Review: CVS Gold Emblem Brand Products

Hey, So Good readers!  It’s your friendly neighborhood Junk Food Guy, back atcha this post-Super Bowl / Valentine’s Day week. I don’t know what is more emotionally draining – having to sit through the longest Super Bowl game ever, or having to think up something romantic for Valentine’s Day.  Flowers, candy, nice dinner, a gift, and I STILL have to put on pants when I meet your friends??  …. Some holiday THIS is.

Well, to ease my pain, the good ole people from CVS Gold Emblem Brand Products sent me a big box of stuff.  Well, So Good kingpin Eick had CVS send me a big box of stuff to review.  At least, I hoped it was a box of something edible.  When it arrived, it was heavy.  I opened the box to find this:

Er…I was sort of scared.  After I determined it was not a severed head, I slowly peeled back some bubble wrap…

Wait, is that what I THINK it is??

IT WAS.

CVS Gold Emblem Brand Products, for those of you who don’t know, is CVS’s personal line of snacks and treats sold only at CVS.  It’s apparently been revamped with a new logo, a new packaging style, and an overall re-launch of elevated taste and ingredient standards.

The box contained a whole bunch of treats.  I’m pretty sure the helmet is not available in stores.

Some of the CVS Gold Emblem Brand Products I received included chocolate chip cookies, trail mix, flavored sparkling waters…

…and this amazing football helmet, complete with the Gold Emblem and CVS logos on the side.  They even included the tiny patch of turf. Amazing.

The box finished off with more CVS Gold Emblem Brand Products: pistachios, mixed nuts, chocolate covered cashews, and gummy bears.

The inclusion of the helmet with these CVS Gold Emblem Brand Products was clearly a sign that CVS wanted these items promoted for the big game!  And for all future sporting events.  Naturally, I couldn’t resist – I had to try the sucker on.  I look just like Tom Brady, don’t I?  That’s my best scowl…

It occurred to me after I pried the helmet off my head that, huh, I’ve actually never worn a football helmet EVER in my entire life.  It hurt…These things are supposed to protect my head.  Then I read the big tag on the back (see above).  Ah….ok.  Glad I didn’t try to run into any walls.

Let’s down to the goods, shall we?

CVS Gold Emblem Brand Absolutely Divine Chocolate Chip Cookies were very crunchy, and loaded with chocolate chips.  Negatives: these were sort of dry; definitely not the soft bake type. Positives: these were absolutely LOADED with chocolate chips.  Extremely chocolatey. Ended up eating half the box without thinking about it.

I do love trail mix, and this CVS Gold Emblem Brand Classic Trail Mix Blend was a good one.  This version was saltier than other trail mixes I’d had, which I liked – gave the overall flavor more of a peanut butter and jelly taste, rather than just all sugar, like some trail mixes.  Yeah, I’m looking at you, Walmart Great Value Brands.

CVS Gold Emblem Brand Black Cherry Flavored Sparkling Water  was light and refreshing, much like any other flavored soda water you’ve had.  Good black cherry flavor.  It always sort of creeps me out that these are clear, but then again, I eat junk food for a living.  Moving on.

CVS Gold Emblem Brand Natural Pistachios were great.  Fresh, easy to crack, and full of flavor. Who doesn’t love pistachios? Not much to screw up here.  BTW, did anyone see PSY’s Super Bowl Pistachios commercial? They actually sang “AAAAAAAAYYYYYY CRACK YOUR NUTS NOW”  My jaw was locked open.

CVS Gold Emblem Brand Mixed Nuts and Dark Chocolate Covered Cashews were part of the reason this box was so heavy, I’m convinced.  Nice size tubs of nutty goodness!

CVS Gold Emblem Brand Mixed Nuts apparently do not contain any peanuts.  Why not?  I love peanuts!  Then again, it must be nice for the rest of these nuts to have a chance to shine without that damn peanut stealing all the thunder. Ok, I get it.  Brazil Nuts need lovin’ too.

CVS Gold Emblem Brand Dark Chocolate Covered Cashews were friggin tasty.  Dark chocolate flavor was really good, and you can see from the cross section that the chocolate coating was plenty thick – there was no skimping going on here.  Just a nice solid dip/coating.

Ah, CVS Gold Emblem Brand Gummy Bears. I can’t remember the last time I had gummy bears!  Like, over a decade ago?  I used to wear braces and they told me I could NEVER eat gummy bears when I had braces.  But I did, all the time.  Sure, I had to get my wires fixed all the time…but that’s a small price to pay for this chewy chewy goodness.

Anyways, that’s it, So Good readers.  After CVS inspired gluttony this week, I’ll be back soon with more random and obscure snacks….or perhaps just the latest new one on the shelf.

Thoughts? Please comment below or hit me up on Twitter @junkfoodguy. Let’s hang out.