My gut feeling is Pretzel M&M’s will be hanging around awhile, as I didn’t see any limited edition notices on the packaging. Also, they will be available in all major sizes, even the really big resealable bags. Good thing, as I can see a family going through these rather quickly.

Only negative I could find was a higher concentration of ‘cracked’ candies, which really isn’t that big a deal. Very possible that it was just my two bags, but whatever. Chipped Pretzel M&M’S taste just as yummy as the whole ones.

For the foreseeable future, I’ll be purchasing these over peanut M&M’s. Though I didn’t check the label for allergy information, I think these may be a suitable substitute for peanut allergy suffers who would like a sweet/salty snack. Overall, Pretzel M&M’s are a total WIN!

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–Jeremy Hobbs

‘Solstice’ is described as ‘…a warm and cool winter.’ I translate that as wintergreen, and the shoe fits, so that’s what I’m going with. Regardless, it’s quite tasty. Not so over-powering as to hurt your teeth, but intense enough to achieve that ‘chill’ in your nose and throat as you breathe.

Like 5 Flare, the flavor of 5 Solstice just seems to go on forever. If anyone ever asks me to recommend a gum to them, I always recommend the ’5′ series for that reason; I haven’t yet found anything else that can compete. The texture stays nice as well, sticking together without getting too firm.

5 Solstice can be purchased in single, 15 stick packs, or in multi-packs of 3 – 15 stick packs. Prices will vary by store, but don’t expect to break the bank. It’s gum. 5 Solstice gets a solid ‘Win!’ all the way around.

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–Jeremy Hobbs

The consistency was uniform across all the flavors; light, and fluffy. It’s not the prettiest stuff to look at, which is why I’m assuming they used solid color cups, but taste is what matters. And, especially for only 60 calories, it has ‘flavor’ locked up; very yummy.

Caramel was my favorite, with dark chocolate being my ‘least’ liked, but I’ll eat all of them again. They make a nice addition to you brown bag lunches at work, or a late night snack. Also, seeing as it’s so light and airy, I could even grab one of these in a morning rush. My only real complaint is actually a compliment; I wish the servings were bigger! Jell-O scores a ‘Win!’ with ‘Mousse Temptations.’

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–Jeremy Hobbs

I’ve always enjoyed a good bag of pretzels; they’re kind of a secret ‘diet’ food. Low in calorie, fibrous, very little if any fat, very filling. Relatively guilt free, I think. Being the simple fellow that I am, I’ve never steered far away from your basic ‘salted’ variety. The flavored versions of my favorite brands haven’t did anything for me, except make my fingers feels gross. I was expecting the same out of ‘Twisted Grandma,’ but I was oh-so-pleasantly surprised.

Everything was just perfect. The garlic was just zingy enough, but not over powering. The salt and butter simple made my mouth water. Delicious, every which way you look at it. One of the most addicting snacks that I’ve ever tried. The ten ounce bag wag devoured in relatively short order. When I reorder, I’ll definitely be picking up the ‘Pounder!’

Hits you in the tummy a bit (well a lot), more than the average twist. A one ounce serving, or a good handful, nets you 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 380 mg of sodium. Health food they ain’t, but if you’re going to ‘cheat’ on a diet, you can’t really go wrong here.

The price is bit steep, but this is a product that could be considered a ’boutique’ item. The quality and flavor is just heads and shoulders above what can be purchased on the mass market. I wholeheartedly recommend these. I certainly can’t wait to get my hands on another bag or two!

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–Jeremy Hobbs

Are these for the hardcore chocolate connoisseur? Nah. Never going to replace your specialized confections. This is a functional food, designed with a goal in mind, and a hope that it tastes satisfactory in the process. I think Buzz Bites accomplish that, and maybe a little more. It wont replace my Hershey bars, but it can earn a spot in my energy mint rotation.

The flavor is a smidge on the bitter side, but that is going to happen when you squeeze the equivalent of a cup of coffee into a half inch cube. Are Buzz Bites overly bitter? I don’t think so. The texture is also nice;  soft, dare I say creamy? Didn’t stick in my teeth either, a major plus for me.

Buzz Bites provide a noticeable energy boost, and as of this writing, I wish I had waited until morning to write this review; I feel a restless night coming on. Certainly enough to get you moving in the morning.

These are perfect to keep in your pocket, purse, desk, etc for when you need that extra pick-me-up, and can’t get to your usual fix. Nice change of pace too, if your usual fix happens to be energy mints. I feel comfortable giving them my all important recommendation!

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–Jeremy Hobbs

Pudding cups were a favorite of mine, all the way through high school. They’re just a great way to top off a school lunch. I still grab a pack now and then; they look especially tasty when I break the golden rule of grocery shopping: ‘Thou shalt not shop while hungry.’ A new flavor of the Sugar-Free variety is going to be released in the next few weeks; Cinnamon Roll.

Jello-O, gelatin and pudding, has long been a trail blazer for great tasting, sugar free desserts. Cinnamon Roll is certainly no exception, offering a wonderfully flavored dessert treat with minimal caloric impact (60 per cup). The flavor isn’t ridiculously sweet like many ‘cinnamon bun’ flavored treats, but it catches the essence quite well, especially for a consumer-friendly priced product.

The pudding is very creamy, the same consistency as ever. No lumps! Wish I had that much luck with the homemade stuff. Available in 6-pack sleeves at a store near you (soon, anyway), for three Washington’s and some coins. I recommend you give these a shot. Pudding cups are not just for kids anymore!

Official Site (soon, anyway)

–Jeremy Hobbs

Each mint contains approximately the same amount of caffeine as the average cup of coffee. Not bad at all. At the same time. You get other energy drink staples such as taurine and B-vitamins.

Foosh Mints are peppermint flavored, and quite strong. ‘Altoids’ like. Very little chemical aftertaste, so long as you suck on them (as intended). Should you decide to bite into one though, expect a flavor resembling that of a mint flavored aspirin. Also, the texture is just a bit… odd? They dissolve into a bit of a ‘grit.’ maybe a poor choice words, it wasn’t unpleasant, just kind of different.

Quite potent for the purposes of energy enhancement, they are a suitable replacement for a cup of coffee. In my caffeine addicted opinion, it’s an excellent finisher to your morning java. Completely eradicated that nasty coffee breath as well! Amen for that!!!

Availability will be a bit spotty; I had never actually heard of Foosh before a company spokesperson contacted me. So, if you’re interested in trying them out, an online retailer is going to be your best bet.

Do I recommend them? They are in the upper tier of products in this category. I’d like to see more packaging options, but that stuff comes with time as the product gains traction. Give them a shot, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

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–Jeremy Hobbs

VoJo Energy Mints seem even more toned down to me, don’t taste quite as good, and the packaging seems cheap. Cheap! That is this product’s strongest asset, it can be had for 5 quarters. Jolt’s can’t even be purchased in a large chain store, and Ice Breakers can be a bit pricey. VoJo’s can be bought at any Wal-Mart. Tell me where the heck you’re going to go where you wont be ten minutes away from a Wally World!

Each mint carries with it 10 mg of caffeine. So it’d take about 8 of them to equal the potency of an 8 ounce sparkling energy enhancing beverage. So, you can do the math; these are much better suited to maintain your coffee buzz, rather than getting you all jazzed up in the first place. Sugar free, caloric values aren’t even worth mentioning.

Overall, I recommend these. In fact, I recommend buying stock in their company; I will keep them in business all by my lonesome until I get fired!

Official Site (amazing in it’s simplicity)

–Jeremy Hobbs

Didn’t have a great experience with the other energy gum I sampled, and Mad-Croc lived down to my expectations. The flavor all but evaporated after thirty seconds or so, though it did taste pretty good while it lasted. Mad-Croc is not very pleasant to chew. The texture is odd; chewy (even for a gum). The ‘jumbo pieces’ are a bit big; a serving is two pieces, and that is a good mouthful of gum if you chew them at the same time.

Energy boost was noticeable, but nothing profound. Two pieces = an 8 ounce energy drink (Red Bull, etc), or 1 cup of coffee, but the label provided me with no hard numbers. Comes with a warning; ‘Not recommended for young children, pregnant women, or caffeine-sensitive persons.’ Why do they always say pregnant ‘women?’ It’s a bit redundant, if you’re pregnant you’re obviously female. Anyways, consider yourself warned.

10 calories, 50% riboflavin, 100% niacin, B6, and B12. Can’t recommend this with a good conscience, I really didn’t care for it. I’ll be junking or giving away the remaining servings, and certainly wont be buying again. Pass.

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–Jeremy Hobbs

Found these today, and they jive well with my new fascination with Mexican food; these are ‘Zesty Salsa’ flavored. The outer shell is supposed to taste like a tortilla chip, but that didn’t come across to me too well. If I hadn’t read the label, I’d have just figured it was the same cracker crust as the Pizzeria version I cherish so dearly.

Inside, the paste is delicious! Has a very authentic (mild) salsa flavor, with none of the stuff I don’t care for in real salsa (chunks of veggies). They have just the slightest bit of a kick to them; with a touch of vinegar ‘twang.’ Superb!

Not very diet friendly; 140 calories per ounce serving. It’s not difficult to eat the entire 6 ounce bag, so you do the math. That’s half of some people’s calorie allowances. 7 grams of fat, 3 of them being saturated, but no trans fat. Empty calories; no ‘good’ nutritional value to speak of.

If ‘Zesty Salsa’ Combos sound interesting to you, I highly recommend them. Mine cost me $2.19 in a fairly expensive convenience store, but I don’t regret the purchase what so ever. Eat up!

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–Jeremy Hobbs