Snow Cones in February

Project 7 Rainbow Ice Gum - Target 

I wasn't kidding when I said I picked up at least 6 new flavors of Project 7 during my blogging absence. Let's keep these reviews rolling! (It's still Tuesday, so technically I am still on time!)

So I don't know about the weather in your corner of the world, but it's been pretty crazy here in NJ. Last week it was 7 degrees Fahrenheit, this week? Sixty Five! I saw people wearing freaking shorts outside today! (I'm pretty sure the world is ending...) So since it, oddly enough, feels like it's spring, let's review something spring/summery. How about a snow cone?

Lime, Coconut, and Sunscreen?

Project 7 Coconut Lime Gum - Target

What can I say? Project 7 and I are in an unhealthy relationship. They keep burning me with bad flavors, and yet, I keep coming back for more. Since my blogging hiatus I've bought 5 new flavors. I just keep hoping that things will be different...and maybe they will be this time?

The packaging is sleek, the company tries to do some good in the world, and yet...the flavors rarely delivers on their yummy promises. (Then again I'm a blogger who doesn't blog, so maybe I shouldn't be throwing too many stones from my glass house.) 

Unicorn Gum? I give up. (Quickie Review)

Fairytale Fruit Project 7 Gum - Target

I don't even know what to say for myself. I keep saying I won't go back to Project 7, because of the artificial sweeteners, but their gimmicks sucker me in every time. 

This is unicorn gum. UNICORN. GUM. What am I? Made of stone? So yeah, I don't have high hopes for this, but it's pretty and I wanted to photograph it, so... here we are. 

Functionality-wise, the packaging is the same packet-style as all the other Project 7 gums I've reviewed in the past. Plastic foiled packet, re-seal-able, matte-finish, etc. It photographs like a dream and the colorful fruity unicorn illustration is Juicy Fruit meets Lisa Frank. It's wonderful. 

Bubble-less Bubbly Bubblegum - Project 7 Champagne Dreams

Project 7 Champagne Dreams Gum - Target

Visually speaking, this would have been the ideal product for my big New Year comeback review, but given Project 7's history of disappointing products wrapped in pretty packaging...I opted for Oreos instead. 

I don't know what it is about Project 7 chewing gums. Even though they let me down time and time again, I can't stay away. 

While checking myself out in Target's self-service-lane, I spotted this flavor in the totally-effective impulse-buy section. I managed to ignore it, rung myself up, and was about to leave...and then turned back and made a separate transaction just to buy this gum. Why? I have no idea. I think I'm just a sucker for pretty packaging. Even though I hate chewing these flavored gums, I really do love photographing them. I mean, look at this! I have little twinkly lights in the background! Plus, Project 7 was a company I really liked, and their original line of mints were really fantastic. I want to love you Project 7!

Maybe this flavor will be the one to re-ignite the spark in our food-blogger-product romance...

Ch-Ch-Churro Project 7 Gum: Here We Go Again!

Ch-Ch-Churro Project 7 Gum - Target  58¢

Project 7 offers unique sugar-free sweets in well designed packaging, all while donating proceeds to worthy causes. What's not to like? Sadly, their product. They're just too inconsistent! 

There are a handful of their chewing gums that I truly enjoy and would recommend to everyone, but for every product I adore, there are easily twice as many disappointments. Fool me seven times, shame on you, fool me eight-or more times, shame on me.   

I talk a big game, but I have used this Futurama meme before, in ANOTHER Project 7 review. Even after being burned time and time again, I keep coming back for more...when they're on sale. Wise man say, forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for roulette chewing gum. 

Girl Thin Mints Project 7 Mints & ANOTHER Project 7 rant - Target $1.99

Girl Thin Mints Project 7 Mints - Target $1.99

Are you sick of Girl Scout reviews? You're in luck! This is the last item I've got in my stash. (Until I find the caramel breakfast cereal anyway.) It may not be as exciting as the promise of cookies for breakfast, or as innovative as caramel coconut flavored chewing gum, but this was the product I was most excited for because a mint-cookie-to-breath-mint transition makes perfect sense. 

Girl Scouts Project 7 Chewing Gum - Target $1.99 (each)

Girl Scouts Project 7 Chewing Gum - Target $1.99 (each)

Hello darkness, my old friend... 

I have a love/hate relationship with Project 7 products. They have great packaging, they support wonderful causes, and they had some really delicious products back when they were first introduced. Since their initial launch, they've branched out into all these trendy flavors of the week and, frankly, these new flavors have all been misses for me. They taste really fake and eating them is more like a chore than a joy. Every time I swear off their products, they drag me back in with intriguing items like this. I mean, it's Girl Scout Cookie GUM! (I am pretty sure they'd take away my non-existent food-blogger card if I skipped this one.) So, here we are again. I'll give Proect 7 the Benefit of a doubt...but my gut tells me this was a mistake.

Project 7 Pumpkin Spice Delight Gum

Does the world really need another pumpkin spiced gum? 

Project 7 Build+A+Flavor - S'mores - Target

Project 7 Build+A+Flavor - S'mores - Target 

I've always been a big fan of Project 7's products (especially their branding and packaging), but I must admit, their newer flavors have left me cold. It's great that they're branching out and trying new things, like these multi-flavor packs, but these gimmicky flavors taste like fake sugar and disappointment. 

My favorites have been their Front Porch Lemonade, Watermelon-Grapefruit, and Vanilla Peppermints, but S'more flavored gum? I don't know...in all fairness the Key Lime Pie gum from Dessert Delights (which is now discontinued) managed to make a graham-cracker-flavoring work in gum-form, so maybe there's hope for this flavor yet...

Grapefruit Melon Project 7 Gum - Target

Grapefruit Melon Project 7 Gum - Target

Annnnd we're back! Sorry for the short hiatus; I've been really busy preparing for the Summer Fancy Food Show. It's this weekend in NY! This is my second year attending as a member of the press (so fancy!) and now that I know what to expect, I've been spending a lot of time preparing and packing.

Thanks to all that prep work I have some time to catch up on some foodie reviews!

Monday was the first day of summer and that night there was a Strawberry Moon? How freaking cool is that?! I may not have anything strawberry themed to review, but what's more summery than watermelon?

Project 7 Build A Flavor Half and Half -Target

Project 7 Build A Flavor Half and Half -Target

Okay, I've reviewed enough Project 7 products by now, you guys know I'm head over heels for the company's message, their packaging, and their aesthetic, but their products tend to be hit or miss when it comes to quality. The mints? Always awesome! The gum? Not so much. I've talked about the packaging and design in tons of other reviews, so I'm going to get right to it. How does this mix hold up? 

Project 7 Key Lime Pie Build+A+Flavor Gum - Target

Project 7 Key Lime Pie Build+A+Flavor Gum - Target

I've gushed over Project 7's packaging and overall branding, but to be honest, the only product of theirs I truly love and repurchase on a regular basis are their vanilla peppermints. This company has TONS of gum flavors, but I always feel like the taste never lives up to their fancy flavor names, but maybe that will change now that we have these Target exclusive Build+A+Flavor packs. 

Back when Dessert Delights gum was around they had a Key Lime Pie flavor, and it was my absolute favorite! Since it was discontinued a few years ago I've been missing my chewable pie-flavored fix, so I'm really hoping this will be an adequate (or improved) replacement.

More Build-A-Flavor Gum headed our way!

Photo © Confectionarynews.com

I'm a big fan of the packaging and the overall concept behind Project 7 mints and chewing gum, so I can't wait to try all of these new flavors! I already bought the 3 in the middle at Target, but I guess the ones on either ends are still headed our way? (They're the 2 I'm most excited for too! I can't wait!)

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net
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Project 7 Red Velvet Cupcake Gum - Target

Project 7 Red Velvet Cupcake Gum - Target

Do any of you watch Orange is The New Black? If you do, you might remember THIS scene where prison guard, and fad-dieter, O'Neill goes on a tirade about the popularity of Red Velvet Cake and how he personally feels like it's a scam.

You tell 'em O'Neill! I grew up watching cooking shows, so even though I know that Red Velvet Cake is indeed a real thing, and a Southern tradition, I can't help but agree with him. The sudden surge of products and popularity we are seeing is a total scam coasting on tons of food dye and all of the food companies out there are getting in on it. We have Oreos, yogurts, m&m's, and now? Chewing gum. Even Project 7 isn't immune to the trendiness of this red-hued wannabe. I love this company and their concept, but I hate the trendiness of all this red velvet cake nonsense, so let's see if trying this gum will make any difference in my velvet-y stance.

Project 7 Gingerbread Snap Gum - Target

Project 7 Gingerbread Snap Gum - Target

I may be all Scrooge-y about Christmas, but I have to admit...Project 7's seasonal gum is really cute. This smiling gingerbread man has melted my icy Christmas-hating heart with his adorable little cookie face, so into my cart he went.

Project 7 Front Porch Lemonade Gum - JoAnn Fabrics

Project 7 Front Porch Lemonade Gum - JoAnn Fabrics

I had been trying to track down these Project 7 chewing gums for almost a year. The packaging is so clean, and all the other food bloggers were posting about them, and I (like the foodie sheep that I am) wanted to check them out too. Since I try really hard not to buy food or candy online, I was scouring the grocery stores hoping to find these, and back in January I finally found them! At Jo Ann Fabrics of all places! I started out with the Birthday Cake version (which was reviewed here) but thankfully more and more flavors are popping up here in Jersey, so now I have this beautiful summery lemonade to review!

Project 7 Sugar Free Birthday Cake Gum - JoAnn Fabrics: Cherry Hill, NJ

Project 7 Sugar Free Birthday Cake Gum - JoAnn Fabrics: Cherry Hill, NJ

Birthday cake flavored gum? And it's not from the Dessert Delight's line? What madness is this?

I had been on the lookout for Project 7's products after seeing a few fellow foodie bloggers review a few of their items, and I finally found them in my area, at the crafty store of all places! I already reviewed the vanilla peppermints from this line, and I liked those quite a bit. They've been in my purse ever since and everyone I've shared them with has enjoyed them as well. Since the mints were such a hit, I decided to give this gum a try, even though I still feel like "Birthday Cake" is a subjective flavor. Come on! There is no one-way to make a birthday cake! It could be any flavor of cake and any flavor of icing, then again, I guess "vanilla cake and icing" doesn't have the same allure as "birthday cake."

Oh well, on to the review!