Bite of the Rest

Bonnie: We’ve got news to share!

Bite of the Rest recently launched a section listing what’s new — new food products, new beverages, new gadgets, new kitchen appliances, new anything to do with eating, dining and drinking.

What’s unique is that this section contains no review by us. No stamps of approval. No nothing — other than details about each new product.

As you know, each week we’ve been sharing our thoughts on one outstanding product that we’ve tried and recommended, meaning until now, every product on our site had our stamp of approval as a Bite of the Best (or BOTB as we lovingly refer to the site).

But then, we thought, “What about all the other new products that are introduced?” If my email and snail mailboxes are any indication, new products are touted daily.

Wouldn’t our BOTB community also want to know about these? And wouldn’t they want to voice their opinions? So we’re ending each listing on Bite of the Rest (BOTR) with a simple vote asking ”To Bite or not to Bite?” — that’s our question, asking whether you would buy this product.

Special New Feature – In addition, we’ve added a special interactive component to Bite of the Rest, one that’s available on all our partner listings (AKA sponsors); giving our readers access to direct dialogue with each product’s manufacturer. As part of our BOTB online community, you may have noticed that we get companies to respond to your questions and requests directly on our website. Now your questions are no longer filtered through us; they go directly to — and are answered by — the company!

We have drafted some FAQs to help you understand our newest section; Bite of the Rest.

• What is “Bite of the Rest”?
  Bite of the Rest (BOTR) is an interactive section of Bite of the Best featuring the foods, beverages and appliances currently being introduced.

• What is a BOTR product?
  Any product – whether from a “mom and pop” company or a multinational conglomerate – that is in the introductory stage of its marketing cycle. BOTR products represent what will be, or have just been, released.

• How does a product become a BOTR listing?
  Company and marketing representatives (i.e. Kraft, Cabot, Birdseye, “mom and pop”) are allowed to submit recently introduced products to be listed in the BOTR section. BOTR also includes limited-edition items — those new products put on the market for a limited time.

• What is a free listing?
  Exactly what it says. A free listing allows manufacturers to post product information (i.e., variety, package size, price) for Bite of the Best readers to view.

• What is a featured partnered listing?
  In addition to the information in a free listing, featured partner listings allow manufacturers to include a company logo, product image, website link, video podcast and/or a coupon. Partner listings are also completely interactive, with reader comments going directly to the manufacturer for reply!

• How do I search through the BOTR product listings?
  Site users can browse BOTR using the archives or search by company, product name, or by one of the following 10 categories.
  “Specialty” Foods
  Beverages
  Breakfast Items
  Canned, Boxed & Bagged
  Desserts & Snacks
  Kitchen Counter, Drawer & More
  Meats & Seafood
  The “Spice” Rack
  The Dairy Case
  The Freezer Aisle

• Are BOTR products available to purchase now?
  All BOTR products will have an availability date listed with them.

• Where can I buy the BOTR products?
  That depends on the product. All BOTR products will list whether they are available locally, regionally, nationally or on the web.

• What is “To Bite or Not to Bite”?
  That is our question. For each listed product, we ask our readers if they would “bite” (purchase the product) or “not bite” (not purchase the product).

• Who will answer my questions about BOTR products?
  BOTR offers one of the first chances for consumers to talk directly with the company offering the product — that is, if that company is participating. If the listing says “Click here to ask the company a question about the product,” then a company representative will answer your questions in the comment section for that product (answers will also be emailed to readers). All questions and answers will be posted under each product in the BOTR section. If the listing only says “Click here to read or post comments,” then the company opted not to participate in receiving and responding to consumer questions.

• I have a product I would like to list on BOTR. How do I do that?
  Use the “Click here to submit your product” link found at the top of the Bite of the Rest page.

Bryan: We created Bite of the Best as a medium to promote our favorite foodie finds and experiences…and the response has been overwhelming! We have been so excited to see our readers’ comments, questions, promotions, critiques and general indications of curiosity that we simply decided we needed more Epicurean fodder for the ongoing “conversation.” Bite of the Best continues to bring you our weekly “Bite” — a product we all think that you must try — while our TidBites section offers a variety of little culinary jewels, from food festivals to chef sightings and superb restaurants. Bite of the Rest now brings everything else. We come across too many new and interesting (if not fantastic) products to keep them a secret. So here we go. Step into our vault. Welcome to Bite of the Rest….

Eric: If you clicked on the link my brother posted, then you might be scratching your head and wondering how the world of Willy Wonka’s “pure imagination” has anything to do with the launch of our newest section, Bite of the Rest. Personally, I believe that being reminded of the antics of Wonka will only help in understanding the imagination, or lack thereof, put in to creating some of the newest products on the market. Although some products are great and others are disgusting, it is up to us as consumers to share our opinions. So, I hope you enjoy Bite of the Rest and are able to find some products you’ve tried and those that you look forward to experiencing.