Review: New Bacon Ritz Crackers & What to Do When Your Bracket Is Busted? BANDWAGON JUMP!
Junk Food Nation, my bracket was busted when Kansas lost yesterday. It’s ok though – I’m used to losing money gambling, and I’m always happy to donate money to the pot. Next year, I’m going to name my entry “$10 Donation.”
Still, the next question is what to do when your team has been eliminated? Why, jump on another bandwagon, of course? I like sports WAAAY too much just to be like, “Ho hum, when’s baseball start?” and ignore the rest of the games. And while we ALL have a problem with bandwagon jumpers when they try to throw it in your face…
Friend 1: “GO PATRIOTS!”
Friend 2: “Rick, you’re from Iowa.”
Friend 1: “YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS THAT BRADY IS REALLY AWESOME.”
Friend 2: “No, Rick, I’m just pointing out that you’re REALLY from Iowa.”
…I think we all have a more-the-merrier mentality when in a large group and everyone just wants to have a good time:
Friend 1: “Thanks for coming over!”
Friend 2: “So, who are we all rooting for?”
Friend 1: “The Patriots!”
Friend 2: “Sounds good. GO PATRIOTS!”
So, for the rest of the tournament, I will be rooting for…THE CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS! CMON DOUGIE MCBUCKETS! Wait, they lost last night too??? They got destroyed? EFF. ……DAYTON! LET’S DO THIS DAYTON. Awh, who cares…
How are your brackets doing, and who are you rooting for now? Tell me in the comments below.
Today’s junk food: New Bacon Ritz Crackers!
New Bacon Ritz: The Money Shot
Hot off the heels of Bacon Pringles, I spotted New Bacon Ritz on the shelves at Walmart! The question is: has bacon been fully played out? Are we sick of bacon yet?
New Bacon Ritz: Black Pepper?
New Bacon Ritz are apparently seasoned with black pepper. Wait, what? I mean, I’ve had bacon flecked with pepper before, but not ALL bacon has pepper. Also, the last flavored Ritz I’d had was the Caramelized Onion variety…and those were meh, okay.
New Bacon Ritz: 80 cal per serving
New Bacon Ritz: lots of onion and smoke
So…I’m going to assume the bacon flavor is in the “natural flavor” ingredient. New Bacon Ritz, you’re not doing a great job of selling me here. Although I guess I already have the box in my apartment, so…you win!
New Bacon Ritz: Ah, open sleeve of Ritz, my old friend
Ok, I will say this – this open sleeve of New Bacon Ritz did SMELL like bacon. I placed my nose right up to it and sniffed, and I smelled bacon, however you want to describe it. Smoke, pork, like bacon grease…it’s all there. Ok, Ritz, let’s taste…
New Bacon Ritz: huge embedded pepper
Hmmm. Like the previously mentioned Caramelized Onion Ritz, these New Bacon Ritz should not be confused with a chip that is “bacon flavored.” Instead, these are essentially Ritz Crackers with the “essence” of bacon. There does not appear to be any flavor powder here, and the salt you see isn’t bacon salt.
When I first chewed one of these crackers, I tasted two things: the typical buttery Ritz cracker I knew and loved, and smoke. Smoky smoke smoke. It wasn’t club-you-over-the-head-strong, but it was definitely the most immediate flavor. As I chewed the Ritz more, I slowly got the bacon taste – but it was basically a bacon oil/grease flavor. Sorry, I know that sounds gross – ever have a BLT? You know how sometimes you eat a piece of bread where the bacon has been resting, and that spot tastes like bacon, sort of? That is what these crackers tasted like – as if bacon HAD been on them at one point, and had since been removed, leaving behind slight bacon flavor.
The flavor of bacon occurred more when I breathed in and out – my breath slightly “tasted” like smoke and bacon. The cracker was very salty, so that helped contribute to the illusion. When I licked the cracker – nothing. No flavor, just salt. The black pepper added a slightly peppery taste, but I didn’t think it helped solidify the bacon flavor profile at all. Like I said before – there was more bacon essence in breathing in and out while chewing, rather than in the flavor or in the aftertaste,
I prob wouldn’t buy these again, but it’s not because they tasted bad. They actually tasted pretty good – I liked the smokiness. But there wasn’t anything about these crackers where I’d feel compelled to re-purchase.
PURCHASED AT: Walmart
COST: $2.50
Thoughts? Please comment below or hit me up on Twitter @junkfoodguy or LIKE my Facebook Page and message me there. I also have Google+!! Let’s hang out.
Sincerely,
Junk Food Guy
Discuss - 18 Comments
Ritz could had used bacon fat to replace the leaving and it would taste like the real thing.
@Alek: I wonder if they were trying to keep it subtle intentionally
Essence of Bacon: The newest fragrance from Calvin Klein. I’m still cheering for my KY Wildcats! Hanging on for dear life!
@HEather: J. Randle looked like a MAN against Wichita. KY-WICH was the best game of the tournament by far.
The way I see it, everyone has an F’d up bracket so all I need to do is be the tallest midget, right?
Bacon is definitely getting overplayed and not delivering (Im looking at you Kettle brand). Should just start calling these flavors beef jerky scented in my pathetic opinion.
@MarcP: 2 of my final 4 are gone. I’m just hoping for good games now
Is Walmart the largest purveyor of junk food? Other than random gas stations in remote parts of the country, or those crazy Ireland locations, all of your craziest junk food seems to come from Walmart. Any correlation of that observation and those “people of Walmart” websites?
@Neil: Walmart seems to be the hub of experimental snacks – as far as correlation …..definitely 😉
FYI. These are certified kosher, so there is nothing even close to real bacon in them. Whatever makes them taste like bacon is purely artificial.
It does clearly state BACON Artificial Flavor on the box.
I would probably eat this if I didn’t have to buy them. And I sure lurve my bacon.
@Run in Boise: A lot of my friends have enjoyed these crackers with cheese on them. Who knows, maybe these’ll be out at a party you go to or something.
@Rusty: So….is that a good thing? haha
I just tried it. It is bland and has no real bacon flavor. At least not enough for it to be called bacon.
They are delicious. I don’t care if it’s fake bacon or what–I am hooked on them.
They’re horrible. They taste like stale Ritz crackers that have bee in a house fire. They have nothing to do with “bacon.” Yuck.
OMG… I love them… I have already eaten about 20 and I shared them with my co-workers… I’m a fan… Good job
Bacon flavored Ritz crackers suck they don’t taste like bacon that tastes like black pepper I want my money back if you could call it bacon put bacon in it
my brother in law just gave me half a sleeve of them, i have to say not my favorite Ritz flavor. i agree with Linda tastes like black pepper with a hit of smokiness. It will do in a pinch if you need something to snack on. i wouldn’t buy them.