April 27th: Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Soft Oaties Oat & Chocolate Chip

Kcal 181 Fat 8.0g Fat(sats) 3.0g Carbs 24.0g

This was a product I randomly picked up in my University library vending machine ... Yes I was in the library, a student actually working whatever next!? For one reason or another I was actually feeling rather inclined for a cookie like product - described on pack as a 'oat, wheat and chocolate chip cookie' this seemed an option to satisfy this craving.

The product came in a single piece form and weighed in at 40.0g. The packaging was nothing special, though the combination of the matted outer material and inner foil ensured freshness. Aesthetically the cookie looked pretty large though nothing really made it stand out in any shape or form ... this was really just a chocolate chip cookie with oats. Opening the packet I was met with a very weird sweet smell. It had a cakey manner about it, though it also smelt quite oddly fruity ... people who have had Nutri-Grain bars will know the aroma I am talking about. 

This was a product that whilst I was consuming I really couldn't make up my mind whether I was enjoying it or not ... after the experience I would unfortunately say a little more the latter. The texture was very odd for a product billed as a cookie. It was not hard or crunchy in any manner, but was more a halfway house between a flapjack and cake ... frankly it came across as a mildly soggy biscuit. The oats and wheat elements made for pleasant enough cereal based background flavours, though this was somewhat dominated by a lingering syrupy sweetness that was obviously delivering the moistness in the texture. The sweetness was at times overbearing and not particularly welcome. The chocolate chips actually delivered nice enough chocolate flavour bursts, they could of perhaps of done with a few more but the amount present was sufficient enough. The rather stodgy texture made this quite a filling a product, however the sweet taste made it partially hard to eat in its entirety. 

Overall I think at the heart of this product there were some nice ideas, however Kellogg's spoilt them by including a syrup type substance that came at detriment to both the resulting taste and texture. When I assign scores to products I deeply consider whether I would a) recommend it to others? and b) would I have it again myself? Despite this not being an awful product in any sense the answer to both the previous would be a straight 'no'. Kellogg's have a few refinements to make with this one.

6.4 out of 10