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I had heard of Kraft Philadelphia, purely because of the outrageous 'angel adverts' they have on television. Despite seeing them goodness-knows how many times, I had never really paid much attention to the products they were displaying. On the shelf in front of me were four variety tubs ... Read review
Advantages: scrumptious, variety, cheap, healthy Disadvantages: only four flavours, unusual combination
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I had heard of Kraft Philadelphia, purely because of the outrageous 'angel adverts' they have on television. Despite seeing them goodness-knows how many times, I had never really paid much attention to the products they were displaying. On the shelf in front of me were four variety tubs that went by the name of Splendips. Alarm bells started ringing in my head, as the advert started to play in my mind. I could recall seeing these before! I remembered ... ...
In the UK, Kraft Philadelphia has a range of products on offer, including;
Varieties, Organic, Mini Tubs, Splendips, Snack Tubs, and Original.
I have only ever sampled the Splendips myself, but I think I shall be trying the Mini Tubs soon - they come in an 'Extra Light' option!
===Contact===
You should have no problems with your Splendips, but if you are unfortunate to do so, then it is ... more
When it comes to food, I am exceptionally fussy. No product enters my shopping trolley until the nutrition and dietary information has been thoroughly inspected. Adding to this, I am an incredible calorie counter, so any food too high gets shoved back on the shelf, never to be looked at again; same with those high in fat and sugar. Inevitably, this all results in a somewhat limited variety in what I allow myself to eat, causing some problems.
When it comes to lunch time, the easy option would seem to be sticking to sandwiches, using the fillings I know best and feel comfortable with. Unfortunately though, there comes a time when you can simply stomach no more bread, and the sheer boredom with repetitive taste is enough to drive you crazy! Fortunately though, I went on a wander around Asda, and whilst I was selecting out my light cheese, I spotted something else; a product I had not thought of before.
I had heard of Kraft Philadelphia, purely because of the outrageous 'angel adverts' they have on television. Despite seeing them goodness-knows how many times, I had never really paid much attention to the products they were displaying. On the shelf in front of me were four variety tubs that went by the name of Splendips. Alarm bells started ringing in my head, as the advert started to play in my mind. I could recall seeing these before! I remembered thinking they looked quite appetizing, and decided I should give them a try! With that, I bought one of each of the four kinds on offer!
The four variety options you have to choose from are; Chives Sweet Thai Chilli Nachos Cheesecake
Over the course of a week, I indulged myself in these healthy sandwich-alternatives for my lunch, enjoying eating something different and unique! On each, my opinions somewhat differ!
Chives
This was the first one I tried. I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Who knew whether I would like it or not - I'd never even tasted Philly cheese before! I looked down at the foil lid of the plastic tub. The words 'Splendips' took up the majority of it, just showing a half-covered image of the contents that could be found inside. It was outlined in green - not a very pleasant shade either! Though, I suppose, given the colour of chives, this did go well!
I ripped into the lid and peeled it completely off. I half expected everything to go flying as I struggled to peel it off, but fortunately this did not happen! I peered into the plastic tub, and examined the contents. The first thing I looked at was the crackers. I got such a shock at first; I thought they were mouldy! But then I actually used my brain, and realised the little green pieces were meant to be there to give it the chive taste. I felt like a complete plonker then! The next specimen I examined was the cheese - how exciting can cheese be? It appeared to be quite creamy at first sight, and had a lot of little chive bits in it. I wasn't sure whether I would like that or not, I'd have to wait and see. Finally, I took a closer look at the 'red stuff'. To begin with, I had no idea what this was, but after a bit of reading, I discovered it is in fact tomato chutney sauce - something I had never tasted. It looked a bit lumpy and unappealing when it sat alone in the tub.
After examining the looks of the food, it was time to give the contents a good old sniff; the aroma of food can be quite important at times! First the crackers - they smelled like cheese (how many times do we use that to compare bad smells?!) - as did the cheese dip. Both were quite mild and pleasant. As for the tomato chutney, that inevitably smelled of tomatoes, and gave off a strong scent. Not bad for a cheesy meal!If food tastes awful or has an appalling texture, then it really isn't worth eating! I hoped that this Splendips was going to pass both those tests; I was starting to get quite hungry! I sampled each in turn;
Biscuit alone - continued to taste of cheese, with a slightly salty kick. It had a surprisingly smooth texture too!
Biscuit and cheese - quite a mild taste, leaving a 'zingy' after taste. Cheese was smooth, with irritable chive bits.
Biscuit and sauce - sauce was incredibly strong and tangy, definitely taste the tomato.
All together - the strong tomato taste is toned down by the flavour from the cheese, cannot taste biscuit.
I'd have to say, when all three of them were combined, I was not too pleased with the taste. I much preferred to have just one of the other dips with my crackers! Also, far too much cheese was provided, and nowhere near enough tomato chutney sauce! >>>Nutrition<<< In each 85g pack, you will find; 160 calories 23g carbohydrates (6.8g sugars) 4.4g fat 1.4g fibre
Using an online Weight Watchers points calculator, that works out at about 3 points.
The main ingredients include; *Crackers: Wheat Flour, vegetable Oil, Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Sugar, Chives, Yeast, Raising Agents (E500, E336).
I quite enjoyed this snack, despite my first impressions, and would definitely buy it again!
Nachos
After such a delightful Chives pot, I could not wait to sample my next variety; I opted for the Nachos this time! From the cover, I thought the nachos themselves would be quite thin and would break easily. It was to my surprise when I peeled back the foil lid, that I noticed they were actually quite thick! This made me a bit happier to realise that they were of good quality, reassuring me after I had just battled with the poorly designed foil lid, causing quite a few holes in it before ripping it completely off!
In front of me I could see all three tray sections; the cheese side much larger than the salsa dip! The cheese itself looked quite basic; it didn't seem as if it would be incredibly exciting. As for the salsa dip, it looked quite 'bitty', the salsa pieces larger than I had expected. Nevertheless, it was still worth a try!
When it came to the 'sniff' test, all three sections were unique! I smelt a nacho first, but didn't expect it to be exciting! To my surprise, it has quite a spicy scent to it, as did the salsa - but not as strong. The cheese, however, had a more sour smell, as predicted. So far, no problems!I was quite baffled by the taste of the Splendips. Again, each was sampled in turn before combining them all, so I could taste each on their own along with their texture.
Nachos alone - it had a very bland taste, sort of like those Doritos crisps (I dislike these), quite rough too!
Nacho and cheese - didn't taste of much, cheese was slightly creamier than I had expected, and quite thick.
Nacho and salsa - salsa taste incredibly strong, left a rich feeling in the back of my throat.
All together - can't really taste the cheese, but it toned down the strength of the salsa - positive combination!
I think the best way to eat this is with both the dips combined with the nacho, otherwise the taste seems boring and unmemorable. Not the nicest in the world, but still edible. >>>Nutrition<<< In each 85g pack, you will find; 150 calories 17g carbohydrates (4.2g sugars) 6.5g fat 0.9g fibre
Using an online Weight Watchers points calculator, that works out at about 3 points.
>>>Quick Facts<<< Packaging; nice refreshing blue shade, poor foil lid Appearance; uneven sized pot, plain Smell; mild cheese, strong salsa Texture; creamy, thick Taste; basic on their own, spicy nacho, strong salsa, nice combined
At first, I disliked this Splendips option quite a bit, but I think by the time I finished it, the taste had grown on me. I would buy it again, but it would not be my first choice!
Thai Sweet Chili
After one very successful option, and one not-so-good, I was unsure of what to expect when it came to sampling the third Splendips a few days later. Looking down at the packaging, I was not impressed; the main outline what a shade of brown - very off-putting and unappealing. Though, I was not going to judge the meal entirely on its lousy foil lid, and tore it off, this time more easily than before.
As soon as I did this, the scent from the tray hit me almost instantly; a combination of 'sweet and sour sauce', and a mild hint of cheese. It was quite a delicious smell, but I am a fan of 'sweet and sour' dishes anyway!
Staring down at the tray, I was not too put off by what I saw. The crackers were a decent size, slightly bigger than a milk bottle cap, and looked quite sweet. There was nothing special about the cheese, it looked thick and creamy. As for the sweet chilli - it came across as quite watery and did not look to appetizing! Never mind, it was taste that counted!So was the taste satisfying? Incredibly, yes! I was most pleased with one combination in particular!
Crackers - tasted strongly of popcorn, too sickly sweet on their own. Very dry too.
Cracker and cheese - well, have you ever had cheesy popcorn? It's not exactly a pleasant mix!
Cracker and chilli - it takes the popcorn taste away at least, and the Thai is tangy.
All together - a glorious blend, tastes exactly like sweet and sour rice! Yummy!
So there is no doubt that I ate the entire thing using both dips together, and I was most delighted with it! In fact, it felt like I was eating a real Chinese sweet and sour dish!>>>Nutrition<<< In each 76g pack, you will find; 148 calories 28g carbohydrates (14g sugars) 1.7g fat 0.6g fibre
Using an online Weight Watchers points calculator, that works out at about 3 points.
The main ingredients include; *Crackers: Rice Flour, Salt, Antioxidant (Tocopherol-rich extract.
*Thai Chilli: Sugar, Water, Wine Vinegar, Sweet Red Pepper (9.0%), Chilli (7.5%), Garlic, Modified Starch, Salt, Acetic Acid, Color (Paprika Extract).>>>Quick Facts<<< Packaging; unattractive brown Appearance; sweet crackers, watery chilli Smell; sweet and sour, mild cheese Texture; dry cracker, smooth and creamy cheese Taste; popcorn crackers, sweet and sour rice (delicious!)This was a gorgeous Splendips option, as I adore the taste of Sweet And Sour, and Chinese dishes. All together, it was a great combination, which I will definitely be buying again!
Cheesecake
This was the final Splendips pot I tried, which surprised me, as it looks the most attractive and eye-catching! Being much the girly girl, the pink rim on the foil lid is very appealing! It's a shocking pink shade too! As I peeled back the lid, the first thing I noticed was how much smaller the coulis tray was compared to the cheese side. The biscuits were a nice size, quite larger than I had expected too!
The smell given off from the snack was incredibly sweet and fresh, undoubtedly smelling of raspberry fruit! It was so appetising too, I could not wait to tuck in!
Tasting everything the same way as before, each combination was unique, and I had a completely different opinion on the ways to eat it!
Biscuit - sweet and sugary, like a digestive.
Biscuit and coulis - true taste of cheesecake! Raspberry is very strong
Biscuit and cheese - sweet, creamy and lightly tangy
All together - weird combination, sweet, raspberry taste toned down, can't really taste the cheese.
The nicest way to eat it, for me, was either biscuit and cheese, or just biscuit and coulis. It was ok all together, but I enjoyed it much more separately.>>>Nutrition<<< In each 85g pack, you will find; 196 calories 28.5g carbohydrates (13.5g sugars) 6.9g fat 2.4g fibre
Using an online Weight Watchers points calculator, that works out at about 4 points.
*Raspberry Coulis: Raspberries (51%), Water, Glucose syrup, Modified Starch, Thickeners (E415, E412), Flavouring.>>>Quick Facts<<< Smell: sweet, fresh and fruity Taste: raspberry, creamy, tangy, sweet and sugary Texture: creamy, smooth, crumbly Appearance: digestives quite large Packaging: pink, attractive, small coulee trayIt made a change, eating a sweeter Splendips option, compared to the savoury ones I was growing used to! As delicious as it was, the nutrition values are so much higher, so I will only be enjoying its sweet pleasures every now and then.
Philadelphia Company
An American dairyman, William Lawrence, made the first cream cheese in New York in 1872. It adopted the name 'Philadelphia' in 1880. It was launched in the UK in 1963, with its first TV advert airing in 1963. Throughout the late 1900s, lighter Philly products and snack options are produced in the UK. In 2005, Splendips are released, in three delicious flavours; Chives, Cheesecake and Nachos. Later, the Sweet Thai Chilli option was introduced.
In the UK, Kraft Philadelphia has a range of products on offer, including; Varieties, Organic, Mini Tubs, Splendips, Snack Tubs, and Original. I have only ever sampled the Splendips myself, but I think I shall be trying the Mini Tubs soon - they come in an 'Extra Light' option!
Contact
You should have no problems with your Splendips, but if you are unfortunate to do so, then it is possible for Philadelphia to be contacted, either by the address below, or by visiting the link located at the bottom of this review!
Care line 0808 1000 678 Kraft Foods UK Freepost SWC 3320 Cheltenham GL50 3ZZ
Would I Recommend?
I would definitely recommend Splendips! With the four flavours available, there is bound to be one to suit your taste, whether it is sweet or savoury! They are incredibly cheap, at only 97p each from Asda! They are practical too; perfect sizes for lunchboxes, and a great alternative to boring sandwiches! They can be eaten as a snack if you feel a bit peckish, or as part of a main meal! These are convenient and useful!***** After sampling all four varieties of Splendips, I have varied opinions on the products. The order I preferred them; *Thai Sweet Chilli *Chives *Cheesecake *Nachos
I am most definitely going to keep buying these, as I find myself eating them every alternate day for lunch now! They are not too unhealthy, with light cheese and varied dips. I cannot wait to tuck into my next one…I think I'll have Chives!
Advantages: Dippy and cheesy Disadvantages: Pricey and
...and a tomato-y sauce that Kraft insist on calling chutney.
+ REASON FOR PURCHASE? +
Why I bought this I'm not sure. Perhaps I thought I should review it, perhaps I thought it would be a good accompaniment to my vodka... either way, I'm a cheese fiend as well as a booze fiend and I'm up for trying anything once (twice if I like it hehe).
+ BRAND HISTORY PART YOU SHOULD MAYBE SKIP +
Feigning interest in how this quaint little product became such ... ...1903
+ Phoenix merge with Kraft in 1928
+ The UK is introduced to the creamy creamy cream cheese in 1960
and since then we've been granted low fat and then even lower fat versions, better packaging, and other versions like Cracked Pepper and Garlic & Herb.
Now my need to educate you is done and dusted, on with the show!
+ THE PRODUCT +
So we've got a nice tub here, about *yay* big - just over 7 keyboard keys across and just over 5 keys along. ...
bandcamp 21.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Kraft Philadelphia Splendips
Advantages: tasty cheap nice Disadvantages: not much to chose from, only 4 (i thnk)
Next year I am going on holiday with some friends. This can be dangerous. Putting my bikini on in front of hundreds of strangers is fine, hundreds of people I will never see again can see my 'womanly' figure, but my friends, who have cameras, and video cameras and long memories, they must never, ever see my wobbly bits. All this in mind I am now on a mission, I have 10 months to get a mega fit body to rival a High Street Honey's swimwear contestant ... ...all things salad and green when I spotted these Slpendips by Philidelpiha at my local Morrison's. They were 99p and buy one get one free. I had seen them advertised on TV with angels saying that splendips were low in fat so I bought two.
They come in plastic tubs with fiol lids that you need to peal with 3 seprate compartments for the various fillings. The first one was Chive. It consisted of chive biscuits (about 10) and a tangy tomato dip and ...
tinac37 10.10.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Kraft Philadelphia Splendips
Advantages: Taste great, ok for calories, great snack food Disadvantages: Sometimes the 'dippers' can be too large to dip
I only came about this product last week when shopping at Tesco's. I only noticed them because they were in special offer and since trying them, they have become one of my favourite snacks. Philadelphia Splendips are very similar to Dairylea dunkers but they also have a sweet variety as well as savoury.
Philadelphia Splendips
There are four varieties of Philadelphia Splendips. These are Thai Sweet Chilli, Chives, Cheesecake and Nachos. Philadelphia ... ...that they have three compartment rather than two. Half of the container if taken up with the 'dipper' section and the other half is split into two sections, containing cheese and then whatever flavour you have picked.
The container has a foil lid which peels off and is easy to remove. The containers themselves are fairly small so I find them convenient for packed lunches and to have as snacks.
Price
I buy these from Tescos where they cost 98p ...
daylehall 05.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Kraft Philadelphia Splendips
Advantages: Taste great, good value for money, convenient for packed lunch Disadvantages: Only 4 varieties
I have been a fan of Philadelphia Splendips for about the last 8 months and find that there are great for a snack in the evenings or for taking to work in your packed lunch!
About Philadelphia Splendips
There are four varieties of Philadelphia Splendips which are Thai Sweet Chilli, Chives, Cheesecake and Nachos. Philadelphia Splendips come in a container with three compartments. Half of the container is taken up with the item you dip section and ... ...which contains the cheese and the other holds the other flavouring (which obviously varies depending on which variety of Splendip you have chosen). The container has a foil lid which I sometimes find a bit stiff to remove so be careful as one time when I went to open them, I pulled too hard and half the contend came flying out onto my lap!
Price
I tend to buy this product from Tesco when I do my weekly shop and here they cost 98p per pack. Every ...
Jamie73 07.01.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Kraft Philadelphia Splendips
Advantages: Delicious, Suitable for vegetarians, Nice size Disadvantages: Expensive (99p), Raspberry sauce very sweet (cheesecake version)
Philadelphia has been around for what seems like forever. The soft, spreadable cheese now comes in many varieties, including a light version, a version with chives, and a version with garlic and herbs... The latest edition is Splendips!
What are they?
*****************************
Splendips are like grown up Dairylea dunkers... but they come in both sweet and savoury versions. There are three varieties - Chives, Cheesecake and Nachos. Each comes ... ...compartments. The main compartment, taking up half of the tub, contains some sort of 'dippable' snack (chive crackers, digestive biscuits or nachos). The rest of the tub is split into two sections, one slightly larger than the other. The larger part contains reduced fat Philadelphia (the cheesecake version is supposedly cheesecake flavour, but the other two versions are standard flavour). The smaller compartment contains another dipping sauce (tomato ...
angeelu 14.04.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Kraft Philadelphia Splendips
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Advantages: tasteful, healthy, practical Disadvantages: a bit pricey in the long run
What a coincidence; it was just this week that I first purchased KraftPhiladelphia Extra Light cheese spread, so what better opportunity will I have than to share my experience of this product with you now?!
Why Did I Purchase?
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There are two main reasons why I initially purchased the cheese. The first of which is that I have recently become quite addicted to the KraftSplendips products (little snack pots with various dips, including a cheese option). I fell in love with the Philadelphia cheese at first taste, and wondered whether it would taste as glorious when bought in a tub, unaccompanied. In order to settle my curiosity, I began to sway slightly towards purchasing.
Another reason for my buy focuses more so on the health factor, rather than the tempting taste. I adore cheese in any ...