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The Revolution Taste Test Challenge

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Every party needs two things; a good theme, and good food.

Over Thanksgiving, my friends combined both elements into one event dubbed the “The Revolution Taste Test Challenge.” Each person brought three different varieties, brands, or flavors of a certain food or drink, and we spent the party taste testing each food and trying to determine which one was which. Here are the winners, along with few takeaways that may help you out on your next shopping trip.

Winners:

1st Place: Jacob

  • Jacob led the pack with 20 correct picks. And he gets major props for winning the tiebreaker (which we later found out wasn’t necessary due to an incorrect tally). We gave both Jacob and Andrew two cups and had them guess which one was Smirnoff Ice and which one was Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Only Jacob was wise enough to know that both were Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

2nd Place: Andrew.

  • Andrew came in second with 19 correct picks, but the crazy thing is that he left three categories (representing 10 potential points) completely blank because he was too busy entertaining others. Of the 25 guesses that he actually made, he got 76% of them right, which is insane compared to the group average of 42% (and Jacob’s first place score of 57%). Note Jacob and Andrew both got five categories perfect.

3rd Place: George

  • George got 16 of 32 picks right (50%), and got four perfect categories.

Hot Takes and Lessons Learned:

  • 100% of people know that Poppi is different from Coke and Pepsi, but only 9 out of 13 people (69%) could differentiate between Coke and Pepsi.
  • Only 3 out of 11 people recognized Halo Top (the healthy ice cream) compared to its full sugar counterparts. So you might as well get the healthier Halo Top ice cream.
  • 100% of people confused Barbecue Wings with Honey Barbecue wings. I’m thinking George and Maggie mixed up the labels…
  • Six of 12 participants (50%) thought the instant mashed potatoes were homemade. My recommendation– don’t waste your time making homemade mashed potatoes.
  • Seven out of 10 people (70%) can correctly identify a bottom shelf glass of wine. However, the difference between a mid and upper-mid shelf bottle of wine is harder to distinguish. So next time you’re at the store, go with your gut and buy the second cheapest bottle of wine.
  • 11 out of 12 people correctly identified homemade guacamole. It’s just different, and in my opinion, probably worth the extra time.
  • Zach’s mom makes a really awesome Moravian Sugar Cake.
  • For cookies and mac and cheese, buying the store brand is probably just fine. Only 3 out of 11 people (27%) could correctly identify Harris Teeter cookie dough, and only 3 out of 13 people (23%) could correctly identify store brand Mac and Cheese. Those odds are even worse than a true guess (33%).
    • That being said, it may be worth buying brand name mozzarella sticks. Five out of 13 participants (38%) correctly identified the store brand mozzarella sticks, which is just better than guessing. This doesn’t mean that the store brand mozzarella sticks necessarily are worse (or better) than the brand names, but the data suggests they may be just slightly different enough to notice.
  • Are you a water snob? Most people can’t tell the difference. Only our top two testers (Andrew and Jacob) got all three water picks correct. And while Dasani gets a lot of hate, only 4 out of 13 participants could pick it out of a crowd of premium brands. For the most part, water is water.
  • 75% of participants could correctly identify Gouda, but 42% confused Cheddar with Monterrey Jack. It’s important to know how to lay out a cheese board, but it’s also okay to use a little creativity/flexibility.

Want to really dive into the data?

Here’s the summary table below, or click here for the source data and more analysis.

Celebrating One Year of Zach and Spencer

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About a year ago, two of my best friends tied the knot. Zach had given a knockout speech at my wedding the year before, so here’s the toast (and light roast) that I gave to the happy couple. It seems to have worked because they’re happier than ever today. Cheers to many more!

Zach has been my best friend since the third grade, although it feels more like I’ve been a part of the Routh family since the third grade. 

When we were little, Mr. Routh would take us to high school football games, Mrs. Routh would take us to events at Christ Moravian, Nathan would pick on me and Zach, and naturally, me and Zach would pick on Jacob. We even went to Laurel Ridge together in the third grade, although I got homesick and didn’t go back until Spencer hosted Zach’s 30th birthday party at Laurel Ridge a few months ago. 

A few years later, Spencer, Zach, and I all went to the same high school. I didn’t know Spencer at the time but apparently Spencer knew who Zach and I were. And apparently, she thought Zach and I were cool, although I’m not really sure why. Me and Zach were on the academic team, which wasn’t exactly very popular. And just to put Zach’s coolness in perspective,  some of his hobbies over the next few years would include reading books about traffic, taking classes about lawn care, and growing a mullet. But hey at least Zach had the football thing going for him at the time. 

As far as I know, Zach and Spencer probably met at Laurel Ridge when they were in high school, although I’m not exactly sure because I never went back to camp because of the whole third grade incident. Anyways, I think it took a few years for Zach to become cool enough for Spencer to finally give him a shot. They reconnected a few years later in 2018 and I could tell Zach was totally smitten. I don’t think I ever told Zach but I definitely remember thinking, “dude she’s way too cool for you.”

At the time, Spencer’s best quality, at least from my eyes, included the fact that her parents had a sweet beach house. But over time I learned that she has so many other amazing qualities. And as their relationship grew, Spencer quickly integrated into our friend group called the Revolution. She fit right in with the boys because she’s always down to camping, sit through back to back football games, scheme on new business ventures, and even invite us to her parent’s beach house. But as time went on, my favorite thing about their relationship is that it’s never felt like I’ve been losing my best friend to a girl, it feels like me and Zach have both gained a new best friend.  

Spencer, I’m trusting you to take over some of the daily duties of being Zach’s best friend. These duties include hiding photos of Gio Bernard around the house, always keeping a stash of Smirnoff Ice and banana liquor on hand, and making up games that always put Zach at a slight disadvantage. But I’ve got to warn you that being Zach’s best friend isn’t always easy. I don’t remember why but in 2008 Zach posted on my Facebook wall, “Hey I just kicked Blake’s ass and you’re next.” And one piece of advice– don’t ever make a sports related bet with Zach. One time Zach and I were playing basketball, I lost a best on a half court shot, and had to sleep outside on the porch that night. 

Zach, I’m not sure how you did it, but you really did hit way out of your league in finding Spencer, and I couldn’t imagine a better match for either of you. 

Zach and Spencer, I love both, don’t miss your 7am flight tomorrow. Cheers! 

Note Zach has been a regular feature and contributor to my blog. See more of Zach here.

Maximizing Grocery Savings: Harris Teeter vs. Food Lion vs. Amazon Fresh (and online pickup vs. delivery)

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Just like my dad, I do most of the grocery shopping for our household. It’s partly because I’m a picky eater, but I also enjoy doing the math to make sure we’re getting the most value for our money. Most weeks, I shop online through Harris Teeter’s website and pick up the order the next day. But lately, I’ve been wondering– should I consider shopping somewhere else instead? And would it be worth paying extra to have the groceries delivered?

Food Lion beats Harris Teeter on price, but not convenience

Food Lion was $6.07 (6%) cheaper than Harris Teeter overall, and had the lower price on 15 of 23 items. However, Food Lion has a $1.99 fee for online pickup that brought their net savings down to $4.08 (4%).

Food Lion was significantly cheaper on fresh staples like chicken breast ($3.17 savings, or 29%), strawberries ($1.50 savings, or 60%), and spring mix ($1.30 savings, or 28%). But Harris Teeter made up some ground with a good sale on Greek yogurt ($1.98 savings, or 20%), and English muffins ($1.05 savings, or 28%).

Alternatively, if I did online pickup at both Harris Teeter and Food Lion, I could decrease the total grocery bill to $86.36, which is $10.51 cheaper than shopping only at Harris Teeter, or $6.16 than shopping at just Food Lion. Ultimately, even though it’s a little more expensive, I’m going to continue shopping exclusively at Harris Teeter because it’s slightly more convenient for me to get to.

Delivery adds about 13% to your grocery bill– not worth it unless time is your top priority

The fees are roughly the same at both stores; a $6-7 fee plus a recommended tip of around 6%. This would increase both grocery bills by roughly $12 (13%). I don’t mind picking up the groceries, so this probably isn’t worth it for me. Plus I’ll often need to go inside the store anyway in case I forgot to order something, or need to find a replacement for something that was out of stock online. If you do grocery delivery often, both stores offer membership options for $99 per year that waive the online fee (though you’ll still need to tip).

Amazon can also deliver groceries, although I’m still skeptical

In a subsequent week, I priced out a different batch of groceries on Amazon vs. Harris Teeter. Amazon’s subtotal of $73.24 was slightly cheaper than Harris Teeter’s total of $74.39, however after adding in Amazon’s service fee ($6.95) and tip ($5.00), it’s not very attractive. Plus 1. It seemed inefficient having groceries delivered from the closest Amazon Fresh store, which is 24 miles away in Raleigh. And 2. It’d be difficult to return an item or get replacements for poor substitutions. It could still be worth considering if you were dead set on delivery though since they have very competitive pricing on non-food items that you could otherwise find at the grocery store, like Tums or Naproxen. Note Amazon Fresh also has a $99/year subscription to waive their service fee (which is in addition to an Amazon Prime membership).

In conclusion, there are different ways to prioritize price and convenience (which could include delivery). However, I’m happy with the balance that Harris Teeter online pickup provides in terms of cost, convenience, and quality.

Want more?

Check out my post from earlier this year, where I compared the cost of meal delivery services and grocery prices over the past five years.

Top 10 Ices of All Time

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The best way to enjoy a Smirnoff Ice is by making your friends drink it (ideally when they least expect it). After much deliberation, I’m excited to announce the Top 10 Ices Of all Time.

1. George takes a shower

By this point in time, George should have known there was an Ice waiting for him in the bathroom at his bachelor party. I just skewed the odds by putting an Ice in all of the towels… just in case.

2. Sean tries “working from home” at Zach’s bachelor party

This man deserves a raise for trying to get work done while everyone else was playing beer pong. But little did he know there was a full bottle of Smirnoff Ice sitting inside his water bottle, with the straw perched inside the bottle.

3. George’s formal dinnerware

George is probably my favorite person to Ice because he’s a good sport about it. The scenario below played out at Evan’s wedding– Carter and I slipped into the venue before the wedding started and tucked an Ice into George’s napkin when he sat down.

4. The “Ice” cold birthday cake

With how many Ices I give out, I’m well aware that there’s a huge target on my back. I just didn’t see this one coming. I thought it was a little odd when Carol and Kayla insisted that I cut my own birthday cake, and for good reason… there was an Ice baked right into the cake.

5. Ryan claims his spot as “The Winner of The Losers”

In our fantasy football league, you have to Ice yourself if you score the least amount of points in any given week. Here’s a recap of last year’s Ices– check out the full blog post here.

6. Carter goes 4 for 4 in the Revolution Blind Taste Test

There are somewhere between 18 and 24 unique flavor of Smirnoff Ice. Our group has probably kept Smirnoff in business over the past 10 years, yet somehow only Carter could correctly identify all of the flavors in this variety pack.

7. The Gift of Giving

If you receive a Christmas present from someone in the Revolution, be wary— chances are it’s an Ice waiting to happen.

8. The Easter Beer Hunt

I think Carter actually likes Smirnoff Ice– In fact he’ll often go out of his way to find them. For Easter, George hides beers in his yard instead of Easter Eggs (spoiler alert: there are always Ices mixed in). Several people but pretend not to see the Ices… but not Carter.

9. The wedding party assembles

Most people give their friends a gift when asking them to be in their wedding party… These guys all got Ices.

10. Revenge served “Ice” cold

Ugh someone (I think it was Bobby?) got me at my own wedding. I had brought a 12 pack so I could strategically plant some Ices throughout the day but it mysteriously disappeared at some point during the day. Several hours later I go up to the bar to find out everyone else (including the bartender) was in on it.

Honorable Mention: The Long Game

Sometimes the best Ices require delayed gratification. Carol dodged Ices all night but ended up finding a sugary beverage to go with breakfast.

Bonus Content: Andrew shotguns a Fresca

We must’ve run out of Ices this day but Andrew is a legend for taking down a Fresca this quickly.

Blind Taste Test: Can You Tell The Difference Between Different Types of Apples?

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To help celebrate John’s birthday, Martha put together a blind taste test for seven different apples. Can most people tell the difference between different types of apples?

The answer was a clear “no.”

  • The math suggests we could have guessed the same amount of correct answers just by chance. For example, with each apple, you have a 1 in 9 chance of guessing the right variety since there were 9 options listed in the answer key. So across 7 apples, statistics suggest the average person would get ~0.778 picks correct (1/9 chance of a correct pick * 7 picks). As a whole, our group made 4 correct guesses across five contestants, meaning our group had 0.8 correct picks per person on average (4 correct picks / 5 people). This rate of 0.8 average correct guesses per person was almost exactly even with the blind guessing prediction of 0.778 correct picks per person.
  • That being said, if you have a favorite apple, you may be able to pick it out of a crowd. Kyla easily picked out her favorite (Cosmic Crisp), and I picked out my favorite (HoneyCrisp). In a way, this helps me justify paying the high price for Honeycrisp at $4.49/lb.
  • Snap Dragon, EverCrisp, Cosmic Crisp, SweeTango, and Honeycrisp were often confused for each other in the chart below, likely because they’re all similar in flavor and texture.
  • McIntosh stood out more clearly, maybe because of its distinct softness.

Want some bad apple recipes?

Or another blind taste test?

Getting to Know Bobby

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My core friend group is a tight circle that hasn’t changed in over 10 years… until recently. One of the core members got a new boyfriend (thanks online dating) and we’ve decided to fully welcome him into the group. The only problem is this new member hasn’t gotten to spend a lot of time with Bobby yet, who’s apparently too busy being a new parent to hang out with us every weekend now. Whatever. Bobby’s a simple enough guy that I can tell you everything you need to know about Bobby in just a few pictures.

1. Bobby is always hungry. His goal is to put 2,000 calories in every smoothie. And his idea of a side for a bagel is a croissant.

2. He never misses a good photobombing opportunity (especially when he’s in costume)

3. I’m pretty sure he could have been a model.

4. Although he’s also kind of weird.

5. And makes this one face he makes when he’s disappointed (although thankfully we don’t see this one very often).

6. But overall he’s a great friend and gives great hugs.

The Rising Cost of Groceries vs. Meal Delivery Kits: A Five-Year Comparison

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Almost five years ago today, I was on the fence if meal delivery boxes were worth the added cost. The COVID lockdowns had just gone into effect, and with all restaurants closed, I was looking for new foods and recipes. I also had plenty of time to run a cost-benefit analysis comparing the cost of the meal delivery box to buying the same ingredients at the grocery store.

Since 2020, the Consumer Price Index (an estimate for household inflation) has risen by 22.3% according to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics. So, how much does it cost to buy the same ingredients at the grocery store today vs. in March 2020? And has the value of meal delivery boxes changes? To find out, I’ve tracked, analyzed, eaten, and broken down the costs of four meals over time; Falafel Veggie Bowl, Loaded Black Bean Tacos, Chicken Caprese Sandwich, and Pizza Tortellini.

The cost of ordering these four meals from Dinnerly increased from $51.32 in 2020 to $67.91 in 2025, a 32.3% increase. This means that the cost of meal delivery boxes has risen significantly faster than inflation. And Dinnerly is actually one of the cheaper meal delivery options– a similar box from Hello Fresh would cost $92.73. The only way to argue that a meal delivery box would save money is by comparing it to the cost of eating out. For example, buying four #1 combos for two people at Chickfila would cost $74.05. Or even worse, using Uber Eats to deliver two Crunchwrap Supreme combos from Taco Bell four times would cost $135.

However, despite inflation, the cost of buying these ingredients at Harris Teeter actually went down over time, from $48.78 in 2020 to $47.06 in 2025. This fact doesn’t disprove inflation, rather I think it shows that I hit the sales right this year. The biggest savings came from a sale on taco seasoning ($1.99 down to $0.59), buns and tortellini (both down $1.01), and tortillas (down $0.99). Meanwhile, staples like cheese, chicken, and tomato sauce were all up (21%, 8%, and 79%, respectively).

In 2020, the added cost of ordering the meal delivery kit was only $2.52 per week, or around 5%, which I thought was worth. However, today that premium has increased to $20.85 per week, or 44%. Meal delivery boxes may still make sense for people who eat out for every meal or value convenience over cost. But for the rest of you, I’ll see you at Harris Teeter.

The Winners of the Losers

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The rules of our Fantasy Football Football league are pretty simple: if your team scores the least amount of points across the entire league for the week, you have to chug a Smirnoff Ice and send video proof to the group.

There are 10 teams in the league but only four of us have had the (dis)honor of being the biggest loser of the week. But of these losers, who’s the winner with the fastest chug?

Video replay confirms that yours truly is the undisputed winner of the losers, sweeping first, second, and third place. Props to Carter though for stepping up with a massive 24 oz. Smirnoff Ice—double the size of everyone else’s—and taking it down like a champ (featured in the top left and top middle-right squares of the video). Zach snagged 5th, 6th, and 7th place, earning a few brownie points for the unique backdrops in his videos. Will, in his rookie season, faced a tough initiation with subpar performances both on and off the field.

Welcome to the big leagues, where even the losers can be winners—if they can chug fast enough.

“I just need to run to Lowe’s real quick”

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My dad was a general contractor so I used to hear those words a lot growing up. Well, I’ve been hearing them (and saying them) a lot lately too…

Since Brittany and I bought our house in June 2022, we’ve been to Lowe’s 94 times over the course of about two and half years, or about once every 10 days. My personal record was five trips in one day when I was trying to figure out the right size pipe and fittings to install a new sink (fifth time was the charm).

Cost wise, we’ve spent $6,075.84 at Lowe’s since buying the house, according to our credit statements. That’s about $65 per trip, however that average was skewed by a few large purchases including a new oven (~$1200) and 15 gallons of paint to stain the fence (~$600). The median of $31 is probably a better representation of our standard trip to Lowe’s.

To be clear though, our house wasn’t in bad shape by any means when we bought it. However we’ve been trying to flex our DIY skills as we’ve learned how to do routine maintenance (like taking care of the lawn), basic repairs (like changing the garbage disposal), and also some tasteful upgrades (like updating the bathroom). Take a look at my last DIY blog to follow along with some of the projects we’ve tackled.

While spending $6,000 over 2.5 years sounds like a lot, homeguide.com estimates that home maintenance costs between 1-4% of a home’s value per year. We’ve certainly had to spend money at other places (i.e. 14 trips to Home Depot costing a total of $779.71), however we’re still probably on the lower end of that spectrum given that we’ve done a lot of the work ourselves. Rather than money, we’ve paid the price with our time… and trips to Lowe’s.

So next time you hear someone talking about the “joys of home ownership,” it really just means going to Lowe’s.

Can you guess where on the graph we bought the house?

Celebrating Two Years of Happiness

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A little over two years ago, our dear friend Terry was trying to figure out what to say at our wedding. It was her first time officiating a wedding and to put it simply, she wanted to know why I wanted to marry Brittany. Here’s how I responded on Thanksgiving Day 2022.

Hi Terry, Today especially, it makes sense to be thankful for Brittany on Thanksgiving. I know you’ve seen the photobooks of us smiling and posing for different occasions, but the best part of our relationship is really what happens in between those photos. Brittany is caring, sharp-witted, and full of love, which makes loving her so easy.

Brittany is caring

At times, I’d swear she was an angel. Earlier this year, I was sick for a full two weeks. Most people would have stayed away, or given up on me after a few days, but Brittany kept the tea kettle warm and would check on me in the middle of the night. I’ll never forget the compassion she showed as she poured warm water through my hair in the bathtub, bringing me back to life. This compassion extends to other people as well. A few years ago, we were driving through Chapel Hill and witnessed a terrible car crash, with one of the cars spinning twenty feet down a ravine and into a fence. Brittany instinctively pulled our car into a safe spot and ran down the slope to check on the driver. Another time, and very early in our relationship, Brittany got stuck taking care of both me and my dad at the same time after I’d just gotten my wisdom teeth taken out and my dad was recovering from a significant hip surgery. Brittany juggled both tasks with a smile… way above the call of duty for any caretaker, let alone a new girlfriend at the time. For my dad, an extra blanket in the middle of the night made a world of difference and cemented her status as an angel in the Kelley household. Her empathy and compassion seem to have no end, which makes her both a good medical provider and an easy choice for my lifetime partner.

Brittany is smart

And when she puts her mind to something, nothing can stop her. There was a brief period early in our relationship where Brittany and I were spending so much time together that her grades began to slightly slip. She was taking Calculus 2, an important prerequisite for pursuing a career in the medical field, and wasn’t happy with her first test grade. She looked me in the eyes and said, “I’m going to get an ‘A’ in this class.” Our dates quickly changed from ice cream and Old Chicago pizza to meeting up in Davis Library. But the results came quickly too; I don’t think she ever got anything less than ‘A’ throughout the rest of her time in school, including her master’s degree at ECU. Brittany’s not one to brag, but she scored in the top 1% of all PA school students on the final board exam. Plus, she’s not just school smart. She’s also good at answering my common questions like “what should we make for dinner?”, “what day was that event again?”, or “do you know where I left my shoes?”

Brittany has a kind and tender heart, and I’m so thankful she has chosen to share it with me

The sweetness and sincerity of her love is undeniable. If she has an early morning, she’ll leave a handwritten note on the counter to wish me a good day. When I get home in the afternoon, she’ll be waiting for me at the door with a warm embrace or a round of applause (silly but my favorite). Her favorite way to wake up in the morning is with a kiss on her forehead and a big smile on her face. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know how to walk beside me without holding my hand. She’s the most thoughtful planner and gift-giver for birthdays and holidays. These may seem like little things, but they mean a lot and provide a snapshot of why I can’t wait to marry Brittany.

 This list could just have easily been a hundred pages long but Brittany’s compassion, intelligence, and kind heart are just three of the reasons why I love her. I can confidently look forward to our wedding without any nerves and a lifetime of happiness to follow. 

As we’re celebrating our two-year anniversary today, I’m happy to report back that things are better than ever. Just take a look at the cover photo here– we’re so in sync that we even got each other the same anniversary card.

Want more? Check out my recap from our first anniversary