Lunchables snacks

When Lunchables first showed up in the 1980s, they were little make-your-own sandwichettes of crackers, cheese and perhaps meat, which nobody would call lunch. Over the years, many more elaborate items were added, some with drinks and desserts, including some that almost nobody would call lunch.

Until Mr. Tidbit saw a "new" flag on a recently added flavor, he hadn't noticed the presence of Lunchables Snack Duos, which are even less lunch than the original Lunchables. OK, Mr. Tidbit must acknowledge that, along with "Lunchables," the name includes the word "snack."

The "Duos" refers to the fact that these items are so very not lunch that two complete "servings" are packaged together, with a cardboard zipper to separate them into two Lunchables snacks.

What is Mr. Tidbit yammering about? What's in a Snack Duo? Well, in the one he spotted, each of the two Duos contains tortilla chips, salsa and mini Oreo cookies. Others Duos include new S'mores Dippers (honey graham sticks, marshmallow creme and milk chocolate chips); and the four earlier Duos: mini Ritz crackers, American cheese and mini Oreos; ham, Cheddar and mini Ritz; turkey, mozzarella and mini Ritz; and mini Ritz, mozzarella and mini Chips Ahoy! cookies.

Whatever happened to an apple? Or, for a snack duo, two apples?

PB Pop-Tarts

The two newest flavors of Pop-Tarts are Pop-Tarts Gone Nutty! Before he goes any further, Mr. Tidbit must point out that, like the exclamation point in "Chips Ahoy! cookies," the exclamation point in "Pop-Tarts Gone Nutty!" is part of the product's name, not an indication of any particular enthusiasm on the part of Mr. Tidbit.

So. There are two Gone Nutty! Flavors of Pop-Tarts: peanut butter (filling made with peanut butter in a peanut butter flavored crust that is sprinkled with sugar), and chocolate peanut butter (filling made with peanut butter in a chocolate crust topped with frosting).

Want to guess how many flavors of Pop-Tarts that makes? At the Pop-Tarts website, which lists them in eight overlapping categories (Gone Nutty!, Oatmeal Delights, chocolate, fruit, bakery, ice cream, Wildlicious and limited edition), Mr. Tidbit counted 26, plus two Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps. That's nutty!

Al Sicherman