Pearled couscous not worth time and trouble

Near East Pearled Couscous. Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil, and Basil & Herb. $2.69 per 5-ounce box.

Bonnie: Near East has just introduced two new varieties of pearled couscous. Pearled — or Israeli — couscous is just a larger, round version of regular couscous that takes longer to cook. The pearled couscous takes about 13 minutes longer to prepare than the Near East Plain Whole Grain Couscous I usually use.

A serving of the latter product contains 7 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, no sodium (unless you add some) and the goodness of whole grains in a 1-cup serving, and only takes about 5 minutes to make.

These pearled varieties contain similar protein and fiber, but no whole grains and a bit too much sodium at about 700 milligrams a serving. That's why I'll stick to the quicker, more nutritious Plain Whole Grain Couscous and add my own seasonings.

Carolyn: Bonnie told me a long time ago that couscous is basically pasta, but I never really believed it until now. This pearl-sized couscous is really like tiny pasta balls or something really hard to eat with a fork. They'd be much better-suited for a soup or doused with spaghetti sauce to make homemade Spaghetti-Os for the kids.

The extra-light and grainy texture of normal-sized couscous offers a real change-of-pace alternative to potato, rice and pasta side dishes. That's why I like it, at least on occasion. These pearled varieties are just a different-sized pasta seasoned as a side dish and not worth the trouble of balancing on a fork.

Ben & Jerry's Flipped Out! Vanilla Fudge Brownie, Cookie Dough, and Peanut Butter Chocolate. $3.29 for package of two 4-ounce containers.

Bonnie: Ben & Jerry's just ain't what it used to be. Back in the '80s and '90s, the Ben & Jerry's we knew used good ingredients and focused heavily on social causes.

Ben & Jerry's is now owned by Unilever, turning what was once a unique ice-cream experience into a mediocre, mass-market product. At least Unilever is still having the company focus on the environment. For one, it's involved in a Dairy Stewardship Alliance promoting sustainable dairy-farm practices.

As for this flip-it-over and flip-it-out Flipped Out! "sundae": The "fudge" tastes like cheap chocolate syrup, the ice cream is mediocre, and the brownie is more like a low-quality chocolate cookie. Don't waste your calories.

Carolyn: Ben & Jerry's new single-serve sundaes are packaged in a cup with upside-down lettering as a hint that you're supposed to flip the cup over and out onto a plate — hence the name, Flipped Out!