Due to the unavailability of Cheez-It during Joel’s most recent trip to Target, he took a gamble on an unknown box. Target’s own brands rarely disappoint us. Archer Farms is good, and their line of Market Pantry products is generally reliable and less expensive. (Nothing beats HEB for store-brand quality, however.) Plus, they were on sale.
The verdict? Not all baked snack crackers are created equal.
I found the nearly full box on my desk when I got home last night, a big circled “F” written in Sharpie on the front. How bad can they be? I asked. The expiration date is May 2009. I sampled one.
At first bite, they’re crispy, salty, a little less cheesy than Cheez-It, but not entirely unpleasant. Give it about 10 seconds. Then it becomes apparent that you’re experiencing first hand a failed attempt to make off-brand Play-Doh edible. The aftertaste is horrendous. I mean truly awful. I’m pretty sure it’s the worst thing I’ve ever eaten.
As I write this, Joel is staging a hilarious photoshoot. I imagine Market Pantry had a different expectation for their product’s placement.
I don’t buy Market Pantry very often since I think Target is overpriced and I generally don’t go there by choice. I asked my wife to pick up some Ritz or similar, so she got me the Market Pantry baked snack crackers. They taste OK, but they crumble to the slightest touch, come half cracked anyway, and make an awful mess. Spend the extra and skip this item.
I googled ‘Market Pantry Cheese Sqaures’ and this is the main thing that comes up…sadly! I was cheap today and got these instead of Cheez-its and I fell in love. They have just enough crunch to them and then melt in your mouth with a cheesy savory explosion! I can’t believe you hated them so much!
I’m glad to know someone likes them – I really was confused since I do love Target and their products. I also think it’s kinda funny that it’s the top hit because I think this is my only ever product review. Maybe we got a bad batch! Enjoy yours – whatever makes you happy.