Review: Asda Rainbow Hoops Vs Kellogg's Froot Loops

I couldn't resist reviewing the new(ish) Rainbow Hoops from Asda. This blog has seen more than it's fair share of reviews for brightly coloured hoopy cereal. There was the original  US Kellogg's Froot Loops, the launch of a UK Version in 2012 Limited Edition Kellogg's Froot Loops, which were followed in 2017 by a Unicorn themed variety. These last too are no longer available in the UK so I was pleased to find the Asda Rainbow Hoops to fill the gap. 

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The Asda Rainbow Hoops are the first time I've seen a supermarket own-brand join in. And luckily - I just so happened to have a box of Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops (from Germany!) and a mini box of the American Kellogg's Froot Loops in the house - so get ready for a lots of comparison photos.

Asda Rainbow Hoops: These are made with natural colours so it's not surprising that they are quite pale in colouring. They are also covered in a visible white sugary glaze which makes them even paler. The overall flavour is fine, although not as fruity as I was expecting, and far too sweet. I know this type of cereal is always going to be sugary but these were pushing it even for me.

Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops: I found these in Home Bargains for £1.49. I thought they were a return of the Unicorn Froot Loops from a few years ago, as they look identical, but it seem that these are imported from Germany (and even feature a wordsearch in German on the back). Even though these are also made with natural colours, they are much more colourful than the Asda Unicorn Hoops. The pinks and yellows are especially vibrant. I also preferred the flavour of these Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops, they manage to stay on the right side of sweetness and also have a generic fruity flavour in the background.

Kellogg's Froot Loops (US): Lastly, the craziness that is the original American Froot Loops from Kellogg's. These are packed full of colourings and look super bright next to the paler British versions. Personally, I find the bright blues and greens really off-putting in a food but they are fun as a one-off. The flavour is also the fruitiest and most distinctive. 

Overall, my favourites are the Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops which have the right combination of colourful fun and sweetness (I know fans of American cereals will disagree!). Sadly they don't seem to be available in the UK anymore, but look out for them in bargain shops as they are available in other European countries.

If you've tried any of these cereals, especially the new Asda Unicorn Hoops, then let me know in the comments below.

I'll be back with some more reviews soon so check back.

Katherine @grocerygems

TAFFY MAIL REVIEW - US Candy Box & Discount Code!

Taffy Mail is the original subscription box for American candy in the UK. I first tried one of their boxes back in 2014 (Taffy Mail Review) and I'm pleased to find that they are even better than ever. 

There are now three subscription level packages available to suit different budgets; £7.49p for Taffy Mail Lite, £14.99 for the Taffy Mail Classic and £24.99 for their Taffy Mail Extra. 

10% DISCOUNT CODE: 

The great news is that Taffy Mail have given my readers a 10% discount code off any of their boxes for the next THREE MONTHS! 

Simple enter the following code upon checkout: GROCERY2

www.taffymail.co.uk

Here's a quick round up of what was in my Taffy Mail box:

Uncle Rays Kosher Dill Flavored Chips: The star product is a large bag of Uncle Ray's potato chips. Dill is an unusual crisp flavour here in the UK so I was excited to give these a try. The crisps themselves have a thick and crunchy texture. They're deliciously salty with a perfectly matched and strong dill flavour. I absolutely loved these and it's made me keen to try to track down more dill flavoured snacks!

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy: A large bag of Jolly Racher hard candy in classic American flavours - Grape, Watermelon,  Cherry, and Blue Raspberry. I'm not usually one for hard candies but these are really fun to try. The flavours are all fruity and strong, especially the Grape which is very overpowering. My favourite was the Blue Raspberry which is just like a blue Slush Puppy drink in a candy.

Sour Patch Watermelon & Airheads Xtremes Watermelon: Another popular American flavour that we don't seem to get as much here (especially in sweets) is watermelon. Why is it so ubiquitous in America? Anyway, these are both large sized products and have the same bright green and pink colours. The AirHeads packet has 8 long candy strips so it's perfect for sharing. We all enjoyed the sweet and sour fruity flavours here.

Reese's Peanut Butter Topping: This is exactly the type of American foodie product that I buy if I spot it anywhere. It's a peanut butter flavoured topping that can be used for ice cream but I can think of a million other uses too. 

100 Grand & Oh Henry: I also received two full sized candy bars in the Taffy Mail. These are both American classics and I've enjoyed them both in the past. 

Mrs Freshley's Dreamies: These creme filled cakes are basically fake Twinkies! I'm not complaining though, since Twinkies are now available in most poundshops, it's actually more interesting to try this harder to find brand.

Duff Energy Drink: This is such a fun looking product and was probably the one that got the most reaction when we were opening the box. It's an orange flavoured energy drink but the real selling point is that this looks just like Homer's favourite drink.

Snyder's Pretzel Pieces: I'm already a fan of Snyder's Pretzel pieces, especially their delicious Jalapeno flavour. This Hot Buffalo Wing variety is just as delicious and was also packed full of spicy flavour.

Starburst Sweet Heat & Sweetart: These Starburst are all fruity flavours with a spicy kick! The full list of flavours is certainly unique; Fiery Watermelon, Flamin' Orange, Strawberry Mango and Pipin' Pineapple. The Sweetarts are chewy sour flavoured sweets in cute pastel colours.

Mallo Cup & Yum Yum Candy Cones: There were also lots of smaller items in the Taffy Mail. These are both cute additions. The Boyer Mallo Cup are chocolate cups are filled with a whipped creme center. The Yum Yum Cones were very hard to photograph but they're really cute - little wafer ice cream cones filled with a soft candy.

Junior Mints & Nerds: A couple of mini sized products too. The Junior Mints are creamy mints in milk chocolate - I've always wanted to try these! Also a little pack of Nerds in a great Lemonade Wild Cherry flavour.

Pop Rocks & Kool-Aid: Finally there were also two little sachets in the Taffy Mail - a Pop Rocks popping candy in strawberry flavour and a Kool-Aid drink mix in strawberry kiwi flavour.

This Taffy Mail really did have an amazing selection. There were 18 products in total which would be similar to the Taffy Mail Extra category. I was sent a general box but I know that the most recent Taffy Mail for subscribers had lots of fun Easter products. It's well worth keeping in mind as a gift for the foodie in your life.

Discount Code - GROCERY2

For more information check out: www.taffymail.co.uk

Follow on Twitter: @TaffyMail

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SWEETLY - New American Candy Subscription Box & Discount Code!

I was recently contacted by Sweetly about their new American candy subscription boxes and was lucky enough to receive one of their first boxes to try out. I love trying out candies and chocolates from the US and the Sweetly box is absolutely crammed full of sweet treats.

Here's a sneak peak at what was inside my Sweetly box before the full breakdown: 

I honestly don't know how they packed so many items into the size of the box but everything was in perfect condition. 

CANDY BARS: 

I was surprised to find four full sized chocolate/candy bars in the Sweetly box. The Butterfinger, 5th Avenue and Whatchamacallit bars are all absolute classics. I've tried these three before, and they're all firm favourites, but the fourth bar, U-NO, is a new one to me.

The U-No is described as a rich creamy chocolate. The texture is unusual with a crumbly, fudgey quality. The chocolate flavour is actually really good with a strong cocoa taste and creamy finish. There is 'chocolate liquor' listed in ingredients which gives the bar an extra lift!

DRINKS:

I wasn't expecting to find drinks in the Sweetly box but these are very welcome additions. I've never actually tried Kool-Aid before and this Pink Lemonade is exactly the type of flavour I would choose for myself. The Gatorade Thirst Quencher is also a new one to me. It's a naturally flavoured Lemon-Lime sparkling drink - another one that I can't wait to try! 

SWEETS:

There were plenty of American candies in the Sweetly box. The throwback Nerds Rainbow are always fun, along with the Original Lemonhead Lemon Candy and a small pack of Now & Later Extreme Sour Watermelon Soft Chews. 

There was also a pack of Starburst Gummi Burst Liquid Filled Gummies which I was really excited to find in the box. They remind me of my favourite (and much-missed) Haribo Cherry Cola with liquid filling. The flavours were all very sweet and fruity and I loved the oozy burst of the each liquid centre!

CAKES/BISCUITS:

Finally are another three classic American treats - a Moon-Pie Double Decker, a Hostess Twinkie and the Boyer Mallo Cup. I've never tried the Mallo Cup before but it's absolutely delicious, with a gorgeously gooey, coconut marshmallow centre. So good!

The Moon Pie has been around since 1917 and was actually created during the Great Depression. It's a combination of layers of marshmallow creme sandwiched between graham crackers and covered in chocolate. I really enjoyed this one, it's like a massive Wagon Wheel but much tastier. 

Overall, I was impressed with the wide selection of surprise American treats in the Sweetly box. My box contained 13 different items, ranging from the classics to new finds. It's a great first box and I hope that Sweetly continue with such awesome boxes in the future. Definitely one to keep in mind as a gift idea for the foodie in your life!

Discount Code: GROCERYGEMS10

There are three ways to sign up to Sweetly - for one month (£16.99p), for three months (£15.99p) or for six months (£13.99p). Sweetly have very kindly provided my readers with a discount code for 10% off your first order. Simply enter the code - GROCERYGEMS10

All boxes come with free delivery and will contain 12-14 full sized items. Sweetly also say that the average value of the boxes is more than £30. Please take a look at the Sweetly website for more details about the different options:  www.sweetlyuk.com

PR Samples.

New York Snack & Shopping Haul!

The globetrotting adventures of Mr. Grocery Gems continued recently with a visit to New York City last month. It's all in the name of work, but luckily he managed to get some shopping done too (and of course I'd given him a ridiculously long list!). It goes without saying that he brought home a generous amount of candy bars such as Payday, 100 Grand and 5th Avenue to name just a few (see photo above!). These were all bought in places such as Duane Reade and Walgreen's as they seemed to be the easiest places to find chocolate and groceries in Manhattan.

Luckily he also made it in time to find lots of Christmas themed chocolates and candies. He bought two large bags of festive M&M's which are coloured red, green and white, two types of Christmas Peeps, and a large pack of Reese's Peanut Butter Trees.

Unfortunately he couldn't find any of the limited edition flavoured Oreos (he really wanted to get the new Cinnamon Buns flavour!) but he did get this awesome Winter Oreo pack. They have a red coloured creme and cute winter characters on each biscuit.

In the early days of this blog I used to review American cereals quite regularly. However we rarely buy them these days so it was fun to get some old favourites as a one-off treat. I especially liked the fun pack of mini Kellogg's cereals!

From the New York M&M's World he found this simply awesome apple shaped container filled with I♥NY printed M&M's. This was easily the most popular gift with the kids, they were absolutely enthralled with it!

Away from the world of chocolate, Mr. Grocery Gems also surprised me with an amazing haul from Bath & Body Works. Sadly we don't have this store in the UK but all it's products are just gorgeous - these foaming hand washes are phenomenal!

Just look at how cute their PocketBac hand sanitisers are! And they all smell fab too. My favourite is the Jolly Gingerbread Oh Snap.

The Bath & Body Works range of home fragrances is really worth a try too. These large three-wick candles have the most beautiful packaging (the silver lids have an embossed snowflake design) and have lovely festive fragrances; the two pictured are Vanilla Bean Noel and Marshmallow Fireside.

Last, but not least, was a much anticipated visit to the Nintendo World store in New York. Mr. Grocery Gems bought quite a lot here, most of which is top-secret until Christmas! One thing that was top of our shopping list were these cute 8-bit Mario plush cushions.

Even though our Christmas tree has a simple red, white and silver theme, it's now rocking these bright yellow Mario ornaments too. Thanks Mr. GG!

Snack Haul & Bring Back Banjo Chocolate Bar!

A while ago I was sent a gorgeous parcel of goodies from the lovely @BanjoChocolate who's running a great campaign to get Mars to bring back the much missed Banjo Chocolate Bar. More support is always needed so please take a look at the dedicated Facebook page and sign the petition HERE. Retro comebacks are growing in popularity all the time and I really do hope that the Banjo can have a new release too!

Here's a closer look at the amazingly tasty selection of snacks:

Eridanous Soft Nougat Selection: This was available during Lidl's "Taste of Greece" week. There are three flavours of soft nougat included; Cranberry, Strawberry & Hazelnut.

I've never really tried flavoured nougat before so this whole product was a real revelation to me. The nougat has a lovely soft and melt in the mouth texture without being too sticky. 

The different varieties were all incredibly good too, with plenty of added fruits and nuts providing plenty of flavour and crunch. My favourite was the super sweet strawberry!

Flipz White Fudge: If you read this blog regularly then you might assume that I've tried most the big-name confectionery from the US, but the truth is that there are plenty of popular snacks from both sides of the Atlantic that I haven't tried yet. One of those is the Flipz range of pretzels - it's one of those products that I keep meaning to try but just hadn't got around to yet.

And I'm so glad I finally tried them because they're just my type of sweet and salty treat. The white fudge coating on each snack is quite thin but still provides a super sweet contrast to the inner salted pretzel. These are just too good, I could easily have eaten the whole bag by myself.

Walker's Banana Split Eclairs: @BanjoChocolate described these as being similar to the long gone banana flavoured Toffo sweets. If you were a fan of the Banana Toffos then you really need to find these Walkers Banana Split Eclairs. They're soft buttery toffees with a delicious sweet banana flavoured filling - so delicious and perfect for any banana fans.

Tesco Crispy Seedy Nutty Bites: These are deliciously crunchy biscuits made with sunflower seeds, peanuts, sesame seeds, hazelnuts, oat flakes, honey and currants. I was expecting these to be quite hard in texture but the crunch is very satisfying without being too dense. The flavour is very sweet and sugary but so good at the same time. They're a bit like Sesame Snaps but with added nuts and currants - dangerously moreish!

Thank you so much to the wonderful @BanjoChocolate for sending me such an awesome selection (and I still have the Polish Limited Edition Lindt to try!). All these products were incredibly tasty and I thoroughly recommend giving them a try if you spot them.

Once again please take a look at the Bring Back Banjo Chocolate Facebook page - all Likes, Comments, and Shares are greatly appreciated!