BEST BITES: BARE FRUIT APPLE CHIPS
Some snacks taste great. Some snacks taste healthy. But it is a rare snack that is both. Bare Fruit Apple Chips come close. At their most basic — the Fuji Red and Granny Smith varieties — they are just thinly sliced, dehydrated apples. The Cinnamon variety adds cinnamon (you probably guessed that) and the Sea Salt Caramel is dipped in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt — but not enough. The simple, pure flavors of Fuji Red and Granny Smiths were the favorites, and all of them are just 50 calories in an approximately ½-ounce bag.
Size: 15 grams (0.53 ounces)
Price: $1
Available: Whole Foods, other stores
—Daniel Neman, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TIDBITS: THE LATEST IN LUNCHABLES
When, a few months ago, Mr. Tidbit encountered Lunchables Snack Duos (double packages each consisting of, for example, tortilla chips, salsa and mini Oreo cookies), it was with the sense that he hadn’t seen similarly strange developments from Lunchables for quite a while. Maybe he just wasn’t looking; if it existed at all, Lunchables’ pause in producing peculiar provender seems to have passed.
Introducing Lunchables Kabobbles (Chicken Popper Kabobbles are breaded chicken poppers, cheese cubes and pretzel sticks; Pizza Kabobbles are pepperoni slices, cheese cubes and pretzel sticks). Spear bits of meat and cheese with a pretzel stick: a Kabobble. The box also contains fruit punch drink or a smoothie, as well as cookies or candy.
The package urges kids to check out the Kabobulator at Lunchables.com. It’s a game consisting of a rotatable set of sticks on which to spear falling shapes — good practice for spearing food with a pretzel.
— Al Sicherman, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
SUPER-FAST SKILLET SUPPER
Ease the summer supper-time crunch with a bagged skillet meal for two, perhaps Chicken Tikka Masala or Butternut Squash & Sage Ravioli, from Evol Foods. The six-item line also includes Uncured Bacon Mac & Cheese and Grilled Chicken Parmesan. Ten minutes of skillet cooking time readies them for the table. The squash-and-cheese-filled ravioli were tasty with tomato-kale sauce plus sage, nutmeg and garlic seasonings. Teriyaki Chicken, with brown rice and crisp vegetables, delivered good flavor too. Suggested retail price: $7.99 to $8.49. Store locater: evolfoods.com.
— Judy Hevrdejs, Chicago Tribune
NOW THIS IS A STRETCH
Struggled wrapping a melon half or grapefruit with, say, plastic wrap or foil? CoverBlubber by Fusionbrands may offer an intriguing solution. Made from a stretchy food-safe, BPA/phthalates-free StickyRubber, CoverBlubbers come in several sizes. They work in the refrigerator or freezer, but must be hand washed and are not microwave safe or heat resistant. Suggested retail price: $4.95 to $9.95. For a store locater or to buy: surlatable.com.
— Judy Hevrdejs, Chicago Tribune
WELL-SPICED SLICES
Kick up your sandwiches with some of the seven flavors in Deli Fresh Bold lunchmeats from Oscar Mayer. Thinly sliced meats we enjoyed included Italian Style Herb Turkey Breast, Cajun Style Turkey Breast and Chipotle Seasoned Chicken Breast, all coated with seasonings (garlic plus assorted herbs, chilies and peppers depending on the flavor) before slicing. A 2-ounce serving (about six slices) weighs in at 50 to 60 calories. Suggested price: $3.99 for 8 ounces; $5.99 for 1-pound. At supermarkets nationwide.
— Judy Hevrdejs, Chicago Tribune
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