It's been quiet around An American Housewife for a couple weeks because I was busy traveling solo; making a cross country trip many states away for a wedding and a family reunion. On the road for two weeks, I was at the grocery store the night before I left, not only buying food to stock the refrigerator, pantry and freezer for my husband and daughter while I was gone, but looking for food and drink items for myself and the 2 weeks I'd be traveling by car.
I had never tried Snack Pack brand sugar free pudding but as I walked down the grocery aisle, it occurred to me I would want something sweet, tasty and comforting at some point in the trip - most likely around 9:30 pm in my hotel room when I get the munchies while checking emails before bed. When I saw the family pack of sugar free pudding with 6 chocolate and 6 vanilla I thought it night be a good buy as I could pack a couple of the vanilla with me, and leave the chocolate for my husband. I bought the box... shuddering at the ingredients (modified food starch is number 2 on the ingredients list) but again; it's not a normal purchase and I knew I'd be happy to have it at some point on the trip.
I'm glad I tasted one at home first!
I did not pack any for the trip. Not a one.
These are hands down the worst sugar free puddings I have ever tasted in my life.
If you are a parent, grandparent, babysitter (whatever) trying to do good by opting for these sugar free puddings for your Littles, then please, please taste these before serving them.
It's kind of like if you were to eat a mixture of a wallpaper paste, but with some 'off' chemical taste in the background.
Not a smidgen of vanilla to be found... never mind no sweetness at all. I'm not kidding; wallpaper paste.
Not wanting to waste them, I opted not to bring them with of course but to doctor them up here at home just to use them up. It isn't hard and it doesn't take much to make them somewhat palatable.
To the Snack Pack Sugar Free Pudding add;
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t - 3/4 t sweetener of choice
Stir well. Taste... adjust with a few drops of vanilla or sweetener to your own preference.
If you've been a reader of An American Housewife for any length of time, you know I don't like things sweet. If and when I do crave a dessert of some sort its usually a cream puff or similar pastry with just a bit of vanilla and/or whipped cream. Sweet things turn my stomach! So the fact that I would add 1/2 - 3/4 t sweetener and vanilla to the pudding cup should tell you just how terrible they are. But... not too bad once they are doctor'd up.
Products related to this post available through Amazon;
EZ-Sweetz (1.05oz - Liquid Sweetener 400 Servings/Bottle)
Snack Pack Pudding, Sugar Free Chocolate, 13 oz
Truvia Natural Sweetener, Spoonable, 9.8 Ounce
