And while the best brie cheese brand is probably some fancy French stuff known only to the most elite cheesemongers, your local Kroger or Target carries some pretty good stuff, too. Over the course of three taste tests, we tried the most accessible brie cheeses on the market to find the best brie brands you can buy pretty much anywhere—including wedges, brie bites, mini wheels, and even goat brie and ready-to-bake brie en croute. We looked for bloomy, mild rinds (yes, you can and should eat the rind on brie), creamy, gooey insides (this stuff should practically melt at room temperature—although we do include one exception on this list), and a mostly mild flavor with just a touch of funk at the finish. The best brie shouldn’t be bland, but it shouldn’t be camembert, either.

We recently updated this list with a couple new brie cheeses, so read on to check out our new and improved list of the best brie cheese to buy at the grocery store.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best if You Hate Rinds

Marin French Cheese Co Petite Breakfast Brie

Instacart

If you want not only the best brie cheese but the most unique brie for your cheeseboard, grab a teeny, tiny wheel of Petite Breakfast Brie from the Marin French Cheese Co. This brie has no rind. I didn’t even know that was possible! It is firm (this is the exception to our rule of goo we were talking about earlier) and mild. It’s almost closer to provolone than a brie. I didn’t know I was missing this in my life, but now that I do I will be buying it regularly. Plus, it’s so cute! And don’t worry, it’s not just for breakfast.  — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Brie en Croute

Marin French Brie En Croute

Instacart

There aren’t many refrigerated or frozen brie en croutes on the market, but even if there were a ton I’d be singing the praises of this oven-ready baked brie. The pastry crust is buttery and flaky. The cheese inside is melty and tangy—if a little funkier than some other brie cheeses. My only critique is that it’s small. If you’re entertaining you need more than one of these, for sure. Grab a jar of Sporked-approved fruit preserves and go to town. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

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Best Basic Brie

Emporium Selection Soft Ripened Double Creme Brie

Instacart

Emporium Selection Soft Ripened Double Cream Brie (aka Aldi brie cheese) is the best brie for brie haters. It’s so creamy and so mild. There’s no funk whatsoever. Sometimes you want something that isn’t going to blow out your palate and that is definitely this brie. It would complement so many other flavors without overpowering anything. Spread it on a sandwich or toss it on a cheeseboard and tell me I’m not right. Spoiler alert: You won’t.  — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

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Best for Salad

Saint André Triple Crème Brie

Trader Joe’s

Saint André Triple Crème Brie is made from cow’s milk, but, in my opinion, you would never know. Blindfolded, I would’ve sworn it was goat cheese! That’s what is so interesting about this brie. It’s mild and salty. The texture is a little crumbly, which is strange for a triple creme but it works. This would be awesome sprinkled over a salad or some roasted veggies. I wasn’t expecting this cheese and it still managed to surpass my expectations. — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett

Rating:

8/10

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Second Best Brie Bites

Ile de France Le Brie Mini

Instacart

While these brie bites weren’t quite as good as our top best brie bites pick, they deserve a spot on this list. Because they are gooey, extremely creamy, and delightfully funky/cheesy. And people who appreciate those qualities in a cheese don’t often get a snacking cheese. Most snacking cheeses tend to be mild. So, this one’s for you, funk lovers. Each brie bite comes in packaging that resembles an oversized creamer cup, which is pleasing but it does make it somewhat hard to extract the cheese. You have to bang them out of the cups. But it’s worth the effort. —Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Spicy

Marin French Cheese Co. Petite Jalapeno

Marin Cheese

Jalapeno flavored brie? French cheese traditionalists are throwing their berets on the ground in anger. But you gotta try this stuff. There are lots of little bits of pepper in extra creamy cheese. It’s kind of like if pepper Jack and brie had a baby. And it packs some palpable heat, which is contrasted against that creamy brie-ness. It’s not going to replace a classic wheel of brie on a cheese board, but it’s a great addition. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Marin Cheese

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best for Baked Brie

Président Soft-Ripened Brie Wheel

Target

President Soft-Ripened Brie Cheese Wheel is the best brie cheese for baked brie. Is it good to eat by itself? Of course. Would it be even better stuffed into some phyllo dough, topped with walnuts and cranberry marmalade, and baked until oozing? Absolutely! This is definitely the best brie for cooking and I will be stocking up on it for the holiday season because nothing says Christmas like baked brie.  — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

9/10

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Best Goat Brie

Laura Chenel Creamy Brie

Instacart

Brie is traditionally made with cow’s milk. But this goat brie makes a good argument for switching that up. It’s extremely creamy, like the best brie cheese should be, but then you get this grassy, goat cheese flavor that makes you second guess what you thought you were eating. If you like the flavor of fresh chevre and the texture of brie, then you have to try this goat brie. Try it on its own, then spread it on a sandwich with some turkey and sprouts. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

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Best Brie Bites

Supreme Brie Bites

Instacart

Each bag of Supreme Brie Bites is filled with individually packaged little brie bites, so you can throw one in a lunchbox or straight up in your purse or pocket for on-the-go snacking without fear of creating a melty mess. Each brie bite is about the circumference of a ping-pong ball, which is a good size for snacking cheese. The rind is thin and mild. The inner cheese is the perfect amount of creamy (you can safely eat one without a nearby napkin, unlike the Ile de France brie bites) and the flavor is mild with just a touch of funk on the finish. You feel like a real fancy pants snacking on one of these brie bites. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Wedge

Trader Joe’s Triple Creme Brie

If you’re looking for a flavorful brie that will please both cheese novices and cheese aficionados alike, grab a wedge of Trader Joe’s Triple Cream Brie. It’s so creamy. And it’s a bit funkier than you might expect from a brie. This completely fulfills my desire to eat chunks of butter (anyone else have this?). When I think of brie, this is what comes to mind. Originally, we deemed this Trader Joe’s brie to be the best brie cheese—but another Trader Joe’s brie swooped in after our most recent taste test to claim the title.  — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Trader Joe’s Brie Log

Trader Joe’s brie log has the perfect cracker circumference. Each slice lays just right on a Ritz or water biscuit. And the cheese itself is creamy, mild, and delightful—a real classic brie. This is definitely not the best brie cheese if you don’t eat the rind, though. You gotta eat these slices whole. Rind eaters, rise up! This is the best brie for you. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other brie cheese brands we tried: Alouette Creme de Brie Original Brie Spread, Trader Joe’s Truffle Brie, Trader Joe’s Wild Mushroom Brie, President, Laura Chenel Goat Brie, Isigny Ste Mere, Supreme Brie, Private Selection, Boar’s Head, Trader Joe’s Light Brie, Good & Gather Double Creme Brie Wedge, President Wee Brie, Emporium Selection Double Creme Brie (imported from Canada), Marin French Petit Truffle Triple Creme Brie, Montchevre Triple Creme Goat Brie

The post Best Brie Cheese You Can Buy at the Grocery Store (Updated with a New #1!) appeared first on Sporked.

Eggnog is great because it’s so damn rich and luxurious. Eggnog has buttery, thick, fatty richness going for it, and that’s reflected in the nutritional facts (don’t read those on a carton of eggnog, btw). But, hey, all the best foods certainly shorten our lifespans. And in addition to being dangerously decadent, the best eggnog is also warmly spiced and comforting. Eggnog, like all of us, contains multitudes. 

Every holiday season, we scour the dairy aisle to find new eggnog brands, limited edition eggnog flavors, and more options for the best store bought eggnog that we may have overlooked. And just to be clear—these are all non-alcoholic options. If you want to spike your nog, you’ll have to BYOB (bring your own bourbon, brandy, or, uh… b-rum).  We’ve got oatmilk eggnog, lactose free eggnog, low fat eggnog, almond milk eggnog, or classic, full-fat, full-dairy eggnog. We looked for eggnog with a deliciously rich flavor, bold spice, and appropriate thickness. Good eggnog should feel like a special treat. So what’s the best store bought eggnog for the holidays this year? Let’s get into it.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Lactose Free

Lactaid Lactose Free Eggnog

Walmart

Instacart

As we found in our best lactose free milk taste test, lactose free milk is often quite sweet on its own—so it’s a good base for eggnog. And this lactose free eggnog is still creamy, too. My only issue with it is that it’s not spiced enough for my liking. It tastes like liquid vanilla pudding or melted vanilla ice cream, which is not a bad thing. I just wish there were more spices in the mix to make it taste more like the holidays. — Justine Sterling  

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

6.5/10

Sporks

Best Vanilla

Shamrock Farms Vanilla Spice Eggnog

Instacart

Shamrock Farms Vanilla Spice Eggnog is basically a vanilla milkshake disguised as eggnog. That might not appeal to everyone, but it’s undeniably delicious. It’s extra thick, rich, and creamy, with a sweet vanilla flavor that’s gently warmed by a mild blend of cozy spices. It’s more of a dessert than a classic, old-timey holiday drink; I could see kids (and vanilla latte devotees) really enjoying this egg nog flavor. —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

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Best Almond Milk Eggnog

Almond Breeze Almond Nog

Instacart

Almond Breeze almond milk eggnog actually edged out a lot of the full-fat eggnogs I tried. The almond flavor provides some really excellent flavor. It’s made with cane sugar, rice starch, and almond milk, and it maintains that fatty, spiced nog flavor that we were looking for in the best dairy free eggnog. Managing editor Gwynedd Stuart was a big fan of it, citing it as “refreshing.” I concur. This is the best vegan eggnog if almond milk is your alternative milk of choice. — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Flavored

Kroger Rich & Creamy Cinnamon Eggnog

Ralphs

Kroger came out with a full line of eggnogs this year, including pumpkin flavored eggnog, vanilla eggnog, and low fat eggnog. But the cinnamon flavored eggnog was the only one that really stood out. If you’re interested in eggnog but don’t like nutmeg, then allow me to introduce you to this cinnamon-only eggnog, it may be the best tasting eggnog for your palate. Think of creamy, thick chocolate milk—now imagine the chocolate is gone and instead it’s cinnamon. That’s what this eggnog tastes like. It also reminds me of Häagen-Dazs cinnamon ice cream, which is probably my favorite Häagen-Dazs ice cream. If you feel similarly, head to your local Kroger or Kroger affiliate, ASAP. —Justine Sterling 

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

7.5/10

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Best Eggnog with Booze

Sprouts Organic Eggnog

Instacart

Now this is eggy eggnog. (How eggy is it?) It’s so eggy, that it droops and gloops out of the damn container like fancy Christmas sludge. Because of the thickness, I think this is the one of the best eggnog brands to mix with alcohol. The problem with mixing things like bourbon and rum with store bought eggnog is that the nog becomes too thin and thus loses its iconically thick texture. That won’t be a problem with Sprouts eggnog, which is almost made for booze. And the flavor of Sprouts’ eggnog is on point too. The nutmeg provides some warm, nutty notes. And it’s rich, buttery, and delicious. Buy it, then stir in some alcohol with confidence. — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett/Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Extra Creamy

Broguiere’s Eggnog

Amazon

Instacart

This eggnog made me say “good lord” out loud (to absolutely no one but myself). Broguiere’s eggnog is curiously rich, but I think the secret ingredient is egg yolk powder. That powder offers a lot of rich, fatty, condensed flavor, so the egg flavor in this nog is really off the charts. Broguiere’s puts their eggnog in a faux milk bottle complete with a smiling cow on the label, so it comes off as eggnog straight from the farm—but that’s misleading. Broguiere’s uses corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup in their ingredients. Combine that with egg yolk powder, and it doesn’t exactly scream homemade. It could also benefit from some aromatics. Still, the flavor is very, very good. Sweet, creamy, and lavish, Broguiere’s is the best eggnog for those who like a full egg yolk flavor. — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Eggnog

Chobani Oatmilk Oat Nog

Walmart

Chobani makes the best non dairy eggnog we tried. You get the thickness of a classic eggnog—we’re talking super-duper creamy—and the flavor is spot on. It’s sweet and nutmeg-y. And you don’t really even taste the oatiness of the oatmilk. You could definitely pass this off as standard oatmilk, which makes it the best vegan eggnog to buy. —Justine Sterling

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Classic

Trader Joe’s Egg Nog

Trader Joe’s

If you’re a devoted Trader Joe’s shopper during the holiday season (which, I totally get it—the winter vibes are immaculate), don’t even look anywhere else for the best eggnog. This stuff is everything you want. It’s creamy without being too heavy. It’s frothy, but still smooth and rich. It brings the whole gamut of spices with every sip—and you can really taste the cinnamon here, too. I’ve noticed that even some of the best eggnogs could use a cinnamon stick or two. —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Classy

Promised Land Old Fashioned Eggnog

Instacart

Ralphs

To me, the best eggnog almost tastes a little boozy, even when it’se alcohol-free. Promised Land’s Old Fashioned Eggnog finishes on a neat, sophisticated note that actually reminds of bourbon in an Old Fashioned. (Maybe that’s just the power of suggestion in the name, but I swear I can taste it!) The kick of nutmeg adds a clean, punchy spice that balances the rich creaminess and elevates the overall taste. I’m addicted to this stuff, plain and simple. It’s limited edition, too, so buy it while you can! —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Low Fat Eggnog

Organic Valley Reduced Fat Eggnog

Instacart

Ralphs

I can’t believe this is low fat eggnog. Okay, maybe it’s not, like, fat-free, but it is 33% less fat than Organic Valley’s regular eggnog. And you’d never know it. It’s so, so thick and decadent. But even beyond that, it’s a very unique eggnog. It tastes like it was spiced with freshly grated nutmeg. You get this drying effect on the end of every sip, which keeps you coming back for more. And while it’s certainly sweetened, it’s not super sweet. You won’t mistake this for melted ice cream. If you want an eggnog that’s scaled back on fat but still a treat, this is the best eggnog brand for you. —Justine Sterling 

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Spiced

Alexandre Organic A2/A2 Homegrown Eggnog

Instacart

Ralphs

Alexandre Homegrown Eggnog is the best tasting eggnog in my opinion. While a lot of products just sort of mysteriously list “spices” in the ingredients, Alexandre lists cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, and turmeric. That’s a lot of warm, spiced flavor, and no other eggnog comes close to matching Alexandre’s wonderful blend of aromatics. Alexandre eggnog is also made with cane sugar, egg yolks, organic milk, and organic cream. Alexandre is one of the best eggnog brands for those who like to feel a little fancy and decadent. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Southern Comfort Traditional Egg Nog

Walmart

Instacart

Amazon

Southern Comfort eggnog is rich, creamy, and has just the right amount of sweetness. A lot of eggnog can be far too sugary, but Southern Comfort gets everything just right. It’s made with milk, cream, egg yolks, and also high fructose corn syrup. I don’t love that there’s high fructose corn syrup in it (like, why?), but the taste is absolutely undeniable. For me, the best part about it is you really taste the egg yolks. It’s deliciously rich because of that bold, eggy flavor. Sweet, subtle, and luxurious, Southern Comfort is the best eggnog we tried. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Other products we tried: Southern Comfort Vanilla Spice Eggnog, Alta Dena Eggnog, Simple Truth Eggnog, Califia Farms Eggnog, R.W. Knudsen Eggnog, Lucerne Eggnog, Hood Eggnog, Silk Eggnog, Kroger Rich & Creamy Pumpkin Egg Nog, Kroger Rich & Creamy Low Fat Egg Nog, Kroger Rich & Creamy Original Egg Nog, Good & Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog, Bolthouse Farms Holiday Nog, So Delicious Coconutmilk Holiday Nog, Favorite Day Egg Nog, Favorite Day Light Egg Nog, Good Karma Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Nog, Trader Joe’s Oat Non Dairy Egg Nog, Trader Joe’s Almond Nog

The post We Found the Best Eggnog at the Grocery Store appeared first on Sporked.

What is labneh cheese?

The first time I had labneh cheese, I thought, “Nah, this ain’t cheese. It’s delicious, but it’s not cheese.” Of course, I was wrong. Labneh is classified as a cheese but it’s made from yogurt instead of straight from milk. 

The resulting consistency is similar to cream cheese and it retains some of the refreshing tartness you get from the source milk. Cow’s milk is the traditional source, but there are also sheep and goat milk versions. I even saw somewhere online that some labneh is made from camel’s milk, which I would love to try just to say I did.

Armenia isn’t the only country that enjoys labneh. Many countries in the Middle East have it on their menus: Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey each have a version of labneh which often has another name. Labneh is also popular in Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus.

How is labneh cheese made?

I mentioned before that labneh cheese is made from yogurt, but how’s that happen? Milk is fermented with bacteria to get to the yogurt phase. After that, the yogurt is mixed with a dash of salt, then wrapped in a cheesecloth and allowed to strain.

The straining process can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours. The cheesecloth bundle is hung over a bowl and the whey from the yogurt slowly seeps out of it. What’s left in the cheesecloth is the labneh. It’s drier than the yogurt but still easily spreadable. It’s actually quite a simple process that you can do at home, if you aren’t lucky enough to live near an Armenian or Middle Eastern grocery store.

How do you eat labneh cheese?

Labneh is an easy substitution for cream cheese, so any place you might use that you can switch it up. It fits in perfectly with a traditional mezze, snuggled right in between the tzatziki and the tabouli. Sometimes, labneh is rolled in balls, dusted with herbs, and jarred in olive oil as a means of preservation. It’s almost like those little mozzarella pearls you might fight in your local cheese section.

The flavor of labneh is so good, that I often find simplicity is the best. I like to use it as a dip with pita chips or as a spread on lavash bread. A common way for labneh to be served as a spread is with mint, za’atar, and a drizzle of olive oil. It tastes bright and refreshing; it’s a real nice change of pace from those usual cheeses you might have on your typical charcuterie spread. I highly recommend it.

How do you pronounce labneh?

The inclination might be to say LAB-NAY, but in Arabic it is more like LEB-NE, which is actually an alternative spelling of the word.. 

The post What Is Labneh Cheese? Is It Actually Cheese? appeared first on Sporked.

Rated at a medium on the Heat-O-Meter on the packaging, this new version of the classic Lunchables Nachos comes with cheese dip and salsa, same as the not-spicy nachos. The difference is the chips, which are chili lime flavored. That’s what brings that medium heat. But are they any good? Read on for the full review.

New Lunchables Flavor!

Lunchables Spicy Nachos

Ralphs

Instacart

TL;DR if you are at all curious about these new Lunchables and can handle a smidgen of heat, you’ve gotta try these. 

Pros: It’s all very, very good. The chips are crunchy and tangy and actually spicy. They taste a bit like Lunchables’ take on Takis or their version of a Flamin’ Hot seasoning. You get that artificial-but-oh-so-good lime flavor and then real heat that builds as you eat. The cheese dip is creamy and cooling. The salsa is sweet—but that actually works, here. Each element on its own is okay. But together? Wow, what a taste of nostalgia—but spicy. It was hard to stop myself from finishing the tray. Luckily, the rest of the Sporked team liked them so much I didn’t have a chance. 

Cons: If you’re a young child, first of all, congrats on having great taste in your website selection, but secondly, these might be too spicy for you. There are mini heat-seekers out there, for sure. But, from my experience, they are few and far between. A lot of the kids I’ve met have referred to bubbly water as “spicy.” They wouldn’t be able to handle these new Lunchables. That goes for you “mild-means-zero-heat” adults, too. Spicy Nachos Lunchables are legit spicy. Approach with caution. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

The post A Grown-Up’s Review of New Lunchables Spicy Nachos appeared first on Sporked.

Hear me out (and then yell at me in the comments if you must): Premade, microwave mashed potatoes taste as good as homemade mashed potatoes, but they are actually better than homemade mashed potatoes by virtue of being zero effort. I don’t care if your memaw makes the most delicious mashed taters this side of the Rockies—I’ve done the cost-benefit analysis and, I’m telling you, the effort just isn’t worth it, especially when you have 800 things going on and an entire internet to stare at on your phone. Just buy microwave mashed potatoes! But first, read this list to find the best premade mashed potatoes for you.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Blank Slate

Kroger Homestyle

Ralphs

At first we couldn’t put a finger on the flavor we detected in these microwave mashed potatoes from Kroger. Is it potato soup? Maybe chowder? Then my colleague Jordan Myrick nailed it: These store bought mashed potatoes actually taste like potato skins, and that’s definitely a good thing. They’re earthy and loose, more like the consistency of a cauliflower mash. If you like creamy mashed potatoes you’ll like these. By microwave mashed potato standards, they aren’t exactly bursting with flavor, but that makes them great for dressing up with some shredded cheddar or crumbled bacon. Then, when anyone asks if you made the mashed potatoes, you can say yes!

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Garlic (Runner Up)

Simply Potatoes Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Instacart

We taste tested these Simply Potatoes garlic mashers alongside plain Simply Potatoes, and, for a variety of reasons, these microwave mashed potatoes just taste so much better. The regular Simply Potatoes had an odd finish and a plasticky flavor. These still have a little bit of that odd starchy finish that coats your mouth, but they’re very creamy and tasty overall. We like that the garlic flavor is somewhat subdued. We tried other garlic-seasoned premade mashed that were just way too garlicky (and that’s coming from an Italian). They’ll burn out your buds and overpower everything else on your plate. These have a good consistency, a mild flavor, and they don’t require a splash of milk like our highest ranking garlic mashed potatoes do (see the next entry on this list).

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Garlic

Hormel Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Vons

Yes, garlic is the predominant flavor profile in these Hormel premade mashed potatoes, but butter is a very close second. They are outrageously buttery tasting—and it’s actual dairy butter flavor, as Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling pointed out, not fakey margarine flavor. Lean into that udder deliciousness (see what I did there?) by adding a little extra whole milk to the tray before you serve these. Of the microwave mashed potatoes we taste tested, these were on the drier side, but a splash of milk will do the trick. They’ll taste great either way. 

Credit: Merc / Vons

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Yukon Gold

Good & Gather Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Target

When I was preparing these microwave mashed potatoes from Target, I was sure they were going to be bad! When I removed the film to stir them before putting them back into the microwave for another couple of minutes, they were VERY watery. But when I stirred them up, ooh baby, they became creamy as hell. These are fantastic, and if you’re used to mashed potatoes made with russet potatoes, you will immediately understand why yukon gold potatoes are different. They’re less starchy than russets, which makes their consistency very silky. These premade mashed potatoes capture that so well. They are a little bit buttery. They are nicely seasoned without being too salty (seriously, we tasted some store bought mashed potatoes that were salty enough to give you hypertension). They’re a really nice change of pace. Good & Gather also makes a garlic version that we couldn’t find at our local Target store, but I’d recommend buying these and just adding a few roasted garlic cloves if you want to spice ‘em up a bit.

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Bob Evans Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Bob Evans

In our second microwave mashed potatoes taste test, we tried yet another flavor of Bob Evans mashed potatoes—and, perhaps unsurprisingly, they made the list. So many loaded mashed potatoes just taste like one ingredient: bacon. These premade mashed potatoes have some porky smoke, yes, but they are so good because they’re so balanced. You can taste all of the “loaded” elements—sour cream, pepper jack cheese, chives, and bacon. They’re rich and creamy, but they still taste like potatoes. They’re unreal. These would be especially delicious with some BBQ chicken. They’re further proof that Bob Evans is the GOAT of premade mashed potatoes.

Credit: Liv Averett / Bob Evans

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Flavored

Bob Evans Sour Cream and Chive

Walmart

After I took a bite of these Bob Evans mashed potatoes, I legitimately walked around the office with a fork forcing everyone to try them. When premade mashed potatoes are this damn flavorful, you want to share them—what can I say?! They’re thick, creamy, potatoey, and so rich with the tang of sour cream and the subtle funk and earthiness of oniony chive. These microwave mashed potatoes were my personal favorite of the bunch, but I think they might be a little too flavored for some people’s purposes, especially if you’re serving a big group for the holidays. But, if you want to mix things up at Thanksgiving dinner (or literally any dinner ever), buy these.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Bob Evans Original Mashed Potatoes

Walmart

Okay, as I said you can yell at me in the comments if you think I’m wrong, but I truly think these Bob Evans mashed potatoes taste exactly like homemade mashed potatoes. But you didn’t boil and peel and sweat over a stock pot while you incessantly mashed—you put the tray in the microwave and called it a day. They’re rich and creamy and have so much wonderful potatoey flavor. Buy the family-sized tray, dump it into a nice, big serving bowl, and then go have a glass of wine while you watch the parade instead of slaving away in the kitchen. The best premade mashed potatoes really are that good.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other premade mashed potatoes we tried: Hormel Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Reser’s Main St. Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Marketside Homestyle Mashed Potatoes

The post The Best Microwave Mashed Potatoes Taste as Good as Homemade appeared first on Sporked.

We’ve tried a lot of coffee creamer over the course of several taste tests. We’ve taste tested vanilla coffee creamer (perf for at-home vanilla lattes), hazelnut coffee creamer (for people who want their morning coffee to taste like Ferrero-Rocher), and sweet cream coffee creamer (the best neutral coffee creamer, for people who don’t like flavored coffee), along with loads of others. What we have here is a roundup of all the best of the best tasting coffee creamer at the grocery store. Kick your cowboy ways and join the sweet side.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Sugar Free Coffee Creamer

Nutpods Almond + Coconut Toasted Marshmallow

Target

Walmart

Okay, some people want creamy coffee that isn’t necessarily sweet coffee. Sure, you could just add some regular cream or oat milk, but if you’re looking for the best neutral coffee creamer with just a hint of flavor, you should try Nutpods Toasted Marshmallow. The creamer is made with a very luscious blend of almond and coconut milks, and it has a subtle marshmallow flavor that hints at sweetness without actually being sweet. This creamer is totally unsweetened—no sugar and no artificial sweeteners. Just creamy plant-based milks and a kiss of flavor. We didn’t expect that the best sugar free coffee creamer would be totally unsweetened, but we really fell for this stuff. —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best sugar free coffee creamer

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Non Dairy Coffee Creamer

Simple Truth Oatmilk Non-Dairy Creamer Sweet Creme

Affiliate

We love a sweet cream coffee creamer (we’ll get to more of those in a bit), but a lot of them are made with real milk and cream, or, at the very least, some milk solids that keep them from being totally dairy free. If you love sweet cream but don’t do dairy, this is the best coffee creamer to seek out (Simple Truth is a proprietary brand at Kroger-owned grocery stores, FYI). It’s sweet but not too sweet and, miraculously, tastes a lot like real dairy. Plus, “creme” just sounds so fancy, doesn’t it?  —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best non dairy creamer

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Kroger

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Coffee-mate Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Instacart

Walmart

This recommendation isn’t good all year long, but when fall rolls around, keep an eye out for Coffee-mate Pumpkin Spice coffee creamer, aka the best coffee creamer for people who love a good PSL but don’t want to go broke getting one at the coffee shop every day. It’s thick, creamy, and the pumpkin spice is nicely balanced. This one earned the endorsement of the most fervent pumpkin spice skeptic on the Sporked team, and that’s saying something! —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best pumpkin spice coffee creamer

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Mocha Coffee Creamer

Coffee-mate Cafe Mocha Creamer

Walmart

Coffee-mate’s Cafe Mocha is the best rendition of a chocolate-flavored creamer we’ve tried. It has a rich milk chocolate taste that perfectly complements coffee. Some of the other mocha creamers we tried tasted like a Hershey’s bar, but this creamer tastes like a Cadbury bar. Both are good, but this one feels a little fancier and a little higher quality. This is the best coffee creamer for mochas at home. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Hazelnut Coffee Creamer

Califia Farms Hazelnut Almond Milk Coffee Creamer

Instacart

The best hazelnut coffee creamer we tried in our hazelnut coffee creamer taste test just happens to be non dairy, and that’s a big win for vegans and the lactose intolerant alike. I know what you’re thinking: Almond milk creamer just isn’t thick enough. Trust us, this is, plus the subtle almond flavor blends nicely with the hazelnut flavor profile. —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best hazelnut coffee creamer

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Caramel Coffee Creamer

Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Creamer

Instacart

Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Creamer makes coffee taste a lot like a Caramel Macchiato you’d get at Starbucks. Iykyk. And if you’ve never had a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato, let me tell you, that they are delicious. They’re super sweet, but the richness of the caramel complements the coffee without overpowering it. I’m not even a coffee fan and I can acknowledge that caramel macchiatos are tasty. If you need your Starbucks fix on a budget, this is the best creamer to buy. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best Vanilla Coffee Creamer

Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Real Milk & Cream Vanilla

Affiliate

Coffee-mate’s Natural Bliss creamers are really good. They’re made with real milk and cream and you can tell from the consistency and flavor. And unlike so many vanilla creamers, this one tastes like sweet, creamy ice cream rather than bitter, astringent vanilla extract. It’s very genuine tasting. Vanilla has to be one of the best neutral coffee creamer flavors, and this is the best vanilla you can buy. —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best vanilla coffee creamer

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best of the Best (Runner-Up)

Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Sweet Cream

Target

This creamer took the number two spot in our ranking of the best sweet cream coffee creamer, but it deserves a spot on this list because it was a real fight to the finish between this and Chobani Sweet Cream, the best coffee creamer we’ve tried in multiple taste tests. If you like your coffee creamy and sweet, but not flavored, pick up either of these. You’re in good hands. —Gwynedd Stuart 

Read the full ranking of the best sweet cream coffee creamer

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Chobani Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer

Instacart

Ralphs

Chobani Sweet Cream Creamer is the crème de la crème of coffee creamers. It’s creamy but it isn’t heavy. It’s perfectly sweet (as long as you like your coffee pretty sweet). The rich dairy flavor is unbeatable. It really lets coffee shine. So many of the creamers we tried are oil-based, but this is dairy-based and you can absolutely tell. This would even be good in tea (Gwynedd says she loves this in a good cup of English Breakfast). Chobani Sweet Cream Creamer is truly a 10/10. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other Products We Tried: 365 Hazelnut Creamer, Friendly Farms Hazelnut Creamer, Coffee mate Original Creamer, Coffee mate French Vanilla Creamer, Coffee mate Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer, International Delight Hazelnut Creamer, International Delight French Vanilla Creamer, International Delight Caramel Macchiato Coffee Creamer, International Delight Coffee Zero Sugar Caramel Macchiato Creamer, Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Creamer, Trader Joe’s Classic Creamer, Trader Joe’s Mocha Creamer, Trader Joe’s Hazelnut Creamer, Trader Joe’s Caramel Creamer, Trader Joe’s Vanilla Creamer, International Delight Hazelnut Coffee Creamer, Starbucks Hazelnut Latte Non-Dairy Creamer, Great Value Hazelnut Non-dairy Coffee Creamer, Walden Farms Coffee Creamer Hazelnut, Happy Belly Non-Dairy Hazelnut Coffee Creamer, Sprouts Organic Hazelnut Creamer, Silk Toasted Hazelnut Almond Creamer, International Delight Sweet & Creamy, Silk Sweet & Creamy, Coffee-mate Zero Sugar Italian Sweet Cream, Great Value Italian Sweet Cream, Barrissimo Italian Sweet Cream

The post All the Best Coffee Creamer: French Vanilla, Sweet Cream, Hazelnut, and More appeared first on Sporked.

Are you in the salted butter camp or do you rep team unsalted butter? If you think the answer is obvious, ask your friends. You might find out that it’s more of a charged question than you thought. The Sporked team was divided but leaned toward salted. Personally, though, I think you need both. There are occasions for unsalted butter (spreading on cinnamon raisin toast or if you’re following a recipe to the letter, for example) and there are times for salted butter (it certainly belongs in cookies and if you’re riffing a recipe or basting a steak, it’s an easy way to add instant seasoning). 

Either way, though, you can’t just buy any butter. You need the best salted butter and the best unsalted butter. And, while we’re at it, you also need the best truffle butter, the best garlic herb butter, and the best olive oil butter (if that’s your thing). You might as well toss your veggies because your crisper drawer is about to be your butter drawer.

Over the course of not one, not two, but three taste tests, we sampled both salted and unsalted specimens, as well as some flavored butters. Sitting down to a table filled with butter, armed with just a knife and some crackers (in order to test spreadability), was a dream come true. I was finally free to eat slices of pure butter. Here’s an updated list of all the best tasting butter you can buy at the grocery store—now including the best French butter, Italian butter, and lightly salted butter. 

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Olive Oil Butter

Land O Lakes Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt

Target

Here’s why some people choose butter with olive oil: It lowers the saturated fat levels in the product. Of course, some people just prefer the flavor. I know whenever I’m sauteing up mushrooms I always use both olive oil and butter. It just works better. I haven’t looked into the science. Anyway, for all of those people, a few brands have started making pre-mixed olive oil butter. And Land O Lakes is the best tasting butter-olive oil we tried. It’s silky smooth and the sea salt is subtle. It finishes with rich and fruity olive oil notes. If you’re tired of mixing butter with olive oil on your own time, Land O Lakes is the best butter brand.  

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Unsalted Butter

Challenge Butter Unsalted

Target

This is the best unsalted butter for everyday consumption. (If you want the best unsalted butter for fancy occasions, check out our #5 pick for the best Italian butter.) Even Sporked’s Jordan Myrick—who doesn’t think unsalted butter should exist—liked this butter. It’s very fresh tasting—the grassiest of the bunch. It’s some of the best butter for toast if you prefer unsalted butter to salted butter, and it’s good for everyday cooking, too. I tend to cook with unsalted butter more than salted butter, and this is the best butter I’ve found for cooking things like scallops or scrambled eggs, or melting onto soon-to-be-loaded-up baked potatoes. It’s a workhorse. Or a workcow, I guess?

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Butter

Naturli’ Vegan Block

H-E-B

Get ready to have your socks knocked clean off by a vegan butter. It’s not the easiest vegan butter to find, but it’s worth the search. It’s that good. It spreads like butter and it tastes so much like lightly salted butter. It’s made with a mix of oils: shea, coconut, rapeseed, and almond. And somehow they all come together to taste creamy and like real dairy. It should be called I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter—because I truly can’t believe it. It’s a total vegan dupe for real, good butter. 

Read the full ranking of the best vegan butter

Credit: Liv Averett / H-E-B

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Garlic Herb Butter

Kerrygold Garlic & Herb

Walmart

A lot of the flavored butters we tried ended up tasting like fake butter—like a solidified version of the stuff you get on popcorn. Kerrygold garlic herb butter, on the other hand, is simply very good Kerrygold butter (you’ll see the original stuff further down on this list) mixed with real herbs and garlic. It goes heavy on the dill, so you do have to like that flavor, but the garlic is clearly present as well. Spread this garlic herb butter onto some soda bread or melt it onto veggies like green beans for an instant hit of butteriness and seasoning. It’s just further proof that Kerrygold is one of the best butter brands in existence.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Ultra Creamy

Tillamook Sea Salted Extra Creamy Butter

Target

As it says on the label, this butter is, indeed, extra creamy. It’s the best butter for a truly indulgent experience. There’s just a touch of salt, as if the butter makers just lightly sprinkled it with sea salt before lovingly packing it up and sending it out into the wide world. Tillamook is a farmer-owned co-op based in Oregon, so you can feel good that, even though this butter costs a bit more money, a good chunk of that money is going directly to the farmers.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Splurge

The Devon Cream Company Double Devon Cream Butter

iGourmet

Instacart

If you gave this butter to me as a present, I would send you a very earnest thank you note. Not only is it wrapped in gold with a scripted label, it’s also complexly flavored and just plain incredible. It’s the best butter to buy if you’re willing to shell out a bit more cash, since it costs almost twice as much as many others on this list. But it’s worth it if you want to sit down to a meal of bread or radishes and butter. It’s so yellow with a ton of character—it has a meaty, umami quality.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Seriously Salted

Horizon Organic Salted Organic Butter

Walmart

Salted butter can taste chemically sometimes. But not Horizon. This is the best salted butter for salted butter devotees. The savory flavors crest over your tongue—wave after wave of sea salt sensations. “It actually tastes like cream,” said Sporked managing editor Gwynedd Stuart. “It’s super sweet and super salty at the same time.” She wants it on a baguette, and I agree. This is the best butter for bread—but do opt for a warm, crusty baguette if you can get to one. Channel your inner Parisian and make yourself a ham, butter, and brie sandwich with a thick base of Horizon butter. 

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Truffle Butter

Fabrique Delices Black Truffle Butter

Instacart

This black truffle butter is a perfect little splurge. There are real bits of black truffle mixed in with creamy butter—it’s not just flavored with truffle oil, which can taste super artificial. There’s some salt, but it doesn’t overwhelm the umami-filled truffle flavor. It’s a fancy little treat for a special night in. Personally, I think this is the best steak butter. Scoop some onto a finished steak and watch it melt into the juices, enriching the red meat. Yum, yum. But it would also be a great way to take a baked potato from a humble meal to a swank dinner. And don’t be put off by the size of the package. A little goes a long way.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best French Butter

Les Pres Sales Butter

Instacart

This French butter is made from sea salt from Camargue, a coastal region in the South of France known for its salt flats, white horses, and cowboys. Yep, there are French cowboys. Isn’t that nice? But it’s the salt, not the cowboys, that make a difference in this French butter. It’s super yellow and cuts almost like cheese. And there are big ol’ chunks of Camargue sea salt in the mix, which fill your mouth with an oceanic flavor that is hard to beat. It’s the best French butter to buy and unlike anything from the States. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Italian Butter

Ferrarini Agricola Italiana Butter

Instacart

The best Italian butter we tried is also some of the best Costco butter. Yes, you can buy this super luxe Italian butter along with a queen-size mattress and a knock-off Patagonia fleece. It’s so soft and so, so sweet. It’s almost overwhelmingly creamy and flavorful—especially for an unsalted butter. Want to show a salted butter loyalist how good unsalted butter can be? This is the best butter to buy. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Lightly Salted

Lurpak Slightly Salted Butter

Amazon

Why is Lurpak butter so good? According to the brand, it’s because they “ripen” the cream before turning it into butter. And the lactic cultures that are created during that “ripening” process give it a unique flavor. And their Slightly Salted butter is particularly good thanks to just a pinch of sea salt. This European style butter is creamy and grassy—it really tastes like fresh cream—and then there’s just this hint of saltiness that makes it a pure delight. If you can’t decide between salted butter or unsalted butter, Lurpak Slightly Salted is the best butter for you. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Irish Butter

Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter

Target

Ask a chef what they think the best butter is and more often than not they’ll tell you it’s Kerrygold. The salt is beautifully integrated into the butter itself, which is a gorgeous yellow hue thanks to the high butter fats. I might use this butter as a reference color for an accent wall in my kitchen—that’s how pretty it is. Kerrygold is good for cooking (it doesn’t add too much salt to any dish, just enough to elevate it), but it’s also good slathered onto a piece of bread. It’s not only the best Irish butter, it’s also the best spreadable butter—it spreads like an absolute dream.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best European Style

Plugra Premium European Style Salted Butter

Walmart

If the chef you asked about the best butter didn’t say Kerrygold, they probably said Plugra. This European style butter is so creamy and has just the right amount of salt to add depth and dimension. You won’t even have to adjust the level of salt in a recipe—it will just make it that much better. It’s luxurious and immediately melts on your tongue. Everyone who commented about Plugra when we published our initial best butter ranking, you were right. It is definitely some of the best butter out there.  

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter with Sea Salt

Amazon

Instacart

We tried some fancy butters, but this reasonably priced salted butter (that is actually from Vermont) is the absolute best butter. “This butter takes you on a journey to butter town,” said Gwynedd. “It fills your mouth with flavor.” This is good enough to be centerpiece butter but affordable enough to be everyday butter. You could practically serve this as a starter course at a dinner party—that’s how good it is. Even after three taste tests, this remains the best tasting butter we’ve tried.

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other butters we tried: Happy Belly Salted Butter Sticks, Trader Joe’s Salted Butter, Trader Joe’s Unsalted Butter, Great Value Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter, Sprouts Unsalted Butter, First Street Premium European Style Butter, First Street Butter, Sweet Cream Salted, Danish Creamery Butter European Style, Simple Truth Organic Butter with Sunflower Oil, Countryside Creamery Salted, Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter, Danish Creamery European Style Butter Unsalted, Vital Farms Sea Salted Butter, Land O Lakes Butter Salted, Challenge Butter with Olive Oil, Great Value Parmesan, Basil & Garlic, Land O Lakes Garlic & Herb, Fabrique Delices White Truffle Butter, Churn Everything Butter, Churn Garlic & Shallot Butter, Churn Miso Butter, Private Election Black Truffle, Frentel Butter Unsalted, Frentel Butter Salted, Kirkland Grass-Fed Butter Salted, Aldi Countryside Creamery Pure Irish Butter, Meyenberg Goat Milk Butter 

The post The Best Butter You Should Be Buying (Salted, Unsalted, and Flavored) appeared first on Sporked.

Generally speaking, everyone is born with the ability to digest milk, but by adulthood, the majority of people on Earth become lactose intolerant. For all of those folks, there’s lactose-free milk! But what is lactose free milk? How is lactose free milk made? Why is lactose free milk sweet? Does lactose-free milk have sugar? Let’s get to the bottom of lactose free milk!

What is lactose-free milk?

Lactose-free milk is milk that does not contain any lactose. Alright, glad we figured that out! What? You want a more in-depth answer? Fine. Lactose is a type of sugar that can be found in dairy products. We’re talking milk, ice-cream, and cheese. In order for lactose to be absorbed in the body, people need to produce an enzyme called lactase. Lactase breaks down lactose into sugars that can be more easily absorbed. 

Lactose intolerant people do not produce lactase, so that lactose stays in there, eventually getting broken down by bacteria in the large intestine and causing all sorts of nasty gastrointestinal issues. 

So what is lactose-free milk? It is milk that has had the lactose removed, allowing lactose intolerant people to drink it. You might think that would change something with all those vitamins and minerals in the milk. But nope, lactose-free milk is virtually identical nutritionally to regular, lactose-filled milk. And cow milk isn’t the only milk you can find in a lactose-free version. Every type of milk can be made lactose-free!

How is lactose-free milk made?

We know lactose-free milk has the lactose taken out, but how exactly do they do that? How is lactose-free milk made? Remember that lactase we were talking about earlier? The stuff that allows people to digest lactose? Well lactose-free milk just has that lactase already put into it. That lactase enzyme breaks down the lactose that’s in the milk. Lactose-free milk usually contains 0.1% or less of lactose. But keep in mind that the FDA does not actually regulate how much lactose can be in milk labeled lactose-free.

Why is lactose-free milk sweet?

Lactose-free milk is pretty much the exact same nutritionally as plain old milk. So why do some people think it tastes sweeter? Does lactose-free milk have sugar? Kinda, but they don’t add sugar. 

See, when that lactase is added to the milk, the lactose, which is already a natural sugar, gets broken down into simple sugars. The lactose becomes glucose and galactose. Those two simple sugars can make the milk taste sweeter. Normally that lactose would become glucose and galactose in your body. Keep in mind that lactose-free milk is still a dairy product. If you’re looking for lactose-free, non-dairy options you can find that in soy, almond, hemp, and a variety of other milks.

The post What Is Lactose-Free Milk? appeared first on Sporked.

What is processed cheese?

Let us first consider, how is cheese made? Essentially, milk is fermented. Admittedly the process is slightly more complex than that, and if you want a full explanation of the steps that give us cheese, you can read all about it on the US Dairy website.

That’s basically the end for the line for most cheese, but not so for processed cheese. Processed cheese goes through additional processing—specifically, the addition of an emulsifying agent which helps give the resulting product a smooth, consistent texture. From here, even more ingredients, such as salts, dyes, and unfermented dairy products, can also be added. 

Classic examples of processed cheese include things like Velveeta, Cheese Whiz, Kraft Singles, and a lot of cheese dips. 

What is cheese product?

“Cheese product” is just another way to refer to processed cheese. Because “cheese” has a specific legal definition, food items that are highly processed cannot technically be called by that name. But…you know, they’re basically cheese, right? Thus we have the unregulated term “cheese product.” 

Incidentally, it’s always good to be on the lookout for sly marketing terms like this. Another one I like is “smoke-flavored,” which connotes that something tastes like smoke, but has not actually undergone any smoking process. 

What is emulsifying agent?

At the risk of getting to the reaches of my scientific understanding, I will attempt to define an emulsifying agent. Basically, an emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that would not normally be able to combine without the help of a specific chemical trigger, which is known as an emulsifying agent. 

This emulsifying agent, often sodium citrate, helps keep the fats, proteins, and moisture content of the cheese together, leading to a smooth, very meltable consistency. 

Processed cheese vs natural cheese

I’m not sure I’ve ever typed the phrase “natural cheese” before. Isn’t cheese inherently unnatural? It does not really occur in nature as far as I know. But I guess there has to be something to compare processed cheese to. 

When it comes to processed vs unprocessed cheese, there are a few crucial differences. We have discussed the terminology—processed cheese usually has to be called a “cheese product” because it contains additives that you won’t find in unprocessed cheese. 

However, those additives have some advantages: Processed cheese is typically cheaper to produce, more shelf stable, more melty, and more consistent than its natural counterpart. 

The downside to these additives is, of course, that they are unnatural. The artificial flavor and texture may be off-putting to some. There may also be ingredients such as added salts, dyes, or even sugars in processed cheese that some people may wish to avoid.

The post What Is Processed Cheese? appeared first on Sporked.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

New Bacon!

Hormel Black Label Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bacon

Hormel.com

Walmart

Packs of Cinnamon Toast Crunch bacon are exclusive to Walmart for around $6 per slab of 12 slices. The Hormel product tracker is kind enough to list stock availability so it shouldn’t be a wild goose chase to find it. Don’t wait too long though—if you actually want to try this sweet meat after reading our review, this is only on shelves for a limited time.

Pros: Minutes after my sous chef threw a few slices in the oven, the combined aromas of cinnamon and bacon had all my test subjects sitting at attention. We had high hopes, and this bacon certainly, well, delivered is strong, but we liked it enough to polish off the entire tray. This is bacon that’s been rubbed with a cinnamon sugar blend. You already know it’s a pleasant experience at minimum. The real task here is to find out how faithful it is to the Cinnamon Toast Crunch flavor that is slowly expanding across all aisles of the grocery store.

Cons: Despite the label claiming the bacon itself is Cinnamon Sugar Flavored, the only cinnamon sugar flavor found is on the edges of each slice—just the edges. The end result is the LaCroix equivalent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch-flavored bacon—it’s got a hint of CTC if you’re looking for it. I was only able to really taste the Cinnadust when I ate an entire slice rolled up at once, and even then it was underwhelming. While it’s still good bacon with a hint of cinnamon sugar on the edges, I assigned this rating based on my disappointment that this bacon does not taste like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Candied bacon is not a new idea, y’all; why were they afraid to give us what we wanted?

Credit: Liv Averett / Hormel

Rating:

5/10

Sporks

The post We Tried the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bacon appeared first on Sporked.

Let’s go on a journey. A journey to your local 7-Eleven. Walk in, and you’ll see taquitos and hot dogs spinning on rollers like a carnival stand. Slices of pizza laid out for you to grab and go. Chicken, in its various forms, ripe for the plucking. It’s a veritable feast—if you’re a broke college student stumbling in at 2 a.m. For everyone else, 7-Eleven food is a questionable form of sustenance that, hey, may or may not just have a bad rep. That’s why we’re here, putting it to the test. 

Also, if you weren’t already aware, 7-Eleven started rolling out some of their Japanese prepared foods in U.S. stores a few months ago. I take a little pride in knowing Sporked was one of the first foodie news outlets to report on this—we’ve been on top of this story from the get-go! Our very own Jordan Myrick visited Japan earlier this year and hasn’t stopped raving about their food selection—especially the Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich. Now the rest of us finally go to try it for ourselves. But will it actually measure up to the Japanese version? Only time and a taste-test will tell. Here’s all the prepared 7-Eleven food we recommend for your next grab-and-go meal. 

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best 7-Eleven Food

7-Eleven Egg Salad Sandwich

Instacart

Naturally, since Jordan is the only one on the Sporked team who’s had the original Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich, I made sure to get their opinion on America’s version of this beloved convenience store staple. Plenty of people online have already compared the two, with disappointing results—and Jordan had a similar reaction. The U.S. version of the sandwich definitely pales in comparison to Japan’s. The milk bread isn’t as soft and fluffy, and the egg salad isn’t nearly as flavorful. Our version uses reduced fat mayo instead of Kewpie mayo, which puts it at a huge disadvantage already. Jordan also noted the lack of egg yolks in the filling. Since egg yolks are naturally more flavorful than egg whites, we’re once again taking away what makes the Japanese version so special. Not to mention, we have to buy these at twice the price of Japan’s—which probably says more about America’s economic issues than anything else, but I digress. I will say: I tried the 7-Eleven Egg Salad Sandwich for myself, and I still thought it was pretty soft and fresh-tasting. Nothing to write home about, but still good enough to include on this list of 7-Eleven food that actually tastes good.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

6.5/10

Sporks

Best 7-Eleven Food

7-Eleven Roasted Chicken Wings

Instacart

When I opened the box of 7-Eleven chicken wings, the sight spooked me. They looked like bland chicken wings that had been sitting out on a potluck table for too long. (In a way, that’s not too far off from the reality of the situation.) But, honestly? These were surprisingly moist, tender, and nicely salted. I actually came back for bites of these a few times as a palette cleanser, so that should tell you something. While I can’t recommend these against wings you would find at Wingstop or other popular chains, I would say these are on par with good frozen chicken wings. For 7-Eleven hot foods, they definitely aren’t bad. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best 7-Eleven Food

7-Eleven Chicken Strips

Instacart

I expected the 7-Eleven Chicken Strips to taste like cardboard. And, yeah, I was kinda right. But again, what do you expect? A miracle? We’re talking about 7-Eleven food, here. The breading is the best part. It’s crispy and very peppery, and imbues the meat with a zesty flavor that keeps things interesting. The chicken was pretty tender and not dry. I would absolutely eat a full box of these—and I bet you would, too. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best 7-Eleven Food

7-Eleven Cheeseburger Bite

Instacart

Story time! We had the 7-Eleven taste test order delivered to the office, and none of the food items were labeled. We had to determine what we were eating by process of elimination. There was one item in particular that was stumping us. It looked, well…like a charred turd in a hot dog bun. (You can see it pictured left.) Eventually I realized it was the 7-Eleven Cheeseburger Bite (a confusing name), which is basically a burger patty in the shape of a thick hot dog, infused with a cheddar cheese flavor and charred a bit on the outside. If I were grading on presentation alone, this 7-Eleven hot food would be dead last. But ultimately this thing was juicy, super savory, and pretty tender. It reminded me of a bratwurst. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

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Best 7-Eleven Food

7-Eleven Chicken Sandwich

Instacart

For a fried chicken patty between two pieces of bread, 7-Eleven’s chicken sandwich is pretty darn flavorful. I was shocked. The chicken is juicy, seasoned with black pepper, and fried in an oil that tastes like it’s not good for you, in the best way. The bun looks shiny and brioche-like, but taste-wise, it’s a little tough in some places (which is unsurprising, since we’re not talking about the freshest ingredients here). Overall, though, I would totally order this again. Add some spicy pickles and mayo, and you’re set. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best 7-Eleven Food

7-Eleven Jalapeño & Cheese Taquito

Instacart

There’s a wide variety of 7-Eleven taquitos perched nice and pretty behind the glass display, and you know what? None of them are bad. Should the coating be crispier? Yes. Could they be a bit hotter when they come off the rollers? Sure. But for a quick snack on the go, they totally do the job. Their Jalapeño & Cheese Taquito is particularly creative. With its spicy cream cheese filling, this is basically a jalapeño popper in taquito form. You don’t see this everyday—I’d recommend grabbing one the next time you’re in. Probably on a pee break. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best 7-Eleven Food

7-Eleven Buffalo Chicken Roller

Instacart

I have a shameful secret, guys. The week after I conducted this taste test, I went back to 7-Eleven to buy the Buffalo Chicken Roller on my own dime, for my own enjoyment. That isn’t to say you should be ashamed of eating 7-Eleven food on the regular—I’m just saying, only days prior was I scarfing down all their hot food in one sitting. I thought it would be hard to set foot inside the store again. But that’s the beauty of the 7-Eleven Buffalo Chicken Roller. It’s so simple—just a spicy buffalo coating over juicy chicken, with a little bit of melted cheese inside—yet so ingenious. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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Runner Up

7-Eleven Boneless Orange Chicken

Instacart

When I ordered this weird little orange chicken kebab, I expected it to be the worst thing I would taste all day. Nope. It’s strange but delicious—two things to always expect from the best 7-Eleven hot food. Sometimes, orange chicken suffers the pitfall of being too sweet and overly tangy. 7-Eleven’s orange chicken is super savory, with a hint of citrus and nice char on the outside that really brings an umami quality. Instead of being smothered in wet sauce, the sauce is sticky and evenly coated. This is genuinely very yummy, and not just for 7-Eleven food. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

7-Eleven Spicy Bite Hot Dog

Instacart

“This is actually really good,” manager editor Gwynedd Stuart said when she took a bite of this 7-Eleven hot dog. I know that doesn’t sound like the ringing endorsement we usually give to our #1 ranked products, but what she means is, this 7-Eleven hot dog is actually, like, really, really good. It’s spicy and salty, with savory juices sealed into every bite. Seriously, if you told me this was from a trendy food truck, I would believe you. You can see orange pepper flakes and seasonings in the meat. It’s also completely obscene in that it’s approximately twice the size of a normal hot dog. Who knew 7-Eleven hot dogs were novelty hot dogs? Not me, that’s for sure! Maybe, just maybe, my suffering was worth it. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other 7-Eleven hot foods we tried: 7-Eleven Pepperoni Pizza, 7-Eleven Steak & Cheese Taquito, 7-Eleven Taco & Cheese Taquito, 7-Eleven Cheese Pizza, 7-Eleven Breaded Boneless Chicken Wings, 7-Eleven Pepperoni Pizza Taquito, 7-Eleven Cheeseburger Bite With Bun, 7-Eleven Chicken Nuggets, 7-Eleven Pizza, 7-Eleven Stuffed Pepperoni Pizza

The post We Taste Tested All the Hot 7-Eleven Food (and the Egg Salad Sandwich, Too) appeared first on Sporked.

In addition to its eponymous store brand, there are two Kroger brands in particular to keep an eye out for: Private Selection and Simple Truth Organic. From andouille to canned yams, here’s what to buy at Kroger, according to our taste tests.

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Best Kroger Soy Sauce

Private Selection Premium Soy Sauce

Instacart

Private Selection Premium Soy Sauce isn’t the best soy sauce we tried in our taste test, but it landed very high on our list. You’ll notice on the bottle that it says it was aged 180 days, and that’s part of what makes it great. Aging makes soy sauce taste interesting and complex, and that’s exactly what this super umami sauce has going on. You can definitely get away with using a cheaper sauce for cooking (in fact, Kroger’s less premium soy sauce was our favorite budget pick), but if you’re making sushi at home and want an exquisite dip to accompany it, spring for a bottle of this.

Read the full ranking of the best soy sauce

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Kroger Andouille

Private Selection Naturally Hardwood Smoked Andouille Sausage

Ralphs

When Mardi Gras rolls around and jambalaya is on the menu, Private Selection andouille should be on your shopping list—especially if you like some heat. This Kroger product is the best spicy andouille we tried in our taste test. It’s perfect for gumbo, but it would also be really good in scrambled eggs, too. But, we repeat: Must love heat!

Read the full ranking of the best andouille

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Kroger Mixed Nuts

Private Selection Select Blend Mixed Nuts with Sea Salt

Ralphs

Good mixed nuts are worth their weight in gold—and they’re pretty much just as expensive. This deluxe mix from Kroger includes cashews, pecans, and macadamia nuts—no peanuts!—and it’s a pretty good deal for around nine bucks. The best Kroger products are a good value and this one definitely is. 

Read the full ranking of the best mixed nuts

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

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Best Kroger Hot Fudge

Private Selection Dark Chocolate Fudge Dessert Topping

Ralphs

When’s the last time you treated yourself to a hot fudge sundae at home? We’re gonna guess it’s been too long. Buy a jar of this and a pint of vanilla ice cream and go to town. According to Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling, this tastes almost like hot cocoa mix before you add milk or water—deeply chocolatey. It needs to be heated before you use it and that’s the only thing that kept it from being number one on our list.

Read the full ranking of the best hot fudge

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Kroger Cookie Dough

Private Selection Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough

Ralphs

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies are pretty much always delicious, but this ready-to-bake cookie dough is so, so special. Along with melty chocolate, this dough is laced with creamy, slightly salty caramel and lots of it. It pools on the parchment paper as the cookies bake. This is one of those Kroger products that’s worth going out of your way for.

Read the full ranking of the best chocolate chip cookie dough

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Kroger Pepperoni

Private Selection Old World Pepperoni

Ralphs

We’re not totally sure what pepperoni was like in the “old world,” but we do know this Private Selection pepperoni is one of the best Kroger products we’ve tried. What makes it great is how thinly it’s sliced. It’s wafer thin, so it crisps up beautifully when you put it on pizza, almost like thinly sliced bacon. 

Read the full ranking of the best pepperoni

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Kroger Rice Cakes

Simple Truth Organic Himalayan Salted Caramel Mini Rice Cakes

Instacart

If sweet rice cakes sound like kind of a bummer dessert, you haven’t tried these Simple Truth Organic mini rice cakes. They’re coated with a caramel flavor dust that’s sweet, buttery, and a little bit salty. These would be really good crushed over a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or salted caramel ice cream if you’re crazy). 

Read the full ranking of the best rice cakes

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Kroger Pinto Beans

Simple Truth Organic Pinto Beans

Instacart

You probably assume all canned pinto beans are the same, right? Not true! Only three brands were good enough to make our ranking, and Kroger brand Simple Truth Organic was one of them. They’re super tender and have a flavor that’s clean and pure. Use these as the base in a Chipotle-style bowl and you’ll be stoked.

Read the full ranking of the best canned pinto beans

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Kroger Yams

Kroger Canned Cut Yams

Instacart

Canned yams get the most play during the holidays (Thanksgiving, in particular), but the Sporked crew decided they’re delicious enough to eat all year long. Kroger brand canned yams come in syrup, so they’re more like a dessert than a savory side, but you can definitely get away with mashing these with butter and salt and serving them with dinner. Keep a few of these in the pantry and you’ll definitely find uses for them that don’t involve mini marshmallows. 

Read the full ranking of the best canned yams

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Lemon Cookies

Simple Truth Thin & Crispy Lemon Cookies

Instacart

We love a good dupe, and these Simple Truth lemon cookies are a dead ringer for Tate’s. They’re buttery but still refreshing. If you find yourself in the cookie aisle at your local Ralphs or Baker’s, this is one of the best Kroger products to put in your cart.

Read the full ranking of the best lemon cookies

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Kroger Vegetable Juice

Kroger Low Sodium Vegetable Juice

Kroger

Put down that bottle of V-8. It turns out that Kroger’s low sodium vegetable juice is the best vegetable juice blend you can buy. Yep, better than V-8. We think this is one of the best Kroger products because it actually tastes like vegetables—it’s redolent of tomatoes and carrots, sure, but you can taste peppery, pleasant watercress, too. Even though it’s reduced sodium, this juice is still packed with flavor. Add this to your list of what to buy at Kroger if you need a little help getting your kids (or yourself) to consume veggies.

Read the full ranking of the best vegetable juice

Credit: Merc

Rating:

9/10

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Best Kroger Tomato Juice

Kroger 100% Tomato Juice

Instacart

This Kroger tomato juice—which comes in a bottle as well as a big ol’ can—is cheap, salty, and it tastes great. It’s thick and creamy, but it doesn’t cross the line into soup territory. It’s nicely seasoned, too. If you’re looking for a great tomato juice to pair with some vodka on a Sunday morning, this is the stuff. It’s nostalgic and flavorful, and it’s one of the best Kroger products we’ve tried.

Read the full ranking of the best tomato juice

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Kroger Hoagie Rolls

Kroger White Hoagie Rolls

Instacart

Unless your grocery store has a really good bakery, good hoagie rolls can be hard to come by. These Kroger Hoagie Rolls, which you’ll find in the bread aisle rather than in the bakery, aren’t perfect, but they have a lot of good qualities—and they won’t go stale in 48 hours like bakery hoagie rolls. (Ya gotta give it to preservatives sometimes, right?) They have a lightly sweet flavor that complements savory cold cuts. And if you happen to be making at-home Italian beef sandwiches, these are squishy enough to really soak up some au jus. 

Read the full ranking of the best hoagie rolls

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Kroger Pizza Crust

Kroger Ready to Bake Pizza Crust

Instacart

If you make pizza at home, we have important info: You don’t have to make your own crust or figure out who to bribe to get a big blob of it from your favorite pizza shop. This tube of pizza dough from Kroger makes the best pizza we tried in a taste test. The dough in this tube is easy to stretch and roughly the size of a pizza pan. It bakes up nice and crispy with a lovely browned bottom—no sog here. If you make pizza at home, this should be on your list of what to buy at Kroger.

Read the full ranking of the best store bought pizza dough

Credit: Merc / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Kroger Frozen Lasagna

Kroger Meat Lasagna Party Size

Instacart

We’ve done a few frozen lasagna taste tests, and Kroger Meat Lasagna consistently performs well. As our taste tester put it, “The noodles are a bit too thick and there’s not a whole lot of meat to be seen, but the flavor made this some of the best frozen lasagna we tasted.” The tomato sauce is flavorful and tangy, and it’s well seasoned with herbs and spices. Oh, and did we mention how huge this is? It’s huge. This is a big, tasty meal for a crowd. 

Read the full ranking of the best frozen lasagna

Credit: Ryan Martin / Kroger

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Kroger Red Wine Vinegar

Kroger Red Wine Vinegar

Instacart

We tasted a lot of store-brand red wine vinegar in our red wine vinegar taste test, and this Kroger product was the only one worth ranking. It’s flavorful and actually tastes like fermented wine rather than glorified white vinegar. Need a cheap red wine vinegar to have on hand to splash on mixed green salads or sub sandwiches? You should have a bottle of this in the pantry.

Read the full ranking of the best red wine vinegar

Credit: Merc / Kroger

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

The post 16 Best Kroger Products from Our Taste Tests appeared first on Sporked.