The Best New Supermarket Snacks of 2015

Supersavory thanks to a trio of umami-rich foods — beef, blue cheese, and mushrooms — Uncle Andy's Boise's Mushroom Blue Cheese Beef Jerky ($7) also brings the cheese's characteristic twang, making it one of the most interesting jerky's we've tried to date.

There's a lot going on with Terra Chips Pickled Beets ($5), but we're not complaining. Like a hybrid between beet chips and salt and vinegar snacks with a mild dilly flavor, they're tangy, salty, and snackable.

Popchips Boardwalk Kettle Corn ($3) have a strong fake butter flavor, but we're into it. Paired with a subtle sweetness, this snack succeeds in tapping into nostalgic tastes.

If you like seaweed chips, consider giving Annie Chun's Seaweed Brown Rice Crisps ($3) a try. Essentially a seaweed chip fused to a crispy brown rice cracker, they're a bit milder and nuttier in flavor, as well as less messy to eat.

At first, we were drawn to Terra Chips Adirondack Reds ($4) for their pretty color; thankfully they taste as good as they look. Flavor-wise, there isn't anything wild going on, but the shatteringly crisp, almost flaky texture makes them a standout.

We were a little bit skeptical about a quinoa-based puff as the pseudograin has such a strong, nutty flavor, but I Heart Keenwah Aged Cheddar Quinoa Puffs ($3) surprised us. While quinoa's nuttiness is obvious, it complements rather than dominates the sharp cheddar coating. We also love how intensely crunchy these puffed snacks are.

A mere two ingredients go into Kitchen Table Bakers Jalapeño Parmesan Crisps ($4). Not surprisingly they're sharp, nutty, and spicy, with a supersnackable, crisp texture.

Annie's Lemon Drop Cookie Bites ($2) reminds us of Girl Scouts Savannah Smiles in that they're buttery, tender, and very zesty.

Blue Diamond Honey Cinnamon Nut Thins ($3) taste like a less sweet version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in a delicately crisp cracker form. We think they'd be particularly good paired with brie.

Kettle Brand Carolina BBQ Krinkle Cut Potato Chips ($3) taste like an entire barbecue spread in one bite.

Halfpops (partially popped popcorn kernels) might sound a bit odd, but trust us here — the crunchy, dense texture is addictive. Add to them authentic barbecue flavor, like with Halfpops Chipotle Barbecue ($2), and you have a winning nibble. Though they're tasty straight out of the bag, we can imagine them as a great crouton-like addition to taco salad.

We're pretty obsessed with Angie's product line, and its latest, Angie's BoomChickaBites Tropical Mix ($4), a Target-exclusive snack mix, is no exception. Intensely coconutty in flavor, these popcorn-, sorghum-, and amaranth-based clusters bring tropical flavor to snacktime.

Popchips Crazy Hot ($3) live up to their name. Like lighter, not-cheesy Flamin' Hot Cheetos, these crisp, spicy snacks are ridiculously addictive; don't say we didn't warn you.

We didn't think that yogurt-covered pretzels could be improved upon, until we tried Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps Minis Vanilla Yogurt ($3), lightly coated, extrasalty pretzel crisps that we couldn't stop popping into our mouths.

Fans of the slightly gamey taste of aged beef will appreciate The New Primal Spicy Grass-Fed Beef Jerky ($16 for four), which matches intensely beefy flavor with a just-right heat level.

Unlike many varieties of beef jerky, New Zealand Premium Beef Jerky Original ($7) isn't too sweet. Instead, the earthy flavor of the beef is allowed to shine; a subtle smokiness rounds it all out.

Imagine if you took the flavor of Apple Jacks and the texture of Pirate's Booty and added a crisp caramel coating to the mix, and you essentially have Cosmos Creations Caramel Apple Crisp ($4), an addictive puffed corn snack.

We're not sure exactly what makes Angie's Holidrizzle Boom Chicka Pop Frosted Sugar Cookie ($4) a holiday flavor, but we're certainly not complaining (and we've spotted bags on shelves in Target already). Like kettle corn cranked up to 11, the perfectly popped popcorn kernels are drizzled with vanilla white chocolate and pink sprinkles.

Essentially a granola and cereal hybrid, Barbara's Better Granola Dark Chocolate Cranberry ($5) is a solid lighter alternative to classic granola. Shavings of dark chocolate and dried cranberries add just enough sweetness, while oat clusters and Barbara's Puffins cereal provide crunch.

If Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars were a staple of your youth, Kind Healthy Grains Popped Dark Chocolate With Sea Salt ($4 for five) should be on your radar as they're like the grown-up version of this childhood favorite.

While we're extremely skeptical of Lance Quick Starts Cinnamon Roll's ($3) label claim of "nutritious morning energy," we found them quite tasty nonetheless. Aggressively flavored with cinnamon, they're like Cinnamon Toast Crunch in cookie form and would be ideal for camping and road trips.

We were excited to try 365 Everyday Value Baked Naan Chips ($3) based on their unique flavor alone; thankfully they're not only intriguing but quite tasty — tangy, earthy, and salty all at once.

One of the more polarizing snacks of the bunch, Cheez-It Crunch'd Hot & Spicy ($3) are like a denser Cheeto flavored like Frank's RedHot-spiked Velveeta nacho cheese.

Cabo Chips Mango Chili Lime ($3) pack just the right amount of spice, salt, tang, and sweetness into each crisp thick-cut chip.

While we found it a bit puzzling that Wheat Thins Garlic Herb Toasted Pita ($3) aren't actually made from pita bread like how traditional pita chips are, that didn't stop us from gobbling up these crisp, garlicky chips. Flavorful enough to stand alone, these don't need a dip to round things out.

Though Trader Joe's Kettle Popped Sweet and Salty Popcorn Chips ($2) are made with chia and flax seeds, they don't taste too wholesome. They're like a cross between a mini rice cake and kettle corn.

No, Cheetos Sweetos ($4) don't involve a lick of cheese. Instead, the corn-based puffs taste like cinnamon toast cranked up to 11 and share the same addictive crunch as their neon-orange counterparts. Do note that these give off a strong fake butter scent, but that didn't stop us from scarfing a few handfuls.

If you don't like spicy things, steer clear of Trader Joe's Fireworks Chocolate Bar ($2), a dark chocolate bar that's doubly tingly from popping candy and capsaicin heat. Otherwise, you're pretty much guaranteed to love this unusual sweet.

Kettle Brand Pepperoncini ($3) are a great alternative for those who like tang but find salt and vinegar chips to be a bit too intense.

Meet dip's best partner: Tostitos Rolls ($3). The tube-like shape sucks up creamy dips (like Tostitos Queso Blanco Dip) and provides just the right amount of crunch. Do note that they're not an ideal shape for chunky salsa or guac (choose a different chip for that).

While not cheesy, Late July Jalapeño Lime ($4) reminds us of a more wholesome Doritos as it shares a similar can't-put-the-bag-down quality.