General Mills Trix cereal

5

My childhood favorite is still as delicious as ever. Tastes like candy. Stays nice and crunchy. If you feel guilty about the technicolor sugar-coated madness, mix in some plain Cheerios. Trix cereal is expensive, but worth snatching up if it's ever on sale.

Soy Dream vanilla ice cream

4

Vanilla seems like a simple flavor, but some brands just can't get it right. Soy Dream is one such brand. When covered in chocolate syrup, Soy Dream vanilla is delish, maybe a 5. Otherwise, leave it in the case and opt for some Purely Decadent instead. Soy Dream vanilla is very firm in the tub, but nice once it just starts to melt.

Snyder's of Hanover hot buffalo wing pretzel pieces

4

Tangy, not too spicy. White as snowcaps, though, so these are big on refined grain. And should I be buying pieces? Nice conservation, I suppose.

Athenos roasted red pepper hummus

3

For hummus, this is pretty decent. Strong flavor, rather spicy. Careful putting it on a sandwich or burger; the flavor will overpower everything else. The taste stays with you in your mouth and throat for a while too.

Gardenburger veggie medley burger

4

Pleasant mixed vegetable flavor, good texture but isn't meaty. These burgers might be better sauteed and eaten with a fork, but they'd work on a toasted bun as well. Topped with lettuce and Italian dressing, on nice toasted bread, it's a treat. Full of vitamins and good stuff, too.

Little Giant chunky vegetable soup

3

It tastes okay, but this thick oily slop has some big strikes against it. In the can, it forms a starchy congealed mass reminiscent of leftover Chinese food. Not appetizing. Yet what amazes me most is this soup's reaction to a simple microwave. This stuff explodes with such fervor that I ended up with an entire 2-inch long piece of green bean stuck to the wall of my microwave. But whatever, I got this whole giant can of soup at the dollar sore for - you guessed it - a dollar. On the plus side, the soup has nice big chunks of carrots and green beans, and a respectable tomatoey base. My recommendation is to heat up the entire contents at once, and if you want to microwave it, cover that mofo with something heavy!

Amy's frozen black bean burrito

5

Great for a frozen burrito. Excellent flavor, fast and effortless to make. This variety doesn't even need any sauce on top. In addition to beans, you'll find peppers, broccoli, potatoes, and lots of spices, all in a nice spicy squishy refried black bean paste. The potatoes are my favorite part.

Guiltless Gourmet baked chili lime tortilla chips

3

These are pretty spicy, but they have a nice chili flavor if you can handle it.

Kellogg's All-Bran Bran Buds cereal

4

Yes, alone they almost taste like cardboard. But their crunch is ridiculously satisfying. Bran Buds are a perfect topping for sundaes, fruit cobblers, pies, pudding, oatmeal, etc. And they're pretty tasty in a bowl with chocolate almond milk too.

Quaker Cap'n Crunch cereal

4

Not my favorite, but it's sweet and kind of unique. It's got that sugary corn taste kiddie cereals are so famous for. This one's good for nostalgic purposes.

Amy's frozen burrito, non-dairy

3

For a frozen burrito, it's good. Satisfying. Respectable size. Nice but predictable refried bean flavor. If you top it with mango salsa, corn, or goddess dressing and cilantro, it can be quite a treat. But really, save it for when you only have 2 minutes for lunch (and when the hell does that happen?)

Amy's roasted vegetable pizza

5

The unique sweet onion sauce on this pizza really makes it stand out, as do the delicious artichokes, red peppers, and shiitakes. Excellent and convenient. I wish the crust were whole wheat, but what can you do? I recommend this pizza. Buy it at a Whole Foods/Wild Oats type store, though, because mainstream grocery stores will gouge you for these pizzas.

Pixy Stix

4

These taste like powdered Sweet Tarts and are therefore yummy. Messy though. And whatever you do, don't inhale!

Flat Earth Apple Cinnamon Grove baked fruit crisps

5

These sound odd, and they are, but they'll surprise you with their delightful fruity flavor and solid crunch. A lower-calorie alternative to regular chips, and less salty too. Great for when you can't decide between a chip or a cookie. The cinnamon flavor is hard to detect, but the apple flavor is strong. Like eating crunchy apple juice. Or something.)

Soy Dream vanilla fudge swirl ice cream

4

Vanilla seems like a simple flavor, but some brands just can't get it right. Soy Dream is one such brand. The vanilla flavor is off, and not nearly sweet enough. I hoped the fudge would be enough to offset it, but it's not. When covered in chocolate syrup, Soy Dream vanilla fudge swirl is delish, maybe a 5. Otherwise, leave it in the case and opt for some Purely Decadent instead. Soy Dream vanilla fudge swirl is very firm in the tub, but nice once it just starts to melt. Price really does matter in the world of soy creams. The flavors in the smaller tubs are almost always better than the ones in large tubs.