not horrible, but it’s not the best spinach pizza I’ve had (I prefer Ristorante) and it’s certainly not one of the best Pizzeria line options (I prefer the supreme). There are hints of mild garlic running throughout the pizza but for the most part it was on the plain side. I realize spinach and ricotta are rather bland foods, but I’m a stickler when it comes to seasoning foods to help increase the flavor category. This just didn’t hit that note for me. My mother didn’t enjoy it, she ate her 2 slices and didn’t want anymore.

A serving is ¼ of the pizza and is 320 calories or 9 points plus values.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the DiGiorno Pizzeria pizzas?