Listerine PocketPaks Fresh Burst short review

I  can’t believe they reintroduced these! I actually liked them back in the day and was so upset when I couldn’t find them anymore. But I found these at Costco and immediately bought a pack! These should last me a long, long time! 😄

When they were first introduced about 20 years ago, most people knew them simply as Listerine Breath Strips. I don’t remember the exact name, but I’m pretty sure they weren’t called PocketPaks or Freshburst back then.

When they discontinued them a few years later, I was quite upset, because these were such a great alternative to gum and breath mints! And most importantly, they actually worked!

Fast forward to this new version and I have to say, I’m glad they took the time to reformulate. The new ones don’t sting the mouth as much as the old version did, and the freshness feels cleaner and longer-lasting.

I bought them half because of nostalgia and half for their function. Most breath mints these days have a hard time truly freshening breath, and I sometimes find myself panicking in social settings because the mints just aren’t strong enough. Gum works, but it takes time and isn’t ideal when you want something instant.

These new strips immediately stick to the top of my mouth and get to work right away. They don’t sting like before, and the freshness lasts impressively long.

---

First Impressions:

• Nostalgia factor: Loved them in the past, happy they’re back!
• Reformulated: Less sting than the older version, cleaner and longer-lasting freshness.
• Convenient: Strips stick to the top of your mouth and act instantly — no waiting like gum.
• Effective: Strong enough to freshen breath immediately, perfect for social settings.
• Portable: Small pack fits easily in a bag or pocket for on-the-go use.
• Fun to use: Quick dissolve, refreshing minty blast, smooth without harshness.

The moment I tried one, I was instantly taken back in time — that quick dissolve and rush of cool minty air! 🫧 The best part? No harsh sting this time, just a crisp, clean freshness that hits right when you need it. It’s strong enough to make you feel instantly refreshed but smooth enough that it doesn’t make your eyes water. The little pack is also very handy; it is easy to slip into my bag or pocket for an instant confidence boost before meetings or coffee runs.

---

Conclusion:
I’m genuinely happy these are back! The improved formula makes them even better than I remembered — effective, fast-acting, and surprisingly gentle. They strike the perfect balance between nostalgia and practicality. If you ever loved these back in the day (or even if you’ve never tried them), they’re absolutely worth picking up again.

score: 9.5/10
website: https://www.listerine.com/on-the-go-oral-health/listerine-pocketpaks-freshburst

St. Ives Hydrating Face Mist Grapefruit short review

St. Ives Grapefruit hydrating facial mist

(I wrote this a few months back and forgot to post it! Apologies in advance... Hope you can still find it and use it during your dry cold heater months!)

Hello, hot weather, and AC dry skin! This is the perfect formula for skin discomfort.

I notice that every year around this time, I go hunting for facial mists, and to my disappointment, the mists I used to love always seem to be discontinued. So, I’m always on the hunt. This year, I found one from St. Ives and chose their Grapefruit scent—partly because it smells good and partly because grapefruit-scented facial products are rare.

The formula is paraben-free, dermatologist-tested, and not tested on animals, which I really appreciate. It contains 100% natural grapefruit extract, and each spray dispenses a generous amount—usually just 2–3 sprays are enough to cover and hydrate my face thoroughly.

A spritz of this facial mist contains an infusion of grapefruit, peach, and orange. Although the formula is nothing fancy, it is more than adequate for what I want it to do: moisturize and add hydration to my skin. I also really love the scent—it feels refreshing and cheerful.

First Impressions:

• Light and airy
• Hydrates well
• Leaves skin feeling smooth
• Scent lingers for about 10 minutes

Summary & Thoughts:
This facial mist works well for all skin types, but it’s especially useful when your skin feels a bit dehydrated throughout the day. There aren’t many comparable products on the market, but this one delivers impressive results: my skin feels very smooth, hydrated, and the effects are surprisingly long-lasting for a spray. I am extremely glad I bought it and hope it will still be available when I finish this bottle!

Conclusion:
Overall, I’d recommend this mist if you’re looking for a simple, affordable, and effective way to refresh and hydrate your skin. It’s lightweight, gentle, and cheerful, perfect for daily use, especially in hot weather or when indoor heating dries out your skin. While it’s not revolutionary, it does exactly what it promises—and sometimes, that’s all you need.

O'Sole Mio Ravioli with Boursin short review

Ravioli

I love Boursin cheese and ravioli, so when I saw this at Costco I immediately grabbed a pack <3 

After doing some research, I discovered that O'Sole Mio specializes in ravioli. No wonder these were so deliciously made.

These did not disappoint at all!! <3 <3 <3 

it is so good <3 <3 <3 

it is exactly how you imagine they would taste, ravioli with Boursin cheese filling <3 <3 <3 

My only complaint is that you don't have to leave them simmering for 4 minutes! I tried my first batch and some of them burst open... 2.5-3 minutes is more than enough :)

(and please read the instructions! They clearly state that these should not be boiled!)

I almost made the mistake of boiling them, keeping the water hot but not boiling.

score: 9/10

website: (no website, keywords led to Costco's product page)

Honolulu Cookie Company Chocolate chip macademia mini bites short review

Amid the Olympics, I have grown a sweet tooth. I found these at my Costco and wanted to get them for 2 reasons: they will satisfy my sweet tooth, AND I really like Macadamia nuts.

If you read the small print, these are actually shortbread cookies.

impressions:

they are pineapple-shaped
no chocolate or macadamia nut taste

strong caramel taste

a dry shortcake cookie

tiny pineapple-shaped shortbread bites

When I checked the back of the packaging, I couldn't find any red flags... and I was surprised that these cookies only contain 1.4g of sugar per piece!

I'm disappointed there was hardly any Macadamia nut or chocolate taste (as the name suggests it should!), but these shortbread cookies are good at the end of the day. I like the strong presence of caramel in each piece.

score: 7.8/10
website: https://www.honolulucookie.com/cookies-gifts-chocolate/mini-bites-snack-pack-7oz.asp

Imperial Popcorn Movie Cinema Popcorn short review

I have been on the hunt for movie theatre-style popcorn for a very long time! No matter how closely I followed people's recipes, they just didn't taste quite like the ones at movie theatres. But that all changed the moment I picked up this bag of popcorn at Walmart. To my delight, it turned out to be the closest thing to movie theater popcorn I've ever had!

the actual popcorn

The popcorn has the same yellow hue as the ones you get at the theatre, and the salty, savoury flavor is quite similar too. Just give the bag a good shake to get the perfect ratio of savoury and plain bites.

I'm so happy I gave it a chance! If you're in Canada* and love movie theater popcorn, definitely give this a try. You won't be disappointed!

brand info

#WalmartMovieTheatrePopcorn . I'm calling it Walmart Movie Theatre because I bought it at Walmart, the brand is Imperial.

back

score: 9.5/10
website: https://www.imperialpopcorn.com/en/

Kraft Extra Cheddar Cheese short review

 This was a bit pricier than regular Kraft Single Cheese slices but it is worth it! It is a delightful blend of regular cheddar slices and Kraft processed cheese.   It boasts the deliciousness of Kraft processed cheese while maintaining the sturdy texture and rich flavour of regular cheddar slices :) 

You can definitely taste the higher quality of them.

The only complaint is that these extra cheddar-sliced cheeses are not individually packaged into sleeves like the typical Kraft single cheese slices but just piled on top of each other like regular cheddar cheese slices with no paper barrier in between them. 

Kneaded Eraser short review

I'm not artsy, but I have always wanted a kneaded eraser! How cool is it to have an eraser you can knead and mould!

thoughts and impressions:

• It is very firm and quite hard (not soft and mouldable as I thought it would be)
• no scent
• erases, but not super well (which is understandable given its use)
• doesn't leave any eraser shavings
• sticky but does not stick to paper
• not made to erase a large area
• picks up on granite
• can be washed

picks up on lead/granite 

While this eraser is fun to play with (especially when you like to fiddle while writing) I don't think it is practical for writing, it does a good job as an art tool especially when you are drawing and need to erase small mistakes or fade out outlines or fine lines.

Score: 8/10

Website: no website

Cheetos Ketchup short review

I saw these at Costco, and there were only a few remaining, I was very fortunate to even get a bag, the moment I got a bag, 3 other people came and snatched a few bags. There were none left after that. People were snatching these up like hotcakes!

This combines two of my favourite snacks, ketchup chips and Cheetos. I misunderstood the packaging and thought there was a cheesy underlay to these Cheetos, so I was surprised on the first bite, that these are purely ketchup-flavoured. I can't say I'm disappointed though, the ketchup flavour is very delicious, even better than Lay's. It has the right amount of tanginess but is not too tangy to the point it can be sour.

thoughts and impressions:

• no cheesy taste at all
• mild and perfect ketchup taste
• no sour vinegar taste (like Lay's Ketchup chips)
• very crunchy
• addictive

I was pleasantly surprised by the taste and I couldn't stop munching on them. I highly recommend them! However, if you are looking for a sharp tanginess, than these are not for you.

Score: 9.5/10
Website: no website (product couldn't be found on any of the Cheetos official websites! 🤔 )

DQ (Dairy Queen's) Bacon Cheeseburger short review

Dairy Queen's burger box

This is the first time I ordered something from DQ (Diary Queen) that does not involve any sort of cold ice cream (FYI: I love their ice cream). People have been raving about their cheeseburgers and I decided to give it a try :)

I ordered their Bacon Cheeseburger (the official name of this burger is: Bacon Two Cheese Deluxe 1/3 lb.* Signature Stackburger)... but I was a bit disappointed... The presentation wasn't bad but the taste wasn't as good as I thought it would be. 

This Bacon Cheeseburger was a bit dry and a little bland (compared to Wendy's and McDonald's cheeseburgers...).

pros:

• very very filling, a substantial meal
• many layers adding to the burger's depth
• features two types of cheese
• lots of meat (burger patties were 1/3 pounders!)

cons:

• dry
• bland (needs way more flavours/flavouring)
• cheese was lacking the cheesiness we all crave in a burger

score: 6.5/10 (I will stick to their ice creams and ice cream cakes)

website: https://www.dairyqueen.com/en-ca/menu/bacon-two-cheese-deluxe-signature-stackburger/

Kirkland's Cinnamon Danish Rolls short review

Cinnamon Danish Rolls

It has been a while since I saw a YouTube video raving about Kirkland's Cinnamon Danish Rolls (found at Costco). After eagerly waiting for them to arrive at my local Costco, I was finally able to get my hands on them!

Appearance:

When I first saw them, I must admit, I was a bit skeptical. The rolls didn't look as appetizing as I had imagined—they appeared slightly dry and looked unappetizing. Nevertheless, I decided to give them a try.

The pictures you see here don't do these cinnamon rolls any justice... they look small and regular-sized in the pictures... but in reality, they are bigger than the size of my palm. 

Taste:

The Cream Cheese (or frosting or icing) is quite sweet, so I found it best to heat them up before enjoying them. Trust me, it makes a HUGE difference. Heating the rolls not only melts the cream cheese/frosting/icing, allowing it to coat the cinnamon rolls better but it also reduces the concentrated sugary taste, but it also makes the outer shell crispy and gives it a creamy, buttery, and aromatic flavourful interior.

Impressions:

• must be heated (in an oven... or if you don't have one, in a microwave)
• Cream Cheese/frosting/icing is very sweet (make sure it is melted before you eat it)
• (after you warm it in an oven) the outside is super crispy and the inside is very creamy
• it has the exact amount of cinnamon sugar inside

To truly savour these rolls, I highly recommend heating them, either in an oven or a microwave. This way, the cream cheese/frosting/icing is melted. Once warmed, you'll experience a delightful contrast between the super crispy exterior and the creamy interior. The cinnamon sugar is perfectly balanced, creating a delightful taste.

Cinnamon Danish Rolls

Comparison:

I hate to make comparisons, but these cinnamon rolls actually taste better than the ones I've had at Tokyo's Starbucks, which is renowned for its cinnamon rolls in Asia. Firstly, these rolls are larger than the ones offered at Starbucks. Secondly, they possess a stronger cinnamon sugar taste. And lastly, they have a wonderful texture with a crispy exterior and a warm, creamy interior, unlike Starbucks' cinnamon rolls which maintain the same texture throughout.

Verdict:

If it's not already obvious, I absolutely LOVE these cinnamon rolls! My family devoured them in just two days, which is a record considering their generous size. Even my dad, who isn't usually a fan of cinnamon, couldn't resist finishing them.

However, it's important to note that each roll contains 410 calories, which is something to consider. Despite the calorie count, if you're a fan of cinnamon rolls, I highly, highly recommend giving these a try. They strike the perfect balance with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar, and the Danish pastry provides a delightful crispy exterior and a luxuriously creamy interior.

score: 9.9/10 (deducted 0.1 for the high calorie count)

website: no website available

Lay's Chicken and Tomato flavoured chips short review

樂事薯片香濃雞汁番茄味 (北美板版)

I found this Lay's Made in Canada versions of Chinese (Mainland China) regional flavours, Chicken and Tomato chips. 

impressions:

• same Lay's signature texture and thickness (or rather, thinness, Lay's are thin)
• they are Made in Canada? :O
• has a strong tomato taste (but not like ketchup chips... only tomato and sweet)
• a slight chicken taste (sort of like chicken broth)
• they replaced the saltiness with sweetness :( WHAT??? they used sugar instead of salt!
• the taste is subtle, unlike most Canadian Lay's chips (e.g. Ketchup, Classic, Barbeque, etc)

I was disappointed with the chips being sweet. I like my chips, savoury, and they took that away with these chips :(... this might be a cultural thing where the Chinese prefer sweet chips? (Or rather, Asians prefer sweet chips. I'm thinking of Chinese sweet snowflake crackers, Japanese sweet Cheetos and Korean honey curls.).

I enjoyed the tomato flavour (not to be confused with ketchup chips). The tomato flavour was light and sweet, with no tanginess. There was the chicken flavour, but it was more of a brothy chicken flavour instead of real chicken. These chips reminded me of the Baked Chicken and Tomato rice dish.

It isn't bad... but I really wished they used more salt and less sugar.

Score: 7.8/10
Website:  no website

Morinaga (杏仁豆腐バー) Almond Tofu Bar short review

杏仁豆腐バー by Morinaga (森永)

I love Almond Tofu (杏仁豆腐) especially when I'm having Japanese-Chinese food (中華料理). It is usually lightly sweetened with a hint of Oriental almond taste. The Tofu is smoother than normal tofu. I was very excited to try this :D. 

Translation for what is written on the box:

It is a chewy, sticky ice cream (もっちりアイス)

Mainly Coconut fruits and Yellow Peach (椰果＆黃桃)

Lactic Ice - this product contains milk (ラクトアイス) (this is important to note since a lot of Asians are lactose intolerant)

It contains 3% of fruit flesh (果肉3%)

It contains coconut fruits (the chewy "fruits" derived from coconuts) (コリコリナタデコ)

杏仁豆腐バー

impressions:

• very sticky
• has a nice chewy texture (モチ)
• was surprised they used coconut fruits for the "fruit elements"
• a bit sweeter than your normal almond tofu
• it melts but also doesn't melt

 I liked it! I was a bit taken back by the sweetness (compared to normal Almond Tofu), though. I really enjoyed the chewiness of the ice bar and enjoyed munching away at the coconut fruits and yellow peach :)

It was a very chewy experience ;) モチモチ感じ

What I found interesting while eating was the "tofu" elements weren't very cold and weren't melting (they gave in to the warmth of your mouth but not to the warmth of the air), the only part that melted was the icy milk ice cream part. I felt I had enough time to enjoy this and allowed the tofu to melt in my mouth. 

score: 9.5/10
website: https://www.morinagamilk.co.jp/products/icecream/natadecoco_in/6771.html

I'Milky Peanut and Sesame Milk Ice Cream Stick with Boba review

小農沐白 花生芝麻牛奶珍珠雪糕

My tastebuds instantly knew they wanted this the moment I saw these! This is from a Taiwanese brand called I'Milky. This is a peanut milk and black Sesame milk ice cream bar with boba. 

actual product

The peanut milk is on top and the black sesame milk is on the bottom. The sweetened boba is only on the sesame milk side. Both the peanut milk and black sesame milk are not sweetened. I liked how less sweet it is... but if you have a sweet tooth, you might not enjoy it as much as I did (the boba is the only ingredient that is sweetened and makes the bar sweet).

 impressions

• the peanut milk has a strong Asian mild peanut taste
• the sesame milk has a strong black sesame taste (but not sweet)
• the boba is the only agent making the popsicle sweet
• the boba is very VERY sweet and unlike "real" boba, it is very soft and a bit slimy

I would recommend this if you do not have a sweet tooth but enjoy (Asian) peanut and black sesame taste. I stress Asian for peanuts because Asian peanuts have a less "peanutty" taste compared to "western" or "North American" peanuts (if you are looking for something like Kraft's/Jif's creamy peanutty taste, then you will not enjoy the peanut milk side)

That being said, I liked it because, without the sweetness, I was able to fully enjoy and explore the black sesame taste and peanut taste... I liked how the boba's gave me a nice sweet touch which paired really nicely with the black sesame.

Score: 8.8/10

Website: no website

keywords: 小農沐白 花生芝麻牛奶珍珠雪糕

McCafe's Peppermint Mocha short review

McDonald's Peppermint Mocha in their holiday cup

I'm so sorry it took this long to write about this Peppermint Mocha... I was planning to and then I got distracted by the holiday season (with Black Friday, Cyber Monday sales, and such 😞) That being said, as I'm writing, I checked McD's website, and thank goodness, it is still available! (apologies in advance for any grammatic, typos, spelling mistakes, I'm rushing through this short review to make sure it is published before this drink disappears from their menu)

McDonald's Peppermint Mocha with peppermint bits

Firstly, for those who don't know what is a mocha, it is a blend of coffee and chocolate. (You will either like it or hate it)... in my case, I prefer hot chocolate to mocha. (but this is irrelevant... haha).

This is McD's description of the drink:

A cozy peppermint mocha made with espresso beans that are sustainably sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms, steamed whole or nonfat milk, peppermint chocolate syrup, and topped with whipped topping and chocolate drizzle. The perfect holiday drink for warming up to chilly weather, with rich chocolatey and refreshing mint flavor.

impressions:

• minty (but not overpowering) 
• mintiness made drink seem sweeter than it really is (a good thing)
• addicting
• good chocolate/coffee ratio (but I still wish it was either or)
  
• didn't contain a lot of sugar yet sweet (pro for most of us)
  
• creamy, the whipped cream was already blended with the drink by the time I got home

I liked this drink! It is my first Peppermint Mocha, but it will certainly not be my last. I loved how the mintiness gave a false sweeter-than-it-really-is taste, and the peppermint really made me enjoy this mocha more than I thought I would. The coolness gave the drink some depth (it was hot) so I could feel the different levels of taste.

score: 8.4/10
website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/mccaf-peppermint-mocha-small.html

McDonald's Creme Brulee Donut short review

This is a continuation of my McDonald's Donuts Short review. I'm making this review because they have recently launched a new donut!

Creme Brulee Donut

After the first bite, I realized why this is called a Creme Brulee donut. The vanilla glaze is covered with a layer of crunchy, sharp sugar cookie pieces. I was surprised how it wasn't overly sweet, despite the amount of sugar it contained. It adds a very nice texture to the donut. It also acts as the creme brulee sugar glaze.

The filling contains a nice creme brulee cream. It works very well with the glaze on the outside. They compliment each other by making the outside crispy and the inside soft.

This is probably one of my favourite donuts so far. I highly recommend it and I hope it stays for good!

website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/crme-brle-lil-donut.html

McDonald’s Donuts short review

I started noticing McDonald's has added donuts to their menu... they look tinier than your regular donuts and I found it interesting how they have ventured out into the donut world.

They have 6 donuts, I ordered one of each to see how they taste. My first comment is that I appreciate how little sugar they have added into each one! (It is even less sweet than their muffins).

For this review, I didn't look up which was which and let my tastebuds guess what each one was.

Cinnamon and Cream Donut

This was the first donut I tried and I was impressed, despite its smaller than average donut size, it was very tasty. There is a very light cinnamon taste (but nothing overbearing) which gives you a hint that there is cinnamon but not enough for you to taste the pungent taste. I liked how the cream added some texture and variety to the donut. The cream also had a very mild taste. 

Maple Iced and Caramel Filled Donut

The moment I took a bite out of this donut, my tastebuds immediately identified the maple syrup. The maple icing (yes you read that correctly...) complemented the caramel syrup very nicely. Despite both the maple syrup and caramel being sweet, this donut was also not too sweet.... it was just right. Don't let the filling fool you... it may look like maple syrup, but it is caramel.

Strawberry Jelly Powdered Donut

I was very excited they had a powdered sugar donut. The strawberry jelly is a nice surprise. It relieved me from the dryness of the powdered sugar.

Boston Cream Donut

This Boston Cream donut is a bit different from the other Boston Cream donuts I have had. Like the others, it is filled with Bavarian cream but unlike the others, it has a thicker chocolate icing that doesn't melt and is not sticky. I liked the variation and amount of chocolate they had topped and drizzled on top.

 

Apple Fritter Donut

When I took a bite out of this donut, I knew there was something fruity about it (my first guess was raisins). Despite there being 14% of real apples (according to their website) my tastebuds had a hard time pinpointing the taste as "apple". The cinnamon is also very subtle.

Sprinkle Donut

This donut is probably the most eyecatching of them all! But don't be fooled this is a plain donut with a sprinkle and icing glaze. I was a bit disappointed that this donut did not have any filling inside. I liked how the sweet pink vanilla wasn't very sweet, just sweet enough. 

score: 8/10

website: https://www4.mcdonalds.ca/mccafe_eng/donuts/