Smart Ones Chocolate Eclair

January 10, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi

Price: $3.29
Serving: 1 eclair, 2oz.
Calories: 140
Fat: 6%, 4g
Sodium: 7%, 180mg
Protein: 3g
Carbs: 8%, 24g
Fiber: 5%, 1g

Smart Ones says: Chocolate lovers can enjoy this classic French dessert

Abi says: These eclairs were consumed during the BCS Championship. After approximately 14 points had been scored (4 minutes and 29 seconds into the game), George gave me one of those pleading, starving boyfriend looks and asked if we had any desserts in the house.

As though I am the keeper of desserts.

I informed him that a couple of eclairs were defrosting on the counter. Okay, maybe I am the keeper of desserts. Anyways, these little guys need to be defrosted in the microwave or left out on your counter for an hour. Okay, maybe 45 minutes. I can’t remember the exact amount of time, but at the end of the review you’ll realize that doesn’t matter anymore.

Prior to defrosting the eclair, I had to remove a plastic overwrap. Along with this overwrap I took off about half of the chocolate frosting from one of the eclairs. This minus-chocolate eclair would turn out to be mine. George is a chocolate fiend.

Unfortunately for him, the chocolate coating the top of the eclair turns out to be a grainy mess of psuedo-chocolate flavored ooze. Yes, it is that bad. I felt like I was being punished instead of being treated to a dessert. And this is a diet dessert. I should feel virtuous while eating this. Instead, I just felt dirty.

These desserts also contain very little cream filling. At first I was disappointed, then I realized that the filling is rather bland. Other good words from the thesaurus: flat, flavorless, vanilla. I wish I could say the cream filling was vanilla. One of these chalky, flavorless eclairs is 140 calories and 3 Weight Watchers points. Three freaking points! A Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich is just 2 points. Two points! My friend Kate (who is a Gator) says that the Skinny Cow Ice Cream sandwiches are very good. I trust her. I do not trust people who advocate for the purchase of these eclairs. They are nasty. Who else doesn’t like them? San Antonio’s Nuclear family, that’s who.

If you’re reaching for a diet dessert, stay away from these frozen abominations.

P.S. What kind of lame tagline is that anyways, Smart Ones? “Chocolate lovers can enjoy this classic French dessert”. Oh, we can? Thanks, thanks a lot. I’m sure that the French also enjoy seeing their culture abused in this way.

Stupid fake dessert.

comments

12 Responses to “Smart Ones Chocolate Eclair”

Meredith on January 10th, 2007

I used to do Weight Watchers on my own (no meetings) and their desserts were wonderful…at the time. I think it’s hard to appreciate a diet dessert unless you’ve been dieting for a long time - after days and days of nothing but Good Healthy Food, your mouth tastes that still semi-frozen cream filling and says yessssss.

Also, did you not end up licking the plastic wrapper? Perhaps that was influenced by the diet too - I need all the chocolate they gave me! - a sign of desperation for the starving dieter.
Megan on January 10th, 2007

I have to agree with Meredith. I thought they tasted so good it was hard to stop at one. I am also not used to having a lot of sweets, so when I do I don’t usually notice that the fat, sugar or what others refer to taste, is missing. But then again, my boyfriend loved them too and he is definitely not on a diet.
MaryAnne on January 10th, 2007

I haven’t tried these and because of Abi I never will. Don’t mess with real chocolate. It is a gift from the heavens and to make a faux-chocolate is to worship idols. Ok, maybe not, but since there is only a little bit of chocolate on it, why not use the real thing? I have tried their mudpies which unfortunately I haven’t been able to try in a while and those were amazing. I do agree with Meredith, however. As soon as I pulled up the website and saw the picture of the eclairs I contemplated printing it out and licking it. I haven’t had chocolate since 2006. This is coming from someone who used to eat chocolate at least once a day. I finally got through the shakes so now even seeing fat free sugar free taste free chocolate ice cream gets me excited. Try a skinny cow, Abi. I buy them in bulk they are so freakin good. I reccomend the mint ones. I thought about marrying them in a foreign country once. My non-dieter friends don’t question them when I serve them for dessert. I wonder if they still believe I made them on my own.
Emily on January 10th, 2007

Ohh, we are a big fan of the Skinny Cow desserts at our house.
kelly on January 11th, 2007

I love the site! I eat a lot of frozen food as well, and I seem to agree with your opinion on most of them. As far as diet dessert goes, the most amazing I have come across is the No Pudge Strawberry Shortcake bars. Theyre 90 calories and they taste like strawberry nesquick!
Colleen on January 11th, 2007

Try their chocolate chip cookie dough dessert. Yummmm.
Anna on January 12th, 2007

I bought a box of those, ate a few bites and threw the rest away. They were vile — truly awful.
Mary on January 18th, 2007

I love these eclairs. I’m sorry you had a bad experience with them. That just means more for me. :o)
amy on February 20th, 2007

I liked these. I think you have to like Ã©clairs (and not everybody does) to enjoy them. Nothing tastes as grand as full calorie things, so as far as diet things go, these were just fine by me.
Aimee on June 22nd, 2007

I have to agree with Mary.

I have been doing Weight Watchers since January… lost about 30 pounds so far… and I don’t go a week without a Chocolate Eclair. Absolutely love them.

And I just found your website today, and this is the first review I have found that I have actually disagreed with.

Lately, I am addicted to the new Safeway/Randall’s/Tom Thumb “Eating Right” line… some great meals you all might enjoy reviewing. I have a few reviews on my blog linked above.
Debra on May 20th, 2008

I love eclairs and these are not bad for what they are. I buy them about once a month.
Reneee on June 24th, 2008

YUMMY. These things are great. I put them in the fridge in the morning then by lunchtime they are perfect. If you let them thaw and take the wrapper off carefully you won’t waste any chocolate. Sometimes I can’t wait and I will eat them frozen…..

Besides, with three eclairs in one box, you get a lot of bang for your buck!