Arby’s Big Montana Roast Beef Sandwich

I think that Arby’s is the most under-appreciated fast food restaurant, and they don’t get the respect they deserve. Arby’s has a great menu of stuff you don’t find at other fast food restaurants. The highlight of their menu is the Big Montana Roast Beef Sandwich. If you have a big appetite, like I do, then this is the sandwich for you. It has a half-pound of delicious, thinly-sliced roast beef on a giant sesame seed bun. It tastes great with just the meat and bun, but if you add cheese sauce (extra thirty cents) and/or Arby’s Sauce, it is even tastier. The Big Montana may just be my favorite item at any fast food restaurant. If you have not tried one, you don’t know what you are missing.

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Grey Poupon Mild & Creamy Dijon Mustard

Phoood has never reviewed a condiment, and may not ever again. But I like Grey Poupon Mild & Creamy Dijon Mustard so much that I just had to let the Phoood readers know about it. I bought it for the first time recently, and am very impressed by it. It is just how the name says: mild and creamy. The dijon flavor is pleasantly mild, especially when compared to a deli-style dijon mustard. And, it has a very nice, creamy consistency that makes me think that it is mixed with mayonnaise – but it’s not. I made a pastrami sandwich, put a bunch of this mustard on it, and I was in heaven. Those of you who don’t like dijon mustard should really try Grey Poupon Mild & Creamy. You may just like it.

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Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran Cereal

Have you ever really liked something, but did not know exactly why? That’s how I feel about Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran cereal. It’s a simple, ordinary, corn flavored cereal that really doesn’t offer much to get excited about. But, for some reason, I just love it. It has a nice flavor, good crunch, and the cereal puffs keep their crunchiness a long time. Maybe I like it so much because it is so simple and unpretentious in a world filled with overhyped and oversweet cereals. Among all the others, Crunchy Corn Bran stands out as one of my favorites. It’s my understanding that it is not available in all areas of the country. Luckily, you can order it here and have it shipped to you no matter where you live.

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Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar

Sun Chips may be the most underrated product on the chip/pretzel/cracker aisle. Not only are they unlike any other chip, they are also delicious. If you care about nutrition, you’ll be glad to know they have 30 percent less fat then regular potato chips. I have loved the original variety Sun Chips since they were first introduced, but only recently tried the Harvest Cheddar flavor. They are great, as I expected. They have a mild cheddar flavor that is very tasty, and the same unique texture and crunch of original Sun Chips. Try them and you’ll agree that Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar are one of the best tasting chips you can find.

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Phoood Hall of Fame: Cheez-It Crackers

For almost as long as I can remember, Cheez-Its have been my favorite snack crackers. One of my earliest childhood memories is that of me and my best friend at the time, Todd Edwards, eating Cheez-Its together while sitting in my garage on a hot summer day. There are many Cheez-It imitators, some of which are pretty good, but none are better than original Cheez-Its. The cheese flavor and crunch just cannot be beat. For a tasty combination, eat them with a glass of milk. I think that milk complements them better than any other beverage. Try it! My other favorite way to eat Cheez-Its is to put them inside a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yum!

Orville Redenbacher’s Popping Corn

As I prepared to write this, I was filled with a sense of dread. I think I am about to create a storm, but here goes: I do not like microwave popcorn. To me, there is no better taste than popcorn made on the stove in a kettle. And there is no better popping corn than Orville. Period. The popcorn pops up huge, always minimal un-popped kernels, and tastes great. Use as much or as little oil as you want, the same with the toppings.

Now before the lynch mob gets started, I have tried a boatload of brands of zapped corn, even many of Orville’s own. Tweaking the time, etc., etc. I either get burnt popcorn or a colony of kernels laughing at me. In those rare cases where it comes out “just right” it ALWAYS seems like either too much or too little salt, butter or whatever. Yes, I followed the directions. Yes, I’ve followed advice from friends, family, strangers and the internet. NO, I’m not looking for tips or hints.

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Chocolate Chex Mix - Turtle

I’m so old, I remember when there was only one kind of Chex Mix. Now, there are about a dozen different varieties. One of the newer ones is Chocolate Chex Mix – Turtle. It’s made with caramel and chocolate Chex cereal, caramel popcorn, honey roasted peanuts, milk chocolate candies, and pretzels. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, it isn’t nearly as good as it sounds. The caramel popcorn has no crunch at all, the milk chocolate candies are low-quality M&M rip-offs, and there isn’t nearly enough honey roasted peanuts. This Chex Mix is described as “the perfect sweet and salty snack,” but it is far from perfect. It’s closer to so-so.

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Cow Tales

From the same company that sells Caramel Creams, Goetze's Candy Co., Inc. I used to eat these a long time ago, and now I give them to my kid as a treat. Of course, this means I get to have one myself, occasionally! This narrow, long tube of candy had a white creamy center, surrounded on the outside by caramel. The tube was effortless to sink my teeth into, and the essence was even creamier than you would imagine. You can skin the wrapper as you eat, so you don't have to handle the outside of the candy. The savory taste was excellent. Recommended for a delightful snacking experience - I don’t think they are horribly fattening - also available in Chocolate and Strawberry Cream flavors.

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