Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Zero Caffeine Coke Short Review

 

It sounds like a dream… Coca-Cola with zero sugar (empty calories!) and zero caffeine (bye-bye, sleepless nights).

EXCEPT… the taste is very off.

I’ve had Coke Zero (Sugar), and I could live with that. The sugar substitute didn’t make me miss the classic Coca-Cola taste too much. But without caffeine? YIKES. It tastes very different — bland, watered down, and honestly kind of sad. OMG. And on top of all that… the fizz isn’t even as fizzy as your usual Coca-Cola. It’s not even comparable to Coke Zero’s fizz!

Who knew caffeine played such a huge role in Coca-Cola’s signature taste?

I’m sure there’s a niche crowd out there who enjoys less fizz, zero sugar, and zero caffeine — especially for people with insomnia, caffeine sensitivities, allergies, or who avoid caffeine for religious or health reasons. If that’s you, this might actually be perfect.

But for me? Definitely not. It loses what makes Coca-Cola… Coke.

I’m glad I tried it — now I know I don’t like it 😛
That said, if you’ve ever complained that regular Coke or Coke Zero is too fizzy, prefer zero sugar, and hate caffeine… this is absolutely the Coke for you! 🙂

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Score: 6.5/10 (for me)
Website: https://www.coca-cola.com/us/en/brands/coca-cola/products/zero#accordion-224c4dac45-item-f6ef055335

McDonald's Frank's RedHot Hot Honey Sauce short review

McDonald's Frank's RedHot Hot Honey Sauce

McDonald's has been hard-selling this new sauce — Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce. It’s everywhere: breakfast sandwiches, burgers, and even offered as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets.

It’s exactly what it sounds like — a hot honey sauce. It adds sweetness to hot sauce or adds spiciness to honey (both work 😛). I actually ordered it without realizing it was a hot sauce at all. I just saw it splashed all over the promotional banners and the McDonald’s app… so of course I had to try it.

It was good — but not as good as I thought it would be. I still prefer my usual favourite, the Spicy Habanero Sauce, especially for chicken nuggets.

That said, since I’m reviewing McDonald’s new Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce, here are my thoughts:

• I really like the balance between the RedHot heat and the honey sweetness

• It has a cayenne pepper base, which gives it that distinctively spicy, slightly sweet flavour with earthy undertones — spicy, but not aggressive

• It works well as a sweet-and-spicy sauce without overwhelming your taste buds or burning your mouth

• The sweetness makes it addictive, while the spice adds a gentle kick

• McDonald’s was right to put it on everything — it works well with nuggets and even surprisingly well with fries

One of the biggest strengths of this sauce is how versatile it is. Its flavour profile isn’t tied to any specific cuisine or regional taste, which means it can be added to pretty much anything without clashing. Sweet, spicy, familiar, and easy to like.

Conclusion:
While it didn’t dethrone my personal favourite nugget sauce, I can absolutely see why McDonald’s is pushing this so hard. Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce is balanced, approachable, and crowd-pleasing — sweet enough to draw you in, spicy enough to keep things interesting. It may not be my go-to, but it’s a solid, well-thought-out addition that works across the menu. Definitely worth trying at least once.

Score: 8.5/10
Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/newsroom/article/We-Put-It-On-Everything--McDonald-s-Canada-Turns-Up-the-Heat-with-Frank-s-RedHot--.html

Comparison: Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup — Condensed vs Ready-to-Serve

 

One of my favourite soups is Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup… yes, the canned soup. But recently, I discovered that they came out with a version that doesn’t require adding water — the ready-to-serve version.

When I first saw it, my immediate reaction was: “Why is the ready-to-serve version three times the price of the condensed (add-water) version?” Naturally, my analytical brain was curious and itching to find out.

Price comparison:

Ready-to-Serve: $3.38 (≈ 66¢ per 100 ml)
Condensed: $1.47 (≈ 52¢ per 100 ml)

So, I bought both. And I discovered (spoiler alert): the larger, don’t-add-water version is so much better.

Just when I thought Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup couldn’t get any better… it can.

huge slices of mushrooms instead of the usual small chunks

The ready-to-serve version is creamier, contains larger slices of mushrooms, and tastes much richer overall. I didn’t think I’d find something that could top the condensed version (which is great in its own way), but it exists — and I’m genuinely glad I tried it.

Why the ready-to-serve version is better:

• Tastes richer
• Creamier texture
• No need to add water
• Bigger slices of mushroom

The only downside is that it’s slightly more expensive than the condensed version.

Conclusion:
If you’re someone who loves Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup and doesn’t mind paying a little extra for convenience and upgraded texture, the ready-to-serve version is absolutely worth it. It feels more indulgent, more satisfying, and closer to something you’d get freshly made rather than from a can. I’ll still keep the condensed version around, but when I want something comforting and effortless, the ready-to-serve has officially won me over.

Score: 9.5/10

Website: https://www.campbellsoup.ca/product/campbells-cream-of-mushroom/