Azumagourmet Calamari Salad Review

I like calamari (squid) so when I saw Azumagourmet's calamari salad, I decided to try it. I found the salad to be packed with calamari as well as crunchy vegetables and sesame seeds. The calamari itself was tender and very eatable. I mention that because anyone who has had calamari knows it can sometimes be like trying to eat a piece of rubber. Price wise, the salad is a little pricey. A 24 ounce container of the salad will cost you $11.99 at the Columbia, Maryland Costco (I don't know what other stores carry the product though I know the Laurel, Maryland Sam's Club doesn't carry it). This breaks out to approximately $8 a pound. The product has to be refrigerated and Azumagourmet recommends you consume the entire product within 5 to 7 days of opening it. I've gone longer than their recommendation without any ill effects though I have kept it refrigerated all the time barring when I was getting some out for a meal.

Overall, I've been very pleased with this product and would recommend it anyone who likes calamari. It's a very tasty salad with a nice oriental taste to it. Bon Appetit!

Update February 23, 2014: Like the Tuscan bean salad I reviewed and updated, this product has been dropped for some unknown reason by Costco. Like the bean salad, I hope it's just a seasonal thing. I plan to check on it later in the year to see if Costco starts carrying it again. I really liked this calamari salad and would recommend it to anyone that likes calamari.

Update February 26, 2014: I checked Costco's Glen Burnie, Maryland store and, they don't have this product either. They do have Azumagourmet's seaweed salad which I've never tried as it doesn't sound terribly appealing to me. I like seaweed with sushi but, I don't think I'd care for it in a salad.

Update April 27, 2021: To my surprise, the Columbia Costco started carrying this product again. The price is $11.79. It's still very good and, I ended up stocking up just in case they decided to stop carrying it again. If you like calimari, I think you'll like this product.

Update September 3, 2021: I visited the Columbia, Maryland Costco and, they were offering $3 on this calamari salad until September 12th. That means, it's selling for $8.79. Those who like calamari should get to Costco and grab this deal while they can.

Update November 17, 2022: I've visited the Columbia Costco store twice now in the past month and both times, it didn't have this product. It's possible it may not show again till spring. 😞

Update August 13, 2023: The Columbia Costco still isn't carrying the calamari salad. However, you can find it at the Whole Foods Market in Columbia though it is more expensive and isn't labeled under the Azumagourmet brand. It's labeled under Genji, comes in 4 ounce plastic containers and costs $5.99.

Update July 10, 2025: I visited the Columbia, Maryland Whole Foods Market to buy some of this calamari salad. They didn't have it and didn't know if they'd ever get it in again. I subsequently contacted Azumagourmet who make the salad who informed me they weren't making the salad anymore and didn't know if they would make it in the future.

Review of Yummy Can Bacon Product

 A while back on a visit to the Jessup, Maryland Ollie's Discount Store, I stumbled upon a device called the Yummy Can Bacon. It's a device of sorts that cooks bacon in a microwave oven. It's made of plastic and features 3 parts: a long high lid with steam vent that covers the rack the bacon slices lay on, a bacon rack you can lay up to 8 slices of bacon on and which connects to the bacon grease catcher base of the device and the bacon grease catcher base which is deep enough to hold all the bacon grease that will drip off the bacon as it's cooking.

Ollie's claims the device would normally retail for $19.99 and, they sell it for $9.99. I don't know how true their claim is for what the device would normally sell for. The device comes with a sheet that gives suggested cooking times based on the number of slices of bacon you're cooking and the power of your microwave oven. I've found these times reliable and have split the difference between the low and high times.

Compared to other microwave bacon cookers which I don't remember the names of, this device does a good job. Unlike 1 device I remember buying which featured a tray the bacon lay on which wasn't long enough for the slices of bacon and made it necessary to cut them into 2 pieces, the rack on this device can handle a normal slice of bacon. Also, it does a good job of catching all the bacon grease though I have found a little of it can get on the side handles of the device.

One thing I would warn prospective users of this device is how hot it can be when it has finished cooking the bacon. I would strongly recommend you use some cooking heat gloves to protect your hands and fingers. Also, I would advise you to be careful of the hot bacon grease. You might want to let it cool for a little while before throwing it out. I wouldn't recommend you pour the grease down your sink drain as it might clog the pipe.

One down side to the device I've found is cleaning it especially the bacon rack. I imagine you can use the device again without cleaning it but, you may get your fingers messy as there will be a grease residue on the base, rack and inside the cover. This is why I prefer to clean the device every time after I've used it.

If you want your bacon particularly crispy, you may have to experiment with the cooking times to find the right time to get the results you want.

Overall, I've been very pleased with this device. It's a very easy way to cook up to 8 slices of bacon with no splattering like you'd have if you cooked it on top of a stove. I feel Ollie's offers it at a good price and, the last time I was at their Jessup, Maryland store, they still had some of the devices. I don't know if other places sell it or at what price. I would think you could find it on Amazon or Ebay though I don't know this for a a fact. Keep this device in mind if you want an easy way to cook up some bacon. Bon Appetit!

Review of Kettle Brand Farmstand Ranch Potato Chips.

 While checking out the Jessup, Maryland MOM's Organic Market which I hadn't been to in months, I stumbled upon Kettle Brand's Farmstand Ranch potato chips. As I like ranch salad dressing, I decided to buy a bag of them and see if they were any good.

MOM's sells a 5 ounce bag of the chips for $3.99 though right now, you can get a dollar off. I don't know how long that deal will last.

I found the chips have a genuine ranch flavor to them. Because of this, I did enjoy them and would recommend them to those who like ranch flavoring. In that way, they're tasty potato chips.

Overall, I give them 2 thumbs up and will buy them again. Bon Appetit!

Review of Trader Joe's Glazed Vanilla Bean Scones

One item I discovered recently at Trader Joe's is their glazed vanilla bean scones. They come 3 to a box, cost $3.99 and have real vanilla bean specks in them. These scones are really tasty and wonderful to have with tea or by themselves. Supposedly, they're sold exclusively by Trader Joe's. I give them 2 thumbs up. If you find them in your local Trader Joe's store, they're definitely worth trying. Bon Appétit!

Review of Banquet's Chicken and Broccoli Pot Pie

Yesterday, while at the Silver Spring, Maryland Dollar Tree store, I decided to buy a Banquet Chicken and Broccoli Pot Pie. I like pot pies. They microwavable, healthy and tasty. In the case of Dollar Tree, they're cheap ($1) but small. This pie was just 7 ounces. Calorie wise, you're talking 330 calories for 1 pie. Cooking time was just 4 to 5 minutes (I split the difference and set my microwave for 4 and a half minutes). Banquet does recommend you use a cooking thermometer to make sure the pie reaches 165 degrees so, it's fully cooked.

Overall, I thought Banquet's pot pie was ok. I wasn't pleased with the size but, you get what you pay for. The pie is typical of the cheap and small portions you can get at Dollar Tree. I wouldn't go out of my way to get one of these but, I would buy a few for some cheap eats. Bon Appétit all!

Review of Bell View Fancy Hot Pickled Cauliflower

While shopping at the Weis Supermarket at 9250 Washington Boulevard in Laurel, Maryland, I got lucky and was able to buy some Bell View Fancy Hot Pickled Cauliflower. The 16 ounce jars normally cost $4.69 but this Weis had them on clearance for $2.34 meaning half off. A great deal!

The cauliflower is correctly described as being hot though not outrageously so. Due to the fact it's pickled, it should have a good shelf life (I couldn't find a use by date on the jars I bought). After you open a jar of it, it must be refrigerated. Calorie wise, a 1 and 1/2 piece serving has zero calories according to one of the jars I bought. The product is kosher and has the kosher tag on the jar. The cauliflower has some crunch left in it which I particularly liked. I don't like soggy mushy vegetables. Sodium wise, that same serving has 420 milligrams of sodium or 18% of the daily amount recommended based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Overall, I was very pleased with this product. I think it would serve as a good appetizer or calorie free healthy snack. I look forward to having some more of it in the future. Bon Appetit all!

Review of Benton's Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies

One discovery I made at ALDI Supermarkets is Benton's Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies. The cookies remind me of cookies called Samosas by the Girl Scouts in the United States of America. They seem VERY similar. One way they're not similar however is the price. The last time I bought cookies from the Girl Scouts, they were $3 a box. They may have gone up since that time. ALDI's sells these cookies by Benton (whoever they are) for just $1.35 box in Maryland (I don't know if the price would be different in some other state). This is a great price for these cookies as you get 18 of them for that price. And these cookies are REALLY good. These were my favorite with the Girl Scouts and now they're my favorite at ALDI.

If your local ALDI supermarket has these in stock, I would definitely recommend you buy some. I give them 2 thumbs up. Happy cookie munching all!

Review of ALDI Supermarkets

A couple months ago, I decided to check out the new ALDI supermarket in Laurel, Maryland. I'd heard of them from a friend but, I'd never been in one. The supermarket was different from what we're used to in the United States of America (USA). For starters, they're smaller than most supermarkets here. Also, their selection is more limited (you would have 8 or 9 types of snack items vice an entire row of them. One surprising thing about them is their choices of genuine German items example: Moser Roth chocolate bars. I have a friend who is a Germanophile and really likes a lot of their German items. I've enjoyed some and handed off others to my friend when I haven't been thrilled with other trial choices. Also, I've heard the chain is German owned (don't know if this is true though it would explain the number of genuine German food items).

The chain has shown some real smarts in that they keep their shopping carts chained together and, you must insert a quarter coin (25 cents U.S.) to detach the chain so, you can use one of the carts. This is really smart as it gets people to return their cart instead of them ending up all over the parking lot and nearby neighborhood.

On shopping bags, you must pay 9 cents for one of their plastic shopping bags unless you bring one of your own.

The chain appears to be expanding in the USA as they've also opened a store in Columbia, Maryland which is bigger than the Laurel, Maryland store and consequently has a better selection including some baked goods.

Overall, I've been really pleased shopping at the Laurel and Columbia, Maryland ALDI supermarkets. I enjoy trying their various German items as well as their own brand items. They do have good prices on many items at their stores. I give this chain 2 thumbs up and will be a regular shopper at their stores. Happy shopping all!

Review of Blake's Specialty Meats Smoked Hunter's Sausage

While visiting the Jessup, Maryland Ollie's Discount Store, I stumbled upon some bags of Blake's Specialty Meats Smoked Hunters Sausage. As I got to try some Kowalski Hunter Sausage when I was visiting my Dad in Michigan, I decided to try this.

According to Ollie's, it normally sells for $2.99 though Ollie's was selling it for $1.99 and, it comes in a 5 ounce pack. Taste wise, I found it somewhat bland. However, it would be handy for hunters and others who want a meat snack that doesn't require refrigeration (unless you don't use it up within 3 days).

Overall, I though the sausage sticks were ok though not great. I did feel I got a pretty good deal on this at Ollie's though it would be highly iffy if you'll find it at an Ollie's close to you. I don't know what store chains might sell the brand. The product would be useful if you want a meat snack you can easily carry with you. Bon Appetit all!

Please note: these sausages are made out of pork with some sugar, garlic and seasoning thrown in. Those who have issues with pork should avoid this product.

Review of Wai Lana's Cassava Pops

While visiting Dollar Tree's Jessup, Maryland store, I stumbled upon 3 different types of Wai Lana's Cassava Pops. They're like potato chips but, they're made with cassava (yuca root) which is native to Central and South America. Wai Lana turns the root into a paste and then applies a little heat and pressure to make the chip like pops. The advantage of doing this is there aren't any added calories from frying or baking.

The pops come in 3 flavors: sea salt (125 calories per serving). luau bar-b-que (120 calories per serving) and volcano (110 calories per serving). Volcano is the hot and spicy flavor though I didn't find it that hot. The luau bar-b-que is supposed to sweet & tangy. As I haven't tried this flavor yet, I don't know if that's true or not. On the sea salt flavor, I found the chips tasty.

Each flavor comes in 3 ounce (3 servings) bags at Dollar Tree and cost $1 (of course).

Wai Lana states the pops don't have any gluten (certainly true as they're not made with wheat), are GMO and trans fats free, don't have anything artificial, are suitable for vegetarians and are kosher.

Allergy wise, Wai Lana warns that the pops are made in a factory that may contain soy, wheat and dairy though no peanuts or tree nuts.

The pops are made in the United States of America which is a little plus to me and are distributed by Wai Lana Snacks out of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Overall, I was very pleased with this product. I thought the 2 flavors I tried were tasty and, I look forward to having some more of this product. This product gets a thumbs up from me. Happy munching all!

Source of information on the product: the 3 bags I bought from the Jessup, Maryland Dollar Tree store with my own money. I'm not in any way affiliated with Wai Lana Snacks and all opinions stated in this review are my own.

Review of Jack Links A.M. Breakfast Sausage

You never know what you'll find at Ollie's Bargain Outlet. Recently, I discovered their Jessup, Maryland store received a shipment of Jack Links A.M. Breakfast Sausage. As I like their beef jerky, I decided to try their breakfast sausage.

The sausage comes in 4.4 ounce resealable bags, is dried, fully cooked and ready to eat. Ollie's was selling it for $1.99 and claims it normally sells for $3.29. I counted the number of sausages in 1 bag and found a total of 10 which breaks out to nearly 20 cents a sausage. If I had to pay the full price, that would break out to around 32 cents a sausage which isn't cheap though I don't know what is a good price for sausage.

Jack Links claims the sausage is hot and spicy. I didn't find it hot though I did find it had some spice in it. They use chipotle pepper, red pepper and black pepper to season it. I feel it wasn't overly spicy.

You can heat the sausage up in a microwave for 10 seconds though do take it out of the bag first as they recommend.

I feel one plus of this sausage is you don't have to refrigerate it until you open the bag unlike regular sausage. This sausage might be handy on a camping trip.

Overall, I feel this is decent sausage that could be handy in certain circumstances like camping or hiking. Also, I thought I got a good deal on it at Ollie's. Do remember if you find it at an Ollie's where you live that you should buy it right then because you may not find it there when you come back. Ollie's doesn't joke when they say when it's gone, it's gone. It really is in their case. Bon Appetit all!

Review of Entenmann's Thrift Outlet Store

A couple months ago, I discovered an Entenmann's Thrift Outlet store at 7351 Assateague Drive in Jessup, Maryland. The store features discounted items on a number of different name brands including Arnold, Thomas and Sara Lee. I've visited the store twice and been very pleased with it both times. The stores staff are helpful and, they offer great deals on various items example: 3 bags of Thomas everything bagels for $4 or 3 bags of Ball Park hot dog buns for $3. You can buy individual bags of items but, you won't save as much. They claim you can save 50% or more and, they may be right. I've seen single loaves of Arnold bread sell for over $3 alone at other stores.

The stores hours are Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They're closed on Sundays and Mondays. They offer good parking. Also, they offer a military/police/fire 10% off discount on Tuesdays and a 10% Senior discount on Wednesdays.

My only complaint with them is that at times, they don't have that much stuff on the shelves.

Overall, I've been very pleased with them and feel I've gotten some really good bargains on name brand baked goods. If you're in the Jessup, Maryland area and want some really good priced baked goods, this store is worth checking out in my opinion. Happy shopping all!

Update: September 27, 2017. I visited this store today and to my surprise, they had signs up saying they don't sell out of date merchandise. Apparently, would be customers assume that since they're an outlet store that they're selling stuff that is old. They don't. I bought some Thomas Pumpkin Spice bagels at this store today and, their sell by date is October 3, 2017 (6 days away as of this post). The bagels are still fresh and perfectly good to eat. Folks who want a bargain on brand name bread goods like Thomas, Arnold, Holsum and Beefsteak (they make an excellent rye bread) to name some of the brands they sell should give this a place look if they're in the Jessup, Maryland area.

Update: November 9, 2020. Yesterday, I visited this store to see what was happening with it. On a previous visit, I noticed they were taking down the shelf units and had cleared out all the merchandise. On this visit, the windows were blocked out and, they had taken down the Entenmman's Thrift Store sign. To me, this says the store is permanently closed. I don't know why they decided to do away with the store. I found it offered some very good bargains on baked goods at times. When I was at this shopping center, I made a point of visiting this store if it was open to see what they had. I'm saddened it's gone.

Review of Progresso's Southwestern Style Corn With Potatoes and Peppers Soup

A while back, I bought 3 or 4 cans of Progresso's Southwestern Style Corn With Potatoes and Peppers soup at the Jessup, Maryland Dollar Tree. For a $1 a can, the soup was worth trying in my opinion and, Progresso makes some very good and easy to prepare soups (see my previous review on Progresso soup).

As this soup is in the Southwestern United States of America (USA) style, I knew it was going to have some zing i.e. be a little hot. That's typical as far as I know of with foods from the Southwestern USA. This one does though I found it to be a good all vegetable soup. According to the can I opened, you'll get 1/2 a cup of vegetables per serving (2 servings per can). Calorie wise, each serving serves up 110 calories which isn't bad in my opinion. The soup doesn't have any Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and is low in fat (just 15 calories of fat in a serving per one of the cans I bought). Each serving has 680 milligrams of sodium for those who are watching their salt intake. 2 grams of sugar per serving are also included in each serving for those watching their sugar intake..

Like all Progresso soups, the soup is very each to prepare. You can place it in a covered dish in the microwave and heat it between 2 and 4 minutes or heat it up on a stove.

Each can comes with a 10 cent coupon for Box Tops for Education which you can give to whatever deserving school so, they can get needed school supplies. I sent a bunch of the coupons to St. Joseph's Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota to help them out though you my reader are welcome to send them to whoever you like or throw them out with the can.

Overall, I was pleased with this soup and give it 2 thumbs up. I was particularly pleased with the price I paid at Dollar Tree for it though it can be hit and miss finding this soup there. I visited their store at Springfield, Virginia and didn't see a single can of any of their soups there. If you like a vegetable soup with a little zing in it, this could be the soup for you. Bon Appetit!

Note: the soup does contain milk and wheat ingredients in it for those concerned about such things (Source: one of the cans of the soup I bought).

Review of Old South Pickled Okra

I've been a fan of pickled okra for some time. I've tried various brands of it. My one complaint about the item is that it can be expensive. Talk O' Texas offers a very good okra pickle product but, it costs over $3 for a 16 ounce jar of the stuff. This is why I went in search of a good BUT cheaper pickled okra product. I believe I found one in Old South Pickled Okra. Their 64 ounce jars cost $5.69 on the Walmart website and, Walmart offers free in store pick up or free 2 day shipping on orders of $35 or more ($5.99 if the order is less than $35). As far as I know, Walmart doesn't offer this product in their stores (I don't remember seeing it there though I'll have to check the next time I visit one).

On the product itself, I found it to be pretty good pickled okra. It's crunchy which I like and, they put small or medium okra pods in the jars. One annoyance I've had with Jake & Amos's pickled okra is sometimes they put large pods in their jars. The large pods can be chewy and practically inedible (overall they make a very good product too). Another plus of this product is the price. $5.69 is a good price for 64 ounces of pickled okra as far as I know.

Overall, I've been very pleased with this product and plan to buy more of it from Walmart. I am going to see if they carry it in their stores (stay tuned for an update if they do) as that would save the hassle of having to order it online and then either picking it up at one of their stores or watching for it to arrive via whatever shipping company Walmart offers the free 2 day shipping with. I give this product a 2 thumbs up. Happy munching all!

Trader Joe's Old World Rye Bread With Caraway Seeds Review

I like rye bread and, I like caraway seeds. To me, rye bread isn't rye bread without caraway seeds which add a nice flavor to the bread. So, I was delighted to see Trader Joe's had what looked like some very good rye bread for sale at its store in Elkridge, Maryland.

The bread comes sliced in 1 pound packages, 12 slices to the pound. It sells for $2.49. It has 80 calories per slice as well as 3 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of dietary fiber per slice (Source: the loaf I bought at the Elkridge Trader Joe's). Each slice does have 160 milligrams of sodium for those who have to watch their sodium intake.

The bread has an excellent texture and does well in a sandwich or as a flavorful toast. I found this to be an excellent all around bread with a really nice flavor.

Overall, I was really pleased with this bread, would buy it again and definitely recommend it. The bread does contain wheat, soy and possible traces of sesame seeds (according to the package) for those who have health issues with those. Barring that, if you like a hearty and solid rye bread, this bread is for you. Bon Appetit!

Before, I had to mention that at the time, I had a sister who worked for Trader Joe's even though it didn't influence my reviews of their products. My sister no longer works for them so, there isn't the slightest possibility of conflict with my reviews of their products. If I think the product sucks, I'll tell you so!

Woodbine Maryland Dollar Tree Store Review

Today, I visited the Dollar Tree store at 712 Lisbon Center Drive in Woodbine, Maryland. I thought I'd write a store review on it. Here goes:

The store has ample parking and is of good size. The size is important as some Dollar Tree stores can be pretty small like the one in Columbia, Maryland. Having plenty of good priced merchandise can make them worth the trip. This one does though it does have one drawback in my opinion - it doesn't have a refrigerated section like other Dollar Tree stores do. This is important me as Dollar Tree offers some nice deals that way like Sunny Acres Swiss Slices or Bar S Bun Length Franks which Dollar Tree sells for a $1 at the stores that have a refrigerated section.

Note: If you do a search for this store on your smart phone and find it's mobile page, you may see it has the symbol for a refrigerated section. This is wrong. The main web page shows correctly that it doesn't have one though I wish it did.

Hours for the store are: Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
                                      Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

I think the store hours are convenient. Also, the store is easy to get to. I exited Interstate 70 heading west (exit 32 I think) , took a right turn toward Woodbine, took the 2nd exit on the roundabout and first right after that. You'll see it on your right and a supermarket on your left.

The store can be reached at phone number 410-489-2653.

Overall, I thought it a nice Dollar Tree store. The staff were helpful and courteous, parking was ample, they have convenient hours but, they don't have a refrigerated section. Because of that, if you could, I recommend you find one that does have a refrigerated section. I think I saw they have a store in Eldersburg that does. I'll have to check that one out some time and get back to my readers and let them know what I think of it. Happy shopping all!

Starbucks Dark Chocolate Peppermint Grahams Review

Last week, while trying to earn more Starbucks reward points so, I can keep my Gold status for another year (you have to earn 30 reward stars to do that), I saw some of their dark chocolate peppermint graham crackers on sale at one (there are 2 of them) of their Laurel, Maryland shops (store 7257 located at 929 Washington Boulevard). The grahams were 40% off and seemed a cheap way to earn another reward star. With the 40% off, it cost me $4.77 for 3 of the grahams (they come 3 in a pack).

The grahams live up to their name in that they are coated with dark chocolate and have peppermint candy piece sprinkled on top of them and each comes individually wrapped in a very nice red box. They have a slight peppermint taste to them i.e. it isn't that strong. They normally cost $7.95 which I think makes them expensive. You're talking nearly $2.65 a graham at regular price!

Overall, I think the grahams are good BUT, in my opinion, they're NOT worth $2.65 a piece. So, if I had to buy them at regular price, I'd give them a big thumbs down. If you can find them at 40% off like I did then, they might be worth buying. However, you may have to search some stores to find the remaining ones as I think they are a holiday item and won't be on the shelves much longer. I like a lot of Starbucks stuff but, I wasn't wowed by this one. Bon Appetit all!

Progresso Soup Review

I've been meaning to write this review for a while but, procrastination got the better of me. I did some research for it as you'll see.

I first bought some Progresso soup because, the base commissary I use had it on sale for either 79 cents a can or 89 cents a can. I'm don't remember which. I wasn't familiar with the soup but, I figured for that price, I could try it and see if I like it. I like soup though I don't have it often. I'm not a fan of Campbell's condensed soups and, that was the main kind of soup I usually have barring the rare bag of Lipton's Soup Secrets soups. The Progresso soup sat for at least 2 months before I got around to trying it. When I did, I was very impressed with it.

The soup comes fully prepared. You don't have to add anything to it. All you have to do is heat it up. You can heat it up in pot on a stove or in a microwavable bowl like I do in a microwave oven. If you microwave it, it takes a maximum of 4 minutes to heat up and, you must cover the bowl with some kind of covering.

Progresso soups come in a wide range of soups. I don't know the exact number but, I would guess based on what I saw at a Weis Supermarket that there are at least 30 different kinds of their soups. Some can be used those on Weight Watchers programs (I've had at least one of those). Price wise, it can vary depending on where you get them. I've seen as cheap as $1 a can and as much $2.19 a can at Weis though in their defense, Weis offers one of the best selection of the soups I've seen. The cheapest place I've seen barring the base commissary I use sometimes is Dollar Tree. They offer the soups for $1 of course. However, their selection is extremely limited. I've never seen them have more than 2 of them if they have them at all. Also, the selection they offer can change depending on what kind of deal they can offer on them at the time. I bought a good corn chowder soup from the Laurel, Maryland store one time and later, they weren't offering it anymore. In the middle of road price wise is WalMart which offers the soups for $1.50 a can and has a good selection though not as good as Weis. Sam's Club and BJ's offer the soups for around $1.30 a can but, their selection can be very limited too. I think BJ's only offered 4 different soups when I checked them out and 2 of them were closer to $1.50 a can because, they were fancier soups vice the cheaper New England clam chowder. For those who need to watch their sodium intake, Progresso offers low sodium versions of some of their soups.

Another plus about the Progresso soups is they take part in the Box Tops for Education program. Every can you buy has a coupon attached worth 10 cents for your school if it participates in the program. The program helps schools get needed school supplies. One down side to these coupons is they must be turned before their expiration date. Cases of the soups come with a 9th coupon (I believe i.e. I'm not 100% certain on this).

Overall, I've been really pleased with Progresso soups. Their hearty soups and can form part of a nutritious meal. If you like a little zing in your soup, some of them have it. I tried their Southwest black bean and vegetable soup and, it had some zing though not overly so. They're easy to prepare and have good shelf life (close to a year I think though do check the best by date on the bottom of the can). I would definitely recommend them. Bon appetit all!

Update May 18, 2016: For some unknown to me reason, the price on Progresso soups has really jumped. What I used to be able to buy for a $1 at the commissary I shop at, now costs $2. There has been a big price jump at Walmart too. Oh and forget about buying their soups anymore at Dollar Tree. I had a fluke find at one of their stores and was so delighted, I bought every can they had. Otherwise, I haven't been able to find at any Dollar Tree store in at least a couple months. I still really like these soups but, I don't like the higher prices. :-(

Norwegian Jarlesberg Cheese Review

BJ's Wholesale Club sells a Norwegian Jarlesberg cheese under the brand name Wellsley Farms. The cheese is a semi-soft part skim cheese. It's a firm slightly nutty flavored cheese that is sold in various triangular wedges for $5.39 a pound. The cheese is legitimately Norwegian as it's made by TINE SA in Oslo, Norway and distributed in the United States by Norseland Inc out of Darien, Connecticut.

Calorie wise, a 1 ounce serving has 100 calories of which 80 of those are fat. The cheese is a very good source of calcium (no surprise considering it is made of milk). Interestingly, the cheese is lactose free as well as gluten free. The cheese does have a rind which is easily peeled off.

Overall, I think is a good cheese. I don't know if it's available at other stores though I would think it would be. I've bought wedges of this cheese twice and enjoyed it both times. It apparently has a decent shelf life. The wedge I bought today supposedly would be good till August though the cheese must be refrigerated at all times. If you see this cheese in the store you frequent, you might want to try it. It's great as a snack or on a sandwich. Bon appetit all!

Source of information I mention in this blog came from the wedge I bought today at BJ's Wholesale Club in Columbia, Maryland with my own money i.e. no compensation. Further information on this cheese can be obtained at their website: www.jarlesbergusa.com. All opinions in this blog entry are MY own and are NOT representative of BJ's Wholesale Club, TINE SA or Norseland Inc.

White Cheddar Popcorners Review

I like Popcorners (snacking chips made out of popcorn) a lot so, I was looking forward to trying this flavor of this snack. The Laurel, Maryland Dollar Tree store had 3 ounce bags of the white cheddar flavor for a $1.

I found I wasn't impressed with the flavor. I don't know if it just doesn't go well with the popcorners themselves but, it just wasn't very good in my opinion. I plan to try other flavors of popcorners ( barring Kettle which I think I reviewed and gave a thumbs up) and see if they're any better.

Overall, I give this flavor a thumbs down though I still very much Popcorners overall. Bon Appetit all!

Addition Date 9/10/2015: I forgot to put in the calorie information for the flavor of Popcorners. It's 130 calories for each 1 ounce serving (source: nutrition information on the bag). Apparently, the flavoring adds an additional 10 calories per serving compared to the kettle flavor which has 120 calories per serving.

Also, yesterday, I visited the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans store and, they carry all the flavors of Popcorners except butter. I'll be writing reviews later on the sweet chili, caramel, cheesy jalapeno and sea salt flavors.