Students taste-tested, reviewed and rated a variety of Pop-Tart flavors on a scale of 1-10, 1 being distasteful and 10 being delightful.

Fourteen total Pop-Tart flavors

> Plain Strawberry

> Frosted Strawberry

> Wild Berry

> Frosted Chocolate Chip

> Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

> Frosted Chocolate Fudge

> Confetti Cupcake

> Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon

> Fruit Loop

> Red Velvet

> Cookies & CRÈME

> Frosted S’mores

> Frosted Cinnamon Roll

> Frosted Crisp Apple

Scoring guide

Through the EAT rating system (Execution, Appearance and Taste), each pop tart can earn a total of up to 30 points, with a maximum of 10 in each of the categories.

EXECUTION: How well does the description of the Pop-Tart match its name and your expectations?

APPEARANCE:  Is it pleasing to the eye? Does it look appetizing?

TASTE:  This category assess, to each respective taster, if there an appropriate balance of flavor and if it is pleasing to the taste buds. To what extent do  you want to eat more?

Plain Strawberry  (Anijah Wilson and Hannah Choi)

EXECUTION: 9

APPEARANCE: 8

TASTE: 6

REVIEW  Strawberry is a classic Pop-Tart flavor, so when I saw the unfrosted version I had to try it. The description and name matched this flavor perfectly. It was a simple, baked sweet encased in a golden crust, with little holes that showcased the-almost red filling on the inside. The light and colorful tones of this tan pastry with white icing, topped with colorful flake-like sprinkles is visually appealing. Taste-wise I was unimpressed. The treat was on the verge of bland and tasted almost artificial. I was expecting a sweet fruity flavor that sits nicely on my taste buds with a good crust to even it out. The crust was dry, crumbly and as soon as it touched my tongue it was mediocre at best. Overall, if you want a inferior version of the frosted Pop-tart this is for you. It is so sweet it hurts your teeth. 

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You may lean towards unsweetened dry treats and eat dark chocolate as a snack. I do too, but this is disappointment in a box.

Frosted Strawberry (Elizabeth Franklin)

EXECUTION: 5

APPEARANCE: 2

TASTE: 5

REVIEW: The Pop-Tart itself is a poor imitation to the box image, similar to a four-year-old’s impression of the Mona Lisa. The glaze is spread over the “treat” haphazardly, as if put there as a last thought. Most disappointingly,  the outside sprinkle colors don’t match with the expected flavor. Why is there orange, green and blue on a strawberry Pop-tart?  The inside is not terribly inaccurate, a reddish-pink jam. But it is about the bare minimum one could expect from the flavor strawberry. But when I went to have a taste—even with my lowered expectations from its dastardly appearance—to my surprise, it disappointed me even further. There’s barely any strawberry in the Pop-Tart! The jam and the glaze was fine, possibly a little too sweet, but my mouth was aching for water when I chewed the dry-as-paper crust around it. About a second later, I was itching to guzzle some juice with the awful aftertaste I’d experienced.  I’ve had several of these and they’ve all immaculately dismayed me the same. If you’re a masochist, go ahead and try this flavor, otherwise, run far away and eat an apple, like I did.

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You settle for things that are below most people’s standards. You can do better for yourself. 

 Wild Berry (Ava Reuther)

EXECUTION: 9

APPEARANCE: 6

TASTE: 9

REVIEW: As soon as the Pop-Tart reaches your mouth, an explosion of berries meets your taste buds. From a little bit of strawberry, to sour blueberry, to the taste of ripe raspberries. The taste transports you to a bright colorful open field as you can imagine where the berries first began their life. The deep blue drizzle of icing curves around the  Pop-Tart as a river would wind around bends. The royal purple tries to reach the edges of the  Pop-Tart, but just can’t seem to cover it all. They seem to join to make a beautiful portrait of icing on top of the tart. Sugar doesn’t seem to overpower the berries which makes this tart that much better. You can’t seem to put down the deliciously perfect tart.

What does this Pop-Tart say about you?  This  Pop-Tart says that you are a person who takes the safe way and doesn’t like to try new things. You try the things that are more simple and take the safer and easier options.

Chocolate Chip (Rachel Benitez-Borrego)

EXECUTION: 9

APPEARANCE: 7

TASTE: 8

REVIEW:  It tasted like a chocolate chip cookie—probably because it was basically a square-shaped chocolate chip cookie with a thin chocolate filling inside—but it succeeded at being what little it promised. Its appearance was average, to say the least, but it looked like what the box advertised (though the filling was thicker on the box). For a chocolate chip cookie, it was pretty good. The frosting gave the Pop-Tart a small crunch in every bite, and it wasn’t too sweet, unlike most other Pop-Tart flavors. It was filling, like food is supposed to be, so that’s really all we can ask for. 

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You’re the comfort person. Barely anybody has any big problems with you, but that is probably because you’re a little safe. People have low expectations of what you will be, and they will be excited when you go even slightly beyond those expectations. You have the potential for more though, so you should really try harder, but people will still enjoy you in large quantities, even if you don’t do anything exciting.

Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (Ashlyn Gillespie and Emma Briedecker)

EXECUTION: 8

APPEARANCE: 4

TASTE: 7

REVIEW: The top of the Pop-Tart looked like the box while the inside lacked almost all the chocolate chips you ‘re expecting.  The crust, as usual, was dry and crumbly, and the icing was a monotonous brown with white swirls on top, ostensibly boring and sub-par. And yet you bite into it, and you get a sweet, creamy cookie dough, that wasn’t the best cookie dough I’ve ever tasted, but wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t too sugary per say, which was really nice. Although, it got to be too much and I didn’t want to finish it. The first bite was great but it went downhill from there. Definitely relates to the few day old chocolate chip cookies sitting in the counter rather than the ones fresh out of the oven.  Overall this is a well made Pop-Tart but it definitely has some room for improvement.

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You always choose the safe route because you’re afraid to try new things and that’s what you know works best then when the curveball hits you, you are unsure how to react.

Frosted Chocolate Fudge (Sarah Spillman)

EXECUTION: 6

APPEARANCE: 5

TASTE: 3

Review: The Frosted Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tart. Well, for starters no one can come crying to Pop-Tart for not putting enough chocolate in this, but maybe they should put a warning label. As soon as you take the first bite you can practically see the sugar rush winding up to sucker punch you like the riptide sucking up the sea before a tsunami. Perhaps Frosted Fudge Tsunami would make a more accurate descriptor over the simple chocolate Pop-Tart the box promised. Don’t get me wrong, I chose a chocolate fudge Pop-Tart and I received a chocolate fudge Pop Tart that looked the same as the picture. But looks can be deceiving as even now the cloying flavors are clinging to my taste buds and filling my stomach with sugary regret.

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You are the type of person to look life in the face and laugh. You have an inhuman will and a stomach of iron. You have ascended beyond the need for petty human things like taste buds and have the same energy of a toddler who found where their mom was hiding their Halloween candy. If you eat these regularly, I both commend and live in constant terror of you.

Confetti Cupcake (Isabel Collop)

EXECUTION: 6

APPEARANCE: 5

TASTE: 7

REVIEW: The execution of the flavor, Confetti Cupcake, was not accurate. I was expecting confetti to pop inside of my mouth like on New Years Eve, but there was no such thing. The closest thing was the little colorful sprinkles on the outside of the poptart. The cupcake flavoring was nothing like the cupcakes I had for my birthday. Instead, it tasted like a stale Easter sugar cookie. When I pulled my poptart out of the packaging I was expecting a nice glaze with individually placed sprinkles on top. But, to my disappointment, the icing was in a glob on the right hand side of the tart and the sprinkles were in clumps towards the top of the poptart. When you get your first whiff , it may not smell like a cupcake but more of an overload of sweet artificial flavoring similar to walking into Bath and Body Works. This Pop-Tart would be a winner for most ages below 10, only because taste buds aren’t mature yet. 

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You may suffer from FOMO because you never want to miss a good party. Like the packaging, and this Pop-Tart, you may face disappointment. Lower your expectations.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon (Tanvi Kulkarni)

EXECUTION: 10

APPEARANCE: 5

TASTE: 8

REVIEW: The execution of the flavor, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, was exquisite. There was no mistaking the brown sugar, although the cinnamon was difficult to tell apart. The appearance overall was disappointing, with crumbs falling and holes visible on the surface under the icing. Although the beige color palette was a bit bland, the first bite was an implosion of sweet flavors, relaying the story of a warm autumn night in. The dark filling on the inside provided a nice contrast to the crumbly outside, but the last few bites were a little dry. Unfortunately, the excessive sugar hurt my teeth and the Pop-Tart was stuck in my teeth after, though the pleasure of enjoying this sugary treat greatly outweighed the slight discomfort. With two Pop-Tarts per package, this is the perfect snack to share with a friend, especially if you are craving something sweet and tasteful.

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You never judge a book by its cover because, like this Pop-Tart, you know that something plain can hold many wonderful surprises.

Fruit Loops (Maddie Brueggenjohann)

EXECUTION: 6.5

APPEARANCE: 3

TASTE: 5

REVIEW: My first expectation was immediately shut down when I opened the silver package of my fruit loop flavored Pop-Tart. I expected to be surprised with the popular Fruit Loops cereal on top, but was disappointed when I saw the obviously printed image on the icing. The blurry and distorted image made me feel like I was about to eat something from a machine. When I took my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor brought me back to my childhood, when I would eat the sugary loops every morning before school. The icing inside was bright pink, but sticky. Although, the flavor got boring fast. After a few bites, it started to taste like the cereal milk residue you leave at the bottom of your bowl. Overall, if you enjoy fun and unique flavors… or the taste of old, soggy Fruit Loops, this Pop-Tart is for you. 

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You’re definitely a kid at heart and like to cherish the little things. But as you grow up, you mature and realize some things are meant to be left behind. 

Red Velvet Cupcake (Sam Hipp)

EXECUTION: 5

APPEARANCE: 7

TASTE: 9.5

REVIEW: At first glance, and bite, you would not be able to tell that the specific flavor was of Red Velvet Cupcake, although the flavor was very great. Like the targeted Red Velvet Cupcake, the cream inside and the frosting outside was extremely sweet. The tart itself seemed to have a taste of both cake and dough. Even though these seem contradicting, the two made a great pair and had great execution. The tart wasn’t that sweet, but the frosting inside and out definitely made up for it. Unfortunately, this specific Pop-Tart may not be the best one to eat as an early breakfast, if you do not like sugary foods. This frosted white delacy with sprinkled red candies on the outside may lean more towards a dessert than actual breakfast food. If you are looking for a sugary in-between option, the Red Velvet Pop-Tart is for you!

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? Like this Pop-Tart, you are super sweet and are always looking out for others. You exude kindness and like to have a little fun.

Cookies & CRÈME (Paige Matthys-Pearce)

EXECUTION: 9

APPEARANCE: 8

TASTE: 7

REVIEW: A faint chocolatey aroma wafts from inside the mirror-like packaging that crinkles loudly with each touch. (Warning: It will blow your cover every time.) Crumbled cookie crackers dust the even spread of perfectly-centered white glaze, some delicately tumbling onto your shirt. As your teeth sink into this soft, thin, rectangular Oreo that’s a bit more chocolatey than you’d expect, you realize one thing: This is Cookies & Creme. Once split open, the sweet, creamy-vanilla interior sharply contrasts the dry, dull exterior in color, flavor and texture. The bright whiteness stands out against its dark brown surroundings like a polar bear in a coal mine. The supercharged sugar adds to the gentle chocolatey flavor, animating the taste buds like mini fireworks. Finally, the moist creme carefully balances out the dry cracker crunch like a pillow between two (soft) rocks. By the end of the adventure, however, you might still find yourself craving a fresh glass of cold milk. 

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? This Pop-Tart is the epitome of balance: light and dark, sweet and not-as-sweet, cuddle and crunch. Just like this chocolatey treat, you have a variety of different things going on. You like them all, so you often find yourself compromising (or combining!), balancing the scales like Lady Justice. And just like this Pop-Tart, your motto is: “Why not both?”

Frosted S’mores (Grace Putnam)

EXECUTION: 9

APPEARANCE: 4

TASTE: 5

REVIEW: Opening the s’mores flavor pop tart, it was immediately disappointed. It barely had any frosting that only covered the middle part of the tart. Taking a bite it followed the icing’s reputation of the crust being a cardboard dry burnt piece of “graham cracker.” Moving into the middle though your  taste buds will be immediately surprised at the gooiness of the marshmallow with the chocolate, with the graham cracker crust. Like a normal smore, the chocolate was overpowered by the marshmallow, but the crust was burnt. Burnt. Immediately you will want to stick the marshmallow into your enemies hair. The end of the tart had no filling in it, which doesn’t pertain to a normal smore at all. If an actual smore lived up to these standards you would walk out and drop it on the ground before the marshmallow even caught on fire.

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You may be an outdoors person who goes camping for the s’mores. You also may be a chocolate person if the image of the melty chocolate at top of the tart caught your eye on the box. 

Frosted Cinnamon Roll

EXECUTION: 5

APPEARANCE: 8

TASTE: 4

REVIEW: When opening the package the first thing you notice is the neatly drizzled frosting. With great hope, you take a bite of the supposed Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tart. But like most experiences in life you are completely underwhelmed. The “cinnamon” filling tastes like your deranged aunt’s apple pie and the frosting reminds you of paper. The taste lingers in your mouth for the rest of the day refusing to go away. If you want cinnamon rolls you’d probably have better luck going with plain old Pillsbury’s.

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You don’t like when something is slightly different than the actual thing. Widen your horizon and stop setting expectations.

Frosted Crisp Apple (Amelia Burgess)

EXECUTION: 6

APPEARANCE: 3

TASTE: 5

REVIEW: Upon first bite into the Frosted Crisp Apple Pop-Tart, you get a mouthful of delicious, delectable, flavorful. Well, you  also get a bite of the boring crust, even if you take a gigantic bite. As you eat more, the overwhelmingly understated flavor of watered down apple cider, perhaps a few days old, fills your mouth. Not horrid, until you realize the apple cider’s also been left out, so it’s room temperature. You look down at your Pop-Tart. Although the picture on the box is beautiful, and the apple filling looks mouthwatering, yours is plain and has a smear of white, crusted-over frosting. You finish the Pop-Tart, because it’s not the worst in the world, but the aftertaste will haunt you for sure. 

What does this Pop-Tart say about you? You like the classics, and tend to play it safe. You like fresh foods, so you’ll be sorely disappointed by this Pop-Tart, but at the same time-it is a Pop-Tart. Get out of your shell, and learn to try new things, YOLO!