Array of snacks purchased from BP gas station on Ford Road in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Photo by Ali Seblini.

Gas stations in metro Detroit are a popular snack destination for many people on the go, offering not only fuel for their vehicles but also a wide selection of snacks to satisfy their cravings. Recently, I stopped by the BP gas station at Ford Road and Gulley in Dearborn Heights to stock up on snacks for a long road trip. I’ll be reviewing 10 different snacks, ranging from sweet to savory and everything in between. So, buckle up and get ready to join me on a journey through the world of gas station snacks.

Snack #1: Fairlife Core Power Vanilla High Protein Milk Shake 26g Protein
The Fairlife Core Power Vanilla High Protein Milk Shake is a high-quality drink that provides great taste and high protein content. The taste is not too sweet, and the vanilla flavor is noticeable without being overpowering. The texture is not too thin or too thick, making it a perfect balance. The drink smells like a birthday. The taste is fresh and has no aftertaste or strange feeling in the mouth. It lingers on the tongue for a second after drinking, making you crave for more. The taste quickly fades away after not taking any more sips. The drink is lactose-free and gluten-free. The Great Taste Guarantee on the cap area is an added bonus.

Snack #2: Prime Hydration Drink Lemon Lime
The drink is 16.9 fl oz, making it a good size for on-the-go hydration. When I opened the drink, the smell immediately reminded me of lemon lime Gatorade. The first sip was surprising, as the flavor was not what I was expecting, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The drink tasted sweet, even though it doesn’t have much sugar. The sweetness is bearable but it’s reaching the point of being overly sweet. The drink tasted fresh and there was a minor aftertaste for a few seconds after each sip with a powerful lemon lime flavor.

Snack #3: Peanut M&M’s
Peanut M&M’s are a classic and well-known candy, and they live up to their reputation. When you open the bag, you’re hit with the familiar scent of M&M’s, with an added hint of peanut. The bag is filled to the brim with peanut M&M’s, and they’re not difficult to bite into. They have a very crunchy texture, and break into small pieces right away when chewed. In terms of convenience, these peanut M&M’s are a good snack option. You can pour them into your mouth without getting your hands dirty, making them a great snack for on the go. The packaging also lists the nutritional information and allergens, which is useful for those with dietary restrictions. This snack would not work for anyone with allergies to peanuts, milk and soy, or tree nuts.

Snack #4: KitKat Dark
Compared to the original KitKat, the crunch is the same, but the taste of the chocolate is dramatically different. The KitKat Dark has a beautiful, rich dark chocolate flavor that is unique and memorable. The initial bite takes a few seconds to register, but once it does, the rich taste of dark chocolate combined with the satisfying crunch of the wafer creates a memorable experience. While the snack is quite sweet, it is not overly so, and the clear dark chocolate aftertaste lingers in your mouth for some time, making you want more. The snack is also surprisingly filling, with one bar containing only 200 calories, making it a perfect treat for those looking to indulge without going overboard.

Snack #5: Sour Patch Kids Extreme Sour
I recently tried the Sour Patch Kids Extreme Sour candy and unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations at all. As a fan of sour candy, I was excited to try this snack that advertised an “extreme #@$%*! Sour” flavor on its packaging. However, upon eating the first piece, I was disappointed to find that it had a sweet flavor instead of sour. After chewing for a bit longer, I did taste a faint hint of citric acid and sourness, but it was barely noticeable and definitely not what I was expecting from an “extreme” sour candy. The missing sour taste made the flavor less balanced, and all I could taste was sweet. There wasn’t much of an aftertaste or any strange tastes, but the snack just didn’t live up to its advertised “extreme sour” flavor. In terms of convenience, I found this snack to be extremely inconvenient. The packaging is difficult to open correctly and can easily make a mess. Additionally, the candy is coated in a citric acid powder that can fall out of the bag and make a mess. Eating the candy with your hands can also be messy, which is a further inconvenience.

Snack #6: Nerds Rainbow Candy: Dungeons & Dragons
If you’re looking for a candy that’s both unique in texture and easy to consume, Nerds Rainbow Candy might just be the snack for you. As soon as you open the rectangular box, you’ll be greeted with an array of colorful tiny pieces of candy, including yellow, pink, green, purple, white, orange, and red. The fruity smell mixed with the smell of the cardboard box will hit your nose as you pour a few Nerds into your mouth and begin chewing. One thing to note is that the Nerds can be a bit difficult and tedious to chew, but the sweet semi-fruity flavor is definitely worth the effort. Some might find the candy to be too sweet, nearing the threshold of being overbearingly so, but that might also depend on how many Nerds you eat at once. If you eat too many Nerds at once, like I initially did, you might miss out on the individual flavors because they’ll all be mixed together. Eating fewer Nerds at a time will also help you tell the flavors apart much more easily, although it will take significantly longer to finish the box.

Snack #7: Air Heads Xtremes Candy Rainbow Berry
Air Heads Xtremes Candy Rainbow Berry is a fruity, sugary, and sour candy that is sure to satisfy your taste buds. The strips are appetizing to look at and are easy to put in your mouth one-by-one. Upon consuming the first strip, you’ll experience a combatting sweet fruity flavor and mild sour flavor. The rough texture of the strip is also evident when feeling it in your mouth, with crystals falling off the candy and onto your taste buds. The candy has optimal chewiness. The balance of sweet and sour flavors is wonderful, with the sweetness not being overbearing. Although the taste isn’t unexpected, it surprises you with how great it tastes. The aftertaste is slightly citric, but it does not linger for long. The candy’s only downside is its inconvenience. The packaging is a tray, which may be tedious to open, and you need to use your hands to pick a strip off of the tray and separate it from the rest of the stack, making a mess in the process. The candy is also made into decently long strips, making them more inconvenient for on-the-go or if you’re in a hurry.

Snack #8: Jolly Rancher Hard Candy
Jolly Rancher Hard Candy is a classic, long-lasting candy that comes in a variety of fruit flavors. When you open the packaging, you are greeted with a plethora of individually wrapped hard candies. The grape scent is the most profound and noticeable among the flavors. I chose the green apple flavor, which is one of my favorites, for tasting. As soon as I tasted the candy, the mild sour flavor of green apple combined with the sweetness of the candy became evident. The balance of sour and sweet flavors is perfect, and neither flavor is overpowering. The candy has no unusual or unexpected taste. It is exactly what one would expect from a green apple-flavored candy, with a hint of sour and sweet. The candy lasts exceptionally long in the mouth before it completely dissolves, providing a consistent flavor that lasts until the end. The candy is easy to enjoy passively while doing other things or on the go. The candy is incredibly convenient, as long as you don’t mind all the wrappers. It is easy to pop one in your mouth and carry on with your day as it lasts for a long time. You don’t have to worry about getting your hands dirty or spreading candy dust. Additionally, the candy comes intact and not crushed into pieces, making it an excellent on-the-go snack.

Snack #9: Lay’s Salt & Vinegar Chips
Salt & Vinegar chips are a polarizing snack. People tend to either love or hate them, and I’m definitely on the love side of the spectrum. When I opened the bag of Lay’s Salt & Vinegar Chips, the first thing that struck me was the strong aroma of vinegar. However, I got lucky with this bag as the smell of vinegar wasn’t as overpowering as I’ve experienced with other brands. The balance of flavors in these chips is excellent. The tangy vinegar taste is evident right from the first bite, and it’s accompanied by a salty kick that perfectly complements the sourness of the vinegar. Although the vinegar taste is supposed to be overpowering, I found that Lay’s has achieved a perfect balance of flavors, making these chips more tolerable and enjoyable for people who might find other brands too strong. One of the best things about Lay’s Salt & Vinegar Chips is that they don’t leave any strange aftertastes in your mouth. All you’re left with is a brief tanginess and savory sourness, which only makes you want to reach for more. Overall, I think Lay’s has done an excellent job in creating a snack that meets their description of being tangy, salty, crispy, and yummy. When it comes to convenience, chips are not always the most practical snack. Eating them requires the use of your hands, which can be inconvenient if you’re on the go or doing other things. However, they are a quick and easy way to get some calories if you don’t mind dirtying your hands.

Snack #10: Doritos Flamin’ Hot Limón Flavored
Doritos Flamin’ Hot Limón Flavored chips are a unique and memorable snack that delivers a savory taste with just the right amount of spice and lime flavor. I, personally, am a huge fan of both spicy and sour things, so I love chips like these. Upon opening the bag, the smell of corn chips is noticeable, but not the lime or spice. However, upon biting into a chip, the strong taste of lime and spice quickly becomes apparent. The spice level is not overwhelming but rather at the perfect level for those who love hot chips. As noted above, chips are not the most convenient snack.

If I were to rate the top three snacks, they would be: 1. Doritos Flamin’ Hot Limón flavored chips, 2. the Lay’s Salt & Vinegar chips, and 3. the Air Heads Xtremes Candy. The Doritos chips provided a unique and memorable taste experience with the perfect balance of lime and spice, the Lay’s Salt & Vinegar chips were a perfect balance of sour and savory, and the Air Heads Xtremes Candy satisfied my sweet tooth immaculately.