New Product Reviews
Each week we will post the latest reviews and I hope you will log in to see what's hot...and what's not!
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total | |
| 29 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
92 |
This product is a HIT!
Remember when you were growing up, the only tuna that you wanted was white and in water? Well, you are all grown up now and it is time for Bumble Bee Yellowfin Tuna that is packed in olive oil. This is what tuna is supposed to taste like and you can forget about putting it between two pieces of white bread. Just empty a can on a bed of mixed greens and you'll have a healthy, low fat, low cal lunch or dinner that's loaded with 200 mg of omega 3s and lots of taste. Retails for $1.99.
Bumble Bee Foods, LLC
San Diego, CA
800 800 8572
bumblebee.com
Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters Roasted Cashew Flavor
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total | |
| 22 |
13 |
11 |
12 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
73 |
If you like sweet you'll love Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters. They take these cashews, they roast them in safflower oil, roll them in whole grain oats and add a blend of sugars. The front of the label says it contains a touch of honey, but in the ingredients there is also sugar, tapioca syrup and rice maltodextrin in addition to the honey. Frankly, I could not taste the cashews or the oats. All I tasted was sugar. About 8 of these clusters is a total of 18 g of carbs, 4 g of protein and 7 g of fat. This might make a nice snack for a party, but I am not sure that for this much cash and 5 oz this is going to replace that healthier handful of plain cashews. I do like that it comes in a reclose-able package though. Retails for $3.79.
General Mills
Minneapolis, MN
800 231 0308
GeneralMills.com
Tennessee Toe Jam
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total | |
| 28 |
16 |
14 |
13 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
87 |
This product is a HIT!
In today's world we need a sense of humor, so you can choose to believe, or not, if Tennessee Toe Jam is really recommended by 4 out of 5 foot doctors. The truth is that the jam in this jar, with no preservatives, artificial colors or artificial flavors, is delicious. It does have 11 g of sugar per tablespoon and lists margarine as an ingredient, but I guarantee that if you like blackberries you will love this on your morning toast, or even a dollop on vanilla ice cream. Retails for $6.24.
Russellville, TN
423 586 6690
http://ecommerce.lcs.net/stores/whites/
Me Sparkling Beverage Unavailable Flavor
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total | |
| 28 |
16 |
12 |
14 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
86 |
So this company Me sends me 4 different flavors of what they call an 'individual beverage'. So the flavors are Uninhibited which is pink grapefruit, Vivacious which is tangerine/pineapple, Curious which is blueberry lime and Unavailable which is dragonfruit blackberry. So you would think that each of the flavors and the outside package would actually say something unique, but they don't. That is just plain lame or lazy on their marketing side. I tasted the Unavailable and it is good and it contains 11% juice. The one unique proposition that they do have is each flavor does contain a different type of juice; not the way most juice drinks formulate, using either apple or grape and adding flavors. Another interesting fact is that in addition to using fructose they also use oligofructose which is not digested in the small intestine so do not add to blood glucose and can be considered a prebiotic.
Please note: due to an editorial discrepancy the price in the video was $4.99; however the product retails for $3.99/ 4 pack.
Juice Creations, Co
Chico, CA
N/A
findyourme.com
World Harbors Buccaneer Blends Apple Maple BBQ Sauce
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Sustainability | Total | |
| 25 |
17 |
13 |
12 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
82 |
I have always wanted to say "shiver me timbers". It is not because a taste of Buccaneer Blends has made me into a pirate, but because this sweet Apple Maple BBQ sauce has as its first ingredient high fructose corn syrup, its 4th apple juice concentrate, its 5th molasses, its 6th light brown sugar and its 11th maple syrup. Maybe I am being too hard because right on the front it says Sweet New England Original. But a good BBQ sauce should not only add flavor, but also help tenderize the meat that it is added to. Tenderizing means high acid, not high sugar. And for you trivia buffs, the label claims that Buccaneers were actually named after the French barbecue-r. Send me an email and let me know if that's right. Retails for $3.79.
World Harbors, Inc
Auburn, ME
800 355 6221
worldharbors.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.
Click here to see more new product reviews from Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert.
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