First Street Sesame Seed Bagels

 Over at Smart and Final you can get these First Street Sesame Seed Bagels which are per-sliced but too close to the top. Now, I have to say that I gobble these things when I'm working and don't have time to cook. They're not the best bagels in the world but as bagels go they're good enough. 

I would get these again. 

First Street Hawaiian Style Sweet Hamburger Buns

 Summer is upon us and it's time to burn food in your backyard. Some of that food may just be hamburgers and you may reach for First Street Hawaiian Style Sweet Hamburger Buns. 

Be aware that they're softer than normal buns and get soggy easily so you want to make them when they eat them not assemble them before hand. Grilling or toasting will give them more staying power.  

They do have more flavor than normal buns, but they are so easy to squash.  They're good but there are limitations.

First Street Gummi Brains

 If you were hoping for the flavor and texture of real brains I can tell you that First Street Gummi Brains are a bust. These are chewy and feel odd in your mouth. 

I'll grant they will look good at your party tonight but they taste kind of like blueberry and are the kind of thing you wind up eating the next day hoping they'll help your hangover. They won't. 

First Street Lemon Fruit Pie

 This time of year many a person brain shifts out of summer and into the idea of what to pack in their child's lunch. I mean, not me, but a good number of people. If your kid is a lemon lover these First Street Lemon Fruit Pies can be found at your local Smart and Final. 

I have to say these are fine. I like the fact that they are fine because if they were not fine I would eat them all before getting time to review them. 

I would say these are a good addition to the cabinet if not very good for you. I mean, you should give your child apples but they will eat these pies.

First Street Old Fashioned Garlic Sourdough Bread

 First Street Old Fashioned Garlic Sourdough Bread was on sale at my local Smart and Final so I got the two bags they had and I can say this is good bread. It could be more sour, it could have more garlic, but it does not have the big chunks of garlic that would otherwise make the bread bad. 

This was bread, it was flavorful bread that didn't go too far. I would get it again to be honest. Nearly ate it all before I got the picture for this review.

First Street Chocolate Pudding Pie

 Chocolate Pudding Pies are a kind of food I tend to reach for when I am truly feeling down. I can tell you last week was a monster for me and a trip to Smart and Final brought me to these First Street Pudding Pies which are some of the worst I've ever had. They don't really make me feel any better. 

I knew they were terrible for me. Frankly, anyone eating one of these monstrosities has to have a little of a death wish. Still, with three kinds of sugar they still weren't all that sweet and the crust was just tasteless and bad. 

I thought I felt bad before I ate these but now I feel even worse. 

Keep clear of these things. They just leave you wanting. 

First Street Chocolate Chip Muffins

 First Street Chocolate Chip Muffins are the kind of thing that fills the need but goes no further. I'll grant the ones I got were listed as 'reduced price for quick sale', but these were flavorless. 

This is not to say they were bad but rather that they just were. They fulfill the definition of Chocolate Chip Muffins, but go no further. I would say these needed more vanilla, yes you do put that in muffins, or perhaps some more salt. 

The point is that if you are having these with coffee it better be good coffee.

First Street Swiss Sliced Cheese

 First Street Swiss Sliced Cheese is what one would expect from Swiss cheese. I would even go a little further and say that this is a little sharper than some of the Swiss I've had, but not as sharp as some of the deli Swiss. 

Good stuff, would buy again.

First Street Dark Red Kidney Beans

 First Street Dark Red Kidney Beans are one of those things you don't put a good deal of thought into. I mean, yeah, I'll drop them on a salad in a few years after the can is all dusty and too old. 

The truth is that we should respect the beans and have more of them with salad. If I did that I probably wouldn't be a big fat dude talking about beans... I'd be a less fat dude talking about beans. 

 

First Street Chicken Broth Reduced Sodium

 First Street Chicken Broth Reduced Sodium is a thing...I will never really understand chicken broth. I mean, why don't you just boil the chicken in water and then make chicken broth? I don't know, it just looks like a lot of salt to me. Then they make it with less salt and so you get less. So confused. 

Anyway, I made chicken soup with this and it worked fine. The vet said I should get it for my sick cats but they didn't think much of it. I Normally don't buy this kind of thing but if I did I guess this would be a good one to have around. 

1/4 Pound First Street Ground Beef Patties

1/4 Pound First Street Ground Beef Patties are not what I'm used to when it comes to beef. These are so lean that you need to ad oil to the pan to cook them but they do shrink as they get done so that's normal. Now, they do taste like hockey pucks so keep that in mind if you pick these up and flavor them with something. 

First Street Corned Beef Brisket

It turns out that Corned Beef has nothing to do with corn. The tradition was that they used 'salt corns' which are big bits of salt to make this chewy meat last long. 

Beef Brisket is a miserable lump of fatty gristly meat that takes a long time to cook. First Street Corned Beef Brisket is a salty version of that which takes forever to cook.

I don't mind cooking for a long time but you need to know that going in. This meat is sure to still be around and discounted after St. Patrick's day.

Cheap beef is a good buy if you like cooking. 

First Street Young Turkey

It's Turkey day for the U.S.A. and so we all have ourselves a bird but if your like me then you wait until after Christmas to by a few of these birds which will be waiting around for you at Smart & Final.

After a good amount of time on ice this First Street Young Turkey cooked with red wine was totally off the wall. I'd get more but I still have two in my big freezer.

What, I'm fat, you figure I'd have a turkey or two on hand. 

First Street Candy Corn

If you want to see a child's eyes light up as you slowly poison them get yourself some First Street Candy Corn this Halloween. 

I can stand this stuff but only just, and I think it's just basically sugar. Well, candy is a low bar to get over. Sugar, food coloring, and, well, that's all you need. 

First Street Chili Con Carne No Beans

If you're looking for something to clear your sinuses First Street Chili Con Carne No Beans is not for you. In fact, I think this chilly is not meant to be eaten as such but rather to be used as the chili you add to things like hot dogs and French Fries.

Past that it's loaded with salt and will kill you if eaten too often. Tastes okay.

First Street Black-eyed Peas

It turns out that First Street Black-eyed Peas should probably be called First Street California Black-eyed Peas because commercially available Black-eyed Peas are almost always the California Black-eyed Pea.

Now as a legume these are quick to make and filling with little taste to them to make them take on what you put with them. Jalapeno's and Ham are my brother's preferred flavorings.

Now what I like to do with black-eyed peas is boil them until the water goes cloudy then change the water and boil again. I keep it up until the peas stop clouding the water and so get rid of that woody flavor these things can have.

These are a great source of protein and fiber, and I eat them all the time.

First Street Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

I'm not sure there was any chicken under all the salt these came in. They were so salty that I could taste them the next morning in my mouth after brushing. If I wanted salt I could get that for less and not have to freeze it.

First Street Black Beans

There just isn't much to say about canned beans. I mean, yeah, you can eat them with other stuff, but they add very little to the meal and are kind of high in salt.

Think of these as a canvas to paint flavor on and you may do okay with them. They work as a carbohydrate for those losing weight but are a little short on protein to be thought of as a combination. 

That said I will probably get these again if they are the cheapest option or I can't find something healthier. 

First Street Green Peas

Do you have to specify that peas are green? I mean, are there other colours that I don't know about? Anyway, these are peas, eat um', they're good for you.

First Street Brown Long Grain Rice

They say brown rice is better for you than white rice, but to be honest only just.

Funny thing is that I read a study, not but this morning, saying they can make rice better for you but taking the calories out. I have to ask, why not eat less rice then and give the extra to starving people but science people aren't interested in helping as much as companies are interested in making money.

Anyway, this stuff is reasonable with a seasoning. A little salt and bay are all you need, and I may have cooked it too long, but I didn't notice it over white rice.