I spied these new chocolatey cake bars on shelves a few weeks ago but something stopped me from buying them. It wasn't even the normal premium price that often coincides with a product launch that deterred me, after all they seem to have cropped up here, there and everywhere for around £1 a box. I think it was more to do with the fact that I couldn't get my head around the idea of a low-calorie, low-fat chocolate cake slice tasting less than disappointing. I love my chocolate (as I'm sure you're all more than aware by now!) and I can't be dealing with low-calorie fake versions of the stuff -especially when it comes to cake. Still, when I spotted a box reduced to 70p in Sainsbury's because of its slightly battered state, my natural inquisition won out -and I figured I'd palm them off on my less fussy fiance if they weren't to my tastes. Joking! Well, maybe. ;)
"Wheat bakes with chocolate chips."
Not the most appetising description in the world, and I must admit I was slightly disappointed when I shook one out of the box. They were tiny! Still, for 112kcal per bake, what else could I expect?
Things started to look up when I unwrapped the bar, and uncovered a treat that looked more brownie-esque than 'wheat bake'. A welcome dark colour and chocolatey aroma also made my heart leap slightly, perhaps they wouldn't be so bad after all!
Well, blow me down. The Coco Pops bar was moist and chewy with enough cocoa to give a true chocolatey kick. Kellogg's earned extra brownie points from the abundance of chocolate chips -which I wasn't even expecting in the first place.
My hat is off and tail is firmly between my legs. I shouldn't have doubted Kellogg's -after all I think their Nutri Grain Breakfast Bakes (previously Elevenses) are pretty damn good- but I actually think the Coco Pops Choco Bakes are even better.
These make for a wonderful mid-morning/afternoon pick me up or a joyous lunchbox treat (FYI they contain a respectable 6.6g of sugar too -less than a chocolate Barny at 8.8g). I'm already looking forward to my next one, which will no doubt be served up warm with a couple of generous scoops of raspberry ripple ice cream -scrummy.
9/10
I saw that these new baked Hula Hoops were released quite a few weeks ago, but once again my stingy nature prevailed and it wasn't until they came on offer at Tesco (£1 instead of £1.70) that I bought them. Hula Hoops are a mainstay in our crisp cupboard. I like the Pufts whilst my other half prefers the standard, but there's one Hula Hoop variant that we completely agree on, and that is that they must be salt and vinegar flavoured.
The bag contained 6 individually wrapped 25g bags. The Hoops looked a little like round pretzels once I shook them out onto a plate, and it was evident that they had been generously seasoned from the chip shop like scent that emanated from them. The Golden Hoops are baked instead of fried, so they are a little healthier than the original variety, as well as being completely free from all artificial flavours, colours and MSG.
Texturally they were as similar to pretzels as they looked, no bad thing as I'm in a bit of a love affair with the things. The only difference was the underlying potato flavour, which was pleasant, and differentiated them completely from anything currently on the market. Be warned though, when I said that the seasoning was evident -it truly was. The Golden Hoops are super vinegary, which suited me down to the ground, but one of my readers (Hi Richard!) said that he found it too much... so try at your own risk!
I am constantly amazed by the ingenious new additions to the already crowded savoury snack market. Well done KP snacks!
7/10
