Fill out the ballot now—the last day to vote is December 10—and then we’ll announce the winners of the readers’ ballot on December 23, the day our Sporked Awards winners start rolling out. Plus, by filling out the ballot, you’ll automatically be entered in a drawing to win a free piece of Sporked merch. May the best snacks win! 

By submitting your email address to participate in the Sporked Awards 2024 Readers Ballot, you are signing up to receive Sporked‘s bi-weekly email newsletter, as well as future emails regarding the Sporked Awards. Upon receiving your first email, you can unsubscribe by clicking “Unsubscribe” at the bottom.

The post Vote for the Best New Snacks, Sodas, and More in the Sporked Awards! appeared first on Sporked.

Our Dream Stocking Stuffer: Yellowbird Hot Sauce Set of 4 Minis

Hot sauce is a classic stocking stuffer, but this four-pack of minis is even more fun than that bottle of Grandpappy’s Colon Destroyer you found when you did your holiday shopping at the gas station near your parents’ house. In addition to coming in adorable little squeeze bottles that look like they would contain paints, Yellowbird hot sauces are delicious. They’re so delicious, in fact, that two of them made our ranking of the best hot sauces. You get one of those—habanero—along with three other flavors, serrano, sriracha, and ghost pepper. If you’re shopping for someone who thinks heat is the spice of life, this is a perfect stocking stuffer. —Gwynedd Stuart

Our Dream Subscription Box: Tinned Fish Club

You don’t just get tinned fish with this subscription box. Every shipment comes with three cans of seafood from around the world (including many Sporked-approved brands) as well as curated condiments or snacks meant to pair with said seafood. It’s a seacuterie board in a box! They’ll also send recipe ideas, information about each tin, and really adorable teeny-tiny wooden forks. I received a few months of this subscription box as a gift from my very smart and perfect husband, and I was very sad when it ended. Again, please! —Justine Sterling

Our Dream Bougie Food Gift: Rustichella d’Abruzzo Egg Pappardelle

A month ago, I had the pleasure of attending Rustichella d’Abruzzo’s 100-Year Celebration, where I listened to the family behind this artisanal Italian pasta company relay their history and ate some of the best dishes of my life. (I still dream about that baked cannelloni). I won’t be dramatic and say Rustichella d’Abruzzo has ruined regular store-bought pasta for me forever (I simply love pasta too much for that to be the case), but I do actively budget to stock up on their products when I can. Their egg pappardelle is rich and velvety, with a hint of savory flavor that pairs beautifully with heavier sauces—personally, I can eat this with just butter, salt, and a spritz of lemon, and it’s still one of the best meals in my kitchen. Egg Pappardelle is my pasta pick from their plethora of options; but if you’re gifting to a pasta lover this year, shop around, see what noodles make your heart canoodle. Squid ink spaghetti? Pumpkin Torchio? I swear, it’s all incredible. —Ariana Losch

Our Dream Kitchen Appliance: Rocco Super Smart Fridge

Listen. I know buying a $1,500 beverage fridge seems demented, but, A., This is a list of our dream gifts, so let us dream, dammit, and B., This is so much more than a mini fridge. It’s quiet. It’s sleek. It’s beautiful enough to double as a piece of furniture in your living room or bar. It has slide-out shelves that hold a variety of drinks so your friends don’t have to rifle through your dusty leftovers to find something to drink. You can even control the temp from your phone. If you take soda (or seltzer or wine or mocktails) seriously, this is such a cool thing to own. —Gwynedd Stuart

The post Here’s What the Sporked Editors Want for Christmas This Year appeared first on Sporked.

What’s the 2025 Halloween Mountain Dew flavor?

In lieu of a VooDEW flavor, Mountain Dew is reportedly teaming up with Trolli to release a flavor that will feature the brand name and flavor right on the label! The flavor of this collaboration will be cherry lemon, a popular flavor of Trolli candy. No mysteries to solve this time, dear readers. 

When will this new Mountain Dew flavor collab be available?

Our sources tell us that this collaboration is going to be available the same time of year that VooDEW was traditionally available. So, you can expect it to start appearing in September and be available through the end of spooky season. 

Will it be available in zero sugar?

Yes! Mountain Dew Trolli Cherry Lemon will be available in both full sugar and zero sugar in bottles and cans. No one misses out on this drop! 

Even though it won’t be a mystery to solve as it was in years past, this new Mountain Dew flavor collaboration still has us very excited and I’ve already added it to my 2025 hunt list. Have you? 

The post Here’s What’s Replacing Mountain Dew VooDEW in 2025 appeared first on Sporked.

What will Pepsi Gingerbread taste like?

First off, no, they didn’t puree and carbonate Gingy from Shrek. No gingerbread men were harmed in the making of this new Pepsi flavor. Pepsi tells us that this flavor blends the classic taste of Pepsi with a festive mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and molasses. Sign us right up!

How can I get Pepsi Gingerbread?

There are two ways you’ll be able to get your hands on a mini can of Pepsi Gingerbread Zero Sugar (yep, only available in mins): 

1. Starting December 4th, you can secure a can by purchasing two packs of Pepsi mini cans (any flavor) from Pepsi’s Tiktok shop. Pepsi told us that supplies will be limited—so be fast!
2. Don’t want to spend your hard earned cash? Also starting December 4th, you’ll be able to enter for a chance to win a can on Pepsi.com.

Will there be a full sugar Pepsi Gingerbread?

We don’t say this often (and usually it’s the other way around), but this new Pepsi flavor will only be available in zero sugar.

Will I ever be able to buy Pepsi Gingerbread in stores?

Unfortunately for now, it seems that Pepsi is keeping Pepsi Gingerbread as a limited edition flavor available only on their website and Tiktop shop. No store release is planned for now—but perhaps if the reception for it is good we could see one!

Is Pepsi Gingerbread a good idea?

Stay tuned! We’ll post our review the second we get our hands on a can.

The post Gingerbread Pepsi Is Coming Out SOON, Here’s How to Get a Can appeared first on Sporked.

It’s worth mentioning that not every Pepperidge Farm cookie trotted out in the large grocery displays is actually exclusive to the holidays. Some cookies, like Gingerman and Zurich, get a seasonal color change to their packaging, but the cookie is identical in flavor to the year round version. Basically, trust this list—not the packaging. Here are the Pepperidge Farm cookies out right now that are actually exclusive to the holidays.

Mint Brussels

This cookie easily wins the “Sounds Most Like an Entrée, Not a Cookie” award. Standard year round Brussels are described as a “lacey-thin” cookie with a chocolate center. These add a mint flavoring to that chocolate center—a pretty safe flavor combo for the holidays.

Holiday Nog Chessmen

Holiday Nog Chessmen feature what looks like an eggnog-flavored glaze atop the standard (dare I say, boring) cookie. But, per Sporked’s own review, that eggnog flavor really comes through and makes these cookies some of the best holiday cookies around.

Raspberry Linzer

I was shocked to discover these actually are exclusive to the holidays. I swear I see these all the time. Described as “delicious raspberry filling sandwiched between two shortbread cookies,” these are a quintessential holiday cookie from Pepperidge Farm. You know them, you love them—these are a classic.

Snowball

Described as “light and crispy cookies with a delicious citrus flavor,” these Snowball cookies come with the requisite holiday dusting of powdered sugar. Personally, whether it’s donut holes or cookies, I’m never the biggest fan of food that needs to come packaged with a dustbuster.

Peppermint Cocoa Cookies

New for 2024, these are perhaps the most standard cookie Pepperidge Farm is including in their seasonal selection. (Check out Jessica’s review of these new cookies right here on Sporked.) These are “thin & crispy” chocolate cookies with peppermint and chocolate chips baked in. On look and concept alone, these remind me of Tate’s Bake Shop cookies. I wonder if Pepperidge Farm is worried about those green baggers coming for their cookie throne…

Peppermint Milano Slices

If I’m understanding this cookie correctly, this is…two-thirds of a Milano. They’ve added some peppermint candy pieces to the milk chocolate layer that’s normally sandwiched between two oblong cookies. Are those candy pieces enough to make up for the missing cookie? Only one way to find out.

Amaretto Hot Chocolate Milano

I haven’t had every cookie on this list, but I’ve already gone through a full bag of these. Described as “dark chocolate and almond flavor between two delicious cookies,” these are a danger to you and your loved ones. Dark Chocolate Milanos are already the best Milanos, and this is a sublime step up. Run, don’t walk.

The post The Full Pepperidge Farm Holiday Cookies Line-Up for 2025 appeared first on Sporked.

What is Everything Bagel Kraft Mac & Cheese?

If you’ve had an everything bagel, you’re probably familiar with the onion-y, garlick-y, sesame-y, and whatever-else-is-in-everything-bagel-seasoning-y flavor that truly makes life worth living. Now imagine that seasoning mix—but mostly the onion and garlic—in your Kraft Mac & Cheese. If you’re thinking, wow, how innovative, then get excited. If you’re thinking wow, I already put that in my Kraft Mac & Cheese, well, good for you. Maybe you’re still interested because it means you can save your Everything But the Bagel seasoning for something else. 

How can you get Everything Bagel Kraft Mac & Cheese?

You’ll have to act fast with this new release. With only 14,000 boxes up for grabs, Walmart.com’s presale will begin November 25th for die-hard Krafties. The new limited edition flavor will officially drop on November 29th and it’ll be available while supplies last. 

Will Everything Bagel Kraft Mac & Cheese be good?

Look, it’s no secret that the everything bagel trend has taken everything by storm. Potato chips, dips, smoked salmon—Trader Joe’s alone has developed quite an empire with their Everything But the Bagel-flavored items. But has it gone too far? I mean, Cup Noodles even released Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese instant noodles. But hey, that actually turned out to be pretty darn good. So, we have high hopes for Everything Bagel Kraft Mac & Cheese. And we’ll be jockeying online to snag a box on Black Friday, because we all know this is the real score.

The post Everything Bagel Kraft Mac & Cheese Is REAL appeared first on Sporked.

So what are Beyond Bakes exactly? Will they be similar to Hot Pockets or live in more of a plant-based calzone zone?

Well, based on images of the new Beyond Bakes, they look an awful lot like Hot Pockets, right down to the two flavors, which are Meaty Italian-Style Pizza and Pepperoni Pizza. Both are completely plant-based, so yes, the cheese is non-dairy as well. The Pepperoni one is described on the package as having “Beyond Pepperoni Plant-Based Pieces, non-dairy mozzarella style cheese, and sauce in a toasted crust.” The Meaty Italian-Style Beyond Hot Pocket looks to have “Beyond Beef Plant-Based Crumbles and Beyond Pepperoni Plant Based Pieces, non-dairy mozzarella style cheese, spices, and sauce in a toasted crust.”

Notably, the plant-based beef crumbles in the Italian-style pocket have existed for a while now, but the Beyond Pepperoni is new with this product. Hopefully, it is only a matter of time before we can buy the pepperoni on its own! Both flavors of Beyond Bakes contain 22g of protein per serving (if you are a vegan watchin’ your macros), and it looks like they take just two minutes to heat up in the microwave. They come in packs of two that cost $6.99 at the Hy-Vee grocery store where they were photographed. Pricing will likely vary depending on store and region.

It’s tough to predict exactly how these will taste. The form factor and heating method make them seem very similar to Hot Pockets, but the crust looks more like it belongs in the Calzone zone. We’ll just have to try them to find out where they land on the spectrum of pocket foods—or if they’re something totally new altogether. We’re “Beyond” excited to find out.

The post Hot Pockets but Make It Vegan? What We Know About Beyond Bakes appeared first on Sporked.

Where can I get them? And why do you keep using an asterisk when you say Altoids Sours* are back? Are they not actually back?

Okay, I should probably address the whole asterisk thing. The Altoids Sours you know and love, which were originally on shelves from 2004 to 2010, are in fact back on store shelves, but they are not called Altoids Sours this time. Altoids sold the recipe to a vintage candy company called Iconic Candy, which is now churning out tins of the beloved sour suckers under the name “Retro Sours” in the same three flavors in which they were originally released: Mango, Tangerine, and Citrus, but with that different, decidedly non-Altoids name.

As for where to buy Altoids Sours, iconic candies made by Iconic Candy, they are available at Cracker Barrel and It’s Sugar candy store locations nationwide, plus you can now order them online on the It’s Sugar website…that is, if they weren’t already sold out. I checked to see if you could buy them online from Cracker Barrel (because I care about you and want to make sure you have all the deets about the tinned tangy treats you could possibly have) and they were nowhere to be found there. Not even a page that says “sold out.” So as I see it, you have a couple of options if you are trying to get your hands on some of these iconic zingy thingies: You can go into physical locations of It’s Sugar and Cracker Barrel and see if they have any in stock, or you can wait and see if the It’s Sugar site restocks soon. Cracker Barrel did post on their Instagram just a week ago that they now have these in their stores, so there is hope yet.

The It’s Sugar website does say something like “Get them before they’re gone!” on their landing page, but hey, if they went this fast my guess is they will be producing them again. We do live in a capitalist society after all. If people will come, the companies are gonna keep building it. Bottom line, if you want these, there are now some out there, you just have to look around a bit in person or wait for an online restock—happy hunting! May the Retro Sours be ever in your grocery baskets.

The post Altoids Sours* Are Finally Hitting Stores appeared first on Sporked.

Bye bye, Monster Rehab Strawberry Lemonade

Rehab is Monster’s line of electrolyte-filled non-carbonated tea energy drinks. (It’s for hangovers, y’all.) There’s one crucial word in that description: tea. The Monster Rehab flavor being discontinued is… Strawberry Lemonade? That’s not tea. How did they get away with this? Anyway, I’m a big fan of the entire Rehab line except Strawberry Lemonade, so I’m not complaining. If you’ve never tried a Rehab, I highly recommend the Wild Berry Tea.

See ya, Juice Monster Aussie Lemonade

Allegedly people actually do drink Juice Monster! Well, we’re losing the Aussie Lemonade flavor, which is described as an “Exotic Lemonade.” I’ve never tried it, I’m not sure I’ve ever even noticed it on a shelf. We’re getting a new Monster Juice flavor called “Viking Berry” in 2025. Time will tell whether it can make more of an impact than this one.

Oh, no! Not my precious Java Monster 300s!

Worry not, caffeine addicts; Java Monster 300s are being discontinued in name only. The two existing Java Monster 300 flavors are being replaced by a new, very similar line called “Killer Brew.” I’ve got all the details about that development in this article. Call me Nicki because I’m killing the Monster beat.

They’re even killing two zero sugar Monsters!? 

The Ultra line has been expanding consistently over the past few years. But there are 15 flavors on shelves right now, so it’s time to say goodbye to a few underperforming options. Monster Energy Ultra Rosa and Ultra Red will be discontinued at some point in 2025. Ultra Rosa is officially described as “Bright and Sweet” with no defining flavor notes beyond that. I’m sure I’ve tried this Monster flavor before, but honestly I can’t remember a single thing about it. Ultra Red is “Crisp and Refreshing Mixed Berry,” which is more distinct than Rosa, but still not in line with the hyper-specific flavors we see launching from Monster these days. So far, we know about onenew Ultra flavor coming in 2025; it seems like we should look forward to a second coming later.

The post Monster Is Discontinuing 6 Flavors in 2025, So Stock Up Now appeared first on Sporked.

Hold on, are you saying that Lay’s Crunch Tators chips are back?

Oh yeah! Our boy is back. And he’s back in three flavors: Cowboy, Naked, and Spicy Naked. Oh, sorry, I was just talking about that little alligator mascot again. Lay’s Crunch Tators chips are back in Mighty Mesquite, Original, and Hoppin’ Jalapeño. And while Original and Mighty Mesquite Crunch Tators have been spotted during the last two holiday seasons in Dollar General stores, the Hoppin’ Jalapeño flavor is here for the first time since the ’90s. Previous releases appeared to be contained to a few random stores across the United States, but my guess is that you’ll have more luck finding them this year, as they’re already being spotted at Dollar General stores nationwide. And, naturally, people are thrilled.

For those of you who were merely a glimmer in their parents’ eyes when Lay’s Crunch Tators were on shelves the first time around, one of the things that’s kept their memory alive is that a bag of the chips can be spotted in the background in a scene in the 1990 holiday classic Home Alone (when Kevin is “eating junk and watching rubbish”). They’re also fondly remembered for their unique texture—they were extra crunchy kettle chips before Kettle became a household name. As one Instagram commenter aptly put it, “I love em, but my teeth dont.” But if you think that you can handle the crunch, visit your nearest Dollar General store now to find the three flavors for a limited time. Enjoy yourself, you filthy animal!

The post What’s That Sound? These Super-Crunchy ’90s Chips Are Back in Stores appeared first on Sporked.

Wait, what is a Sugar Cookie Twix? And why are you being so awfully dramatic?

I’d like to address the second question first by saying that I’m not dramatic, I’m just hurt. Back in 2012, Twix announced the release of a sugar cookie flavored Twix for the holidays and, in an unexpected twixst, they um…well, they never did. Why, Twix? No one knows! Perhaps the unexpected popularity of their Left and Right Twix campaign made them decide to set aside the Sugar Cookie Twix and make a profit with minimal effort. Hey, I get it. I’d do the same. After a while, most people forgot about Sugar Cookie Twix and the concept began collecting dust in an attic somewhere, that is until this past week, when Twix asked followers in an Instagram post which Twix they’d choose to resurrect: Triple Chocolate Twix, Creamy Peanut Butter Twix, or…Sugar Cookie Twix!

What does this mean?! Triple Chocolate Twix existed. Creamy Peanut Butter Twix existed. But Sugar Cookie Twix never even existed! Unless the brand has fallen victim to a silly intern who didn’t do their research, I’m guessing this is their sneaky way of announcing the resurrection—or should I say, the birth—of Sugar Cookie Twix, a Twix that never even was.

While there isn’t a lot of info about Sugar Cookie Twix—since, as we’ve established, they’ve yet to actually exist—we can tell you a few things. Based on product imagery, these seem to be like regular Twix but with a cookie layer that’s dotted with the same colorful sugar crystals that coat a lot of holiday cookies. In the Instagram post, Sugar Cookie Twix are pictured as a bag of minis rather than a packet with two full-size bars. It may be wishful thinking, but just in case, keep your eyes peeled in the candy aisle this holiday season. And if we’re all just the victim of some cruel prank, that’s okay. You’ll have no problem finding a recipe for actual Twix sugar cookies online.

The post Are Sugar Cookie Twix Finally Coming to Town? appeared first on Sporked.

Are Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle Cheetos Really Dropping? 

According to the r/snacking Reddit, a Facebook post depicting a green and black bag featuring Chester Cheetah holding a pickle began circulating about a week ago, and ever since then crazed Cheetoheads have been trying to crack the code of if and when this new flavor will be dropping. 

A Facebook user claiming to be a Frito Lay worker commented on the post, saying, “They will be out as a limited-time only item in February.” Alas, even my Gen-Z internet-detective skills are no match for the challenge of verifying if any part of their claims are true—but Instagram user snackolator, who has proven to be a relatively reliable source, is also reporting that these spicy dill pickle snacks are on their way to shelves in February 2025. Can’t believe everything you see on Facebook—or can you? 

No, Really, Is This Real?

It’s not like we haven’t been faced with this debacle before. Thanks to stunts like Lay’s very real IHOP and very possible Cap’n Crunch collaborations, we here at Sporked are quite familiar with the work of major companies trying to trot out product excitement whether or not the product is even released. Ever heard of the hit marketing strategy “post an edit of the flavor you’re considering releasing online and see what the people say before you actually release it?” Hey, now you have. 

Though we don’t know if this is exactly what Cheetos is doing (or if it’s just a Facebook user with some really good Photoshop skills playing a massive prank on all the foodies on the internet, which would be kind of mean), it’s not stopping the rumor mill from churning out new content every day. Touche, Cheetos (or random Facebook user who’s really good at Photoshop. Touche). 

The post Is Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickles Cheetos Really Happening? appeared first on Sporked.