Little Debbie - Be My Valentine Brownies

Little Debbie never fails to disappoint around the holidays.  Whether it's Halloween, Christmas, Easter, or Valentine's Day, they always seem to release something that celebrates the season.  Sometimes, they come out with multiple products featuring different flavors and designs.  I used to put Hostess in first place, especially back when they had the Scary Cakes and awesome box art, but Little Debbie has taken over.  She goes all out every year and doesn't go out of business. Ohhhh snap!

Photo credit goes to Leaping to Learning because, honestly, I couldn't get creative enough with my positioning to get a decent image of this box.  If you've ever picked up a box of Little Debbie brownies, you know the box is long and awkward.  This doesn't make for great photos, but it does work out perfectly for package design.  As you can see, it's all decked out for Valentine's Day with red and pink hearts and displays the iced brownies prominently.  That's all well and good, but what really sold me was the red icing.  Once I saw that, Little Debbie was laying in my cart, just waiting to see my kitchen.

I always laugh how Little Debbie shapes her brownies because, when they're not square, they're still cut with straight edges.  Hearts are supposed to be rounded on top and met with a point at the bottom.  This heart is rugged and looks more like something a ninja would throw at you, but we all get the point (pun intended!)  On the bright side, the red icing is true to the box art and the pink and white heart-shaped sprinkles are appropriately designed and shaped.  If you can accept the awkwardly shaped heart for what it is, then you'll enjoy looking at this very cool brownie.

Of all the Little Debbie products offered, the brownies have always been my favorite.  I remember going up to my Grandfather's house and devouring an entire box while watching Batman and Animaniacs on the WB.  Cosmic Brownies came along and only enhanced the experience, so I'm very happy and filled with lots of nostalgia whenever I have them around.  The fact that they design and release these different varieties for the seasons is a bonus and I'll always go out of my way to pick them up.  Like every Little Debbie brownie I've had before this one, the "Be My Valentine" edition is a success.  The red icing is still the same icing we're used to, just colored for Valentine's Day, so if you're a fan of brownies and are easily sold by different colors (like me) then this is something you'll want to have in the house.  Eat one on Valentine's Day and think of me.  Even if you don't want to, I bet you will now, anyway ;)

Football Treats

This isn't Halloween related, but the kick-off of Football season is obviously a Fall tradition and, this year, there are a few treats in stores that had to be written about during the Halloween Holidaze!  Whether your a football fan or not (I'm a casual Giants fan, but not big enough to call myself a die-hard) you'll definitely enjoy these football-themed touchdowns!

First, we have Little Debbie Football Brownies.  I'm very pleased with everything Little Debbie Snacks have been doing during the Fall season.  First, we saw the Fall Party Treats.  Then, we saw the Bat Brownies.  Now?  Football Brownies!  And in my opinion, these are actually a lot cooler than the Bat Brownies because of the two white strips on each brownie.  See, they could have easily etched out a line to represent the two, much like they did with the football seams, but they didn't.  They went the extra mile and made these brownies actually look like footballs!  I love that stuff.  I love the sports fonts, pennant, and field in the background.  The only thing they could have changed?  Well, I know it's taboo to mess with a corporate logo, but how about putting Little Debbie in a football helmet?  How awesome would that have been?  

These pictures don't do the brownies justice, but you can tell they're exactly as depicted on the box.  Although, they are bit smaller than I expected.  That's okay, I'll just eat the whole box, anyway.  The bottom picture doesn't look as smooth as the top, but I'm pretending those indentations are supposed to be the grooves on a football.  That makes everything much more realistic and proves that I care about this brownie much more than any 25-year-old ever should!

Had I just found one football-themed snack, I probably would have skipped this edition all together.  But, I found two! And that was enough to make me interrupt the Halloween celebration and bring in a little extra something.  Here we have Football Oreo cookies and they're just amazing, man!  Nabisco has been releasing so many different varieties of Oreo Cookies over the past 8 months or so that I haven't been able to keep up.  They've been on fire!!  They're taking notice of the seasons and paying attention to every little detail.  They're celebrating The Holidaze just as much as we are and that's a major plus for Nabisco and Oreo Cookies!

I've seen Oreo Cookies come in different flavors and colors, but I don't think I've ever seen them come in different shapes.  The traditional circle is so classic that I thought changing that up would be even more taboo than adding a helmet to Little Debbie!  But with this Limited Edition, Oreo Cookies come in the shape of footballs!!  And Nabisco could have stopped there, went out while they were ahead, and called it a day.  But no, they added 5 Football Designs to their cookies to complete the 2-point conversion!

The Football Oreo Cookies are bigger than the traditional Oreo Cookies so they only require two rows.  I was surprised to only see two when I opened the bag because I honestly expected them to be much smaller than the originals.  But the fact that they're bigger is pretty cool.  I like them better that way because I feel that better represents the game of football.  Big, strong, and perfect for dipping into a cup of milk.  Well, 2 outta 3 aint bad!

Take a close look at the 5 Football Designs.  I'm sure you can see, otherwise you wouldn't be online, but I'll go over them with you just to make this post feel longer.  First, we have the Oreo Football Helmet, followed by the Goal Post, "Touchdown," a Football Player, and "Lick the Competition."  They're all perfect for the recently kicked-off NFL season, but Oreo are actually the "Official Cookies of NCAA."  I don't know what that actually means in terms of what Oreo does for the NCAA, but there's something else I didn't know until now.  I just feel, if you really want to represent the NCAA, why not add some team logos to the cookies?  That would be awesome.  That would also be a great segue into..

Overtime!

 I haven't seen these in any stores in my area, but apparently Pop-Tarts have released 5 NCAA University Edition Pop-Tarts.  I'm pretty sure they were supposed to be for sale by now, but honestly, I haven't looked because I didn't attend either of these Universities and, based on the box art, I'm really not impressed.  If you haven't seen them yet, take a look!

Not too bad, but I feel there is so much more they could have done with this type of license.  Why is every flavor the same?  Why not incorporate more of what each University stands for and represents their school/area.  It's probably due to cost-cutting, but luckily we don't have to worry about that here on The Holidaze.  Let's take a look at what I would have done had I been in charge of each box.

I changed the colors, the flavors, and the names.  I hope you like them!  My personal favorite is the University of Florida's Gatorange!  Have their ever been orange flavored Pop-Tarts?  I don't think I've ever seen them before, but that would probably be something I'd like to try.  In fact, that would be a great Halloween edition!!  

Ahh, see how I brought it all back to Halloween?  Pretty slick, right?

2012 Little Debbie Fall Treats

I don't know about you, but there is a feeling in the air.  The wind is starting to pick up.  The leaves have slightly changed colors.  The sun isn't as strong as it used to be and those orange boxes are beginning to fill up the aisles.  Oh yeah.. Halloween is upon us!

Okay, I'll admit, It's a bit too early to be focusing on all the greatness that comes with the Halloween season, but I just can't help it.  As soon as I see Halloween candy hit the shelves, I can't resist the urge to immerse myself into the atmosphere that Halloween creates.  So, I'm going by the motto, "the sooner the better."  Let's get this Holidaze rolling!

Last year, Little Debbie was amongst the first to release their Halloween products.  This year, they're back at it again.  While shopping at Stop & Shop, I saw two boxes and one of which is completely new.  But, the first, are the Fall Party Cakes pictured above.  The box design is very similar to the Fall Tree Cakes I covered last year, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  Falling leaves and Pumpkins?  Yup..Halloween!

The Fall Party Cakes come in two varieties; chocolate and white chocolate.  While I'm a bigger fan of chocolate, I went with the white chocolate for a change of pace.  Plus, I really like the way the colors popped off the box.  The brown, yellow, and orange sprinkles look better against the white icing than they do on the chocolate and that's enough to make me choose them over the other.

I took a big bite out of one of the Fall Party Cakes and, let me tell you, they're really good and very filling!  These are the perfect treat to kick off the Fall/Halloween season.  For as much as I'd like to dive right in, let's go slow.  Let's get our feet wet and start out slow.  We'll get to the Halloween Crunch and Cupcakes down the road.  For now, Fall Party Cakes are the way to go!

Okay, got your feet wet?  Great, now dip an ankle because this is pretty awesome.  Little Debbie has also released NEW Bat Brownies!  While Fall Party Cakes scream "Fall," this screams nothing but "Halloween!"  It's great!  I've always loved Little Debbie brownies so, now, that they've used some type of bat cookie cutter to make these amazing shapes?  It just can't get any better!

Look..at...that...bat!!  It's so good looking, but not enough to call it "perfect" and that's not even close to a bad thing.  I like how it's a bit uneven and some of the detail has worn away.  That's good, keep it that way.  Bats aren't perfect.  They're evil, wicked, and get stuck in your hair.  Although, if this particular bat came flying toward my head, I'd go all Ozzy Osbourne on his chocolate ass ;)

 

I tried to take a bite out of this one, but Debbie got to it before me.  Then she smiled and looked away when I took her picture.  Really?  That's just corny.  But I'm just getting back into the swing of things here.  Although, I don't expect it to get much better.  However, isn't that why you keep coming back?  It's the Holidaze, baby!

To end the first entry for our second Halloween Holidaze, I'll leave you with the words of Little Debbie herself.  Get out to the stores and look for Halloween treats because....

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

When it comes to cake, especially little cakes, Little Debbie always seems to be the first release of the season.  Back in September, the Fall Tree Cakes were one of my first topics of discussion for the Halloween Holidaze season.  Continuing with their tradition, Little Debbie has, once again, released their Christmas Tree Cakes and, believe it or not, I found these at Wal-Mart on October 29th.  Talk about early!

I'm loving the box.  It's very similar to the Fall Tree Cake box, but obviously a lot better.  Even though Christmas Tree's are traditionally green, I like the fact that these Tree Cakes are white.  They stand out so much more, especially against the red background.  Plus, what's better?  We have Santa Claus on the box!  In a day and age where so many production companies attempt to avoid being holiday specific, Little Debbie defies their logic.  This screams Christmas and it's why I love it so much.

When it comes to box art, I'm a big fan of the small things.  As with all holidays, it's the little things that stand out and leave the biggest impact.  In this case, look at what Santa is leaving under the Christmas Tree this year.  Yep, for all the good boys and girls, Santa is bringing you a box of Little Debbie Honey Buns!  I just think that's awesome.  I like the fact that somebody, somewhere, thought "Oh man, I'm gonna have Santa hold our own products!"  It's genius!  Now, if only we knew what was in the other box.  He wrapped that one for a reason and we may never know why.  Not knowing what else Santa has for us will have me up all night.

In person, the Christmas Tree Cake is exactly as pictured on the box.  Sometimes, you'll open up a box like this, and the cake will barley resemble the advertisement.  I guess that can be said for many products, but not this one.  This Christmas Tree Cake looks as if I took it right off the box.  There are no surprises and every one of them can be used as their own decoration.

As I've said in the past, I'm really not too fond of cake.  I've purchased a few varieties over the past three months for Holidaze purposes but, regularly, I'd avoid cake.  But, I gotta tell ya, these are really good.  Just like the Fall Tree Cakes, I could eat these all day.  I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that I instantly associate this cake with Christmas, but overall, they taste great.  I have to give it up to Little Debbie.  They are, once again, the first to release Christmas themed products and, at the same time, were able to maintain flavor.  For that reason alone, you should go out an pick these up.  Trust me, if I'm suggesting cake, then it's gotta be pretty good!

If I haven't convinced you to go out and buy the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes yet, then I doubt the back of the box is going to push you over the edge.  However, you know I have to show you these cool gift tags.  See, Little Debbie didn't have to do anything else.  They could have given us that Honey Bun Santa and called it a day, but they went the extra mile and gave us five gift tags to celebrate the season.  They all feature snow people who are more than happy to get the 15-minutes of fame.  I assume Little Debbie wants us to tag these to the Christmas Tree Cakes, but I'm definitely not going to do that.  But that's a great idea for kids who bring things into school for Christmas parties or those who want to give really crappy gifts.  That's up to you.  As for me, these probably won't be used, but I appreciate the effort, anyway.  Great job, Little Deb!

Fall Treats

In addition to the Holidays, The Holidaze is about celebrating a certain time of year and all that comes with it.  When it comes to Halloween, it just wouldn't be the same without this cool weather.  Even though it isn't technically Fall just yet, Mother Nature is surely giving us a prelude of what to come.  Sure, she's a bit of a tease, but I'll take it.  For at least another day, I'll be rocking the sweats and hoodie.  By Tuesday, we'll be rising back into our average temperature but, to enjoy this while it lasts, we have two Fall treats that are sure to enhance this faux Fall.

The first of our two treats comes to us from Kraft.  I introduce to you Jet-Puffed Swirlmallows!

If the packaging doesn't get you, then the overwhelming smell of chocolate and vanilla most definitely will.  The aroma is so strong that you can smell it right through the bag.  As soon as you come within 5 feet of these jumbo marshmallows, you'll instantly think of hot chocolate, smores and camping.  I've only been camping once, but if ever go again, I'd make sure it was in the Fall.  This weather is perfect for everything marshmallows bring to the table.  Who wants to toast these delicious Swirlmallows in the Summer?  The Winter?  No way, man.  Sure, they'll be just as good to eat during the Christmas season, but they had to have been designed for Autumn.  They go together so well.. just like chocolate and vanilla!

Kraft also makes these Swirlmallows in caramel/vanilla and strawberry..

Look at how big these Swirlmallows are! When Kraft says "Jumbo," they weren't kidding around.  They're massive.  If you're not careful, they're definitely a choking hazard, but when are marshmallows not dangerous?  We know the risk we're taking with every bite.

If you happen to be one of the two people who actually read this blog, then you know you laughed at what I just typed.  You definitely smiled or, at least, chuckled to yourself.  If you didn't, that's okay, because I know these guys did..

Now that I've humanized these Swirlmallows, it becomes a bit harder to enjoy their deliciousness.  I think I'd feel bad dropping that second one into a scolding cup of hot chocolate.  Ah well, I'll start with the third one and slowly get over it.  They're just too good not to..

On to our second Fall treat..

Aptly named, Little Debbie has released their new "Fall Tree Cakes."  It's not the most creative name for these delectable goodies but, because Little Debbie acknowledged the Fall season, we'll let it slide..

I really like the box art for what it is.  When it comes to fall tree cakes, there isn't much you can do in terms of graphics so, all things considered, I'd say they did a pretty good job.  In my opinion, you can consider your package design a success when it catches the eye of a potential customer and this did just that.  As my girlfriend was shopping at Wal-Mart, these popped out at her and led to a sale. 

The Fall Tree Cakes are basically slight variations of another popular Little Debbie snack -- Their Christmas Tree Cakes.  If you've never seen them before, picture a vanilla version of the chocolate tree pictured above.  I can't describe it simpler than that.  Actually, I just googled Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes and, turns out, they've also been released in chocolate so, if you've seen them, you know exactly what to expect with the Fall Trees.  However, Unlike the Christmas Tree Cakes that feature garland with red and green sprinkles, the Fall Tree Cakes are decorated with red, yellow, purple, and orange sprinkles shaped like leaves.  See, if I didn't tell you that, you probably wouldn't have been able to tell the difference..

All in all, these Little Debbie Cakes taste great.  They're perfect for these cool, chilly days and, if you want my advice, go pick them up.  Grab a box of Fall Tree Cakes, some hot chocolate and a bag of Jet-Puffed Swirlmallows in whatever flavor you prefer.  Rent a classic horror movie and indulge in an overly chocolate adventure.  You'll enjoy it.