Season 2, Episode 1: What is a yogurt pretzel anyway?

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Shameless pre-review plug: Follow Too Much Pumpkin Spice Instagram and Facebook! DO IT.
If I had to rank snacks, pretzels would be right at the top of the list. They are delicious, crunchy, shareable (if you’re into that), and don’t really make a mess if you are eating them on the go.


For me, this is especially true if I am going on a road trip or a day hike and need something portable. But I usually stay away from anything dipped or coated (like chocolate) because they melt easily and tend to harden into a single giant block when they cool back down.
As I did my background research for this post, I discovered a few interesting facts that helped me appreciate this snack a little more:


1. The original soft pretzel is controversially attributed to an Italian monk in 610 AD who baked strips of dough as rewards for children who successfully completed their prayers.
2. The shape has a double meaning: the twisted strips resemble a child with crossed arms in prayer, while the 3 loops signify the Holy Trinity.


3. (and most importantly) Hard pretzels are an American invention (USA BABY!) that didn’t come around until 1850, a cool 1,200 years AFTER the original invention (YOU’RE WELCOME, WORLD).
With all of these in mind, I think we’re ready for our first review.
LET’S DO IT.
Day 1: Creative Snacks Co. Pumpkin Spice Yogurt Pretzels
Cost: ~$7 (but actually $0 because I received them as a gift!)
Purchase Location: ShopRite
Manufacturer’s Description:
Pumpkin spice and everything nice. Real good, feel good snacks. Celebrate the season with the comforting taste of pumpkin spice.
For a company with “Creative” in the name, that description is pretty disappointing. Come on. The research and development cost for a new pumpkin spice item is pretty low at this point, so I am pretty sure you could have invested a few more dollars in to your marketing budget to come up with something more clever.
Today’s review is a special one, as the product was gifted by someone close to me who is a strong supporter of Too Much Pumpkin Spice. And because I didn’t ask her permission to shout her out by name in writing, let me just say thank you to AT. I couldn’t have done this one without you. Literally. I couldn’t find these in-store before you gave me this bag.
Before I opened the bag, I decided to take a peek at the label I noticed two things: 1. There is no actual pumpkin in this. 2. There are no real pumpkin spices in this either!


Yet, there IS actual yogurt in this coating. Does that mean I need to refrigerate these?
Eh, I’ll figure it out later.


Upon opening the package, my nose was SMACKED with one of the strongest pumpkin spice scents I’ve ever encountered, and I had to step away and give myself a break before trying a pretzel. I have found that this is usually the case with artificial pumpkin flavorings, especially when they are suspended in something that is meltable like chocolate or yogurt coatings. The flavor tends to concentrate and pop out as soon as the package is opened.


After stepping away for some fresh air, I poured out a few of the pretzels and noticed a nice light-orange pumpkin-esque color with a pretty even (but not overwhelming) coating on top. Interestingly, the pumpkin smell was way more gentle with individual pretzels than the bag as a whole.
Taste-wise, these pretzels are DELICIOUS. I am honestly so surprised. Even though it’s artificial, they have a great pumpkin spice flavor profile, the coating is creamy and finishes well, and there is no aftertaste! They also aren’t overly sweet, so I just kept munching until I realized that I had eaten half the bag.
What I liked: The taste, texture, and level of sweetness.
What I disliked: No actual pumpkin or pumpkin spices.


On a side note: There is absolutely ZERO recorded history of the invention of the yogurt pretzel. Like seriously, NONE at all. Nobody can tell where it came from, who first marketed it, or why it is even a thing. I’m not really into conspiracy theories, but I have a feeling that some future advanced civilization came back and graced us with this invention. I know it’s a paradox, but I’m okay with that. I’m just saying.
What a way to kick off season 2! These pretzels were great, and the flavor was pretty redeeming for the fact that there was no pumpkin! I know, I’m surprised myself.
FINAL RATING: 3/5 Pumpkins



Season 1 Entries:

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