So You Don't Have To.

It's time once again for me to eat something new and give you my review on whether you should rush out an buy this. Our palate was the recipient of these new brand of Pop-Tarts, Oatmeal Delights. Maybe they have been around for awhile, but this is the first time I've noticed them.

First of all, no, I really shouldn't even think of buying something like this. When the ingredient list is as long as "David Copperfield", it's really not something I should even contemplate. But, there are times when I'm late for work and having something I can eat at my desk in the morning, something that will go decently with the morning's tea is of value. I won't buy instant oatmeal. If I want oatmeal, I'll make it the long way, not adding hot water to pounded oats with fake flavorings.

So, why did I pick something that is really not that good for me? It was convenience factor. After eating the initial two, I took this to work for those mornings when, as I said, getting up was really hard and I'd be late if I had my cereal. Plus, I feel a sense of duty here. Look at the things they advertise; 8 vitamins and minerals, fiber, no high fructose corn syrup, calcium and no trans fats. Ah, Kelloggs is trying to reinvent their product to remove things we have found objectionable. Does it work?

Scanning the ingredient list, the bottom left panel, the one that's as long as "David Copperfield", there aren't any signs of high fructose corn syrup or the stuff I would immediately associate with trans fats. But, oh look, corn syrup, fructose and palm oil. The strawberry part of this is almost 2/3rds of the way down the ingredient list and they are combined with pears and apples which, if you do some sleuthing, are nearly every manufacturers method of stretching the flavor in things like berries because the product would be too expensive to make from 100% strawberries. The vitamins? They are last on the list. If I was a betting person, I'd bet that one capsule of a vitamin gets added to a batch. Well, it's in there. These are NOT a "good source" of vitamins and minerals if those are last on the ingredient list. Go eat the actual food product associated with the vitamin instead. Folic acid is last on the list. I have to take that for my RA. I get a month's supply for $3.00. Of course, that's a doctor's prescription, but my point is, there are far, far better ways of getting these vitamins and minerals than eating a box of Pop-Tarts because of that claim.

But, in the end, it comes down to taste.

Kinda blah looking right? "Try them toasted!" the box reads. So I toasted one and ate the other untoasted. My toaster was set too high so I wound up charring the edges. Not a pretty photo.

What was good? The kitchen smelled nice. Have you ever had to toast oatmeal before adding it to a dish? It's a wonderful aroma. That's what toasting one of these gave off. They really don't have much of a smell straight from the package.

What wasn't so good? They stuck together making the pink icing come off when you pried them apart. That icing is, essentially, worthless, too. It doesn't add a single thing to the tart. I don't even think it adds to the overall look of it.

The oatmeal topping fell off. It was messy. It burned in the toaster and fell into my lap.

And that's the poorest excuse for calling something "strawberry flavored" I think I have ever tasted. The dough completely overwhelmed any flavoring. It was also somewhat mealy and dry, worse when toasted.

So, the bottom line is, if you are looking for an inexpensive toaster-style pastry, say you're going on a car trip and want a snack, Trader Joes and Whole Foods makes much, much, much better items. Heck, stop at a Dunkin'. Resign yourself to the fat and calories in a donut. Don't buy these. If you want Pop-Tarts, just buy the regular ones. There is nothing feel good about these.

Beverage:  Water

Deb