The Good: Very flavorful, Very cherry flavored!
The Bad: Proportionately expensive
The Basics: Surprisingly delicious, Craisins Cherry Dried Cranberries snack might well be the best of the line.
As I finish off my backlog of products around the house (who am I kidding, the backlog is not noticeably diminishing!), I am finally up to the Cherry Craisins I got at the New York State Fair last year. Already, I have reviewed the original Craisins (reviewed here!) and the Blueberry Craisins (reviewed here!), but I think I ended up saving the best for last. In fact, the only serious issues with Cherry Craisins are the surprising lack of vitamins and the environmental impact of the snack.
Basics
Craisins, for those who are not familiar with them, are dried cranberries. Ocean Spray was clever when they named this product: cranberry + raisins = Craisins. The Cherry flavor Craisins are cranberries that have been dehydrated and then infused with natural flavors and, oddly enough, elderberry juice. The intent is to make the dried cranberry taste more like a Cherry and Ocean Spray succeeds in making them taste exactly like a cherry!
Cherry Craisins come in various sizes, but always in sealed foil packs. The larger packs have zipper packs that allow them to be sealed in for freshness. The serving size is one ounce, which is approximately fifty Craisins. The Cherry Craisins can be used in pretty much any recipe that raisins are required for as they react almost identically to raisins. If acidity is an issue in the diet or recipe, be sure to confirm that Cherry Craisins will work instead, though the Cherry infused Craisins do not seem as acidic as the Original and not much more acidic than raisins.
Ease Of Preparation
Cherry Craisins are simple to prepare. Simply open the bag and remove them from it! There is no trick to eating Cherry Craisins; they are a snack that is ready to go from the bag to the mouth.
Taste
Cherry Craisins smell exactly like what they are flavored to be, as opposed to what they actually are. There is not a hint of cranberry in the aroma to these Craisins and consumers are likely to be blown away by how rich the cherry scent is.
Each of the little dark maroon Cherry Craisins is extraordinary in their flavoring, though. I have never been a fan of cherry, but placing these on my tongue, I became a convert! The Cherry Craisins taste exactly like cherry, with only the slightest hint of dry, sour cranberries in the very last moments of the treat’s aftertaste. These are a great fruit snack for those who love cherries, but do not want the portability issues that can come with transporting the actual, undried, fruit.
Nutrition
Cherry Craisins are an all natural snack, with no artificial preservatives. Given that the ingredients are mostly cranberries, sugar, and Cherry juice from concentrate, there is nothing hiding in them that will surprise consumers. These have a shelf life of approximately one year, so it's not a bad food or snack to stock up on.
Each one-third cup serving of Cherry Craisins has 130 calories, none of which come from fat. There are three grams of dietary fiber and no other significant nutrients in a serving. This surprised me, as I figured there would be vitamins, but the packaging does not indicate any vitamins in this treat! As a result, this is a snack that is not at all bad for consumers, but not exactly bursting with nutrients for them either.
Storage/Clean-up
Kept in their bag, Cherry Craisins will remain fresh for a year and as long as the bag is resealed, one suspects they will last that long anyway. Because I've been getting them from the terribly unenvironmental sample packs, I've never had to deal with issues of freshness for my Cherry Craisins.
Cleanup is simple as well. Cherry Craisins are a dry food and thus leave no mess behind. Simply toss out the foil bag and cleanup is done!
Overall
Cherry Craisins are arguably the best alternative to expensive dried cherries on the market. They are flavorful, easy to transport and absolutely delicious!
For other foods, check out my reviews of:
Yancey's Fancy Buffalo Wing Cheddar
Dole 100% Juice Orange Peach Mango Juice
Kraft Deli Deluxe Bacon Cheddar Slices
8/10
For other food and drink reviews, please click here to visit my index page!
© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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