JFG Nation, I want to ask you all about high school reunions. I’ve gone to college reunions and have attended law school alumni events, but I haven’t been to a high school reunion. Ever. And I don’t know whether high school reunions for my class have even been held. The reason for the lack of high school reunions on my radar is probably very simple – I did not go to a private school where reunions are organized by the school, and any reunion requires momentum from the class itself. Add to that the fact that while some have remained in the area, many have moved to other places away from my original home town. And its been a very long time since I was in high school (GOD WHERE IS TIME GOING).

Plus, high school, for many people, wasn’t the greatest years in their lives, and while college is also often an awkward time, the lack of parental overlording certainly made those years at least slightly better than the high school years. (Unless, of course, you were on Saved by the Bell. The College Years for those guys was hard to watch.)

I’m only friends with a few people from high school – not because I’m an elitist prick, but mainly because time helps drive that wedge. The people I was friends with, I’m still in contact with through Facebook, etc. That kid I KINDA talked to once in Math Class? Wiped from the board and my memory. So I’m not rushing back to see THAT kid in a high school reunion. That kid was weird.

But I wondered if I was in the minority – have YOU, JFG Nation, ever attended a high school reunion? And how was it? I’m not talking about the five year one – the one you might’ve attended right after college. I’m talking 10-year, even 20-year high school reunions. Have you ever gone back to those? Let me know in the comments below, and tell me how it was! Was your high school sweetheart there? That guy you crushed on?  Let’s start off the week with a little painful reminiscing.

Today’s junk food: New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies!!

New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. You’re seeing this package right. Two chocolate wafer cookies, with a layer of creme in between. Chocolate. Sandwich. Cookies.

You know, I give Keebler credit for going directly head to head with Oreo on this one. Why not? LOTS of companies make faux Oreos, or fauxreos as a reader coined, so why not Keebler? Keebler cookies are good. I’m excited to see how these are.

Simply Made is a Keebler cookie line I’ve blogged about before. The point is fewer ingredients, less chemicals, to make good cookies. The results have been so-so – I haven’t been a huge fan of the line. They are just…ok.

With these New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, I’m curious – I mean, quite frankly, Oreos, despite what you might think, don’t have a ton of ingredients already. Check out the label on the Oreo Thins…12-13 ingredients, tops?  Although I guess if you break down the flour, that makes like 20 ingredients. So how many LESS ingredients will THESE have?

New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies have about 13 ingredients. So…about the same as Oreos. Still, whereas two Oreos are usually 140 calories, here THREE cookies are 140 calories. That’s pretty cool.

BUT: These New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are NOT vegan, whereas (to my surprise) Oreos ARE. So, vegans – stay away from these.

I opened this package of New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, and the first impression I got when I sniffed – HOLY COW. VANILLA BEAN! These cookies smelled like vanilla bean. Actually, they REALLY smelled like vanilla bean ice cream, that sugary vanilla flavor. It was REALLY recognizable. As a lover of vanilla, color me intrigued.

The creme in these New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies isn’t ENTIRELY consistent – the look on this one cookie looks a little gluey? Hmmmm, weird.

New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies have a flowery SIMPLY MADE stamp and flowery texture, like Oreos. Hey, why not?

Twisting open these New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, you can see immediately the visual difference as compared to Oreos. Oreos have a much smoother disc of creme, obviously. These were….wetter? A little more smudged. You can see it for yourself.

When I tasted the creme, despite the look, the consistency of the cremes was similar – frsoting-like and micro-gritty. So that was good. But I immediately noticed a difference in flavor – this creme had a LOT more vanilla flavor, and was almost milkier! More milky? Whatever the term – it had a STRONG vanilla and milk flavor! It honestly tasted a lot like vanilla ice cream. Like ACTUAL vanilla bean ice cream, milky flavor and all.

I have to admit, I LOVED the way this creme tasted. Whereas the Cookies n’ Creme Oreos I thought just tasted like regular Oreos, I honestly think the “ice cream” flavor is BETTER in these. Whoa.

The cookie? Well, this cookie is a little lighter in texture – not more crumbly, just not as hearty of a crunch. Just a lighter wafer cookie.

When eating these New Keebler Simply Made Chocolate Sandwich Cookies as a whole, I must admit – despite all of my doubts, I REALLY enjoyed these, and can say they taste DIFFERENT than regular Oreos. For real. These, to me, tasted EXACTLY like actual Cookies n’ Creme ice cream. And the only reason is because the vanilla and milk flavor are punched WAAAAY up. Not grossly, but BOLDLY – enough to render the combo more creamy and more vanilla-y than regular Oreos.

So, these do NOT taste like Oreos, and I’m not going to say I like these more than Oreos. BUT as a stand alone cookie, these were really good. Like, surprisingly good. Like, I’m going to buy these again for sure. And while they are different than regular Oreos, they definitely blew Cookies n Creme Oreos out of the water.

Try these and tell me what you think, please! I want to confirm my taste buds.

PURCHASED AT: Walmart, Germantown, MD

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