New Product Reviews: Instant Espresso, Fiber Muffin & More
With over 40,000 products in the average supermarket, people don't have
time (or the money) to test
every product on the shelves - so we do it for you! (Points system explained below the products!)
Each week we will post the latest reviews and I hope you will log in to see what's hot...and what's not!
Click to watch Phil Lempert's new products video
every product on the shelves - so we do it for you! (Points system explained below the products!)
Each week we will post the latest reviews and I hope you will log in to see what's hot...and what's not!
Cafe Bustelo
This product is a HIT!
If you saw my segment on the TODAY show last Saturday you know that we named Café Bustelo the winner in the instant espresso category. Café Bustelo has one of the richest flavors and best aromas and is also very affordable. My only complaint is that the label says 'pure coffee' but does not say if it is 100% Arabica, or even where the beans come from. Retails for $6.99 for 7.05 oz.
Bustelo Coffee
Miami, FL
800 990 9039
www.javacabana.com
Fiber One Muffin: Wild Blueberry Flavor
We do love our muffins, don't we? And frankly I don't understand why. It is not a piece of cake and it is not a doughnut and, what's more, it is sloppy to eat. Fiber One's new muffin is the right size and made with at least 8 g of whole grains and just 4 g of fat. However this is not a health food - with 16 g of sugars and a total of 33 g of carbs and a very long list of natural and artificial ingredients this is a lot closer in taste and nutrition to a candy bar than a slice of whole grain bread. If you like sweet, this is for you.
Retails for $3.99 / 4 pack.
Distributed by Uncle Wally's for Fiber One
Shirley, NY
877 469 2559
www.unclewallys.com
Fruitsense: Kiwi Dragonfruit Flavor
What has the food industry learned from vitamin water? That it is all about marketing, that you can have products like this with just 5% juice, lots of sugar and add a bunch of vitamins and people might just buy your product and you can cash in. What I do admire about this company is they have got guts -- right on the front of the label it says water, fruit juice, vitamins, but they left off the word sugar - which in this case, comes from agave. Oh and by the way, it tastes nothing like kiwi or dragonfruit.
Retails for $4.50 / 64 oz.
Old Orchard Brands
Sparta, MI
www.fruitsense.com
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total |
| 28 |
20 |
15 |
12 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
1 | 91 |
This product is a HIT!If you saw my segment on the TODAY show last Saturday you know that we named Café Bustelo the winner in the instant espresso category. Café Bustelo has one of the richest flavors and best aromas and is also very affordable. My only complaint is that the label says 'pure coffee' but does not say if it is 100% Arabica, or even where the beans come from. Retails for $6.99 for 7.05 oz.
Bustelo Coffee
Miami, FL
800 990 9039
www.javacabana.com
Fiber One Muffin: Wild Blueberry Flavor
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total |
| 24 |
16 |
11 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
0 | 76 |
We do love our muffins, don't we? And frankly I don't understand why. It is not a piece of cake and it is not a doughnut and, what's more, it is sloppy to eat. Fiber One's new muffin is the right size and made with at least 8 g of whole grains and just 4 g of fat. However this is not a health food - with 16 g of sugars and a total of 33 g of carbs and a very long list of natural and artificial ingredients this is a lot closer in taste and nutrition to a candy bar than a slice of whole grain bread. If you like sweet, this is for you.
Retails for $3.99 / 4 pack.
Distributed by Uncle Wally's for Fiber One
Shirley, NY
877 469 2559
www.unclewallys.com
Fruitsense: Kiwi Dragonfruit Flavor
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total |
| 20 |
15 |
12 |
14 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
0 | 75 |
What has the food industry learned from vitamin water? That it is all about marketing, that you can have products like this with just 5% juice, lots of sugar and add a bunch of vitamins and people might just buy your product and you can cash in. What I do admire about this company is they have got guts -- right on the front of the label it says water, fruit juice, vitamins, but they left off the word sugar - which in this case, comes from agave. Oh and by the way, it tastes nothing like kiwi or dragonfruit.
Retails for $4.50 / 64 oz.
Old Orchard Brands
Sparta, MI
www.fruitsense.com
Coupla Guys Foods: Creme de la Crimini Sauce
This product is a HIT!
Creme de la Crimini sauce is just as good as when I make my own pasta sauce. I love pasta sauces that have chopped tomatoes as their first ingredient - and take a look at this - there is no water, no high fructose corn syrup and not even any kind of sugar added to this sauce. Lots of real ingredients, both crimini and white mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil and spices. Go out and buy this sauce! But I do have two questions... why call it Creme de la Crimini when there is no cream in it (which is a good thing) and why call the brand Coupla Guys Foods when you see three guys on the label... but who cares? This is great! Retails for about $7.00
Coupla Guys Foods
Chicago, IL
312 829 2332
www.couplaguys.com
Sensible Foods Organic Crunch Dried Sweet Corn
This product is a HIT!
Do you want to be sensible? Well, close your eyes and imagine 100% organic sweet corn and sea salt. Then take a handful and you are in for a treat - the mouth feel is not what you would expect - it is not as crunchy as I would like, but the flavor compensates. This product is gluten free and has no added sugar and you will eat the whole package. Retails for $1.69
Sensible Foods LLC
Petaluma, CA
888 222 0170
www.sensiblefoods.com
Phil taste-tests and judges each product based on the following 8 criteria:
1. Taste (30 points): the most important attribute of any food
2. Value (20 points): is it worth it?
3. Health (15 points): based off the nutritional information, is it nutritionally balanced?
4. Ingredients (15 points): what's in it, how natural is it?
5. Preparation (5 points): when applicable, how accurate or good are the directions *
6. Appearance (5 points): is it appetizing and does it resemble its photo or description
7. Packaging (5 points): Is it appropriate for the product and does it have any benefits such as resealability, added freshness, better storage, etc.
8. Sustainability (5 Points): is the packaging biodegradable, is it wasteful, is the company endeavoring to offset their carbon footprint?
*products that do not have any preparation will have the full value of these points included in their total score.
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total |
| 30 |
18 |
15 |
15 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
1 | 94 |
This product is a HIT!Creme de la Crimini sauce is just as good as when I make my own pasta sauce. I love pasta sauces that have chopped tomatoes as their first ingredient - and take a look at this - there is no water, no high fructose corn syrup and not even any kind of sugar added to this sauce. Lots of real ingredients, both crimini and white mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil and spices. Go out and buy this sauce! But I do have two questions... why call it Creme de la Crimini when there is no cream in it (which is a good thing) and why call the brand Coupla Guys Foods when you see three guys on the label... but who cares? This is great! Retails for about $7.00
Coupla Guys Foods
Chicago, IL
312 829 2332
www.couplaguys.com
Sensible Foods Organic Crunch Dried Sweet Corn
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total |
| 29 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
3 | 93 |
This product is a HIT!Do you want to be sensible? Well, close your eyes and imagine 100% organic sweet corn and sea salt. Then take a handful and you are in for a treat - the mouth feel is not what you would expect - it is not as crunchy as I would like, but the flavor compensates. This product is gluten free and has no added sugar and you will eat the whole package. Retails for $1.69
Sensible Foods LLC
Petaluma, CA
888 222 0170
www.sensiblefoods.com
Phil taste-tests and judges each product based on the following 8 criteria:
1. Taste (30 points): the most important attribute of any food
2. Value (20 points): is it worth it?
3. Health (15 points): based off the nutritional information, is it nutritionally balanced?
4. Ingredients (15 points): what's in it, how natural is it?
5. Preparation (5 points): when applicable, how accurate or good are the directions *
6. Appearance (5 points): is it appetizing and does it resemble its photo or description
7. Packaging (5 points): Is it appropriate for the product and does it have any benefits such as resealability, added freshness, better storage, etc.
8. Sustainability (5 Points): is the packaging biodegradable, is it wasteful, is the company endeavoring to offset their carbon footprint?
*products that do not have any preparation will have the full value of these points included in their total score.
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