You're probably not going to try every new snack you see in the grocery store this year, so we did it for you. In 2016, you'll see more pickle-flavored, quinoa, and kale snacks than ever before, so you need to know what to skip and what to pick up. This is your comprehensive list of all things worthy, from crunchy ranch chickpeas to dill pickle cashews.
Watch out, all other brands of white cheddar popcorn. There's a new one on the block, and it might be the best one yet. Annie's Organic White Cheddar Popcorn is dangerously addictive thanks to its perfect balance of salt, crunch, and cheese. Your fingers are left with just enough of that lick-worthy cheese dust, but not too much. You'll want to buy more than one bag of this at a time, because it'll go quick.
Imagine classic chewy Chips Ahoy! cookies plus a cinnamon-sugar doughnut plus white chocolate chips. That's what these little cookies taste like, and they're undeniably one of the best new cookies of the year. So sweet that you only need one at a time, these cookies pair well with your afternoon coffee.
It's hard to resist The Little Kernel Popcorn based on its adorable size alone, but the texture and flavor make it that much better. The Pink Himalayan Salt favor is the one to grab, because it's just salty enough but not greasy at all since it was popped in 100 percent olive oil.
This is the year that artisanal pork rinds officially hit store shelves, and 4505's Chicharrones are not ones to be missed. 4505 Meats is a San Francisco-based market and restaurant that specializes in the highest quality meats. These new pork rinds are available in Jalapeño Cheddar, Classic, and BBQ, and you can truly taste the difference between these and low-quality pork rinds. Light and airy but indulgent at the same time, these meaty snacks might replace your favorite jerky.
Another standout new snack from Annie's is the Organic Grabbits, which are like Oreos. The regular chocolate cookies and the Chocolate Mint both deserve a spot in your shopping cart.
Kettle Brand chips have introduced a number of noteworthy items this year, including these Chipotle Honey Sweet Potato Chips. These veggie chips are a snack you can feel good about eating, and the salty, sweet, chipotle-honey coating makes them feel just a little bit naughty.
There's a new chocolate bar in town, and it's called Hershey’s Cookie Layer Crunch. It's like a chocolate-dipped Crunch bar with an added layer of flavor sandwiched in between the layers, and the two best flavors you'll want to try are Mint and Vanilla Creme. The Mint bar is like a cross between an Andes Mint and a Thin Mint (yes, please), and the Vanilla Creme is like a Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme Bar with more milk chocolate than white chocolate. The layer of vanilla cream makes it almost like an Oreo.
Watch out — this stuff is seriously addictive. Lightly salted popcorn is doused in drizzles of dark chocolate and crushed bits of peppermint sticks, making it salty sweet perfection. Serve this in large bowls for any holiday gathering, or snack on it during holiday movie marathons while sipping boozy hot chocolate.
Yep, artisanal pork rinds are now being sold at a grocery store near you. All your previous conceptions about packaged pork rinds will be banished once you try Epic Pork Rinds in BBQ Seasoning. You can taste the quality in each bite of these fried snacks, which don't contain a single artificial ingredient. The seasoning of paprika, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and chipotle pepper powder enhances the salty pork skins even more and leaves you going back for crunchy bite after bite.
Fans of potato bread won't be able to resist these crackers made of potato flour and wheat flour. The superthin Good Thins Potato White Cheddar Crackers have a satisfying crunch and are coated in a finger-licking-good white cheddar seasoning. These crackers might be your new replacement for white cheddar popcorn.
Nonni’s limited-edition Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti is the crunchy, chocolaty treat you'll want to dunk into your morning coffee on chilly Fall mornings. The rich cocoa cookie has a generous coating of milk chocolate and crunchy bits of hazelnuts throughout, giving you the perfect balance of textures in each bite.
Yep, you're reading that right: these are Moscow Mule chips! Alcohol-free and safe for kids to eat, these zesty chips pack a serious flavor punch thanks to ginger and lime oil. They truly do taste like the cocktail, and our tasters agree they'd be a fantastic chip to serve with guacamole.
Paqui Tortilla Chips are gourmet tortilla chips made in Austin, TX, and they might soon become your new go-to for snacking and dipping. The Nacho Cheese flavor is especially addictive: it's even better than Doritos. The corn chips have a satisfying crunch and a significant amount of cheese coating, so each bite is just as tasty as the last.
Watch out, traditional sour cream and onion chips. These Very Verde Good chips from Paqui Tortilla Chips are sour cream and salsa verde flavored, and they're ridiculously good. Our eyes widened as we tried these for the first time and we immediately went back for a few more handfuls. Corn tortilla chips, real sour cream, garlic and onion powder, green bell pepper, and lime juice join forces to create a seriously memorable snack.
If you'd rather be eating birthday cake desserts over any other kind, you must pick up a package of Keebler's new Birthday Cake Fudge Stripes. The best part is that the colorful sprinkles found throughout each cookie offer a noticeable crunch, breaking up the softness of the icing.
Sheila G's Organic Brownie Brittle is addictive enough as it is, but the addition of a white chocolate "snowflake" drizzle takes it to the next level. Good luck eating just a couple pieces of this crunchy, sweet, and chocolaty snack that's a cross between chocolate chip cookies and brownies.
Lundberg Rice Chips are wonderfully thick and crunchy because they're made of brown rice, and the Lundberg Farms Fiesta Lime Chips are almost like lightened-up Doritos. You'll want to lick your lime-covered fingers after eating a handful.
These multi-grain pretzel splits are made with seven grains and no added sugar, so the savory, wheaty flavor really shines. Fans of crunchy and salty pretzels are sure to enjoy snacking on these.
It's hard to go wrong with Sun Chips. A must-try new flavor is the Veggie Harvest Chips in Tomato, Basil, and Cheese. You can really taste the notes of each flavor, and they almost taste like a caprese salad in chip form.
Sheila G's Organic Brownie Brittle is like a cross between crunchy chocolate chip cookies and brownies. It's almost like chips made out of the crispy edges of brownies that taste almost burnt — in a good way.
If a pretzel and a potato chip had a baby, it would be named Pressels. These little rounds are insanely addictive, especially in the sriracha flavor. You won't be able to stop yourself from eating a whole bag of the crunchy snack.
Another standout in the chip aisle is Lundberg Rice Chips in Smoky Maple. They're not too heavy on the maple (I don't even like maple syrup) and the smokiness from the hickory is the perfect flavor match.
If you've had Whole Foods's 365 brand of white cheddar popcorn, you know how good it is. Now imagine that with just a hint of spicy jalapeño to complement the cheesy flavor perfectly. This new popcorn is dangerously snackable.
You'll definitely want to keep your eyes peeled at the grocery store the next time you're looking for tortilla chips. These sea salt and lime chips from Late July aren't overly limey like many variations out there. They're delicious corn chips seasoned with just the right amount of salt and organic lime oil.
Seriously, 2016 is the year of the pickle-flavored snack, and if you're into that sort of thing, you'll definitely want to try Emerald Dill Pickle Cashews. The acidic, salty seasoning goes great with the heartiness of the nuts.
If you're a fan of ranch dressing, you won't be disappointed by these new Sun Chips Veggie Harvest Farmhouse Ranch chips. The ranch seasoning isn't overpowering, and you don't have to feel too guilty about inhaling a bunch of chips since they're made with vegetables and whole grains.
I Heart Keenwah Sea Salt Truffle Quinoa Puffs are the snack to grab when you're craving cheese puffs but want something with nutritional value. These crunchy, bite-size balls are nutty from the quinoa and super savory from the sea salt and earthy truffle seasoning.
If Cool Ranch Doritos are your addiction, you'll feel way less guilty eating half a bag of Rockin' Ranch Biena Chickpeas. Crunchy roasted chickpeas plus a zesty ranch coating make for a lightened-up savory snack.
Your favorite crunchy chip gets an upgrade with this Chili Lime flavor. The first three ingredients are potatoes, avocado oil, and lime salt (sea salt and lime oil), so you know the lime taste is strong (in a good way). Jalapeño pepper powder provides the right level of heat to complement the acidity of the lime.
I Heart Keenwah Chocolate Sea Salt Clusters are a guilt-free sweet and salty snack you can have for a midday snack or dessert. These bite-size bits are really crunchy and protein packed — you can't tell you're eating quinoa, and there's a nice ratio of chocolate to sea salt.
Simply 7 Dill Pickle Kale Chips taste like a quality kale chip with a light amount of dill pickle flavoring — not overpowering like many of the pickle-flavored snacks out there. The chips are super crunchy and satisfying enough to get rid of your potato-chip craving.
Calling all s'mores-lovers: you're going to want to try Snyder's Sweet and Salty S'mores Pretzel Pieces. There aren't any marshmallows, but the coating is chocolate- and marshmallow-flavored, which complements the saltiness of the pretzels. The s'mores flavor is definitely there, but what's more exciting is that the snack reminds us of one of our favorite childhood cereals — Cocoa Puffs.
We already know that Chef's Cut is some of the best store-bought jerky, but this new flavor is ridiculous. It's sriracha. bacon. jerky. Do I really need to say more?
So many sweet-potato-flavored snacks are available now, and Nabisco's Good Thins are a clear standout. You can tell the crunchy crackers are made with real sweet potatoes, and they're not overly sweet or salty. If you're not careful, you could eat the whole box.
Every new flavor from Late July is a winner. The lime flavor in the jalapeño lime chips really comes through, and they're just the right level of spiciness — pair with a margarita and you've got the perfect happy-hour snack. The buffalo queso chips actually have a real queso flavor along with a not-too-spicy buffalo flavor. The standout is the nacho chipotle . . . it's like an upgraded Dorito.
These I Heart Keenwah Chocolate Puffs are different from the quinoa clusters — they're similar to a Nestlé Crunch bar in texture, but they're way better (and healthier). The punch of saltiness goes perfectly with the sweetness of the heavy coating of dark chocolate, but they're not too sweet.
You'll feel like a kid again eating these Little Bites Cinnamon French Toast Muffins. Fans of the usual Little Bites flavors are sure to love these too, and the best part is they really do taste like french toast. You get hints of cinnamon, maple syrup, and butter in these sweet and sticky minimuffins.