Back in the 1980s, Pepsi gained the upper hand over Coke in the Cola Wars by staging public taste tests. Called the Pepsi Challenge, the beverage company would set up blind taste stations in public places and allow consumers to sample the rival colas and determine their favorite. Pepsi was preferred.
Because of that experiment, the concept of a taste test became mainstream and people realized that you didn’t need to be a billion-dollar company to conduct them. Even relatively normal people like yours truly could do them…and do them I did.
Over the past 10 years, I have staged/taken part in numerous taste tests. The reasons to do them are plentiful: they are educational, fun, and make really good blog content. For a family looking to do something on a rainy day or seeking to test assumptions, a taste test is a wonderful activity.
I wanted to highlight five taste tests I have been involved with over the years…
Jalapeno Chips – In 2019, my brother and sister-in-law helped me pull off a taste test for my favorite type of chip—the jalapeno variety! I sampled three different brands of chips as it was interesting to compare thickness and spiciness. I definitely sweated it out through the competition and in the end Tim’s Cascade (which I consider the all-time best potato chip of any flavor) came out the victor.
Sitting down to take the jalapeno chip taste test!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream – This was a really fun taste test with surprising results. I “let” Sidney try five different cookie dough ice creams in 2016. Although the creaminess of the ice cream proved to be a major factor, the frequency and size of the cookie dough pieces was a fun thing to track. Against all odds, the Great Value ice cream topped giants such as Ben & Jerry’s and Blue Bunny as the favorite.
This is the lineup of different cookie dough ice creams I used for the taste test.
Lemon Lime Sodas – When Starry was introduced as Pepsi’s lemon lime soda replacement (bye bye Sierra Mist), we knew we had to try it. However, we wanted to sample it in the context of other lemon lime giants. Sidney and Sloan took the reins as supreme taste testers as they sampled Starry, 7Up, and Sprite. The winner? Split decision! Sid preferred 7UP while Sloan opted for Starry. In addition to the blog post I wrote, you can also watch this video that I created of the contest.
Sloan received the opportunity of a 5-year-old’s lifetime when I told her she would get to sample three lemon lime sodas.
Bottled Water – Staying on the topic of beverages, I even participated in a bottled water taste test. Orchestrated by my sister-in-law, she challenged my palette to see if the bottled water brand I preferred (Fred Meyer) actually topped other competitors. News flash: It didn’t! If you think all bottled water tastes the same, you really need to read this blog post.
I didn’t know the taste of Fred Meyer water like I thought I did.
Knockoff Vs. Generic – The taste test of all taste tests was actually the first one I ever did for Don’t Blink. Back in 2015, I had Sidney blind taste test five premium products against generic counterparts. I had Sidney try Cheetos vs. Cheez Doodles, Cheez-Its vs. Tangy Cheddar Squares, Pop-Tarts vs. Toast’em Pop-Ups, Fruity Pebbles vs. Fruity Dyno-Bites, and Kraft Mac & Cheese vs. Greenbrier Mac & Cheese. Guess what? The premium brand was graded higher by Sid every time. But even though I spoiled the outcome you still need to read the blog post because it was pretty epic!
On this table are the products I purchased for the Premium vs. Knockoff Showdown!
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So friends, what taste test are you going to do? If you are looking for a family-friendly activity this weekend I encourage you to try one out. And if you do, PLEASE tell me about it. Most people hate tests, but a taste test is something everyone can enjoy 😉. Don’t Blink.
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