Favorite Day Cotton Candy Trail Mix

At the rate we're covering Favorite Day and Good & Gather products on this blog, I don't think we're ever going to make a meaningful dent in Target's product lines just looking at a couple things per month. They're releasing tons of new foods and seasonal items each year, and at this point, it's kind of futile to even try and keep up.

So...maybe we'll just make this a blog about Target brand trail mixes and snack mixes? That's a worthy endeavor, no? I don't even know if I can get around to reviewing all of those. But at least there will be one place out in the interzones dedicated to most of those newfangled and mysterious and sometimes pricey trail mixes there at the local Target.

This one's cotton candy. Interesting. Another summer flavor. Let's see if it's as good as the lemonade one we looked at last week.

In a word, yes, it is. But let's break things down, shall we?

Popping candy clusters. They're light blue and pink like popular cotton candy colors. Don't think they're two different flavors, though. They're just sweet and pop-a-licious, just like Pop Rocks candy.

Vanilla crème flavored almonds. We've seen these a couple times before. They're awesome. This mix could use more of them.

Peanuts. We all know what peanuts are. Why are they with a cotton candy mix? I guess they're both state fair type snacks. Circus snacks? I dunno. They work just fine.

Shortbread chips. Crunchy. Vaguely sweet. Not super memorable. The mix could use fewer of these. Not a deal-breaker, though.

Yogurt-flavored covered raisins. Kind of a weird way to say it. "Yogurt covered raisins" or "yogurt flavored raisins" makes more sense to me. Large, creamy, white chocolate-esque candies with a bit of raisin inside. I'm down.

Strawberry-flavored confection drops, AKA strawberry chips. Creamy and fruity and sweet. They work nicely.

The overall effect is definitely cotton candy-esque, though I don't think this one nailed real cotton candy quite like the last mix did with sparkling strawberry lemonade. Still, it's another really interesting seasonal offering from Target. Nine ounces for $5.49. I'd buy it again. Snackalicious. 

I give this trail mix 8 out of 10 stars. 

Favorite Day Summer Lemonade Trail Mix

Here's the scene: you've just finished mowing the lawn. It's about 90°F in the shade. It's humid. You're drenched in sweat. You plop down in your Adirondack chair on the back porch and begin using your ball cap as a fan to cool off your face. Your loving wife appears in the doorway with a pitcher and a glass full of ice. "I made you some lemonade, sweetie," she says. You gladly accept the beverage. You take a sip. It's refreshing, sweet, and tart. The first words out of your mouth: "Thanks, babe. But this lemonade needs way more cashews."

I mean, right? Who would put peanuts and cashews in summer lemonade? Target would, that's who.

But you know what? It works somehow. Let's examine this unique trail mix ingredient by ingredient.

Roasted salted peanuts. Water, sugar, lemon, and peanuts of course. A must for every glass of summertime lemonade. Just kidding. But if you needed something salty to go with your lemonade, peanuts are a fine choice.

Sour strawberry-flavored golden raisins. Okay. So it's strawberry lemonade now. That works. These are good. Very sour, indeed. There aren't a ton of 'em, though.

Lemon-flavored fizzy clusters. So we've got sparkling strawberry lemonade now? Well, they're not "fizzy" per se. They're crispy, with a touch of that Pop Rocks effect. Lemony enough. Pretty good.

Strawberry flavored confectionary chips. Creamy, sweet, and vaguely fruity. If there were too many of them, they might throw off the delicate balance of tart lemon they're apparently going for. Fortunately, there's just about the right amount in the mix.

Lemonade-flavored seasoned cashews. There's no coating on the cashews. Just lemon seasoning? It's an extremely subtle lemon flavor here. They taste more like cashews than lemons, and that's okay. I don't know why it works, but it just kinda does.

Lemon-flavored dried apples. They're just tiny little cubes of dried apple that taste applicious and lemontastic. The mix could use more of these happy morsels.

I didn't expect this mix to work at all, but it's a pleasant surprise after trying it. There is something weirdly lemonade-esque about it. I'd buy again. $5.49 for 9 oz.

I give this trail mix 8 out of 10 stars.