About a month ago I posted a bunch of “freebies” that I took advantage of. Most were of the food and drink persuasion. I speculated in lieu of recessionomics* such giveaways were becoming more popular as businesses use them as “hooks” to lure customers in the door. I was reminded of this as I read last Monday’s Buffalo News “Money Smart” which had an article basically stating the same.
Last time, I reviewed some of the free products I sampled. I have a few more since then:
First is Kashi’s new Mayan Harvest Bake frozen dinner. I mentioned getting this last time, but it was still in my freezer when I posted. So how was it? Well, for a frozen dinner, the quantity of food was impressive. And with whole, non-mushy vegetables, the quality and texture weren’t bad either. This meal cooked up from frozen in a few minutes, as per the microwaving instructions on the box. It was a strange blend of sweet, savory, and spicy ingredients to include plantains, sweet potatoes, black beans, and Kashi’s signature whole grain pilaf all in a zesty sauce. To be honest, I don’t think the flavors melded well. Too much sweet from the plantains (tastes like slightly green bananas) too much savory, and very spicy. The good news is that just about everything in there are wholesome ingredients—definitely better than the average frozen entrée.
Dunkin Donuts’ free coffee days ended the last Wednesday in April. I previously stated that I usually take advantage of free offers without actually buying anything else—defeating the marketer’s intent behind the offer. But on this one, I did purchase a few jelly-filled donuts. They’re the best. I will miss my free Dunkin coffee and hope they run this promo again some time.
A couple Sundays ago in the Parade newspaper insert, KFC ran a coupon for a free piece of their new Kentucky Grilled Chicken. Promising less fat than the Colonel’s Original Recipe, the grilled variant does deliver. My sample piece of thigh meat was burning hot off the grill and proved to have a delicious, slightly spicy, savory flavor. For now the KGC value meals are cheaper than comparable meals with their fried cousins.
* recessionomics is pure James-ism. It reminds me of George Bush Sr. and his VooDoo Economics—that term never ceases to crack me up…
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