Soda: Root Beer - 7.5 FL OZ Cans (A&W)

2020/07/28: These are the perfect size for a sweet drink or making a Mini Root Beer Float! These cans are just enough to slack your thirst and appease your sweet tooth all while not going overboard.

Treat: Valentine's Nerds

2020/02/14: Sure Valentine's Day is filled with sweet chocolate and romantic words, but one of my favorites still has to be the Nerds candies. Crunchy, Tangy and a whole bunch of little bits in each mini box... sure to make a huge mess when spilled. (These were previously Wonka/Nestle but the brand is now owned by Ferrero, the makrers of Nutella and Kinder Eggs.)

Soup/Stew: Chili, No Bean (Kroger)

2019/12/23: Great for making Chili Spaghetti (more about that another time...) or as a side with cornbread. This chili also works well in a Cheese Drip.

Breakfast: Eggo Waffle, Paw Patrol Homestyle, Frozen (Kellogg's)

2020/02/08: These are sweet, crispy and savory with fun Paw Patrol images on the front. The syrup pools a little uneven without the normal waffle pockets, but they are a delicious breakfast.

Tortillas: Street Taco, Carb Balance, Whole Wheat (Mission)

2020/03/05: These are great for small Quesadillas, Breakfast Tacos or mini Wraps (I wonder how they would work for Taquitos?). They are pliable for folding and crisp well in the pan.

Snack: Yogurt Tube, Super Berry Rocket (Chobani)

2020/02/28: This is a quick yogurt snack that is sweet without to much sugar. Great addition to lunch or a little afternoon snack.

Drink: Milk: Low-fat, Organic (Horizon Organic)

2020/02/09: Milk is great with cookies or chicken noodle soup at Panera. The straw is a little difficult to employ, but the silver tape comes off to be able to drink the milk straight from the carton like elementary school.

Snack: Yogurt: Go-Gurt, Minions, Strawberry Mayhem and Bee Do Bee Do Berry (Yoplait)

2020/02/29: These are a fun yogurt snack with plenty of Minion mischief to get gear for the sequel this summer.

Main Nutrition:

1 Tube (56.67g):

50 Calories, 0.5g Fat, 1.67mg Cholesterol, 25mg Sodium, 9.33g Carbohydrates, 0g Fiber, 7g Sugar, 2g Protein. 

Nutrition and Calculation:

Serving Size Nutrition:

3 Tubes (170g):

150 Calories, 1.5g Fat, 5mg Cholesterol, 75mg Sodium, 28g Carbohydrates, 0g Fiber, 21g Sugar, 6g Protein.

1 Tube:

50 Calories, 0.5g Fat, less than 5mg Cholesterol, 25mg Sodium, 9g Carbohydrates, 0g Fiber, 7g Sugar, 2g Protein.

The packaging had nutritional values for 1 Tube and 3 Tubes. The values were slightly different when comparing over a common denominator (9/3 and 3/3). The 3 Tubes values were divided by 3 to obtain a modified value for the Serving Size, Cholesterol and Carbohydrates.

Modified Serving Nutrition:

1 Tube (56.67g):

50 Calories, 0.5g Fat, 1.67mg Cholesterol, 25mg Sodium, 9.33g Carbohydrates, 0g Fiber, 7g Sugar, 2g Protein. 

References:

- Packaging 

Fast Food: Fortune Cookies (Panda Express)

2020/02/28: These are a fun treat after a quick meal. The fortune or quote inside, much like a horoscope, is not specific but amusing to share. One interesting part is the nutritional values differed on the packaging and website. 

Fast Food: Cheeseburger (McDonald's)

2019/12/14: The classic, the McDonald's Cheeseburger has a place permanent seat at the Fast Food table of All-Stars. Savory and salty, a little greasy but hard to beat when a craving hits. Ketchup only is the way I always order them.

Treat: Valentine's SweeTart Ropes, Cherry Punch

2020/02/14: Sweet and chewy with a tangy chalk like goo in the center make for a tooth ache wrapped in a fun treat. These are a mix of textures and flavors that hit the sweet and sour notes fairly well. A small portion for a Valentine's dose of sugar; the package has two mini ropes, perfect for sharing. (The stickers made it even more fun!)

Project: Active Record Listening - 01a of 26: 7" Records and a Broken Needle

2020/01/26: The start of this project got off to a rocky start as the first record sounded like garbage! There was a lot of hissing, popping and eventually silence as the needle broke! After a few days for delivery and installation, the project was back on. Time to break out the 45s, Singles and 7"s!

Project: Read 4 Books in 2020

2020/02/02: Over the years we have collected and neglected to read several books. While there are others that have been reread several times over. Then a few years back, it may have coincided with adulting, I migrated from exclusively Fiction to Non-Fiction books. In that same time frame, less and less reading was done.

Drink: Soda: Orange Cream (Crater Lake)

2020/02/23: We went to the Heavy Metal brew pub for some amazing pizza and the Rolling Stones cranked up. There were plenty of beers on tap, a wide variety of bottled/canned beer, cider and seltzer. There was also a section of juices and craft soda. The Orange Cream Soda was not overly carbonated and had a subtle flavor.

Project: Cereal Box Record Dividers

2020/02/01: Sorting and organizing the Record collection is a cathartic and Sen like experience; best depicted in the Movie/Book High Fidelity ("I can tell you how I got from Deep Purple to Howlin' Wolf in just 25 moves"). The drawback is that the dividers are more expensive than expected and do not impact the process in a big way. In addition, waiting the 1-3 days for delivery is a wet blanket smothering the enthusiasm for the record reorganization. 

Project: Active Record Listening (26 In 2020)

Merry Christmas Sesame Street has been in our Christmas rotation for over 30 years!

2020/01/28: The genesis for this project came in three parts: classic Christmas records with family, a conversation with a good friend and a video of an interview with Henry Rollins.

Drink: Milk, 1% (Fred Meyer)

2020/01/17: A cold glass of milk goes wwll with dessert, cereal or a hearty meal.

Meat: Swedish Meatballs, Frozen (IKEA)

2019/12/18: After having a good meal filled with Swedish Meatballs and Lingonberry Sauce, purchasing a bag of frozen Meatballs was a no-brainer. If only we had looked for the Swedish Meatball gravy!

Treat: Wendy's Chocolate Frosty

2019/11/03: These are cold chocolate treats that go down smooth after a spicy chicken sandwich, bowl of chili or a bacon cheeseburger. I have been told that Wendy's French Fries taste great when dipped in a Chocolate Frosty.

Fast Food: Drink: Chocolate Milkshake (Burgerville)

2019/12/22: Burgerville Milkshakes are great with a Cheeseburger and Rosemary French Fries. They are delicious and filling; definitely a Milkshake to share with a loved one!

Treat: Snowman Cookie (Starbucks)

2019/11/30: These are some of the best cookies! They are perfect for dunking in Hot Chocolate or Coffee, but beware as they are high in Calories, Fat and Carbohydrates. I suggest sharing one with a friend over coffee... or maybe some Mint M&Ms?

Fast Food: Go-Gurt, Strawberry (McDonald's, Yoplait)

2020/01/13: These are a little sweet yogurt tube offered as side for McDonald's Happy Meals. I personally would not have thought that yogurt paired well with French Fries and Chicken McNuggets, but kids love them!

Fast Food: French Fries (McDonald's)

2019/12/14: When someone mentions Fast Food, McDonald's is the first restaurant that comes to mind. The fries are crispy, salty, paired well with a cheeseburger and worthy reward for eating healthy most of the time. 

Drink: Chocolate Milk, 2% Lactose Free (Fairlife)

2019/11/15: Who doesn't like Chocolate Milk especially when it's low in sugar and calories? Well if you find that person, introduce them to Fairlife Chocolate Milk; it tastes great and has that pesky Lactose removed.

Cereal: Frosted Flakes (Kellogg's)

2020/01/23: Frosted Flakes are a great Treat or weekend Breakfast Cereal with a sweet flavor and delicious crunch. Don't wait long too long after topping it with Milk, your wonderful bowl of crispy goodness will turn to mush in a matter of minutes! This is a great choice for those midnight snacks!

Snack: Chia Squeeze Vitality Snack, Wild Raspberry, Organic (Mamma Chia)

2020/01/22: This is definitely not another apple Sauce pouch or Yogurt tube, it's more along the lines of a gelatin made from Chia Seeds, Bananas and Beets. It's pretty tasty!

Sauce: Lingonbery Fruit Spread (IKEA)

2019/12/18: This spread is great on Swedish meatballs and on some fresh crepes. Sweet and tangy make a perfect combination of flavors. 

Treat: Ferreeo Roche

2019/12/25: These are a nice and light Chocolate treat with a little Hazelnut mixed in for good measure. Good for dessert, a treat or even a White Elephant Gift.

Treat: KEX Cookies (IKEA)

2019/12/18: Perfect little Shortbread Cookies for dunking in tea or Hot Chocolate. Well maybe they are not truly Shortbread but they are great addition to any warm beverage.

Fast Food: Crunchy Taco (Taco Bell)

2019/12/29: The leader in Fast Food Crunchy Tacos is the 4th Meal Favorite... the Taco Bell Crunchy Taco. These are a fine alternative a Cheeseburger or Sandwich when one is in a hurry or craving some Mexican food late in the evening. 

Sides: Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, Original (King's Hawaiian)

2019/11/29: These are great, plain and simple, but when paired with Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce for a sandwich... outstanding!

Treat: Spice Drops (Zachary)

2019/12/01: The gummy texture, sweetness and mint flavor make them a sought after treat during the holidays.

Treat: Andes Chocolate Mints

2019/12/13: These are a great after dinner mint. Creamy chocolate and a smooth mint flavor to ease the stomach after a nice meal. Plus this package already had the gift tag printed on front.

Breads: English Muffin, Sourdough (Kroger)

2019/12/30: Good quick toasted breakfast with a plethora of spreads/toppings. There is Butter, Peanut Butter, Jam/Jelly, Honey, Cinnamon and Sugar, Butter and Cheese, Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon... the list is almost endless!