Naajia Shukri – Sporked

5 Best Probiotic Products to Kickstart Your Gut

Naajia Shukri — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 00:11:31 +0000

There are many reasons to incorporate more probiotic products into our diets. After all, we can’t be 22 forever with digestive systems that works like well-oiled machines (those were the days). Yes, you’re older now, but the good news is that as time progresses, more and more probiotic products hit grocery store shelves. Sure, you could pop a pill to get your probiotics, but here are also some damn tasty yogurts, teas, and fermented foods that are just rarin’ to kick your gut back into gear. Maybe this is what Taylor Swift meant when she said she was feeling 22. It’s worth a shot!

Yakult

I used to think Yakult was just for kids, but that was before I actually tried one. If you haven’t had the pleasure of guzzling one of these little probiotic bevs, you’re in for a treat. I regularly keep a pack of these in my fridge—they make a good supplement to breakfast or they can tide you over if lunch is running late. Yakult is a probiotic drink that comes in a little bottle with an aluminum top. It is pleasantly sweet with just a little bit of tang, which has made it easy to achieve my goal of drinking one of these a day (although, it also makes it hard to stop myself from drinking five of these a day).

Health-Ade Kombucha Pink Lady Apple

If you’re big on probiotic drinks, you’ve definitely tried kombucha before. But have you had Health-Ade’s Pink Lady Apple kombucha? In her ranking of the best kombucha flavors, managing editor Gwynedd Stuart called this one “fizzy” and “sweet-but-not-too-sweet.” In fact, it was our favorite kombucha in two separate taste tests “thanks to a tart, crisp quality that truly channels a Pink Lady apple.” Kombucha is powerful stuff in terms of probiotics, and this flavor is a must-try bev for kombucha enthusiasts.

Read the full ranking of the best kombucha

Celestial Seasonings Ginger Tea Plus Probiotics

It is no secret that I love tea. I also love probiotic drinks, so when I saw that I could have both in one product, I was thoroughly excited. Celestial Seasonings makes some good probiotic ginger tea that I would recommend to tea lovers who like to drink their tea straight up. It’s pleasantly sweet without any added honey or sugar because of the inclusion of licorice root. It’s a great option if you miss your morning Yakult and want your probiotics to be piping hot instead. It is also a good option for those who have a sweet tooth like me; trust me, that hint of licorice really stands out in the best way.

Read the full ranking of the best ginger tea

Lucky Foods Spicy Seoul Kimchi

Moving on to the probiotic foods section of this list, we have kimchi. Kimchi is the amazing fermented cabbage side dish from Korea that goes so well with so many things (not just Korean food). In senior writer Jordan Myrick’s best kimchi ranking, they told us about Lucky Foods Spicy Seoul Kimchi, which was a favorite. While many kimchis can be super spicy, this one brings some heat without scalding your taste buds. “It’s not crazy hot, but it’s just hot enough to satisfy your craving for something spicy,” Jordan noted, adding that’s it’s “so fermented and bubbly.” If you’re having rice or noodles for dinner, this is the perfect way to get your probiotics in.

Read the full ranking of the best kimchi

Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Probiotic Vanilla Yogurt

Probiotic yogurt is another great way to get your probiotics at breakfast. Editor-in-chief Justine Sterling wrote in her best probiotic yogurt ranking that Stonyfield makes a probiotic yogurt worthy of ten whole sporks. “This is a yogurt you can look forward to eating to start your day, whether you like to scoop it up straight or mix it with things like fruit and granola,” she wrote. This versatility makes it all the more easy to work into our diet one way or another. We love a probiotic product that actually tastes good, and Stonyfield’s Probiotics Vanilla Yogurt is just that.

Read the full ranking of the best probiotic yogurt

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The Best Cereal for Marshmallow Treats

Naajia Shukri — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 21:24:30 +0000

Is there anything better than a chewy, crunchy, buttery marshmallow treat? Sure, you’ve probably eaten your weight in Rice Krispies Treats over the course of a lifetime, but there’s a whole world of cereal on grocery store shelves—and absolutely nothing is stopping you from combining pretty much any of them with gooey marshmallows and melted butter. As self-appointed marshmallow treat connoisseurs, we’d like to encourage you to get creative with your next batch by trying out different cereals. In fact, if you don’t mind a big ol’ sugar bomb, we have some ideas. Warning: Things only get more delicious from this point on.

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Fruity Pebbles: Fruity Pebbles is a top-tier fruity cereal. In fact, it was the best of the best in our best fruity cereal ranking. The crunchy, bitty little flakes are explosively flavorful—and butter and sugary marshmallow are only going to intensify that. It’s a superb cereal with immaculate fruity flavor, and we guarantee these marshmallow treats will be 10/10.
Lucky Charms: Diving into a little bit of texture here, we have Lucky Charms. Lucky Charms make charming (pun intended) marshmallow treats because of their cute little shapes and colorful little marshmallow bits. Even though Lucky Charms aren’t small and uniform like Rice Krispies, they can still be cut up into nice little squares. A sharp knife and some applied pressure will be your friend here. And, surprisingly, the cereal bits retain their crunch after being enveloped in the marshmallow.
Oreo O’s: Oreo O’s are back, and if you love cookies and cream flavored things, this one is for you. Working with a cereal that’s round and comparatively large may be intimidating, but Froot Loops cereal treats exist, so have at it! Our advice is to hurry and make a batch of Oreo O’s marshmallow treats in case Post decides to discontinue it again.
Reese’s Puffs Minis: Of course we need a peanut butter option on this list! Before you get scared, we’d like to argue that if marshmallow and peanut butter weren’t supposed to go together, products like Mallow-Top Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups wouldn’t exist (Reese’s: 1 Food Police: 0). You could argue that Reese’s Puffs are too big for cereal treats—but have you seen Reese’s Puffs Minis? They are teeny-tiny and the perfect size for throwing together in a pan to craft the perfect marshmallow treat. If you truly love peanut butter enough to call yourself a “peanut butter boy” like Rhett & Link do, you’ll consider giving these a try.
Frosted Flakes Strawberry Milkshake: Of all the cereals you could use to make a marshmallow treat, Frosted Flakes do a great job of retaining their crunch. If you like extra-crunchy marshmallow treats, you should pick up a box of Frosted Flakes. But if you really want to wow with your outside-the-box cereal treat prowess, pick up a box of Strawberry Milkshake Frosted Flakes. It’s fruity, fragrant, and really tastes like a strawberry milkshake. Honestly, Kellogg’s should be packaging these as cereal treats—get on it!

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Best Food for a Sore Throat

Naajia Shukri — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:06:00 +0000

Now that we’re beginning to come out of flu season, there is another predator on the rise: allergies. If you’re anything like us, your allergies can give you a scratchy, sore throat, leaving you wondering what you can possibly eat for lunch, dinner, or even for a snack that won’t make it feel like you’re swallowing thumbtacks. Sulk no more, my sniffly friend, and instead check out this list of the easiest and best foods to eat for a sore throat.

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365 Unsweetened Applesauce

When I think “sore throat,” I think “hurts to swallow,” and that means I probably don’t want to be eating anything hard or crunchy, like pita chips or croutons. I want something soft like applesauce, and thanks to Sporked’s best applesauce ranking, we know exactly which applesauce to reach for in a time such as this. In writer Danny Palumbo’s review of 365’s Unsweetened Applesauce, he wrote, “Whole Foods’ applesauce doesn’t have a ton of added sugar, so it’s not cloying like many other name brand applesauces.” This is one applesauce that you can eat a great deal of without feeling overwhelmed by sweetness, and if we’re avoiding solid food for the day, this is a great place to start.

Signature Select Maple and Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal

Maple and brown sugar is the best flavor of oatmeal, and the best maple and brown sugar oatmeal out there comes from Signature Select. In her ranking of the best instant oatmeal flavors, editor-in-chief Justine Sterling praised this oatmeal for being extremely comforting, something that’s needed when you can’t stop thinking about how much your throat hurts every time you swallow. “The maple flavors will remind you of childhood pancakes and the creamy texture will sooth your innards. It’s a hug from the inside,” she wrote. You can count on this oatmeal to feel like a hug inside that will soothe your throat.

Oikos Lemon Meringue Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is another easy option when your throat hurts, and Oikos has some really fun flavors. Their Lemon Meringue flavor, as managing editor Gwynedd Stuart pointed out in her ranking of the best greek yogurt flavors, is particularly delicious. “The tartness of the lemon and the natural tartness of the rich, decadent yogurt are a match made in heaven,” she wrote. With yogurt this tasty, you’ll forget your throat is sore and finish the whole cup. You’ll be coming back to this desserty yogurt even after your throat feels better.

Quaker Instant Grits

Instant grits are one of human kind’s greatest achievements, and when you add an egg and a bit of cheddar cheese into the mix, this is a hot and protein-packed homemade meal to sooth a sore throat. Instant grits are as easy to make as they are to eat, and even if you don’t feel up to adding any garnishes, even a dab of butter will make this bowl feel like a tasty embrace. This warm, buttery dish is one that I reach for with or without a sore throat, because it is that good.

Rao’s Chicken Noodle Soup

If there’s anything you can count on to get you through a sore throat, it’s chicken noodle soup. Just any chicken noodle soup, you ask? Nope. Remember Rao’s Chicken Noodle Soup from our best chicken noodle soup ranking? In our opinion, it’s the best soup you can buy for a sore throat. Danny wrote in his ranking that “Rao’s nails the seasoning and flavor, and the quality ingredients are all top notch. It’s like your grandma made it and put it in one of her jars.” Well, we definitely trust our respective grandmas to know what foods are best for a sore throat. This soup is as flavorful as it is comforting, and we trust that it will save the day—or at least fill you up.

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6 Cheap On-the-Go Breakfasts

Naajia Shukri — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 00:43:34 +0000

Good on-the-go breakfasts don’t have to break the bank, and, most importantly, they should be quick and easy so you can, you know, go. We’ve rounded up a few budget options that allow you to merge the mobility of canned wine with the deliciousness of breakfast (sans alcohol, of course). These are some of our favorite cheap on-the-go breakfasts.

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Tennessee Pride Sausage & Buttermilk Biscuits: Excuse me, a sausage biscuit breakfast that’s fast, easy, and cheap? Sign me up. When Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling set out to find the best frozen breakfast sandwiches, she was “delighted” by these simple sandwiches. “It’s just a biscuit and sausage,” she wrote, “but the breakfast sausage is so incredibly good—like the best diner sausage patty.” You get two little sandwiches per pack and a box of six packs only costs around $6—if you need help with the math, that means we’re looking at 50 cents a sammy. That’s a hearty, filling breakfast for pocket change!
Kellogg’s Froot Loops Insta-Bowls: Managing editor Gwynedd Stuart and senior writer Jordan Myrick both tried Kellogg’s Insta-Bowls when they first came out last year. In their Kellogg’s Froot Loops Insta-Bowls review, they gave this new spin on an old breakfast classic a pretty high score––9/10 sporks! Gwynedd remarked that, because these are made with dehydrated milk which you add water to, they’re great for travel purposes. “You can send your kid to school with these, take them camping, or (if you live on the West Coast) stock your earthquake kit with a few,” she wrote. The fact that you can mix these up with water makes the perfect to grab and go because you may not always have milk at the ready. But bring a bottle of water with you (or, hey, stop at a water fountain), and you’ll be good to go.
Sprouts Organic Buttermilk Waffles: It’s time we start giving waffles the praise they deserve for being a perfect on-the-go breakfast. As long as you butter one of these babies when it’s hot out of the toaster, and you’ll be A-okay to rush out the door, waffle in hand. In Justine’s best frozen waffle ranking, she named Sprouts’ Organic Buttermilk Waffles “best buttermilk waffle,” and for $2.99 a box, they make for a great, cheap breakfast option. “Topped with a pat of butter and some maple syrup, this would be an extremely satisfying weekday breakfast,” Justine wrote. But they’re equally good for rushed weekday mornings.
Just Crack an Egg: Just Crack an Egg is the scrambled eggs breakfast kit that allows you to “just crack an egg” into the container (as the name suggests), stir, and microwave for two minutes to have a hot breakfast that you can enjoy at your desk with a side of spreadsheets. It’s a neat concept for scrambled egg lovers like myself, and the container says you can make your scramble with one egg, two, or just egg whites, so you do have a bit more control protein- and calorie-wise. Their ultimate scramble kit comes with pork sausage, mild cheddar cheese, potatoes, onions, and green and red peppers. It’s a simple and quick breakfast, provided you have an egg and a microwave. And they’re only around two bucks each.
Kroger Low Fat Yogurt Tubes: We’ve all had Go-Gurt. Or we’re all aware of Go-Gurt, at the very least. And now grocery stores are finally giving the people what they want: cheaper Go-Gurt alternatives. I wanted to love Go-Gurt so badly as a child, but I think I disliked that they were so much sweeter and the flavors were so much more pronounced than regular yogurt. Kroger’s Low Fat Yogurt Tubes, however, taste a lot more like regular ol’ yogurt and are just as portable. They cost around $3 for a box of eight, which means you could have an on-the-go yogurt breakfast for eight whole business days, and save money while you’re at it. I recommend the strawberry and vanilla variety pack.
Smucker’s Uncrustables Peanut Butter & Jam Sandwiches: A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a great breakfast—if you have the time to make one. If you don’t, Smucker’s Uncrustables should be in your freezer in a pinch. I recommend the peanut butter and strawberry jam version, but there are several variations, including peanut butter and grape jam, peanut butter and honey, and hazelnut butter. These little white bread sandwich pockets are meant to be thawed before you eat them, but I have to admit that I personally like them a little bit frozen. Either way, they’re individually wrapped, cost about a buck a sandwich, and are easy to grab on your way out the door.

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Which Vegan Jerky Makes Rhett & Link Want to Twerky?

Naajia Shukri — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 14:30:00 +0000

On today’s cruelty-free episode of Good Mythical Morning, Rhett & Link set out to find which vegan jerky makes them “want to twerky.” The pair ranked six vegan jerkies on a scale from “Vegan-Ing to Regret My Life Choices” to “Yes! Ve-Gan!” Rhett explained that they tried to pick jerkies that came closest to replicating regular meat jerky (or was somewhere in the vicinity of regular meat jerky). The two worked through the lore of each vegan jerky—apparently, each vegan jerky has a story—and ranked all six.

Vegan-Ing to Regret My Life Choices
Primal Spirit – Texas Barbecue Jerky: Rhett & Link had differing opinions about the smell of this jerky from Primal Spirit. “It smells not so great,” Rhett said. Link thought it was harder on the eyes than on the ol’ nostrils, saying, “It looks scarier than it smells.” Thankfully, this non-meat strip had some virtues. “It’s very chewy in a good way,” Link said. At the beginning of the taste test, Rhett felt confident about this vegan jerky strip and placed it in the fourth spot (after moving it from second place initially). But as the guys tasted more jerky, this one kept getting demoted until it landed in the sixth-place spot. Poor Primal Spirit.
Ve-Gan, but Ve Don’t Want To
BeLeaf – Spicy Flavored Vegan Jerky: “This looks like a fire starter,” Link said when he saw BeLeaf’s jerky. The jerky itself plopped out of the bag in big chunks. Rhett appreciated the consistency, and Link liked the flavor. “It’s very sweet and then spicy,” Link managed to say through the burn. Ultimately, it landed in the fifth spot.
Ve-Blan…D
Noble Jerky – Sweet BBQ: “Tastes like spaghetti sauce,” Rhett said after his first bite, and that ruined the taste for Link. The pair had a hard time agreeing on whether or not the jerky had a wet quality to it, but Link gushed about its texture. “The consistency is the most meat-like we have tasted today, hands down,” he said, putting his hands down. But Rhett didn’t like how sweet and wet it was. Link placed this one in the fourth spot.
I Might Try This Ve-Gain
Beyond Meat – Hot & Spicy: Rhett noted that this mung bean-based jerky was the only jerky in the taste test that isn’t made of soy. He praised its “meat-like consistency” and “meat-like flavor,” after taking his first bite. “This is the superior texture,” Link said, comparing it to the others they’d tried earlier in the tasting. Unfortunately, it was lacking in the flavor department. Rhett & Link decided that Beyond Meat’s Hot & Spicy vegan jerky would place third based on texture but not much else.
As Good as Sir Vegan McKellen (Quite Good)
It’s Jerky Y’all – Prickly Pear Chipotle: Rhett & Link were joined by doomsday prepper Otis Jeremiah Timothee Chalamet Malachy to taste this vegan prickly pear jerky. Link noted its “fingerling style,” which was similar to another of the jerkies they’d tried in the line up. “It’s not bad and it’s spicy,” Rhett noted. The trio agreed that It’s Jerky Y’all’s prickly pear jerky is good, but not good enough to take the top spot. This one landed in second place.
Yes! Ve-Gan!
Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. – Smoky Carolina BBQ: Before tasting this Carolina BBQ-flavored jerky, Link astutely noted that the brand was nodding to the mustard element in the barbecue flavoring. After pouring some jerky bits out of the bag, he announced, “This looks like a moist seasoned fry that’s like four days old,” and boy did it ever. Rhett was into the flavor right away. “This has got a lot of flavor. WOW,” he said after his first bite. It exceeded his vegan-jerky expectations. Rhett placed it in the number one spot.

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What’s the Tastiest Flavor of Tillamook Ice Cream?

Naajia Shukri — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In today’s brain freeze-inducing Gut Check episode of Good Mythical Morning, Rhett & Link tried a total of 34 Tillamook ice cream products—including some frozen custards—to find the best of them all. Rhett & Link ranked their top three flavors (plus an honorable mention) on a scale of 1-100, using both Link’s special Ice Rank-ing Chart and Rhett’s secondary crumpled-up chart. Armed with a palate cleanser (aka hot lemon water), our boys ranked the best Tillamook ice creams and named just one “Attila the Yum.”

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Honorable Mention: Tillamook Sea Salt & Honeycomb Toffee Frozen Custard: This was the only custard flavor of the bunch, and Rhett & Link were really into it––at first. “I’m just blown away by the accuracy,” Link admitted after trying it later in the taste test. “It’s SO good too … y’all make some good ice cream,” Rhett added after eating his scoop. Unfortunately for Sea Salt and Honeycomb Toffee, Link wasn’t a fan of the toffee flavor the second time around and wanted this tub to be kicked out of the running. “I really like the custard, but the toffee can be a little polarizing,” Rhett agreed. Rhett & Link’s initial scores of 82 and 84, respectively, weren’t enough to save this flavor from landing in the fourth-place spot (honorable mention) in their ranking.
Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream: “The peanut butter boys” really wanted to champion the ribbons of peanut butter in this tub of ice cream. “Chocolate with ribbons of peanut butter is an undeniably heavenly experience,” Link declared after trying this flavor a second time. Fellow peanut butter boy Rhett was critical of this flavor. “It’s not as good as Ben & Jerry’s Peanut Butter World,” he said, explaining that the chocolate flavor isn’t as strong as he’d hoped it would be. While Rhett & Link initially gave this flavor pretty high scores—78 and 88, respectively––this pint ultimately walked away with the bronze.
Tillamook White Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream: Link really liked this flavor, giving it a score of 85. “It’s mild, it’s creamy, it’s cloud-like,” he said. Rhett initially fought to put this flavor in the top spot, despite that he initially gave it a somewhat lower score of 79, compared with Link’s score of 85. After tasting, re-tasting, and “zeroing in” on their favorite, Rhett & Link declared White Chocolate Raspberry the runner up.
Tillamook Peaches & Cream Ice Cream: As soon as they tried this flavor, Rhett & Link formed some sort of telepathic connection and shouted “84” in perfect unison. Rhett described this flavor as nostalgic because it makes him think of the homemade peach ice cream that people “back home” would make. “This bursts with accuracy. Unbridled peachiness,” Link said. The race to the top spot was very close between this flavor and White Chocolate Raspberry, but Link decided to let nostalgia win, and the pair named Peaches & Cream “Attila the Yum.”

Most hated: Oregon Hazelnut and Salted Caramel

It was hate at first taste for our boys when they tried this flavor. Link said it tasted a lot like hazelnut. “If you don’t like hazelnut, you’re not gonna like this” Rhett doubled down on Link’s sentiment and asserted that, “It’s worse than hazelnut.” Hazelnut haters beware.

Other flavors Rhett & Link Tasted:

Premium Classics: Old Fashioned Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, French Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Udderly Chocolate, Tillamook Mudslide, Malted Moo Shake, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies and Cream, Monster Cookie, Mint Chocolate Chip, Road, Coffee Almond Fudge, Oregon Hazelnut and Salted Caramel, Butter Pecan, Caramel Toffee Crunch, Caramel Swirl, Waffle Cone Swirl, Banana Split, Peaches and Cream, Oregon Strawberry, White Chocolate Raspberry, Marion Berry Pie, Mountain HuckleBerry, Oregon Dark Cherry, Birthday Cake

Frozen Custards: Bing Cherry Cheesecake, Cold Brew Chocolate Chip, Maple and Candy Pecan, Oregon Strawberry Shortcake, Salted Caramel, Sea Salt and Honeycomb Toffee

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Purple Snack Ideas (and Not All of Them Are Grape)

Naajia Shukri — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 00:10:13 +0000

Purple is the color of the finer things in life. It’s associated with royalty, status…okay, and a super annoying dinosaur from the ’90s named Barney. Purple is also the color of each of the snacks we’ll be discussing in this roundup. Maybe you’re hosting a party for a kid who really loves purple. Maybe you just like a snack spread with a theme. Either way, get ready for a whole bunch of grape coming your way in this list of purple snack ideas.

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Grape Soda Jelly Belly Jelly Beans: If you’re looking to fill up a bowl—or perhaps a few plastic eggs—with a purple treat, Jelly Belly makes a grape jelly bean that’s a timeless favorite. This flavor is included in the brand’s soda assortment, but it’s so good you can also find these in a dedicated, resealable 16-ounce bag. This is one purple snack idea that’s definitely Easter worthy.
Grape Jell-O: Jell-O is versatile, delicious, and super jiggly. Take a page from the ’50s and bring back the classic Jell-O mold for your next purple party. People might give it the side eye, but once they taste it, they’ll love it. We love a snack that slides down easy and is pretty fun to play with, too.
Grape Hi-Chew: Hi-Chew (gesundheit) are known for their bold, fruity flavors, but, as the name indicates, that chew is where it’s at. Grape Hi-Chew do taste like artificial grape, but that’s what we love about them. This is good artificial grape flavor—like a grape slushie rather than grape medicine. If your chewy candy intake has been limited to Starburst, it’s time you give this purple snack a shot.
Grape Nerds: Now, you and I both know there was no way we’d make it through this list without mentioning grape Nerds. A purple snack roundup without the queen? I wouldn’t dream of it! Grape Nerds are too iconic to be ignored. I have many fond memories of eating these as a child, crunching them up and basically inhaling the whole little box in one go. They’re itty-bitty, but they pack a lot of big grape flavor. Definitely a purple snack go-to.
Late July Organic Purple Corn Tortilla Chips: We said that all of these wouldn’t be grape flavored and, SEE, we didn’t lie! Late July makes great tortilla chips, as we learned in our best tortilla chip ranking, but did you know they make purple corn tortilla chips? These are made with just three ingredients: whole ground purple corn, sunflower/safflower oil, and sea salt. They’re still the mild-tasting tortilla chips that we know and love, they just have a deep purple color from the ground purple corn. You’ll definitely want a savory purple snack to break up all these sweet ones.
Trader Joe’s Ube Mochi: Ube has long been a featured flavor in treats from the Philippines, and last year, Trader Joe’s went into full ube mode, releasing ube pretzels, ube ice cream, ube spread, and more. These ube mochi ice cream balls aren’t just purple—they’re cute, cold, and full of that signature yammy flavor. These make it possible to serve ice cream at your purple party without dirtying any bowls or spoons. Smart!

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The Best Green Snack Ideas, from Salty to Sweet

Naajia Shukri — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 01:47:07 +0000

Maybe your favorite color is green. Maybe you really love the Hulk. Or maybe you’re prepping for a St. Patrick’s Day party. Whatever the case, we have you covered with the best green snack ideas. From pickles to Sour Punch straws, these are some of the best green snacks we’ve tried during our taste tests here at Sporked.

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Mezzetta Garlic Stuffed Olives: Green olives are a highly versatile snack. They’re good for martinis, a tapenade, or just eating straight out of the jar with your grubby little fingers. In our best green olives ranking, writer Danny Palumbo opened our eyes to the wonderful world of stuffed olives when he placed Mezzetta’s garlic-stuffed olives in the top spot. He called them “decadent and fatty and a damn good snack.” A damn good snack, indeed—and a green snack, as luck would have it.
Dietz & Watson Kosher Pickle Spears: Dill pickles are one of the best green snacks money can buy. And the best dill pickles money can buy are Dietz & Watson’s Kosher Pickle Spears, according to senior writer Jordan Myrick’s ranking of the best dill pickles. Jordan described these pickles as “crunchy, flavorful, and juicy.” What more could we ask for from a pickle? And in my opinion, the spear is an elite pickle shape—it’s easy to bite into and you can get right to the pickle meat while only having to battle a fraction of the skin. (Please feel free to use the phrase “pickle meat” more often.)
Brad’s Crunchy Kale Chips: We weren’t so sure about kale chips at the beginning of our taste test, but after trying a few flavors, we started to understand their leafy appeal. In their ranking of the best kale chips, Jordan put Brad’s Crunchy Kale Chips in the top spot. They come in dark green “nuggets,” as Jordan describes it, and their crunch is unmatched. Plus, these green nugs come coated with a savory seasoning. As Jordan wrote in their review, “The taste is complex, but a little reminiscent of tomato soup.” It really doesn’t taste at all how you would expect a kale chip to tase, in the best way. This is an A+ green snack.
Nicos Green Tea Seaweed Snacks: If you’re a fan of forest green and flavors from the sea, you may want to add seaweed snacks to your green snack lineup. In our best seaweed snack ranking, Danny praised Nicos Green Tea Seaweed Snacks for their complex blend of flavors. “The green tea taste is aromatic and lovely, and there is a pronounced, savory flavor, too. It’s also salty and smoky,” he wrote. Green snack fanatics won’t want to miss out on these.
Green Apple Sour Punch Straws: In case you were wondering, the answer is, yes, green apple Sour Punch Straws are just as good as you remember them being when you were a child. This candy is the perfect mix of sour, sweet, and chewy, and the green apple flavoring works very well with the sweet-sour combination. I still consider these to be a top-tier movie snack, and a top tier green snack, too. A good number of the licorice-like straws come in a single package, so there will definitely be enough to share.

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What to Bring to a March Madness Party

Naajia Shukri — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 11:03:00 +0000

Picture it. You’re getting ready for a friend’s March Madness party and wondering, “What the heck do I bring to this thing? A basketball cake??” And while a basketball cake would be good, there are other, more practical options out there that you can bring instead. Dunk on your friends with these March Madness snack ideas this March.

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Fritos Hot Bean Dip

Canned bean dip might seem like a last-minute, pick-it-up-at the-gas-station kind of snack, but it’s also portable and sharable (without even dirtying a bowl). And this particular Fritos Hot Bean Dip is good—a perfect snack food to bring to any party, and it’s sure to be a hit at the next March Madness get-together you’re invited to. When the Sporked crew taste tested canned and jarred bean dips, they loved this humbly packaged dip’s creamy consistency and the dimension that jalapeños contribute to its flavor profile. As editor-in-chief Justine Sterling wrote, “Whether you’re looking for a solo snack or something to put out for a party, this is the best bean dip you can buy.” This dip is perfect March Madness material; a slam dunk indeed.

Kona Light Blonde Ale

Beer is a game-day party classic, so it makes sense that you’d bring Kona Light to the party. In Justine’s ranking of the best light beer at the grocery store, she described this blonde ale as “downright tropical with notes of pineapple balanced with herbaceous hops.” While a game of beer pong might be tempting, our guess is that everyone will want to enjoy rather than chug this. No need to waste precious beer on college party games; the college basketball will be enough nostalgia for us, thanks.

Kirkland Signature Meatballs

Is it wild to bring a plate of meatballs to a March Madness party? They’re little balls of meat that would be totally on theme at a basketball watch party. What’s not to love? In contributor Danny Palumbo’s ranking of the best frozen meatballs, he wrote that “Kirkland puts every other meatball to shame with its deliciously fatty, spicy, porky flavor.” Bring some little frilly toothpicks and a platter of these meaty morsels to the party, and we’re willing to bet they’ll be gone before halftime.

Boylan Creme Soda

If you’re going to a March Madness party, why not bring soda for anyone who doesn’t want to fill up on beer, but still wants to drink something that kind of looks like beer? Our recommendation is to bring a pack of Boylan Creme Soda. Managing editor and cream soda enthusiast Gwynedd Stuart put Boylan in the top spot in her ranking of the best cream soda ranking. According to Gwynedd, this stuff nails a “delicate alchemy of vanilla flavor and fizz.” If it’s been a while since you’ve had cream soda, I can’t stress this enough: It’s a real treat.

Dunkaroos

Okay, hear me out: We should be buying whole boxes of Dunkaroos for March Madness so that you can dunk in solidarity with your favorite team’s players. And, considering that we’re heading to a party, we should bring the entire box so that everyone can dunk on their own terms, at their own pace. If you’re not famils, Dunkaroos are a nostalgic ’90s throwback snack that includes both a pack of vanilla cookies and frosting in which to dunk them. I’m sure everyone will be ecstatic to have an in-house dunk fest with these.

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The Best March Madness Snacks

Naajia Shukri — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:58:31 +0000

March Madness is approaching and that means we have three things on the brain: college basketball, that Roundball Rock Saturday Night Live sketch, and delicious game-day snacks. The year’s biggest collegiate basketball tournament is approaching, and that means we’ll need snacks to sustain us through literal weeks of games (March 13-April 3). So sit back and check out our list of March Madness snacks that will satisfy your cravings all tourney long.

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Foster Farms Hot ‘N Spicy Chicken Wings: A game-day party without wings? We think not! In their ranking of the best frozen chicken wings, the Sporked staff put these Foster Farms wings in the top spot. “Foster Farms Hot ‘N Spicy wings use aged cayenne peppers and a bit of vinegar to achieve that classically spicy, zesty flavor,” they wrote. These spicy wings make for an excellent treat that’s easy to pop in the oven for a one-and-done filling March Madness snack. Now all you need is a good blue cheese.
Hope Foods Spicy Green Chile Guacamole: Guacamole is an excellent March Madness snack—you can dunk away while watching very tall college students do the same on TV. The Sporked staff recently updated their ranking of the best guacamoles, and Hope Foods took the top spot once again. “This guacamole is complex without overdoing it,” Sporked contributor Danny Palumbo wrote. “And due to the organic ingredients, the flavors are natural, too.” Slam dunk, Hope Foods.
Chi-Chi’s Mild Salsa Verde: In senior staff writer Jordan Myrick’s best salsa verde ranking, Chi Chi’s Mild Salsa Verde came out on top. It comes in a decently sized jar and is perfect for sharing. Jordan wrote that this salsa reminded them of what they typically get when they order salsa verde at a restaurant, and restaurant salsa is typically pretty on point. We’re definitely filling up a bowl with this salsa come March.
Late July Jalapeño Lime Tortilla Chips: Now that we have guac and salsa on our March Madness snack table, we need obviously need tortilla chips. In their ranking of the best tortilla chips, Jordan said that Late July Jalapeño Lime are the best flavored tortilla chip of the bunch. “These are authentically limey and have a nice, fruity, jalapeño bite,” they noted. Even if you don’t dunk ’em, these chips are winners.
Totino’s Pizza Rolls: Pizza rolls are super nostalgic. And, hey, lots of people get nostalgic for their college days when they watch college basketball, right? Throw a bag of these little babies into the oven to go back in time. Just be sure to bite a corner and blow before you burn the crap out of the roof of your mouth.
Utz Cheese Balls: Guys. They’re like little basketballs, but they taste better. In his ranking of the best cheese puffs, Danny described these as “sharp and tangy” and “salty and fatty.” What more could you want from a cheese snack?

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Snack Ideas for Adults

Naajia Shukri — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 12:01:00 +0000

Why should kids get to have all the fun with their niche snacks? Adults can have snack time, too, and a delicious one at that. While little kids’ snacks may look appetizing, they’re typically super sugary and don’t really put a dent in your appetite, which kind of defeats the purpose of reaching for a snack in the first place. Below you’ll find a collection of very grown-up snacks that will satiate your adult hunger and let you have a little fun, too. Thank us later with a strongly worded email, like adults do.

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Sprouts Lightly Buttered Popcorn: Popcorn is a finger food that also doubles as an adult snack because it’s high in fiber but low in calories. As long as it’s not totally drenched in butter (boo), it’s a good snack to munch on. In her best bagged popcorn ranking, managing editor Gwynedd Stuart praised Sprouts Lightly Buttered Popcorn for finding a happy medium between healthy and buttery tasting. “The kernels have a great texture and we loved that it tastes buttery without being too buttery,” she wrote. For adults who are fiber conscious, give this one a try!
Chobani Flip S’more S’mores: I’m surprised flip-top yogurt hasn’t caught on more with the kids (perhaps the oldest-sounding sentence I’ve ever typed). It’s a fun way to get your mix-ins into your yogurt without them getting all soggy even before you crack the container open. Chobani, as we know from our best greek yogurt ranking, makes excellent greek yogurt. So the idea of enjoying premium-tasting greek yogurt with fun mix-ins like graham cracker, chocolate, and toasted sugar bits is pretty tantalizing to an adult person such as myself. It gives you the freedom to play with your food a little bit while choosing a low-fat snack option. A win-win.
Country Archer Original Beef Stick: Leave beef jerky for the teens and pick up a beef stick instead. A fresh bag of beef jerky can really stink up a room; angsty teens may be into that, but we adults like to exercise a little more discretion. We eat our beef snacks in stick form. When Danny Palumbo ranked the best beef sticks, he introduced us to Country Archer beef sticks, which are huge on authentic beef flavor. “This beef stick has such a unique flavor and an almost woody quality,” he wrote. That unique, woody flavor is exactly what we grownups seek when we want to snack like a lumberjack––an adult lumberjack.
Sun Maid Chocolate Yogurt Covered Raisins: Part of being an adult is sitting yourself down and admitting, “Hey, maybe raisins aren’t so bad.” It’s a rocky journey, and we know you may not go from raisin hater to raisin lover overnight, but Sun Maid’s Chocolate Yogurt Covered Raisins may be the stepping stone you require to get you there. They are dangerously good. The chocolate flavored yogurt on the outside of each raisin is incredibly creamy and pairs well with the slightly tangy flavor of the raisins. The outer coating is definitely more like a coating than a shell, which makes for smooth chewing. Adults have sensitive teeth, okay?
Sabra Snackers: If there is anything that I love more than hummus, it is a cup of pretzel chips and hummus. This is a pretty sweet snack setup for an adult, if I do say so myself––and I do. You get the creamy, tangy hummus in the bottom half of the container and a good number pretzels with which to eat it. These aren’t just any pretzels—they’re pretzel chips, which are inherently better (or at least more useful) than twisted pretzels, in my opinion. They’re snappier and flatter, and their surface area allows for optimal dipping and scooping action. Trust me, kid, you’re not gonna want any of these. You should DEFINITELY leave them for us adults.

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Best Snacks for Lunch

Naajia Shukri — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 21:11:30 +0000

There are many categories of snacks in the world, like work snacks, game day snacks, road trip snacks––you get the picture. Today we’re talking about lunch snacks, which I view as snacks that serve as nice accompaniments to one’s lunch or things you can use to cobble together an entirely snack-based lunch. Snacks are an essential part of a balanced lunch, and by “balanced lunch” I mean a lunch that consists of so many fun things to take bites of that it’s impossible to get bored. Let’s dig in.

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NatureSweet Cherubs: Grape tomatoes are cute, healthy additions to any lunch. Halve them and they work well on sandwich, or keep them intact and toss them on a salad. Putting a few of these in a reusable baggie in the morning is quick and easy, even when you’re short on time. I usually spring for NatureSweet brand because their tomatoes are always perfectly ripe and so pleasantly sweet. They make consuming veggies with lunch a treat rather than a chore.
Sargento Balanced Breaks Cheese & Crackers: Listen, I’ll be honest. I’ve stolen quite a few of these from my mom on my work-from-home days. They’re kind of like Ritz Bits for grownups—they even come with little Ritz crackers! These little packs also include slices of both pepper jack and colby jack cheeses, which help add a bit of variety and spice (literally) to your lunch. The only thing I wish they did differently is include a few more crackers—the cheese-to-cracker ratio always feels a little off to me—but, at the same time, too much cheese is never a bad thing, right?
Primo Taglio Genoa Salame & Provolone Cheese Snack Pack: If it doesn’t include deli meat and cheese, is it even lunch? This snack pack is really convenient because, much like the aforementioned Balanced Breaks, you can just pull one out of the fridge along with your lunch and you’re good to go. This pack would pair well with a salad or anything you’d like to add an extra salty kick to. Snack packs for the win!
Quaker Everything Rice Cakes: In managing editor Gwynedd Stuart’s ranking of the best rice cakes, she reinforced what some of us have long known: rice cakes are pretty good, especially when they’re flavored. They’re also a great healthy snack choice for lunchtime. Gwynedd placed Quaker Everything rice cakes in the top spot, and it’s an excellent choice. Why choose just one flavor when you can get salt, garlic, onion, and sesame seed all in one snack? She noted that these Quaker cakes are coated in a finely milled everything-flavored power that is “ground up real good so it really infiltrates all the crannies in the cake.” You’ll definitely catch me sliding one of these onto my plate come lunchtime.
Oikos Blended Greek Yogurt: If it’s Tuesday and you’re having tacos for lunch, greek yogurt is a great snack to have on standby in the fridge. As a lactose-sensitive person, I will implode if I even look at sour cream, but greek yogurt isn’t as gloopy and is usually a safe bet. If you’re like me, I recommend grabbing a little cup of greek yogurt and eating it with your tacos in place of sour cream. You can top them or dip them—we’re not judging—but plain greek yogurt is the way. Even if you’re not having a savory lunch, plain greek yogurt makes a great snack with berries and granola for a mini yogurt bowl. Oikos Blended Greek Yogurt is the entry-level contender that Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling recommends in her best Greek yogurt ranking. She emphasized that it’s not huge on tang, which to us screams versatility, baby.
Sprouts Market Corner Low Moisture String Cheese: The ultimate lunch snack is—surprise!—string cheese! String cheese has the ability to enhance most any lunch because it pairs well with so many things. You’ve got your fruit and cheese, your meat and cheese, your crackers and cheese—string cheese does it all. In her best string cheese ranking, senior staff writer Jordan Myrick put Sprouts string cheese in the top spot because of its expert pliability. This string cheese also has a perfect balance of salt that was hard to come by in the other string cheeses from the tasting. If you’re springing for string cheese as your lunch side, you may want to stop by Sprouts.

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