Pepsi Next - The Next New Coke?

I am definitely a Diet Coke person, but I am overall not opposed to drinking Pepsi when it is the brand served at a particular place or is only brand on sale when I want to buy more soda.  Usually I really do not mind Diet Pepsi other than it seems to get flat fast and I actually prefer the Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry to the Diet Coke with Cherry.  Thus I thought why not give Pepsi Next a shot.

Since I mostly like soda with artificial sweeteners because they tend to be less sweet, I knew maybe I would not like Pepsi Next with it having some sugar.  However, it actually does not seem too sweet, but from the first sip I did not like it.

The main issue I have with Pepsi Next is that it seems rather flat.  I thought at first it was because the can I got was mailed to me, but then I got a 2-liter bottle from the store and it was just as bad.  If you prefer less carbonation than Pepsi definitely is better than Coke, but the main thing I like about soda is carbonation so seeming flat right from the start is not good.

Beyond just the lack of carbonation, I also did not like the taste.  Not that the taste was bad, but it just seemed very bland.  I thought maybe it is because I am used to drinking Diet soda, so I had my brother try it without giving him my opinion first.  He said it was boring and while he usually drinks Coke he actually does like Pepsi the same or more.  At the same time he also dislikes some artificial sweeteners, so I would have expected him to say something more like this tastes bad rather than this tastes like nothing.

So not surprising that a Diet Coke fan like me is not into this new product, but I really expected my brother a fan of full calorie colas to at least think it was at least okay.  As it is, to me Pepsi Next is a failure like New Coke was.

Disclosure: I received a free sample from BzzAgent.

Lean Pockets Pretzel Breads Spinach & Three Cheese Sandwiches

My local Fry's tends to have a really limited selection of Lean Pockets to the point they did not even carry the only vegetarian option of Four Cheese for awhile.  Thus, I was pretty darn excited that when I went to stock up on some Lean Pockets there was a new meat free option to try.  I was extra excited that the new option is a Pretzel Bread one, as I love pretzels and have been hoping for a meat free version.

The Lean Pockets Pretzel Breads Spinach & Three Cheese did not disappoint for the most part.  I like that it is more than just cheese inside.  It kind of reminds me of how I like the broccoli and cheese ones better than the four cheese pizza back when I could find the broccoli ones.  The pretzel bread part is pretty tasty, too, although I would have preferred it to taste more saltier.

This new variety of Lean Pockets has definitely become my first choice one to get.  Hopefully, it sticks around and my local store continues to carry it, as it would be hard to go back to having just the boring Four Cheese Pizza again.  Although, they do still have the Limited Edition Four Cheese Garlic Pasta Bake ones, which do not feel so limited with them being around for at least 7 months already.