Nabisco Better Cheddars: I've had my fair share of cheddar flavored snacks (at the time of writing this review, there are 64 snacks tagged with cheese reviewed on Tasty Snacking http://www.tastysnacking.com/snacks?tag%5B%5D=cheese), and Better Cheddars occupies a largely untapped space. Unlike typical cheddar crackers (e.g., the Goldfish and Cheese-Its) which are thicker and have a more substantial bite, Better Cheddars are flaky and light, verging into chip-like territory. Similar to other "Flavor Originals" that... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended cheddar cheese crackers nabisco better cheddars 3.5
Nabisco Chicken in a Biskit: Taking advantage of a major sale on Nabisco's Flavor Originals, I purchased two snacks from my childhood: Chicken in a Biskit and Better Cheddars (review forthcoming). I always wondered why the American junk food industry has not seemed to embrace meat-flavored snacks, and Chicken in a Biskit is one of the few I can readily name. The buttery biscuits are coated with a salty, chicken-flavored powder that I always imagined to be ground up bouillon cubes. Always addicting, but needs to be ea... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended nabisco chicken in a biskit 3.5
Dang Chipotle Garlic Onion Chips: Berkeley-based snack company that uses whole caramelized sliced onions, crisps them so they're almost chip-like but much lighter in texture, and seasons them for additional flavor. Prominent sweet onion taste without the heaviness of additional cornmeal or flour (like Funyuns or other onion ring-like snacks). Chips at the top of the bag had just a hint of smoke and spice, but those on the bottom were more robust, so shaking may help distribute the coating. Few servings in a bag and kind ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended safeway dang chipotle garlic onion chips 3.5
Taiwan Bento Soymilk: When it comes to beverages, the Taiwanese just do them better. Classics like Apple Sidra and Hey Song are much less sweet than American sodas, taste crisper, and are simply more interesting. What I'm rating today isn't a bottled or canned product, but it's representative of the same qualities. At Taiwan Bento, a shop close to the 19th street Oakland BART station that specializes in Taiwanese street food like gua bao and five-spice fried chicken, they make an excellent housemade soy milk. ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks taiwanese taiwanbento soymilk 4.0
Ruger Chocolate Flavored Wafers: Purchased from the vending machine at work, this two-serving pack of wafers is surprisingly good. Packaged in Willy-Wonka gold foil, the wafers have a great crispy texture, and the amount of chocolate feels generous. Not a very healthy snack, but certainly one of the better vending machine options out there. 3.5/5.0
recommended ruger chocolate flavored wafers 3.5
Safeway Community Market Chocolate peanut butter maltballs: Massive multilayered malted milk ball with a malted inner core surrounded by a peanut butter filling, all encased in a glossy layer of milk chocolate. A much more interesting alternative to peanut butter cups. Doesn't have the same melt in your mouth texture other malted snacks may have due to the sheer volume of it. Purchased from the impressively vast bulk section at the new Safeway Community Market (formerly Andronico's) in Berkeley. Serving size is apparently 7 pieces, but I can assure y... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended candy peanutbutter malt safewaycommunitymarket chocolate peanut butter maltballs 3.5