So then, what’s next? Here it is: As summer comes to a close, the Golden Arches has given us Special Edition Gold Sauce.

What is the new McDonald’s Gold sauce?

This new limited edition sauce is a vinegary North Carolina barbecue sauce infused with notes of honey, mustard and smoke. McDonald’s deems it the “perfect pair” to their delicious chicken, and once I read that, I absolutely knew I had to try it for myself.

What does McDonald’s Gold sauce taste like?

If you’re a fan of the classic McDonald’s barbecue sauce, you’ll no doubt be a fan of this one too. The Gold sauce tasted pretty close to what I was expecting: a hybrid mix of barbecue and honey mustard. You can absolutely taste the smokiness, but it doesn’t hinder the flavor profile too much, like smoke often can. I’m not a huge fan of artificial smoke flavor, so I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted like a barbecue sauce that would be incredible on a pulled pork sandwich. But how does it pair with McDonald’s chicken?

I’m a lifelong advocate of the Snack Wrap, so you can bet that I’d order the Special Edition Gold Snack Wrap. It looked like any other Snack Wrap, but with an extra ooze of muted orange-gold sauce peeking out. I braced myself as I took my first bite. Part of me was scared that the sauce would ruin my favorite McDonald’s menu item, but I was thankfully proven otherwise. It definitely tastes more like a honey mustard sauce when mixed with the chicken, but I’m still a big fan. It was a welcome addition to the Snack Wrap, and I found myself finishing it quickly and immediately wanting another. The Gold sauce is savory with a sweet undercurrent—the best of both worlds!

How long will the new McDonald’s Gold sauce be available?

If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy Special Edition Gold sauce, McDonald’s is also offering a few different menu items that feature it, like the Bacon Special Edition Gold McCrispy Sandwich with bacon, pickles and chicken on a potato roll; the Bacon Special Edition Gold Deluxe McCrispy Sandwich with bacon, shredded lettuce, tomatoes on a potato roll; and McCrispy Strips with the Special Edition Gold Sauce on the side.

McDonald’s Special Edition Gold Sauce is available now for a limited time while supplies last. Since we’re not sure how long that will be, there’s no time to waste. Grab yours before it’s golden, golden … gone!

Related:

• We Ordered All 8 McDonald’s Sauces to Find the Best One
• McDonald’s Is Lowering Prices on Key Menu Items—Here’s When the Changes Take Effect
• McDonald’s Launched a New Happy Meal Just in Time for Back-to-School

The post I Tried the New McDonald’s Gold Sauce and It Tastes Like Sweet, Smoky Heaven appeared first on Taste of Home.

McDonald’s menu prices have been a point of scrutiny in many conversations about the state of the economy. In 2002, Mcdonald’s debuted its Dollar Menu. Customers could select various menu items for, you guessed it, $1 plus tax. But in 2014, prices rose, and they changed the name to the “Dollar Menu & More.” In 2024, a photo of a McDonald’s menu went viral on social media—because a Big Mac meal cost $18. And in January of this year, McDonald’s even got rid of the Dollar Menu concept completely, replacing it with the McValue Menu.

Now McDonald’s is making a move to address high menu prices. It begins this month with the introduction of the Extra Value Meal, and will continue with additional rollouts through the end of 2025. Here’s everything we know so far.

When will McDonald’s menu prices be changed?

Beginning on September 8, McDonald’s will roll out new, lower menu prices for select combo meals (which it’s calling “Extra Value Meals”). According to the Wall Street Journal, McDonald’s will slash prices on eight of the most popular combo meals, including:

• Big Mac meal
• Chicken McNuggets meal
• McCrispy meal
• Quarter Pounder With Cheese meal
• Egg McMuffin meal

To promote the new lower price points, the restaurant will also offer $5 Sausage Egg McMuffin meals and $8 Big Mac meals. Then in November, they’ll offer Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles for $5 and 10-piece Chicken McNuggets meals for $8.

How long will the McDonald’s menu prices stay at this price point?

The McDonald’s corporation has communicated to its franchises that the lowered menu prices must remain in effect until at least the new year. Part of the reason why there’s such a big disparity between prices at different McDonald’s locations is that each franchisee sets its own rates. But in order to curb this practice and make the selected menu items affordable, McDonald’s has agreed to subsidize any franchise that loses money as a result of the price drop. It’s basically McDonald’s way of making sure that all of its locations agree to offer the same price discounts.

We’ll have to wait and see whether McDonald’s new menu prices sway customers to return, or whether customers will choose somewhere else that’s more affordable. The question of affordability is certainly top of mind for almost everyone right now, and it will be interesting to see if other fast food chains follow McDonald’s lead.

Related:

• I Tried the New McDonald’s Spicy McMuffin and, Yes, It’s Actually Spicy
• I Tried the Mt. McDonaldland Shake to Figure Out the Mystery Flavor
• Noodles & Company Just Made a Huge Change to Its Menu for the First Time in 30 Years

The post McDonald’s Is Lowering Prices on Key Menu Items—Here’s When The Changes Take Effect appeared first on Taste of Home.

But as those who add protein to their beverages know only too well, there’s a recurring problem: Protein powder can be nasty if it doesn’t blend well. It can taste powdery and chalky, which is enough to chase protein-seekers away. However, there’s now a new protein-packed beverage that some people on social media are raving about. Sparkling protein blue raspberry lemonade from Genius Gourmet is now being sold exclusively at Costco, and social media users are taking notice.

Naturally, we had to try it for ourselves!

What is the Costco protein sparkling water?

The Genius Gourmet sparkling protein blue raspberry lemonade comes in 12-ounce cans and is sold at Costco in a pack of 15 cans. My local Costco is selling it for $28.99, which is just under $2 a can.

It’s a zero-sugar drink, but that doesn’t mean it has zero calories. Each 12-ounce can has 130 calories and 30 grams of that much-sought-after protein. And technically there is a sweetener—sucralose—in the ingredients list.

The full list includes carbonated water, whey protein isolate, bovine collagen peptides, l-malic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, sucralose and mushroom extract as a preservative. The can also notes that it contains milk.

Blue raspberry lemonade is the only flavor that Genius Gourmet sells at the moment, but the company says that this flavor is just the beginning. Costco is currently the only place to buy it. You can sign up on the company’s website to get $10 off your first order.

What does the Costco protein sparkling water taste like?

If you absolutely love zero-sugar energy drinks, this might be for you, because it tastes just like one. It’s very, very sweet. When I tested it, I chilled the cans well and served the drink over plenty of ice. I kept trying it over a series of days, but could never drink more than a few sips.

People seeking out protein drinks seem thrilled that this sparkling water exists. And I will give Genius Gourmet this: I did not taste any chalky, powdery protein-drink residue, which seems like a big accomplishment. If non-powdery protein in a drink is your holy grail, you might love it. But I cannot in good conscience recommend this as a tasty drink on its own. For me, adding protein to my diet at the expense of taste is a no-go.

I’ve read enough reviews on social-media sites to know that my opinion isn’t universal, but there also opinions online like the following: “I’ve gotten to the point where I dread protein shakes, and this is amazing,” one Reddit user wrote. “Tastes like a zero-sugar energy drink, though, so if that’s not something you like, pass on it.”

If you’re going to try it yourself, here’s one shopping tip: I searched the beverage section of my Costco, near the Spindrift sparkling water and soft drink cases, and worried that my store didn’t have it. But then I remembered there’s a whole protein bar and snack section closer to the checkouts, and, yep, there was the Genius Gourmet: sitting not with regular soft drinks, but chumming with its protein-packed gym buddies.

Related:

• Cody Rigsby Eats This Breakfast Before Every Workout
• I Tried Coco Gauff’s Naked Smoothie—Here’s My Honest Review
• 13 Surprising Foods that Are High in Protein

The post A New Protein Drink Has Entered the Market, and You’ll Never Guess What It Is appeared first on Taste of Home.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked long grain rice, cooled
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• DRESSING:
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons mirin (sweet rice wine) or honey
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Fresh gingerroot, optional
• VEGGIES:
• 4 cups shredded red or green cabbage
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 cups chopped cucumber
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• Sliced green onion, sesame seeds, chili crisp or shichimi togarashi seasoning, to garnish

This year, just in time for the Labor Day holiday weekend, Dairy Queen is adding not one, but two new contenders for the fall flavor crown, and you just know we had to get a taste of them as soon as we could.

What’s on Dairy Queen’s new fall menu? 

The two new fall items at Dairy Queen this year are a Caramel Toffee Cookie Blizzard Treat and a Maple Cookie Shake. They are joined by the return of DQ’s popular seasonal Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat.

The Caramel Toffee Cookie Blizzard Treat features caramel, toffee, and thick, chewy cookie pieces, blended with the chain’s signature soft serve. The Maple Cookie Shake consists of soft serve blended with milk and maple cookie crumbles, all topped with whipped cream.

What do the new Dairy Queen fall menu items taste like?

I ordered both new items through Dairy Queen’s website, and they arrived promptly at my front door. I had to start with the Maple Cookie Shake.

Because I already love the flavor of maple in maple recipes, I had a suspicion I would enjoy the shake—and that suspicion was correct. It was sweet but not overly so, evoking a strong fall nostalgia. The maple flavor came through strongly, with a slight hint of caramel I was also detecting, and it was nicely balanced by the vanilla soft serve and milk. The cookie crumbles broke up the shake’s richness by offering a contrasting texture. All in all, this shake was delicious.

I was less enthusiastic about the Caramel Toffee Cookie Blizzard Treat, as all the different elements felt a bit at odds with each other. For me, the crunch of the toffee and chew of the caramel didn’t pair together seamlessly with the flavor and texture of the soft serve and cookie pieces. But most importantly, it didn’t scream “fall” to me, which is what I was looking for—I think an apple element paired with either the caramel or the toffee would be even better.

Overall, the Maple Cookie Shake was my personal favorite between the two new fall Dairy Queen menu items—and, yes, I’d definitely order it again. Although it had fewer elements than the seasonal Blizzard, sometimes I think simpler is just better.

Your move, pumpkin spice.

Related:

• Dairy Queen Quietly Dropped a New Dipped Cone, and We Need It Now
• Why Don’t Dairy Queen’s Blizzards Fall Out of the Cup?
  
• 16 Dairy Queen Copycat Recipes

The post I Tried Dairy Queen’s New Fall Menu, and DQ Has a Winner on Its Hands appeared first on Taste of Home.

Cody has amassed a bit of a cult following thanks to his sense of humor and his personable approach to fitness. In a given class, he’s more likely to be chatting about what he’s doing this weekend or what he ate for breakfast than yelling inspirational quotes at you as you pedal. It’s an approach that brings people back for more. But don’t be fooled by the casual conversations—he’s also going to make you sweat.

It’s no surprise that Cody has become a Kashi ambassador, since talking about food is one of his favorite things to do. I had a chance to chat with Cody about his pre- and post-workout meals, what he thinks are some of the silliest wellness trends of the moment, and which Kashi cereal he thinks his favorite pop girlies would enjoy the best.

Cody Rigsby on Pre- and Post-Workout Meals

Taste of Home: What is your favorite pre-workout meal?

Cody Rigsby: Right now, I have a double helping of Kashi Go in the morning because it’s easy and quick. I am a morning workout person—not crazy early, like 5 a.m.—but I love like a 9 or 10 a.m. workout. Sometimes, like today, my alarm didn’t go off, so I had a very quick window to get ready and eat and get to the gym on time. So I had a double helping of Kashi go and just hit it.

TOH: What would you tell someone who thinks Kashi cereal isn’t enough for breakfast?

CR: Well, I mean we’re all kind of built differently. Some people—I’ve never experienced this—but some people have a hard time eating first thing in the morning. So for them, like one bowl of Kashi Go might be all they can get down—and thank God, because they’re getting protein and fiber. A bigger person like me? I needed two helpings today. But also, not to quote, like, every Saturday morning cartoon commercial, but it can be part of a complete breakfast, you know? A bowl of Kashi, some eggs, some fruit, and coffee. It’s a foundation you can build on.

TOH: What’s your favorite post-workout meal?

CR: Um, okay, so this one might be a little bit weird. I like to fry up a steak at home, medium rare. And then I usually have that with some fruit, like a banana or mixed berries. It’s very satiating.

Cody Rigsby on Wellness Trends

TOH: What do you think is the silliest viral wellness trend going around right now?

CR: Oh that’s a good one. I mean, I don’t want to say that it’s completely silly, but everyone’s obsession with seed oils right now is like, a little out of control! I think it’s coming from a good place, but a little bit here and there is not going to be the end of you. Sometimes when we jump into trends like that, we allow perfect to be the enemy of good. We’re limiting ourselves so much based on this one factor that we’re not actually hitting our goals. We’re so locked in on one component and not allowing ourselves any wiggle room, you know?

TOH: How do you feel about protein? Are you pro-cottage cheese, or anti-cottage cheese?

CR: Oh, I mean I love cottage cheese. I could eat it all day. I’m not opposed to cottage cheese ice cream in the Ninja Creami. Honestly, there are very few foods that I don’t like.

I think protein should be everyone’s biggest priority when it comes to nutrition, and especially breakfast. When you prioritize protein it allows you to feel satiated, and it keeps it so simple. That is my number one priority when it comes to nutrition. Get your protein in, and then a lot of things start to fall into place.

Cody Rigsby on His Favorite Pop Stars

TOH: Now I want to do something fun where you pick a specific Kashi flavor for some of your favorite icons. What Kashi cereal do you think Beyoncé would enjoy?

CR: Well, this one was kind of easy: Honey Almond Flax Crunch. I mean, it’s got honey in the name, and you know that the Beyhive are crazy about that.

TOH: I love that. What about Britney Spears?

CR: I’m gonna say Mixed Berry Crunch. Something a little colorful, if you will.

TOH: I’m imagining her doing a little Instagram dance with a bowl of Kashi.

CR: You know, she might just eat it out of the box.

TOH: I can totally see it. OK, how about Madonna?

CR: Ooh for Madonna, you know, I’m going to go with Chocolate Crunch.

TOH: And lastly, your girl, Whitney Houston.

CR: You know, I saved my favorite flavor for one of my favorite artists, the greatest singer of all time: Peanut Butter Crunch. And here’s a pro tip, you can put Peanut Butter Crunch and Chocolate Crunch in the same bowl and it makes for a delicious breakfast.

Related:

• The All-Time Best Cereals from Childhood, Ranked
• This Is What Ina Garten Eats for Breakfast Every Day
• Here’s How to Make the Green Smoothie Reese Witherspoon Drinks Every Day

The post Cody Rigsby Eats This Breakfast Before Every Workout appeared first on Taste of Home.

“I don’t know if I’m going to drink again,” he told Vogue in 2023, at the beginning of his sober-curious journey. “Since I’ve stopped drinking, I’ve just been feeling so much better, so much more clarity.”

He’s not the only celebrity who has spoken publicly about ditching alcohol. Tom Holland recently shared his sobriety journey on the Rich Roll Podcast, saying that after a Dry January in 2022, his sleep, stress management and relationships were better. He’s since launched his own nonalcoholic beer called BERO. With all the celebrities dropping alcohol brands (like Margot Robbie and Meghan Markle), it was only a matter of time before we were going to see an influx of nonalcoholic celebrity brands. And with Gen Z drinking less alcohol, there’s a newfound interest in a sober, or “sober-curious” lifestyle.

I quit drinking for a year in 2017, back when the options for NA beers and spirits were pretty pitiful. So I was excited to dive into Lewis Hamilton’s Almave spirits and see if they could scratch that itch for a hangover-free cocktail—especially in a social setting.

What is Lewis Hamilton’s nonalcoholic tequila line?

Firstly, some background on Almave. Something important to note is that I’m referring to it as a “NA tequila” when that isn’t technically correct. While Almave uses blue agave, the same plant as tequila, it’s not fermented like tequila. I don’t want the tequila truthers coming for me in the comments—I know it’s different!

There are three varieties of Almave: Blanco, Ámbar and Humo. While Blanco and Ámbar are meant to evoke classic silver and reposado tequilas, Humo is smoky like mezcal. My initial impression was that the bottles were absolutely beautiful. They’re eye-catching shades of blue and brown, and the Humo bottle has a brushed matte finish that makes it look like sea glass. They have impressive labels too, and if I wasn’t inspecting them closely I probably would have just assumed they were fancy bottles of tequila.

I was provided with recipe cards for the Blanco and Ámbar bottles, so that’s what I followed when I made my cocktails. Humo can be used in place of tequila for any cocktail, so I decided to use it with the Blanco recipe.

What do Lewis Hamilton’s nonalcoholic tequilas taste like?

I invited my parents over to sample the drinks. This was partly because I wanted multiple opinions, but mostly because I wanted my dad to mix the cocktails. I had to take notes!

Almave Margarita

• 3 oz Almave Blanco
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/4 oz agave nectar
• 3 dashes orange bitters
• Garnish with salt rim and lime wedge

This cocktail had all the classic elements of a margarita: salt on the rim, a lime wedge and lots of ice. It looked and smelled like a margarita, and seeing it next to the fancy Almave bottle was a little bit of a mind twist, because it felt like a real tequila experience. Upon tasting, I thought it was incredibly smooth. There wasn’t that classic bite from the tequila, but it was a pleasant drink. I think that if I made it again, I’d skip the agave nectar—it just made the drink a little too sweet! My dad said, “It’s margarita-ish” and my mom called it “pleasant and refreshing.”

Almave Old Fashioned

• 3 oz Almave Ámbar
• 1/8 oz agave nectar
• 4 dashes bitters
• Garnish with lemon and orange zest and an orange peel

Damn, this is good. I couldn’t get enough of this unique flavor profile! It’s almost like a fall-inspired margarita. The Ámbar spirit has a lot of aromas, and with every sip I was getting something different: cinnamon, vanilla, orange, apple. This would be really great to sip on like brandy, or maybe just over ice with a twist. “It almost tastes like root beer!” said my mom, and she’s really onto something here. I don’t know how reminiscent it is of any tequila I’ve ever tried, but this is certainly a delicious nonalcoholic spirit that I think anyone would love.

Almave Smoky Margarita

• 3 oz Almave Humo
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/4 oz agave nectar
• 3 dashes orange bitters
• Garnish with salt rim and lime wedge

Since there wasn’t a recipe card with the Humo, we just decided to make the margarita again. I’ve had mezcal before, and I have to admit I’m not the biggest fan of smoke-flavored cocktails. But I will try a couple sips of pretty much anything. It smelled very smoky, but the lime did cut through it a bit. My first sip was overwhelmingly smoky, and I coughed a little. The second sip was calmer, but all I could really taste was smoke. It didn’t really impress me, and especially not after the delight that was the Ámbar old-fashioned. Neither one of my parents liked this drink … like, at all. Unless you’re really a smoky cocktail fan, I’d sit this one out.

Final Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed this experiment. All three spirits mimicked the ritual of mixing a cocktail really well, and I think that’s at least half the fun. My dad noted that the bottles were well designed; they have a lip at the top that stops the liquid from dripping down the side after it’s been poured. I walked away liking the Ámbar the best, even though it was the least like tequila of the three. This is just proof that the main benefit of trying something completely new is that you truly never know what you’ll find! I found a new appreciation for the elegance of sipping on a homemade cocktail knowing that I wouldn’t have a headache the next morning.

Related:

• 30 Best Mocktail Recipes and Creative Nonalcoholic Cocktails
• The 15 Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks and Spirits, According to Our Editors
• Top Chef Judge Gail Simmons Gives This Summer Cocktail a 10/10

The post I Tried Lewis Hamilton’s Nonalcoholic Tequila—Here’s My Honest Review appeared first on Taste of Home.

Originally I tried the Ninja Creami, but I ended up giving it away after just a few uses. It was loud—and I mean loud—and way too cumbersome for my already overflowing countertops. When I saw the new Cuisinart FastFreeze,  it felt too good to be true. An ice cream machine that fits in a drawer? And it offers settings for other frozen desserts? I had to get my hands on it—and I’m so glad I did.

Cusinart FastFreeze

Calling all ice cream lovers! With a little prep ahead of time, the Cuisinart FastFreeze can whip up any ice cream flavor in mere minutes.

$119.95 at Cuisinart

Shop on Williams Sonoma

$119.95 at Amazon

What is the Cuisinart FastFreeze?

The Cuisinart FastFreeze is a non-freezing ice cream maker similar to the Ninja Creami or Ninja Creami Swirl. It effectively cream-ifies bases that you make and freeze ahead of time, meaning that there’s no bulky onboard cooling equipment required. Better still, this ice cream wand comes apart into several small profile pieces that stash away inside a drawer. This saves so much space, especially considering the mini half-pint servings it makes!

How We Tested the Cuisinart FastFreeze

I used the Cuisinart FastFreeze as my exclusive dessert provider for a full month in the summer. That gave me and my cold treat-loving family plenty of time to fully enjoy everything the FastFreeze has to offer—which is a lot.

The FastFreeze comes with all the ice cream accessories you need to get started, minus the ingredients. The ice cream maker comes in two pieces: a wand with a manual power button, release button, power handle and preset dial, and a mixing assembly with an attached spinning blade. The presets are ice cream, sorbet, mix ins, slushie and milkshake. Each machine arrives with three dishwasher-safe half-pint dessert cups with lids. It also has a very thorough user manual with several handy recipes to get started.

Ice Cream

My first test was, of course, a classic half-pint of vanilla. I mixed up the simple recipe in the back of my manual, popped the liquid base into one of the tiny dessert cups, and froze it overnight. In the morning (I told you I was ice cream crazy), I craved a classic affogato, so I brewed up a beautiful espresso using my De’longhi Dedica Duo and got to work spinning my first half-pint.

Using the wand is really, really simple. As in, the machine is almost goof-proof. All you have to do is twist the dessert cup onto the bottom of the mixing assembly to lock it into place. Then, insert the wand into the top of the mixing assembly until it clicks.

From there, just use the dial to choose your preset, then use your thumb to hold down the manual power button as you press down on the wand. Once the wand reaches the bottom of the cup, it lights up red. Continue to hold down the power button as you pull it up. That counts as a single pass.

It only took me three passes with the ice cream setting to get the vanilla to a texture I was happy with, but you can spin it for longer if you like a more soft serve consistency. The ice cream was delicious, quick, and the sound it makes didn’t even startle my timid cat. Considering she used to flee the second she saw me fiddling with my Ninja Creami, I’d call this a win!

Sorbet

Sorbet was the setting my husband was most excited for. To test it, I mashed up a cup of mango, then added a few tablespoons of lime juice and simple syrup. I also sprinkled in a little pink salt to taste before freezing the base overnight. The next day, I used the sorbet setting to blend everything together. My husband loved how it turned out—creamy, tart and fruity. While I’m not the biggest sorbet fan, he is a very tough critic and gave this setting a 9/10 score.

Mix Ins

This is one of my favorite settings—it’s where all the magic happens! I first tried peanut butter cups, then graduated to cookie dough bites, cheesecake pieces, Oreos and even a glob of peanut butter. I love that the smaller serving size means I only need a couple of cookies or peanut butter cups to get a nice, chunky consistency. It also just takes just a few passes to incorporate all the goodies throughout the ice cream!

One thing I’ll note about the mix ins setting is that I like to take a couple of bites of the ice cream before I pop in my treats—not that you need to twist my arm to taste my creations. It seems to help the wand run a bit smoother when the ice cream doesn’t exceed the max fill line.

Slushie

This setting is one that I personally don’t think I’ll use much, but it’s a nostalgic option for kids. Freezing and spinning a diet cola gave me a dusty texture not unlike a snow cone. If you want something more akin to a slushy, I recommend doing a second spin after adding a bit more liquid. While it’s not something I plan on using often, I appreciate the option!

Milkshake

This setting requires zero prep—just a store-bought ice cream and milk. I used about 2/3 cup of ice cream with a few tablespoons of milk, which gave me a lighter texture that resembled soft serve. Adding more milk and re-spinning created a texture that was far closer to a traditional milkshake.

Cleaning

Cleaning the machine is very, very simple. The dessert cups are dishwasher-safe, so it’s just a matter of rinsing and loading them when I’m finished. The wand easily wipes down with a damp cloth, as does the exterior of the mixing assembly. The blade also rinses off easily, and you can push the blade out a bit to really get in there for cleaning.

Safety

I definitely feel more comfortable letting my little niece and nephew use this machine with supervision compared to other ice cream makers I’ve tried. Because of the way the wand works, you can’t detach the half-pint cups before you use the button on the back of the wand to separate it from the mixing assembly. This is essential for safety, and I appreciate the design. It’s also not super difficult to achieve the required pressure when pushing down, in part due to how small the dessert cups are.

Pros

• Small; fits in a drawer
• Creates half-pint single serving sizes
• Capable of several other frozen desserts
• Fast; most spins take less than a minute
• Super easy to use
• Comparatively quiet
• Dishwasher-safe dessert cups

Cons

• Not for large servings
• Blade can be difficult to clean
• Requires base prep ahead of time

Comparison: FastFreeze vs. Ninja Creami vs. GreenPan Frost

The Cuisinart FastFreeze most closely resembles the viral Ninja Creami, which also uses pre-frozen bases. Is it worth the hype? According to former editor Annamarie Hugley—heck yes. “If you ask me, the gripes I’ve seen on the internet regarding the gadget’s noise levels, price, etc., all come out in the wash,” she says. “That’s just how fun this product—and its creations—are.”

I’ve owned both, and in my opinion the Cuisinart FastFreeze is much more user-friendly than the Creami. Not only is it quieter, but it’s also faster, and it comes apart for easy storage, which was my biggest critique of the Creami. That said, the Creami does offer larger serving sizes and even a soft serve maker if you opt for the Swirl.

Editor Mary Henn tried the GreenPan Frost, which is a soft serve and frozen drink machine that offers onboard freezing. This means that there’s no need to freeze bases ahead of time! “So far, I’ve only used the Frost for soft serve, and the results have been consistent and delicious,” says Mary. “There’s no prep time (apart from mixing the ingredients to pour in), and the machine churns out ice cream in as little as about 45 minutes! One downside is that you can’t add solids (like fruit or candy) to the mix. The machine can’t handle it. But I just add whatever toppings I want at the end!”

Final Verdict

Overall, the Cuisinart FastFreeze completely surpassed my expectations. During my first month of use, I went absolutely feral with flavors and made at least four half-pints per week. Some of my favorites were iced matcha latte, peanut butter protein, coffee chip, Greek vanilla froyo and iced pineapple sunrises for a small get-together. There’s so much potential with this little machine, and it fits right in a drawer when I’m done. What’s not to love?

While the smaller dessert cups may be a con for some, I personally love that they function as individual servings. With my Ninja Creami, both my husband and I had to commit to a full pint of a single flavor and also refreeze and respin the pints each time we wanted to have more. The smaller cups allow us to create our own single servings, making it possible to try new flavors each night!

Where to Order the Cuisinart FastFreeze

Cusinart FastFreeze

Make milkshakes, ice cream, slushies, sorbet and more with the small-but-mighty Cuisinart FastFreeze.

$119.95 at Cuisinart

Shop on Williams Sonoma

$119.95 at Amazon

The Cuisinart FastFreeze retails for around $120—or about half the price of the Ninja Creami. Those that want to enjoy fast, fuss-free ice cream nightly can snag their own from Cuisinart’s website, Williams Sonoma or Amazon. Trust me—you’ll be sold on your first bite.

 FAQ

Which is better, Ninja ice cream maker or Cuisinart?

Whether the Ninja Creami or Cuisinart FastFreeze are better ultimately depends on preference. While the Cusinart option is cheaper and more storage-friendly, the Ninja Creami makes larger servings and offers additional settings, such as soft serve.

How do you use a Cuisinart ice cream maker?

How to use a Cuisinart ice cream maker depends on the model. The Cuisinart FastFreeze is very simple to use. Just prepare a base ahead of time and freeze it. Then, twist the dessert cup onto the bottom of the spinner and use the wand to push up and down until the desired texture is achieved.

How long does a Cuisinart ice cream maker take​?

It only takes a few minutes to make ice cream with the Cuisinart FastFreeze. That said, the ice cream bases require at least 24 hours to freeze prior to use.

Do you have to pre-freeze the base to use the Cuisinart FastFreeze?

Yes, you do have to pre-freeze bases to make ice cream with the Cuisinart FastFreeze. However, you can use store bought ice cream and milk to make milkshakes, no pre-freezing required!

Why You Should Trust Us

Our Taste of Home team are huge ice cream fans. We’ve not only tried every Ninja Creami model, but we’ve also reviewed ice cream clubs along with some of the best ice cream brands. As for myself, I’m a huge ice cream fan and former Ninja Creami user who has also made ice cream the traditional way.

The post The Cuisinart FastFreeze Is Here—And It’s Our New Favorite Ice Cream Maker for Small Spaces appeared first on Taste of Home.

Hors d’Oeuvres: Cucumber Sandwiches

As guests arrive to the party, they can enjoy a snack while they wait in line for the bar or to congratulate the couple. Cucumber sandwiches are light and tasty, and the green cucumber slice is a cute nod to the main color theme of Taylor Swift’s first album, Taylor Swift.

Amuse Bouche: Bacon-Wrapped Apricots

The sweet and savory combination of bacon-wrapped apricots is a great way to honor two ingredients that are great on their own, but that are also a perfect match together—much like our betrothed couple. Talk about a “Love Story.”

Soup: Ohio Corn Soup

Travis Kelce was born in Westlake, Ohio, so I decided to see if there were any regional soup recipes for the area. A lot of people love Ohio corn soup, and I think this is a “Gorgeous” shout-out to the groom-to-be.

Appetizer: Toasted Ravioli

Sticking with the groom for another round, I chose toasted ravioli. Now, these are a regional specialty of St. Louis, not Kansas City, so “Don’t Blame Me” because I still felt like it was a great choice after the soup.

Salad: Spinach Salad with Raspberries

Taylor Swift mentioned in a Vogue interview that her favorite salad was one with raspberries and walnuts, so that’s what we’re sticking with for our salad course. The spinach is surely a “Delicate” base for sweet berries and crunchy nuts.

Fish: Pan-Fried Trout

Taylor once sang, “Take me to the lakes,” so I figured lake fish would be ideal for her fish course. I liked this particular pan-fried trout recipe submitted by a Taste of Home reader who created it with her husband during a summer getaway—feels like a good omen!

First Main Course: Nashville Hot Chicken

Listen, Taylor Swift was discovered in Nashville, so it’s only right that the city’s most popular chicken dish made this menu. A main course of Nashville hot chicken is exciting, unexpected and sure to make “Sparks Fly”—much like the news of her engagement.

Palate Cleanser: Lemon Sorbet

After the intense spiciness of the Nashville hot chicken, it will be time to say “I Forgot That You Existed” to that course. Make sure your palate is “Clean” with a lemon sorbet to ensure palate “Happiness.”

Second Main Course: Ina Garten’s Beef Bourguignon

Now that we’ve had our palate cleanser, we can “Begin Again” with another main course. Taylor Swift once wrote a glowing tribute to Ina Garten in honor of the 20th anniversary of The Barefoot Contessa. “She made cooking feel like self-care,” Swift said. “Ever since, cooking has been my escape from stress and one of the only ways I can truly calm myself on a rough day. I’ll always be grateful to her for giving me that.” Naturally, one of Ina’s recipe had to make the meal, and what could be more celebratory than beef bourguignon?

Cheese: Fruit and Cheese Board

“The Story of Us” isn’t ending anytime soon, because it’s time for the cheese course. By pairing a variety of cheeses with fruit and other fun add-ins like nuts and honey, you’ll be saying “I promise that you’ll never find another like brie.”

Dessert: Chai Cookies

We had to use one of Taylor’s most famous recipes as the dessert. Her chai cookies have gone viral, and it seems that anyone who tries them becomes a chai cookie “Lover.” These cookies are indeed “Sweeter Than Fiction.”

Mignardise: Chocolate-Covered Cheese with Black Sea Salt

Now this has certainly been an extensive meal, so it’s time to “meet me at midnight” with this delicious course. There’s no better way to get “Closure” on a meal than with something as decadent as chocolate-covered cheese bites. Honestly, this entire meal was a fairytale.

The post The 12-Course Tasting Menu I’d Serve at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Engagement Party appeared first on Taste of Home.

I do miss the days where the only meal planning I had to do was to ask my friends when they wanted to go to dinner. With a swipe of my ID card, I was able to choose whatever I wanted to eat—like a made-to-order stir-fry, which was my favorite meal option.

Niche just released its college rankings for 2026, and amid the many lists available, one stood out to me: the best food. Obviously, there are a lot of reasons to pick a college. But if you’re going to spend four years eating there, I’d say food is pretty important!

What schools have the best college food?

Niche calculated their rankings by factoring in two data points: reviews from students and the cost of the meal plan. “Top-ranked colleges offer outstanding on-campus dining,” the ratings and review company writes on its website. “Students can easily access healthy, quality food across a wide range of cuisines and dietary preferences.”

Student reviews are a great way to assess the quality of food being offered on campus. I mean, who knows better than the people eating the food every day? And factoring in price point is also important—especially as the cost of groceries continues to rise.

Without further ado, I present the top 10 winners:

The Best College Food in America for 2026

1. University of California-Los Angeles
2. Virginia Tech
3. University of Massachusetts Amherst
4. California Baptist University
5. St. Norbert College
6. St. John Fisher University
7. Bates College
8. John Madison University
9. Florida International University
10. University of San Diego

Related:

• Easy College Meals You’ll Actually Want to Make in Your Dorm Room
• We Tried 7 American Cheese Singles and This One Made the Best Grilled Cheese
• This Is the Best Fast-Food Burger in America, and I Had Never Even Heard of It

The post These 10 Colleges Have the Best Food—Did Yours Make the List? appeared first on Taste of Home.

When I was in high school, the closest OG was a 45-minute drive away, so it was a destination reserved for only the most special of special occasions. For teens like me, that meant dinner before prom or homecoming with your date—but only the most deeply committed couples dared make such a lengthy trek. (What if you got into an argument and broke up during the long drive there and back?!)

I never found my Olive Garden date in high school, and it wasn’t until I met my now-husband after college that I ever ate at the casual Italian chain restaurant. So when I told my friends that we’d dined there, they realized just how serious we’d gotten.

With the news that Olive Garden has brought back its popular Never Ending Pasta Bowl promotion, I figured it was the perfect opportunity for a date night out with my husband. After all, nothing says love quite like stuffing your face with as many carbs as humanly possible.

What is the Olive Garden Never Ending Pasta Bowl?

Before we get into how our date night went, here’s how the Olive Garden Never Ending Pasta Bowl offering actually works. For a mere $13.99–a price that the company is proud to point out hasn’t changed since 2022–you can enjoy a first course of soup or salad plus those irresistible breadsticks followed by as many bowls of pasta as you can handle.

Included in the deal are your choice of four pastas and six sauces that you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Available pastas include fettuccine, angel hair, spaghetti and rigatoni, while the sauce options include traditional marinara, Alfredo, five-cheese marinara, creamy mushroom, meat sauce and a new spicy three-meat sauce. For an additional $4.99, you can also top your pasta off with one of three protein options: crispy chicken fritta, meatballs or Italian sausage.

This Is How Much of the Olive Garden Never Ending Pasta Bowl I Could Actually Eat

The chain calls on would-be diners to make a “game plan” for the Never Ending Pasta Bowl, which is something I failed to do ahead of time. This was my first mistake.

I love pasta. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, and would always prefer to be left alone with a big bowl of comforting pasta than a piece of cake. I also have a decently sized, Midwest-born appetite, so this special seems made for me—I figured I’d get through at least a couple of servings of pasta.

I started with the spicy three-meat sauce over rigatoni. This was my second mistake. The red pepper-forward sauce was, indeed, quite spicy, and the addition of the various meats resulted in a pretty heavy dish. The portion was also much larger than I expected, but I thought I could handle it just fine.

About halfway through the bowl, I found myself growing a bit weary of the dish. My husband had ordered the spaghetti topped with five-cheese marinara and Italian sausage, so we traded bowls just to get a few bites of something different. The five-cheese marinara had a nostalgic, sweet, creamy flavor that contrasted well with the spice and snap of the sausage, and I wished I’d ordered that instead.

We traded our bowls back and I continued eating. I began to feel warm, bloated and incredibly uncomfortable. My husband was feeling the same. We paused and chatted about our days for a few minutes in an attempt to rally and open up enough stomach space to continue our journey, but, alas, we had to tap out before finishing even one full bowl of pasta.

How to Get the Most Out of the Olive Garden Never Ending Pasta Bowl

After our leftovers were boxed up, we paid for our meal and headed for the parking lot. I felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment. Rather than enjoying a nice evening out with my husband, I felt like I had flunked a test. In retrospect, I now understand how my non-existent Olive Garden Never Ending Pasta Bowl game plan had failed.

First, let’s talk about the chain’s salad and breadsticks. I adore Olive Garden’s signature salad, which strikes the perfect balance of sweet and tangy thanks to its house dressing. If you’re trying to get the most bang for your Never Ending Pasta Bowl buck, though, the salad and especially the breadsticks are not your friend. While a bit of salad is harmless, I’d suggest holding off on the breadsticks until you’re enjoying them with your leftovers back at home the next day. Otherwise, you’ll risk filling up before your pasta has even hit the table.

Then there’s the matter of your first-bowl order. After some sleuthing on r/OliveGarden—a place where fans and employees of the brand share insider intel—I learned that the first Never Ending Pasta Bowl is larger than its refills. Therefore, if you’re aiming to sample multiple combinations of pasta and sauce, it’s best to either start with a lighter option—like angel hair pasta with classic marinara—or to ask your server if you can have your first serving in the smaller bowl.

Third, there doesn’t seem to be any rule that you must finish one Never Ending Pasta Bowl before ordering another. If I could do my dinner over, I’d have ordered a second bowl of pasta at the point where I stopped eating the first bowl. Then I would have just gotten most of it boxed up to take home. As far as I can tell, the chain’s only rule seems to be that the pasta bowl doesn’t end until you request a box.

Finally, the best way to experience the Never Ending Pasta Bowl at Olive Garden—beyond going with the Olive Garden date in your life—is to be kind to your server and to tip them well. Promotions like this surely bring in a surge of customers looking solely to eat as much as possible for as little as possible without considering the fellow human being running around the restaurant, making it all happen. Don’t be one of those people.

But seriously, just save those breadsticks for your leftovers.

Related:

• 30 Olive Garden Copycat Recipes
• I Tried Stanley Tucci’s Zucchini Spaghetti, and I’ll Be Using It for the Rest of My Summer Harvest
• 10 Simple Secret Menu Hacks to Use at Olive Garden

The post I Tried Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Bowl—Here’s How Much I Could Actually Eat appeared first on Taste of Home.

So when I saw that Jeni’s Ice Cream was releasing a new flavor called “Opaque,” I was intrigued. Jeni’s has a reputation for quality ice creams with interesting and elevated flavor profiles. But this new flavor? They kept us totally in the dark—literally—about what to expect. I got a hold of the mysterious Jeni’s black ice cream to try it for myself.

We Tried It

Jeni's Opaque Ice Cream

$12 at Jeni's

What is the Jeni’s black ice cream?

Opaque is a collab between Jeni’s and artist Cj Hendry. According to Jeni’s website, the brand reached out to the Brooklyn-based artist to see if she wanted to collaborate on a new flavor. Cj Hendry had one requirement: make it black. Pitch black and opaque, like no other ice cream on the market. The rest is history!

When news of the collab first dropped, the flavor of the black ice cream remained a total secret. What could it possibly be? Now that it’s available to shop on-site, we have a list of the flavors: Black cocoa, espresso fudge and balsamic cherry. I have to say, when I read that description I got pretty nervous. Sure, the chocolate and cherry made sense, but where the heck did balsamic fit into this equation? Ever dedicated to my craft, I scooped myself a bowl.

How did the Jeni’s black ice cream taste?

Firstly, the ice cream really isn’t black. It’s a very, very dark brown. I like to joke that my eyes are so dark brown they’re basically black, so you can’t really see my pupils. That’s immediately what I thought of when I opened this pint of ice cream. When I gave it a sniff, I just smelled chocolate. I immediately felt like this was going to be a boring bowl of weird chocolate ice cream with some tangy hit of balsamic.

Then I ate a spoonful. And another. I was immediately blown away by the depth of flavor in this ice cream. It was definitely chocolate, but somehow more concentrated. It reminded me of fudgy brownie batter, but somehow richer. I kept eating it, enjoying how smooth and intense the flavor was with each spoonful. The consistency was creamy, the flavor indulgent.

I didn’t necessarily taste any balsamic or cherry, but there is a brightness here. The perfect amount of acid to cut through the dense cocoa of it all. I thought about how this was a collaboration with a visual artist, and started thinking about my bowl of ice cream as an art installation. It demanded that I pay attention to it, because it was unique and shocking, but also familiar. I don’t know that I’ve ever described an ice cream as “unapologetic” before, but Opaque fits that bill.

Final Thoughts

This is quite possibly the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten—and I eat a lot of ice cream. I felt transfixed by my bowl of Opaque, and I felt bad for turning my nose up at it’s simplicity when I first took the lid off the pint. Even the name Opaque is a genius way to describe this flavor. If we think about the definition of the word, it can mean “not transparent” or “not see-through.” But it can also mean something that is difficult to understand, or a concept that is hard to grasp. This is an ice cream that almost defies explanation—it has to be tasted to be believed.

Related:

• I Tried 6 Jeni’s Summer Ice Creams—This One Nostalgic Flavor Blew My Mind
• 14 Unique Ice Cream Flavors You Haven’t Tried Yet
• Dairy Queen Just Dropped 2 Brand New Treats for Fall—Here’s When You Can Get Them

The post I Tried the New Jeni’s Black Ice Cream and It Might Be the Best Ice Cream I’ve Ever Had appeared first on Taste of Home.

Earlier this year, Dunkin’ dropped its highly anticipated fall menu, which, of course, includes the fan fave Pumpkin Spice Signature latte. But what really caught my eye was the brand-new Cereal N’ Milk latte. Sudden childhood flashbacks came to mind, and I absolutely knew I had to have a taste.

What’s in the Dunkin’ Cereal N’ Milk latte?

The Cereal N’ Milk latte is a mix of marshmallow cereal milk and espresso. According to Dunkin’, the milk was created using actual cereal to deliver the most unmistakable cereal milk flavor. Outside of that, the latte doesn’t have any flashy extras like whipped cream or sprinkles; just good old-fashioned flavor and coffee.

Hot vs. Iced: Here’s Which Dunkin’ Cereal N’ Milk Latte Was Better

Since the latte is available both hot and iced, I knew I had to try both. If you’re an avid flavored-coffee drinker, you know that the flavor does in fact change based on the temperature of the drink. I had to cover all my bases if I wanted this to be part of my fall coffee rotation.

Let’s start off with the flavor itself. My first impression was sheer wonder. Wonder about how the heck they got the flavor to be so exceedingly accurate. I’ve had quite a bit of Lucky Charms cereal and cereal milk in my day, and it’s truly indisputable. The coffee version had a strong, present marshmallow taste without the fake aftertaste. On top of that, it didn’t overpower the coffee and vice versa. I haven’t had Lucky Charms in probably over a decade, but this latte made me want to grab a box ASAP.

Now, it might be nostalgia talking, but the iced version tasted better. It just fits the memo more, doesn’t it? Cereal milk is cold so, naturally, the cold coffee fits the mold. It was my favorite of the two. However, if you’re not a fan of iced and are a diehard hot latte fan, don’t worry. The hot version is just as accurate with just a wee bit more of the espresso taste coming through.

How long is the Dunkin’ Cereal N’ Milk latte available?

The Dunkin’ fall menu is live now through fall, likely toward the end of October before the winter menu hits. Give your childhood self a treat this fall, and go enjoy a Cereal N’ Milk latte. You’ll thank me later!

Related:

• The All-Time Best Cereals from Childhood, Ranked
• Dunkin’ Just Dropped Its Most Exciting Product in Years
• I Tried the Mt. McDonaldland Shake to Figure Out the Mystery Flavor

The post I Tried the Dunkin’ Cereal N’ Milk Latte Hot and Iced—Here’s Which One I Liked More appeared first on Taste of Home.

Amaya and Bryan were one of four couples to make it to the finale, alongside Olandria and Nic, Iris and Pepe and Huda and Chris. If you had asked Huda if she would make it to the finale a few weeks earlier, she probably would have said yes—but not with Chris, with Jeremiah.

Jeremiah’s arc on Love Island was fast and furious. From hitting things off with Huda to being sent home after a date with Iris, he certainly went on an emotional rollercoaster. And one fateful moment remains seared in everyone’s minds: when he undercooked Huda’s pancakes.

Here’s how Jeremiah from Love Island learned how to cook pancakes

@findjeremiah Relationship status: committed to @Simple Mills  I finally learned how to make the perfect pancakes! #SimpleMillsPartner ♬ original sound – Findjeremiah

ICYMI, Jeremiah undercooked pancakes for Huda during breakfast one morning. The couple’s relationship was already on the rocks at this point. The so-called “#pancakegate” set off a chain reaction that ultimately led to their demise. And I have to say, Jeremiah really messed this one up. He served Huda a single undercooked pancake, which she wouldn’t eat since it was still raw.

Fortunately, the people at Simple Mills realized that Jeremiah really did have the ability to make a great pancake, but maybe not the best tools. They recently shot a TikTok video where he learns how to make the perfect pancake with a box of Simple Mills Almond Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix. He just has to follow the directions on the box, which is pretty straightforward.

I do think that boxed mixes are a great way to cook something that you’re not really familiar with. It can help you take all the guesswork out of measuring or cook times. Plus, the best thing about the video is that you can see Jeremiah have a sense of humor and not take himself too seriously. Now every time he makes pancakes, he can have peace of mind.

Related:

• Here’s Why We Only See the Cast of ‘Love Island’ Eating Breakfast
• I Tried Meghan Markle’s Wine—Here’s My Honest Review
• Top Chef Judge Gail Simmons Gives This Summer Cocktail a 10/10

The post Jeremiah from ‘Love Island’ Finally Learned How to Cook Pancakes appeared first on Taste of Home.

In the end, it came down to Kirkland bacon vs. Coleman bacon. Kirkland products are known to be above average in quality, and so many people swear by them. I am neither a Kirkland devotee, nor a name-brand-only buyer. I usually go with whatever is the best overall value. Therefore, I started this taste test with an open mind and an empty stomach.

Testing Kirkland Bacon vs. Coleman Bacon

Appearance Test

Before cooking the bacon, I took a good look at the uncooked strips of both options. Overall, the thickness of each slice was about the same, but there seemed to be a little more fat on the Kirkland strips (pictured on bottom) and a bit more meat on the Coleman strips (pictured on top).

Then it was time to get cooking. For standardization purposes, I thought it would be best to crisp the strips in an air fryer. I cooked both brands at 400°F for 10 minutes.

Flavor Test

Next came the fun part, the taste test. Before chowing down, I took note of the grease that accumulated on the tray after each was cooked in the air fryer. From the batch of Coleman bacon, I gathered 12 grams of fat. From the Kirkland, 31 grams of grease dripped off. That being said, I also noted that the Coleman brand stuck a little more to the tray.

The Coleman bacon was meatier and with a more robust overall flavor. I noted the Kirkland bacon was decidedly saltier. Upon looking closer at the packaging, this made sense since the Kirkland bacon contained 320 mg of sodium per serving and Coleman bacon came in at 280 mg of sodium per serving.

Texture Test

In terms of texture, both bacon options crisped up well and also made decent crumbles for bacon recipes. The Kirkland bacon skewed a bit more brittle in terms of texture and the Coleman was more meaty and chewy.

Packaging

The Coleman bacon packaging won me over. In fact, I was a bit frustrated when I first picked up the flimsy and slippery plastic wrapping around the four-pack of Kirkland bacon. It was difficult to hold, and the individual packages inside flopped all around. The Coleman bacon was neatly arranged in a box that was easy to pick off the shelf and toss in my cart.

Is Kirkland bacon better than Coleman?

Overall, both Costco bulk bacon options were quite impressive. Neither produced limp nor rubbery strips, they cooked up well and both were delicious on their own or in a sandwich. However, for me, the slightly more expensive Coleman bacon came out on top. This hickory smoked uncured bacon was made without nitrates or nitrites added to the heritage duroc pork. The bacon was more tender, juicy and flavorful than the Kirkland brand. The house-brand option seemed to compensate for lower-quality pork with additional fat and salt.

Coleman bacon came in a box with three 12-ounce packages. That’s 2.25 pounds of bacon for $13.69, or $6.08 per pound. The Kirkland Signature bacon is sold in a pack of four 16-ounce packages for $18.99, or $4.75 per pound. I felt that the difference in flavor, more convenient packaging and humanely raised pork all made the extra expense worth it in the long run.

The post Is Costco’s Kirkland Bacon the Same as Coleman Bacon? We Investigated appeared first on Taste of Home.

While I’m a big fan of eating soup year-round (there’s nothing as incredibly refreshing as cucumber soup on a hot day), I do think that fall is peak soup season. Which is why I was delighted to hear that Campbell’s is partnering with Pabst Blue Ribbon to launch an extension of their Campbell’s Chunky line of soups. And let me tell you, these new Campbell’s Chunky PBR soups sound soup-er hearty.

What are the new Campbell’s Chunky PBR soup flavors?

Well, one of them is actually a chili, and it sounds absolutely delicious: Campbell’s Chunky x Pabst Blue Ribbon Beef, Bacon & Beer Chili with Beans. This has seasoned beef, hearty beans, and smoky bacon plus that distinctive Pabst Blue Ribbon flavor. You can definitely eat it as-is, but I also think this would be incredible on a chili dog. Or if you want to take the appetizer route, you could add it to nachos!

The other flavor is one that literally has my mouth watering, just from reading the name: Campbell’s Chunky x Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Cheese with Potatoes & Chorizo Soup. In fact, this might be the most delicious-sounding soup ever invented, because it contains four of my favorite foods: cheese, potatoes, sausage and beer (yes, I’m counting beer as a food!). This soup is just begging to be eaten out of a homemade bread bowl, or maybe even as a topper for baked potatoes.

When will the new Campbell’s Chunky PBR soup flavors be available?

I know that those descriptions probably have you ready to grab your keys and head to the nearest grocery store, but you’ll have to wait. Not too long, I promise! These Campbell’s Chunky PBR soups will be availably exclusively at Walmart starting September 1. That means you can stock up just in time for the NFL’s 2025 season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys on September 4. I told you, this is about to become every dad’s favorite soup.

Related:

• The Coziest Soup Recipe from Every State
• The Dunkin’ Fall Menu Was Leaked, And I Can’t Wait to Try This New Item
• This New Fall Starbucks Drink Is More Exciting Than the Pumpkin Spice Latte

The post Campbell’s and PBR Just Launched Your Dad’s New Favorite Soup appeared first on Taste of Home.

But there was another reason why everyone was talking about Coco, and it had to do with her choice of courtside snack. She could be seen on the sidelines eating fruit salad out of a plastic container. It went super viral on TikTok, and everyone was talking about it.

“People were asking me all the time what I was eating, and I was like, ‘It’s just fruit,'” Gauff said on an episode of the Today show. “My mom prepares it before the matches, and sometimes my dad does too. Just good old fruit.”

Now, Coco is taking her love of fruit from the tennis court to the grocery store. She recently partnered with Naked to launch her very own signature smoothie. I had a chance to try it before it hit stores, and here’s what I thought.

What is Coco Gauff’s Naked Smoothie?

The new product is officially called Coco Gauff’s Protein Pineapple Orange Smoothie. Naked offers a few different product types: juice blends, smoothies and coconut water. Before this new launch, the brand only had two protein smoothie options: Tropical and Double Berry. Coco’s Pineapple Orange version includes 20 grams of plant-based protein, real pineapple and orange juice, electrolytes from coconut water and sea salt and vitamins B6 and B12.

What does Coco Gauff’s Naked Smoothie taste like?

I love a protein smoothie, but I don’t like a lot of the pre-packaged offerings. Usually they’re chalky, a bland vaguely vanilla or chocolate flavor and not pleasant to drink. But if I’m in a pinch, they get the job done. So I was interested to see how Coco Gauff’s creation would stand up to the test. Would this flavor profile be similar to the fresh fruit she enjoyed courtside?

I was happily surprised by the flavor of the smoothie! The pineapple and orange came through really well, and the chalkiness was minimal. I was able to taste just a hint of salt, which I actually enjoyed—it had a bit of a sweet-and-salty vibe. The smoothie lived up to its name and was, well, incredibly smooth! The portion size was perfect too. I felt well-satiated after drinking it.

Honestly, I think that this would be a perfect post-workout drink. It’s refreshing and hydrating, and it’s exactly the kind of thing I crave once I’m done with an intense workout. As the official Naked Chief Smoothie Officer, Coco Gauff absolutely nailed this one!

When will Coco Gauff’s Naked Smoothie be available in stores?

Coco Gauff’s Protein Pineapple Orange Smoothie will be available in Albertsons, Walmart, Target, Kroger and other stores in mid-September. My grocery store keeps the Naked juices and smoothies up by the produce section, so that’s probably where you can find it. And, apparently, the brand is gearing up to launch more smoothies this fall, so keep an eye out for those as well.

If you don’t want to wait until September and you’re channeling a little bit of Coco’s competitive spirit, there’s one more way you can grab a smoothie. Between August 18 and September 14, you can hunt down limited bottles hidden at participating Albertsons stores nationwide. Game, set, match!

Related:

• Tyrese Haliburton Eats the Same Meal Before Every Game
• How to Make The Honey Deuce, The Official Cocktail of the U.S. Open
• Connor McDavid’s Pre-Game Meal Is Simple and Reliable

The post I Tried Coco Gauff’s Naked Smoothie—Here’s My Honest Review appeared first on Taste of Home.

What caused the shrimp recall?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning people not to eat certain frozen shrimp imported from Indonesia because it may contain low levels of radioactive material.

Testing showed that one shipment of frozen shrimp from the company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods) contained cesium‑137, a radioactive substance. The primary health concern of long-term, repeated low-dose exposure to cesium-137 is an elevated risk of cancer. No illnesses have been reported so far.

According to the FDA, the company may have used unsanitary processing methods, and some shrimp products made it into the U.S. food supply before the issue was caught. The FDA is concerned that other batches from the same company may also be unsafe.

What stores sold the shrimp?

The shrimp were sold exclusively at Walmart stores in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia.

How do I know if I have recalled shrimp?

If you live in one of these states and shop at Walmart, check your freezer for Great Value frozen raw shrimp. The following codes are printed on the back of the shrimp packaging.

Great Value Frozen Raw Ez Peel Tail-On Farm-Raised White Vannamei Shrimp

• Size: 2-pound bag
• Item Code: 7383108
• Lot Codes: 8005540‑1, 8005538‑1 or 8005539‑1
• Best by date: 3/15/2027

What should I do next?

If you have any of the recalled shrimp, do not eat it. You can either throw it away, or return it to your local Walmart for a refund. If you’ve eaten the shrimp and feel ill, seek medical attention.

The post Walmart Shrimp Recalled for Potential Radioactive Contamination appeared first on Taste of Home.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces uncooked radiatore pasta
• 3 medium peaches, chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup hot honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

It sounds like a heavenly dish, so I had to know if this was some sort of vintage marshmallow fluff salad that really deserved my praise.

What is glorified rice?

With such a lofty name, this dish has to be something pretty fancy, right? Not so! This recipe is very similar to ambrosia salad. It’s made by combining cold rice with whipped cream, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, a touch of vanilla and a few maraschino cherries.

Glorified rice (sometimes called glorified rice salad) is often served alongside a meal the same way a Midwestern cookie salad or fluff salad might be, though it might also make an appearance as a dessert.

How do you make glorified rice?

Making glorified rice is pretty easy—and you can even prep some of it in advance. I used the exact recipe from my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. Here’s what you’ll need for this throwback recipe:

• 1 cup cooked rice, cooled
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup miniature marshmallows
• 2 tablespoons drained chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 cup whipping cream

First, make the rice. You can even make the rice the night before if you like. What’s important is that it’s chilled.

Then, make a simple whipped cream. Beat the cream with a hand or stand mixer until it’s light and fluffy.

Combine the rice with the sugar, drained pineapple, vanilla, mini marshmallows and cherries. Then gently fold in the whipped cream until combined.

Cover the bowl, and chill the glorified rice until you’re ready to serve it. If you’re like me, you’ll add a maraschino cherry (or two) on top of each serving.

Should glorified rice make a comeback?

It depends! Rice desserts aren’t totally unusual. After all, there’s arroz con leche, rice pudding and kheer—all of which are sweet and comforting. If glorified rice was a family favorite once upon a time, I say it’s worth revisiting that well-worn page in your recipe book. And if you’ve never tried it, then for sure try it. You never know, it might just become your new favorite dessert.

I personally wished I was eating a pineapple fluff instead. The glorified rice dish has the creamy, tart and sweet components that I love about so many desserts, but I’d rather taste more fruit than rice.

The post I Tried Glorified Rice, a Completely Forgotten Vintage Dessert Recipe appeared first on Taste of Home.

After moving to the Chicago area, I was delighted to discover after that my new local grocery store hosts a special Hatch chile event every summer. The store brings in cases of these chiles and offers them raw, roasted or incorporated into recipes. Needless to say, I am first in line every year to pick some up for myself.

Where can I get roasted Hatch chiles?

Once late August or early September rolls around, in-season Hatch chiles can be found at specialty grocery stores across the country. They are easiest to come by in the Southwest, but now savvy customers are asking for them far and wide. Whole Foods is frequently a reliable resource. You might find them raw or roasted for your convenience.

How can I use roasted Hatch chiles?

Add roasted Hatch chiles to any dish that calls for roasted peppers. It’s a great way to use this seasonal treat.

Hatch chile homemade salsa

I always like to start by making a batch of homemade salsa. Incorporating roasted Hatch chiles into classic salsa verde takes it to a whole new level. Replace the serrano peppers with three or four roasted hot Hatch chiles. Then grab a bag of tortilla chips and dive right in.

Hatch chile pimiento cheese

I’m a huge fan of pimiento cheese, and I’ve found that adding some roasted Hatch chiles makes this southern classic even better. Start with this easy pimiento cheese recipe, and use chopped roasted Hatch chiles in lieu of one of the jars of pimiento strips. The combination of both peppers makes the pimiento cheese colorful and incredibly flavorful. Pimiento cheese can be used as a dip for crackers, a spread for burger buns or a filling for finger sandwiches on white bread with the crusts cut off.

Hatch chile biscuits

One fun way I like to play around with my haul of roasted Hatch chiles is to add them to my favorite cheesy biscuit recipe. The result tastes like a southwestern version of Red Lobster’s iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuits!

Hatch chile tamales

If you’re feeling ambitious and want to embark on an afternoon culinary project, making homemade tamales is the way to go. There are labor-intensive parts of the process, but it’s worth it once you take that first bite. I use this recipe for chicken tamales as a template, but I swap roasted Hatch chiles for the black olives in the filling.

Hatch chile enchiladas

Finally, you can never go wrong with a big pan of enchiladas verdes made with roasted Hatch chiles. A couple of roasted hot Hatch chiles in place of the serrano pepper kicks this dinnertime classic up a notch.

The post 5 Ways to Use Freshly Roasted Hatch Chiles While They’re in Season appeared first on Taste of Home.

Currently, Melissa is in the midst of a 32-city, cross-country tour with folk duo Indigo Girls ahead of the much-anticipated release of a new single this fall. In an interview for Taste of Home, I got all the deets about how she eats on the road and how it differs from her diet at home.

What does Melissa eat while touring?

The “I’m the Only One” singer-songwriter described what she eats as “one of the most important things to take into consideration” while on tour. Ever since she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2004, she said she’s been on a “health track,” limiting sugar, gluten and dairy in her diet to reduce inflammation. She also aims to stay very hydrated on tour, saying she drinks over a gallon of water a day on the road.

“It starts with health,” Melissa said. “I’m in my sixties now, so I’ve got to really keep it up.”

For breakfast, Melissa is a creature of habit. She brings a hot pot on the road to fix up the same thing—hot cereal from Bob’s Red Mill—for breakfast each morning. The cereal is made of brown rice, corn and buckwheat.

Backstage, Melissa likes to snack on vegetable chips, hummus or tuna salad. Because she’s relying on a different caterer in each city, sometimes this means she’ll be stuck with a baked potato and a salad for dinner on tour.

As for what you won’t find Melissa eating on tour, she said her burger-eating days are beyond her. “Even if I could, I just don’t like ’em anymore,” she said.

What are Melissa’s favorite restaurants on the road?

Still, Melissa’s food restrictions don’t prevent her from eating deliciously while on the road. She said she looks forward to playing certain cities known for their cuisine, like Chicago, where she’s playing a show on August 17.

Melissa said she and her wife, Linda Wallem, are “big Top Chef fans” and, when in Chicago, they make it a point to stop by Girl & The Goat, the restaurant owned by Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard. “Fortunately, I can call her and say, ‘Hey, can we get in?’ because that’s a big long line waiting to get into that restaurant.”

Chicago’s Monteverde, whose executive chef Bailey Sullivan also competed on the Bravo show, is another favorite. Melissa also shouted out The Norwegian, a Nordic-themed restaurant in Rockford, Illinois, as well as Cathy’s Kitchen in Ferguson, Missouri, as two other favorite spots she likes to visit while on the road. And she’ll never say no to a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, she added.

What does Melissa like to cook at home?

When Melissa’s back at home, she eats “a lot of salmon,” especially fattier cuts of Scottish salmon, often topped with teriyaki sauce and served with a salad and rice on the side. Chicken piccata is another favorite recipe. Melissa loves to cook, and her wife typically assists as the vegetable-chopping sous-chef. “I just try to make really healthy, clean food,” Melissa said.

Related:

• Top Chef Judge Gail Simmons Gives This Summer Cocktail a 10/10
• 6 Types of Salmon to Know
• I Tried Meghan Markle’s Wine—Here’s My Honest Review

The post This Is the One Thing Melissa Etheridge Eats for Breakfast Every Day on the Road appeared first on Taste of Home.

What is chili crisp ketchup?

Chili crisp ketchup is a new condiment that combines the spicy heat of Sichuan cuisine with one of America’s most beloved sauces. It’s made in small batches by Fly By Jing, the same company that makes a delicious Sichuan chili crisp oil. The ketchup is made with a sweet and tangy tomato base, then the Sichuan chili crisp is stirred into the mix to add a smoky, spicy note.

Where can I get chili crisp ketchup?

This spicy new ketchup is only available online at the Fly By Jing e-commerce store. You’ll want to snag some before it sells out, because this ketchup is seriously unique and totally delicious.

How to Use Chili Crisp Ketchup

I paired the chili crisp ketchup with some of my favorite quick lunches. Next time, I’m going to get inspired and use it to make some of these ketchup-based recipes to amp up the spice!

Fries

I love french fries—I keep prepared fries in the freezer for when I need them in a hurry, and I also love to make them from scratch when I have the time. This chili crisp ketchup was the perfect pairing for crispy fries. The fries I used were really salty, so having the burst of spicy, tangy flavor from the ketchup was absolutely perfect.

Chicken tenders

As I get older, one of my least favorite things is food served with no sauce. Dry chicken tenders are one of the biggest offenders. Serving chicken tenders (which I made popcorn-style!) with this chili crisp ketchup totally changed the game. I loved the pairing so much that I might even make a ketchup glaze to toss the tenders in next time.

Tater Tots

Tater Tots are my all-time favorite snack for watching a movie or TV show. They also happen to be the perfect vehicle for sauces and dips, and this chili crisp ketchup is a match made in heaven. I even added a little drizzle of chili crisp oil on top for extra zing.

Hot dogs

It’s almost shameful to suggest putting ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago (where I live now), but I’m from the East Coast, and old habits die hard. I think I could convert my Chicago friends with this ketchup, though. The smoky, spicy flavors in the ketchup went a long way in adding exciting favor to a hot dog, even without the many toppings that are usually added to regional hot dogs.

Grilled cheese

I’ve loved dipping my grilled cheese sandwiches in ketchup since I was a kid, and this chili crisp ketchup made me fall in love with the combo all over again. It’s the perfect foil to all that mild cheese and buttery bread.

The post I Tried the New Chili Crisp Ketchup, and Spicy Food Lovers Will Want to Put It on Everything appeared first on Taste of Home.

That’s right. I’m here to officially introduce the brand-new Oreo Reese’s cookies and Reese’s Oreo Cups. No, you’re not dreaming, and, yes, they’ll be hitting shelves very, very soon. Luckily, I was able to taste them early, and I’m here to give you the whole peanut butter-chocolate scoop.

What are the new Oreo Reese’s cookies?

Oreo Reese’s cookies are exactly like the Oreos you know and love—only with a delicious Reese’s twist. The chocolate Oreo cookies haven’t changed, but the white center has been replaced with a Reese’s peanut buttery filling with Oreo cookie crumbs mixed in. Absolutely divine. Now, Oreo has done peanut butter filling before, and we’re used to Oreo coming up with some interesting flavor combos (like the Selena Gomez drop), but there really is something sweet and special about Reese’s peanut butter.

What do the Oreo Reese’s cookies taste like?

The Oreo Reese’s cookies tasted like the absolute best of both worlds. You immediately get the familiar chocolate crunch of the Oreo cookie followed by the smooth, nostalgic flavor of Reese’s peanut butter. I really mean it when I say it tastes exactly like the middle of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. The flavor is so distinct, and it manages to set itself apart from the Oreo chocolate flavor. The first one I dipped in milk was absolutely heavenly. Before I knew it, an entire row had vanished.

What’s the new Reese’s Oreo Cup?

As much love as I have for Oreo cookies, I don’t think it will ever compare to my love of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. That’s why this candy caught from eye from the very start. Sporting a bright white upper shell, the new cup features both classic Reese’s chocolate on the bottom with a white chocolate concoction on the top. The middle is classic Reese’s Peanut Butter with Oreo crumbles mixed in.

What does the Reese’s Oreo Cup taste like?

While the Oreo Reese’s cookie was a total hit for me, the Reese’s Oreo Cup didn’t land quite as hard. I’m not a huge white chocolate fan, so my biggest issue was that the upper layer of the outer shell wasn’t doing it for me. On top of that, while the Oreo crumbles offered some textural contrast, I couldn’t discern the taste of Oreo very much. I was a bit disappointed in this one, but, then again, something tells me it’ll be growing on me as the days go by. I mean, you know I’ll be buying more packs in the future. I’m not letting this mystical candy slip through my fingers!

Where can I get the new Oreo x Reese’s collab?

The Reese’s Oreo Cup will be available for presale on August 18 on Hershey’s website, with a public launch to retailers nationwide in September 2025. The Oreo Reese’s cookie will be available for presale on August 18 with early access available now on Oreo’s website. A public launch to retailers nationwide is also expected in September 2025 for a limited time, but Oreo has confirmed that the collaboration will be back as part of its January 2026 portfolio. Personally, I can’t wait to make Oreo balls out of the new cookies. Happy snacking!

Related:

• I Tried the Mt. McDonaldland Shake to Figure Out the Mystery Flavor
• Dunkin’ Just Dropped Its Most Exciting Product in Years
• Oreo Recipes to Satisfy Your Cookie Cravings

The post I Tried the New Reese’s Oreo Collab, and It’s Everything I’ve Ever Wanted appeared first on Taste of Home.

The chain is pulling its Wegmans Medium Camembert Soft Ripened Cheese and three prepared items that contain the cheese from stores’ shelves because they could be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, according to the recall notice.

What caused the cheese recall?

The cheese was supplied to Wegmans by Cumming, Georgia-based Estancia Holdings, which initiated the recall after the company’s French supplier notified it that three shipments were potentially contaminated with listeria.

At this time, no illnesses from the cheese have been reported to Wegmans or Estancia, but listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. Young children, frail or elderly people, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women are most at risk, per the FDA, though anyone can be affected with symptoms like fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea.

What stores sold the Camembert cheese?

The cheese was sold at all Wegmans stores located in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and in D.C.

How do I know if I have the recalled cheese?

The cheese was sold at Wegmans stores between July 1 and August 12. Wegmans says people who bought the products using the store’s Shoppers Club membership will get automated phone calls about the recall. Here are the specific items and what you should look for on the labels:

Wegmans Medium Camembert Soft Ripened Cheese

• Size: 8.8 oz.
• UPC: 77890-53515
• Best by dates: 7/26/25, 8/12/25, and 8/19/25

Wegmans Assorted Cheese Flight

• Size: 1 lb.
• UPC: 2-77100-00000-0

Wegmans Grilling Camembert with Tapenade & Roasted Tomatoes

• Size: 10 oz.
• UPC: 2-77297-00000-0

Wegmans Caramel Apple Pecan Topped Brie Cheese

• Size: 13 oz.
• UPC: 2-77645-00000-3

What should I do next?

If you bought the Camembert or the related products, don’t eat it. You can return the items to Wegmans for a refund. If you have questions, call Wegmans at 855-934-3663. If you ate the products and you’re feeling sick, seek medical attention.

Related:

• This Popular Deli Item Has Been Recalled for Possible Listeria Contamination
• Chicken Sausage Recall: 24,173 Pounds of Ready-to-Eat Sausage Recalled for Plastic Contamination
• 7 Perks Only Wegmans Shoppers Know About

The post Cheese Recall: Wegmans Recalls Camembert Products Due to Listeria Risk appeared first on Taste of Home.

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 1-1/2 ounces vodka
• 3 ounces lemonade
• 1/2 ounce raspberry liqueur
• 3 honeydew melon balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large banana, mashed
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• LATTE:
• Ice cubes
• 4 tablespoons banana bread syrup
• 2 ounces brewed espresso
• 6 ounces 2% milk
• COLD FOAM:
• 1 tablespoon banana bread syrup
• 2 ounces heavy whipping cream
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon, optional
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg, optional

To celebrate the change of seasons, we found all the best blankets, candy jars and Halloween decor featuring the fearless World War I Flying Ace.  There’s no need to appeal to the Great Pumpkin, either—these scream-worthy kitchen and decor items are already available ahead of autumn.

Bonus: They also make great Halloween gifts for the spookiest specters among us!

Our Top Picks

Snoopy Cookie Cutter Kit

Shop on Williams Sonoma

This Snoopy-themed cookie cutter set is the easiest way to whip up cookies for Summerween celebrations. Seven spring-loaded stamps feature Snoopy-centric designs that leave impressions of pumpkins, full moons and more. The spooky set comes with 10 icing bags, four decorating tips and a coupler for outlining the designs.

Snoopy And Woodstock Plush Throw

Shop on TJ Maxx

$48.98 at Amazon

Toss this charming throw blanket over a chair to signal the start of the Halloween season. The plush pattern features Snoopy and Woodstock surrounded by bats and other chillingly cute motifs. At 50- by 70-inches, it’s the perfect lightweight lap warmer for snuggling under during spooky specials.

On Sale

Lowest Price in 30 days

The Great Pumpkin Figural Treat Dish

Shop on Lenox

Shop on Wayfair

Shop on Macy's

29.9916% OFF$25.19 at Bed Bath & Beyond

It’s all treats and no tricks when you fill this Snoopy candy dish with your favorite Halloween sweets! This porcelain plate—featuring an adorably creepy caped Snoopy—has slightly raised edges, so snacks stay nice and secure throughout the season.

Snoopy Jack-o-Lantern Mini Waffle Maker

$12.99 at Amazon

Mini waffle makers are a holiday staple, especially when they’re embossed with everyone’s favorite beagle. This Snoopy version summons the spirit of the Great Pumpkin in a snack-sized package. Top these mini waffles with pumpkin spice syrup for a fun fall breakfast.

Halloween Spatulas

Shop on Williams Sonoma

Stir up toil and trouble with this set of Halloween spatulas. Each boo-tiful utensil boasts the famous beagle, plus a sustainably sourced beechwood handle. Choose between a full-sized option, a set of two mini spatulas or a bundle with all three.

Halloween Magic Doormat

$69.95 at Vermont Country Store

Become the envy of the neighborhood with this dreadfully adorable doormat made from eco-friendly recycled polyester. A nonslip rubber backing ensures secure footing, while the whimsical witch-inspired print welcomes trick-or-treaters in style.

Jack O Lantern Pillow

Shop on TJ Maxx

Plop down this Snoopy Halloween pillow and enjoy its toothy smile all season long. The soft boucle fabric gives it a fun textural look, while a napping Snoopy and Woodstock soften the pumpkin’s ghastly grin.

The Great Pumpkin Accent Plates

Shop on Birch Lane

Shop on All Modern

Shop on Wayfair

Shop on Lenox

Set your table with accent plates that even the Great Pumpkin himself would approve of. This set of four fearfully cute dishes don different scenes, including Snoopy and Woodstock as mummies and witches. Each offers the perfect surface for a frightfully delicious dinner.

Snoopy Pumpkin Pillow

Shop on Pottery Barn

Crafted from 100% recycled polyester, this precious Peanuts pillow provides endless cuddles. From the floppy ears to the little stuffed pumpkin, each detail delivers a delightful dose of fun for pint-sized Peanuts fans.

Snoopy Boo Kitchen Mat

Shop on TJ Maxx

Say “boo” to sore feet and step into the autumn season with this snazzy Snoopy kitchen mat. Made from cushy PVC foam, it offers anti-fatigue properties along with a nonslip backing for safety.

Halloween Snoopy Figural Mug

Shop on Williams Sonoma

Fill this figural Snoopy mug with your favorite fall beverages like warm cider or pumpkin spice coffee. Each hand-painted mug is made from durable glazed stoneware that’s safe in both the dishwasher and microwave.

The Great Pumpkin Covered Candy Dish

Shop on Birch Lane

Shop on Wayfair

Shop on Lenox

Shop on Macy's

You can never have too many candy dishes during Halloween, especially when they’re this charming. As a bonus, this covered candy dish doubles as a cookie jar thanks to the whimsical Snoopy lid.

The post Step Aside, Great Pumpkin! These Snoopy Halloween Finds Are Perfect for Spooky Season appeared first on Taste of Home.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound potato gnocchi
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet pickles

Naturally, when I saw this new McDonald’s Happy Meal toy, I had flashbacks. These toys are super kawaii and totally tubular—I think a lot of people are going to start driving around trying to collect them all.

What is the new McDonald’s Happy Meal?

Get ready for throwback cuteness overload, because the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Hello Kitty and Friends Happy Meal is here! It’s a mash-up of epic fandom proportions, and there are 12 toys that you can collect. They each come with a playing card that describes their unique skills and background. “Think Donatello with a dash of Cinnamoroll, or Kuromi rocking Michelangelo’s fierce attitude,” reads the McDonald’s menu spotter.

Honestly, even the Happy Meal box that this collab comes in is really cute. It’s a split photo that has one half Raphael’s face, one half Hello Kitty’s face. If you’re a fan of either franchise, the box seems like a great memento as well.

When will the new McDonald’s Happy Meal be available?

The best news of all is that you can go get one as soon as you’re done reading this story. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Hello Kitty and Friends Happy Meal is available as of August 12, at McDonald’s locations nationwide. This is a limited-run collab, so you should go to the Golden Arches sooner rather than later if you’re interested!

Related:

• How the McDonald’s Happy Meal Has Changed Over the Years
• What the McDonald’s Menu Looked Like the Year You Were Born
• This Is the Best Fast-Food Burger in America, and I Had Never Even Heard of It

The post McDonald’s Launched a New Happy Meal Just in Time for Back-to-School appeared first on Taste of Home.