I believe that this fourth collection of American snacks brings me to the end of my 2012 United States-based travel tales. However, lest you think my indefatigable quest to try all things weird and wonderful (of the edible and packaged variety, that is) has come to an end, fear not! I didn’t use the word “indefatigable” for nothing, and Canada contains just as many novelty snacks as its neighbour to the south.
Plus, if all goes to plan, I’ll be back in the US by mid-2013. Dear Earth Café Raw Cheesecakes: I’m comin’ for you.
Look, ma! Raspberries! And kale! Told you I wouldn’t get scurvy!
Some of the above items have already been reviewed, so I’ll instead draw your attention to that which turned out to be one of the most horrific things I’ve ever put in my mouth. (Including the time my brother and I tried the canned cat food we were feeding to the neighbour’s cat. Also the time we tried the dry dog kibble we were feeding to our puppy [it was not like Puppy Chow].)
See in the top left there, the Simply 7 White Cheddar Pomegranate Chips? I bought them because they sounded insane. They tasted not so much insane as truly, truly awful. Musty, tangy, vaguely-but-not-really-cheese-y, like cordial mixed with rancid milk. Insert Taylor Swift lyric here about never, ever getting back together. Like, ever.
Could Healthy Natural Power-Fu’s Eggless Vegetarian Hawaiian-Taste Salad (Spicy) save the day? Or at least distract me from the evils of pomegranate cheese chips? Not really. I found this to be bland and squidgy. Pass.
Luckily, Sweet Scoops Limited Edition Pumpkin Frozen Yoghurt came in like a knight in shining armour, lighting up my life with the taste of creamy light tangy pumpkin pie-spiced fluffy frozen deliciousness.
Simply 7 somewhat redeemed itself with its Spicy Chilli Pepper Hummus Chips. However, I now know for sure that I’d rather eat plain chickpeas out of a can than “hummus chips” any day.
Annie’s Cinnamon Bunny Grahams were fine in a boringly sweet way, but they didn’t make me soar (until I used them to scoop up Peanut Butter and Co’s White Chocolate Peanut Butter. Then they they became more appealing).
Didi’s raw vegan Nori Nosh was utterly fabulous. Made of nothing more than sesame seeds, dates, nori, nama shoyu, and vanilla, these were like a delicious mix between sesame snaps, halva, and, um, seaweed. I want more of these forever.
After visiting Hannah in Connecticut, I was sent back to New York under strict orders to try Macro Vegetarian’s vegan Peking Duck with Shiitake Mushroom as soon as possible. Flavoured with cinnamon, anise, tamari, sesame oil, and licorice, these yuba- and mushroom-based slices of “duck” were a delicious and fascinating novelty.
And, of course, we end with something sweet. Despite not being a coconut devotee, I found So Delicious’ coconut milk-based mint ice cream flecked with shards of rich dark chocolate to be scrumptious. The cooling minty-freshness was lovely against the plentiful dark chocolate shards and underlying hint of coconut.
See that tiny serving in the bowl there? After that was done, I went back for the pint, grabbed a spoon, snuggled into the couch with an episode of Treme, and that. was. that.
I miss you, America. ‘Til we meet again.
Another review of American snacks is just what I needed on a Friday afternoon!
The ice-cream and frozen yoghurt look most appealing, since the temperate here has been in the low 40s regularly. I do love heat so I’m not complaining.
I AM complaining about those brands not being available in Australia though (or at least not at a reasonable price).
Back in the USA in mid 2013! Yay!
You really are such a brave girl.
I must admit, I have not been entirely sympathetic to my Aussie friends who’ve been complaining about the heat as I sit here in freezing temperatures (although we’re having a “warm” weekend this weekend, I think!). It is grand to know there is at least one person in Australia appreciating summer
High five!
Thank you, Margaret. I hope I can be brave in other ways too. xo
Hehe do you ever wonder how some products make it onto a supermarket shelf? Do you think some people have really odd taste buds and they sit in meetings saying “well this is for the we-love–crap market”?
Perhaps. But it’s more likely that they know people like me exist… people who will put their own tastebuds in jeopardy for the sake of novelty.
“Sweet Scoops Limited Edition Pumpkin Frozen Yoghurt ” – WORST OF THE LOT in my opinion….! I thank you for being brave enough to try it.
PUMPKIN is the footrot of the vegetable world…! I’ll take all of your oranges and give you my pumpkins. Oh and sweet potatoes, because they’re just funkier but still-evil pumpkins in disguise.
I have never in my life met someone with as pure a pumpkin hatred as yours. It fascinates me.
I totally agree with @ Not Quite Nigella – how do these products (the reallyreallyterrible ones) even get approval to make it onto supermarket shelves?! Mind boogling. The coconut ice cream, however is something I would like right now.
I think it’s my fault. I buy them, after all.
PUMPKIN FROZEN YOGHURT.
That is what my life has been missing.
I also think I could eat that mint soy delicious in more than 1/4 cup serves
I haven’t seen the flavour here.
Also, America again in the middle of the year? Such excitement! Where and how long? Will you still be there in late September? I may need to email you if so!
Hi love, emails are better as I’m not going to publically proclaim more about my movements here.
Yeah, I’ll totally always make fun of people for the 1/4 cup serve thing.
I also had a terrible experience with some chips lately – Tyrell’s tortilla chips, sour cream flavor were so surprisingly awful that I even wrote the company about how stale and horrible they tasted. I have not heard back. I always love the wackadoo snacks you find in your travels. Keep ‘em coming!
Oh my heavens, I adore that you actually wrote to them. That’s awesome. Although I guess I just posted public vitriol about these ones…
Teehee! I never expected these posts to be so popular; I’ll do my best to keep sacrificing my health and well-being for y’all 
I don’t usually do things like that, but I was a) very disappointed, considering how addictive their other snack foods tend to be, b) encouraged by my husband, c) high off a very good customer service interaction with Amazon, and d) unemployed.
pumpkin yoghurt – sounds delicious! Unlike a few of these snacks. Hummus chips sounds odd – what is different between hummus chips and chickpea flour chips – is it the whole tahini, garlic, lemon flavours too? And I love how the choc chip ice cream is marbled just like your bench – you meant that – right?
I always match my food to the decor.
Yuba duck!! Yes! I’m so glad you tried it, and moreover actually enjoyed it. Mmm, I’m craving it now just looking at your photo. Wish the rest of the snacks were as successful- Those pomegranate chips sound truly dreadful.
Don’t tell anyone, but I totally loved the yuba duck best when microwaved. I WANT MORE. If only I were rich and could get a steady supply of it and the soy-tein sent my way weekly!
You and me both! Ah, it’s the best savory treat I can get my hands on. I always microwave mine too, unless I can’t stand the wait and just eat it cold, of course.
My new place had no microwave. I sadly can no longer radioactivise my treats. Alas!
I love So Delicious coconut milk ice creams. Including the mint chip.
You are a braver woman than I for I am yet to build up the courage to eat tinned cat food and dry dog food. Those pomegranate chips sound so vile but the fact that they are on the market must mean there’s a market for them and that is what is so astounding xx
In my defense, the cat and dog food experiments were a good seventeen years ago
Oh my, these sound awful! (except for the Nori Nosh – I’d be wanting some of that!)
I was hoping that you’d elaborate on the canned cat food and kibble too, haha.
Sadly I wasn’t taking tasting notes of my food back when I was eight.
Wow you are too brave (and a little crazy!) to try kibble
Admire the foodie in you!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I was eight. It was the beginning of a long and illustrious snacking career.
I’ve always wondered about dog and cat food too. Now I’m sure my dog wouldn’t eat those pomegranate chips! What a huge variety. I’m thinking that these things don’t exist in Italy – the snack market is micro, except for perhaps the whole food end, and that is mostly imported. But the baddies, surely that explains away some of the obesity?
I remember that we thought the cat food smelled almost good. And we were very young, you know, it made sense to dare each other to try it
Actually, the Simply 7 brand is definitely targeted and health-conscious snackers, plus they taste so bad they’d probably be an effective weight-loss tool 
Ahh, tofu egg salad done wrong is so sad. And plain chickpeas out of a can are one of the best snacks! They’re so flavorful all on their own. The “duck” looks so weird – but I love yuba, bet it would be great. And lol, I just bought mint chip coconut milk ice cream yesterday.
Oh Austin! How my heart soars with glee every time I step foot in that city! Please, please, please have one of Earth Cafe’s raw vegan Carob Mousse Pies for me! I think I bought three from Whole Foods in the five days I was there last year
hmmmm you do eat very odd things, but I shan’t judge you as my love for you is soooooooo big that I can’t judge
(or maybe I am!)
Don’t worry, I’m pretty much saying “judge me” when I write these posts, and I’m okay with that.
P.S. Come visit.
Saving leave and saving money.. perhaps 2014!
Make sure it’s before October 2014! DONE.
When I was looking at the photo, before I scrolled down and read more, I though “cheese and pomegranate… chips?!” I’m so glad to hear they are as horrible as I would have thought. And nori-date-sesame snaps? They somehow sound so wonderful.
Ahh! New blog layout?!! So fresh & so clean!! Hannah, my dear, one of the things I truly long for is So Delicious’ goodies. Soon, soon! & sweet scoops look fab too.
Heidi xo
Bless your beautiful heart, Heidi! The “new layout” is because my blog was massively hacked yesterday, and the only thing BlueHost could do was undertake a completely new WordPress install and transfer my content. So I’ve lost all my technical stuff – themes, plugins, etc. But I was planning a redesign anyway, so I think I’ll leave it for now
Ah understood. A) that blows, seriously. What the hell, who does that?!!!! Some anti chocolate campaigner, surely. B) I did feel that the tram picture was a little random but I thought that maybe they have a lot of trams where you are now….
Good luck my love!!!! Hope it’s all smooth again soon. He violated you must feel :s x
The weird thing? I actually didn’t freak out. In the past, when things like this have happened, I’ve lost entire days to feeling sick and anxious. This time, I just thought “ah well. Not much I can do about it, and there are more important things in life. Like watching Girls with my new housemates, or working towards other goals”.
Which is not to say that I wouldn’t have been a COMPLETE MESS if I’d lost all the content. If the whole thing was wrecked, I’d need therapy. But hey, at least I was able to stay calm for a day, right? That’s progress.
Umm YES. Bravo, lady, truly. Good on you
btw Girls…love! X