Review (x2): New Cracker Jack’D Cocoa Java & Vanilla Mocha Power Bites and Daylight Savings Time Batting 1.000 Against Me
Junk Food Nation, Daylight Savings Time is ruining my day. Everyone loves the Fall Back, but the Spring Forward is AWFUL. You’d think it would suit me – as an aging fuddy duddy, I am already on a schedule of get in bed early, early to rise. I’m already one of those people who grimace, hold their back, and tell their friends, “Man…I just can’t sleep in on the weekends. My body is too accustomed to waking up early, youknowwhatImean?” On any given night, I get anywhere from 5-7 hours of sleep. So changing one silly hour to save daylight wasn’t going to affect me. Nope. I climbed into bed at midnight, like I usually do, and passed out.
But this morning, when my alarm went off, it literally felt like someone broke a glass dish over my head. One eye popped open, and as my pre-selected song went off, louder than I remembered it ever being, I literally said aloud YOUHAVEGOTTOBEKIDDINGME. I guess my body is more used to getting up at a certain TIME, no matter when I went to bed, rather than getting a certain AMOUNT of sleep. Point learned.
And so, while my mornings had recently been filled with sunlight, I got up, dressed in the dark, muttering obscenities the entire way. I don’t remember Daylight Savings Time being this brutal, but this year it was. Has it been killing you, too? Let me know in the comments below…
Today’s junk food: New Cracker Jack’D Cocoa Java & Vanilla Mocha Power Bites!
I found these caffeinated cookie bites the same day I bought the Cracker Jack’D Hearty Mixes. If you’ll remember, I didn’t LOVE the Hearty Mixes, mostly because I didn’t love the idea of Cracker Jack trying to go in a non-popcorn direction. And here we are again, with something that is AGAIN not popcorn. I am not sure where you’re going with this, Cracker Jack. You don’t see Honda making DVD burners, do you? I’m worried about these.
First up, New Cracker Jack’D Cocoa Java Power Bites!
![New Cracker Jack'D Cocoa Java & Vanilla Mocha Power Bites](http://junkfoodguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jackDcoca-03.png)
New Cracker Jack’D Cocoa Java Power Bites: Not recommended for people sensitive to caffeine? Well, DUH
When I crunched into one of these New Cracker Jack’D Cocoa Java Power Bites, I didn’t hate it. Basically a chocolate covered cookie, the outer layer was generically chocolatey – no deep richness or anything. The inside was a deeper cocoa cookie flavor, sort of like a ground up Oreo. The overall flavor was chocolatey, and I could taste the caffeine, probably because (as the package indicated) there is ground coffee in this treat.
Overall, I could taste a coffee hint, masked by a greater generic yet dark chocolate flavor. So, did this taste like a cocoa and coffee mix? Sure did. Was it a good version of it? …..Meh.
Moving onto the New Cracker Jack’D Vanilla Mocha Power Bites!
![New Cracker Jack'D Cocoa Java & Vanilla Mocha Power Bites](http://junkfoodguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jackDcoca-07.png)
New Cracker Jack’D Vanilla Mocha Power Bites: Just pointing out that this tiny bag is 290 calories. Holy moly.
These New Cracker Jack’D Vanilla Mocha Power Bites I liked better than the other flavor…but only slightly. Again, this was a lightly crunchy chocolate covered cookie. The vanilla flavor, however, was definitely more present, and the overall chocolate coating had a lighter sweetness to it. Additionally, unless my mind was playing tricks on me, there was a semi-Hazelnut flavor to these bites as well.
Eaten as a whole, these did actually feel like a cookie version of a vanilla mocha. Was it a great version of vanilla mocha? Not the best…but if the goal was to have the flavor translate over to these coffee cookies, then I think Cracker Jack’D has to be pleased with the result.
Both of these Power Bites varieties were ok, but the question remains: who is this for? Is it for someone who hates coffee but wants caffeine? If so, why wouldn’t they just drink a soda? Is it for someone who likes caffeine and wants it in more forms than just coffee? Maybe, but they why not munch of some chocolate covered expresso beans?
I dunno, the customer who wants to buy these specific cookies escapes me. Not sure what their niche market is here. Me? I liked them ok, but would not be buying these again. Did they give me a caffeine boost? I didn’t finish a whole bag, so I dunno – these are a baffling snack to me. Who is buying this??
Check out the Impulsive Buy’s take on these here.
PURCHASED AT: Walgreens
COST: $1.50 each on sale
Thoughts? Please comment below or hit me up on Twitter @junkfoodguy or LIKE my Facebook Page and message me there. Also, you can always email me at junkfoodguy@junkfoodguy.com. Let’s hang.
Sincerely,
Junk Food Guy
Discuss - 17 Comments
Those look gross. Are there not enough popcorn-related ideas for Cracker Jack, or do they think that because they have the word “Jack” in their name they can put a “‘d” at the end of it and appeal to those who want to be jacked, which apparently you can now do by eating disgusting-looking cookies? I kind of hope I never learn the answer.
I too was roundly defeated by Daylight Savings Time both yesterday and today. If we need to save our daylight so much we should do it year-round. I can’t stand losing the morning light after working so hard to get through winter.
@Lindemann: Yeah, I want to see Cracker JAck do something crazy with POPCORN…not cookies
Can’t you just imagine a commercial for this with the ESPN football studio crew just screaming “You got Jack’d up”? I’m not sure it would make them better, or much much worse.
Also, I want to know what you’re pre-selected wake-up song is. Is it different every day? Do you have Sinatra play on a morning after a yankees win?
@Kahnfucius: Kelly Clarkson
I’ve bought the Cocoa Java ones more than once and really enjoyed them. Who is buying them? Um, probably the same people who usually enjoy coffee-flavored drinks/candies/desserts? You’ve never heard of people eating anything that tasted like coffee but wasn’t a cup of coffee? Where have you been?
@Mike: DC?
Going around the house (and work) changing clocks isn’t fun. There are clocks at my work where someone has to get on a step ladder to change them since they’re high up.
Time.gov is best used the day before or after DST since so many people are accessing it on the actual day.
@Elisa: Stepladder to change the time? It’s like we’re in grade school still, with the janitor going from room to room changing clock times
These look dumb. Just…why… #sticktopopcorn #spendyourmoneymakinhbetterprizescrackerjack
They made a popcorn one too, the Salted Caramel Sweet ‘n’ Savory Clusters. They’re amazing and easily better than anything they’ve made before.
@Mike: AH, now THAT I do need to try – thanks for clue-ing me in. Yes, Caramel Popcorn Clusters sound tasty. NEED TO FIND!!! 🙂
@Teresapalooza: HAHA, yeah, where’s the crazy new popcorns???
No, I live near Austin. I’ve been buying the Sweet ‘n’ Savory Clusters at 7-11. Those and the Cheddar BBQ mix are my favorites from this new line. The PB and Chocolate was the only mix I found underwhelming, but I had just eaten a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and that tends to temporarily desensitize my taste buds to sweetness.
@Mike: Ah, 7-11 – yes. I am going to check that out TONIGHT.
I just bought these today.. It was an impulsive buy. I was going to buy an energy bar to eat before my 10k race tomorrow morning and then I saw these and thought hey..some extra caffeine might help for the race So I bought a package of the vanilla mocha flavored ones. When I got home I looked up reviews and I was starting to regret my purchase as I think I could have picked something healthier and better tasting. Oh well, I haven’t tried them yet so we’ll see how I like them tomorrow.
@Alexandra – please let me know what you thought! I am always looking for contrary or consistent opinions – my tastes may definitely vary from yours, so I’m always curious to hear what others think
Do you have any vidfeo of that? I’d love to find out more details.