LITTLE ROCK — We found that some of our favorite finds have been rolling out new flavors.
Lean Cuisine Panini: Our favorite microwave-grilled sandwich maker now offers a Chicken Tuscan Panini (340 calories, 8 g fat). It supposedly features "tender white meat chicken, peppers, olives, tomatoes and margherita-style sauce on Italian herb bread," but mostly what we tasted were green peppers. We still recommend the Chicken, Spinach & Mushrooms variety that has a more harmonious fusion of ingredients, not to mention 60 fewer calories.
Snacksters: There is now a Twizzlers Rainbow Twists version of the 100-calorie packs from Hershey's that usually feature a combo of cereal, cookies and candy. Baggies hold assorted fruit-flavored, fat-free licorice bits in a variety of colors. But we've not actually tried them. To date, we've only spotted Twizzlers Snacksters in a giant 28-portion box at Sam's Club. And we can't be trusted around a 2,800-calorie pack.
Jell-O Pudding Sugar-Free Snack: Fake banana can be bad. Very bad. But the Banana Fudge Supreme flavor (60 calories, 1 g fat per cup) of this pudding line is mild and inoffensive. That it's topped with fake chocolate (which can be good, very good) doesn't hurt.
Slim Pickings is a weekly review of light foods. E-mail:
Food, Pages 54 on 10/24/2007