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Forget Popcorn Bars, Pass Me The Ice Cream

Rick Bonino Food Editor

Month in, month out, it’s been the same old routine for The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel: Taste three different brand-name samples of the same type of food - up to six rounds in a single sitting - and give us their thoughts.

Sometimes, serving the weary souls that third helping of chicken pot pie or pork and beans has been almost more than we can bear.

So we’ve decided to give them a break by cutting back a bit on their comparison tasting and giving panel members single samples of some newer food products on the market.

At a recent session, with a group of children in attendance to help us rate back-to-school sandwich fillings, we served Pop-Secret Popcorn Bars as an appetizer and Breyers’ Romantica ice cream concoction for dessert.

The popcorn bars, which struck us as a slightly evolved form of Styrofoam, didn’t do much for the kids but got rave reviews from several adults.

But the big hit was the Romantica, with its rich layers of ice cream, cookie and crunchy candy. Thirds, anyone?

Betty Crocker Pop-Secret Popcorn Bars, Caramel Popcorn with Chocolate Flavored Topping

Price: $2.59 for 8 bars.

Nutrition: 80 calories (31 percent fat calories); 45 milligrams sodium per bar.

Taste (adults):****

Taste (kids):***

Value:***

Comments: “Tastes like caramel corn with a bit of chocolate. I really like it. Great for a snack.” - Jarretta Manning.

“Really good, light and not too sweet. Tastes like a beefed-up rice cake.” - Paul Norris.

“It was good, but all I could taste was caramel and I don’t think the chocolate should be there - it just adds more fat.” - Amanda Baker, age 10.

“I like everything but the popcorn.” - Brett Robison, age 8.

Breyers Romantica Premium Ice Cream Dessert, Chocolate & Vanilla

Price: $3.89 for 16.8-ounce dessert (8 servings).

Nutrition: 190 calories (52 percent fat calories); 75 milligrams sodium per serving.

Taste (adults):*****

Taste (kids):*****

Value:****

Comments: “Mild chocolate, crunchy chocolate, chocolate chips - WHOA! What’s not to like?” - Jim McGinty.

“The best.” - Larry Kelly.

“I think this is delicious and scrumptious.” - Katee Norris, age 6.

“I’m full!” - Kayletta McNabb, age 9.

, DataTimes MEMO: Products sampled by The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel are bought at a retail store and prepared in a test kitchen according to package directions. Panelists are not aware of a product’s brand name or price until after they have tasted it. Products are rated for taste and for value, based on quality compared to price.

Products sampled by The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel are bought at a retail store and prepared in a test kitchen according to package directions. Panelists are not aware of a product’s brand name or price until after they have tasted it. Products are rated for taste and for value, based on quality compared to price.