The 7 Best Grocery Products of the Year, According to Eat This, Not That!
Finally, we no longer have to sacrifice taste for health benefits! Packaged groceries have come a long way in recent years, but the healthiest and tastiest options deserve some special recognition. That's why, in its fifth year, the Eat This, Not That! Food Awards are spotlighting the best new healthy foods to hit grocery store shelves across America.
The lineup includes 7 grocery categories that highlight some of the most popular food trends in 2022—from plant-based options to meal-prep helpers, dessert, beverages, and more. Hundreds of products that launched nationwide between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 were considered.
To judge each category, Eat This, Not That! editors worked with nine registered dietitians on our Medical Expert Board to develop a strict set of nutritional and ingredient guidelines by which to examine each product on its overall healthfulness. Editors then ranked the healthiest products in terms of taste and value.
In total, 79 outstanding products have been crowned the 2022 winners thanks to their nutrition, taste, and healthy ingredients. Below is a list of our editors' favorite products in each category based on taste.
The Best Grocery Products in 2022:
- Best Breakfast: Three Wishes Cereal, Frosted
- Best Snack: Toodaloo Adaptogenic Trail Mix, BBQ
- Best Beverage: REBBL Immunity Line, Vanilla Plant Protein, Immunity Elixir
- Best Meal-Prep Food: Momofuku Seasoned Salts
- Best Plant-Based Food: Very Good Butchers Very Good Dog
- Best Frozen Food: Evergreen Frozen Waffles, Mixed Berry & Almond
- Best Dessert: Yasso Poppables, Vanilla Bean
Best Breakfast: Three Wishes Frosted Cereal
You shouldn't have to sacrifice the delicious nostalgia of your favorite cereal in order to meet your health goals. Thankfully, you don't have to with Three Wishes! Compared to other cereals you can buy on grocery store shelves, its products are high in protein and fiber and extremely low in added sugar.
The expert's take: "Finding a healthy cereal can be difficult. In general, I like to recommend cereal as a topper for yogurt or smoothies instead of the main meal. Three Wishes keeps ingredients simple, and I love that sugar is the fourth ingredient. (Try to look for products that do not have sugar within the first three ingredients.) Though this cereal is higher in protein than others, it should be paired with protein powder, dairy milk, or yogurt to boost the protein and keep you full," says registered dietitian Sydney Greene, MS, RD.
Our tasting notes: "This cereal is one of the more filling cereals I've ever had, and it reminded me of the Cheerios I used to love eating as a kid. I thought they were delicious with some oat milk, but I'm sure they would go well with any type of your favorite milk," says Staff Writer Samantha Boesch.
See more of our breakfast picks here!
Best Snack: Toodaloo Adaptogenic Trail Mix, BBQ
Toodaloo brought trail mix into the 21st century. This nut and seed blend is made with healing, adaptogenic herbs and real superfoods like roasted chickpeas, nuts, and seeds.
The expert's take: "Some nut mixes can be packed with ingredients like sugar and unhealthy oils, but this mix contains no added sugars and is loaded with natural flavors like lemon peel and chiles. Plus, the adaptogenic ingredients are an added bonus to help people keep their 'chill'—and who doesn't need that these days?" says registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RD, CDN.
Our tasting notes: "Goodbye my sweet, sweet BBQ potato chips! This trail mix boasts the same addictive flavors of my favorite bag of chips but with an incredible textural complexity thanks to a blend of five different nuts, seeds, and legumes. I literally eat these by the handful," says Senior Editor Olivia Tarantino.
See more of our snack picks here!
Best Beverage: REBBL Immunity Line, Vanilla Plant Protein Immunity Elixir
We're big fans of smoothies for plenty of reasons: They're a great way to get your daily dose of fruits, vegetables, protein, healthy fats, and fiber if you choose the right portions of whole-food ingredients. In other words, it's easy to have a smoothie recipe backfire into an unsuspecting calorie bomb, but this new bottled offering takes all the guesswork out for you. REBBL's plant-forward recipe features organic coconut milk, organic alkalized cocoa powder, organic pea protein, prebiotic fiber, and a blend of Ashwagandha (so hot right now!), Maca, and Reishi.
What the experts have to say: "This drink wins for me because of the higher protein to sugar ratio and the addition of adaptogens," says Burak.
Our tasting notes: "I make my own protein smoothie every morning using a pea protein powder, half of a banana, almond milk, peanut butter, oats, and cinnamon, but popping this open and finding out that it tastes better and has other healthy ingredients I will never-ever have in my kitchen? Sold. High scores all around for the rich vanilla taste, texture, and filling effect," says Editor in Chief Faye Brennan.
See more of our beverage picks here!
Best Meal-Prep Food: Momofuku Seasoned Salts
Similar to the seasonings used in Momofuku restaurants across the country, these seasoned salts are packed with umami-rich ingredients tested in the Momofuku Culinary Lab. Each pack comes with three flavors: savory (good for roasted or grilled meats and veggies), spicy (good for shrimp, stewed meats, mango, and even a pinch on your pizza), and tingly (good for fish, popcorn, and roasted veggies).
The expert's take: "This umami seasoning can be used in place of regular salt. It is flavorful, has a distinct taste, and will add great zest to your favorite meals. Many foods including mushrooms are naturally rich in the amino acid glutamate imparting umami," says registered dietitian Lisa Young, PhD, RDN.
Our tasting notes: "These spices are out-of-this-world tasty. In particular, the Tingly Seasoned Salt makes for the perfect coating when you need something to dress a salmon fillet to bake for dinner. It's salty, it's savory, and basically everything you would want a seasoned salt to be—but better," says Senior Editor Kiersten Hickman.
See more of our meal-prep picks here!
Best Plant-Based Food: Very Good Butchers Very Good Dog
The Very Good Butchers have tons of alternative meat options. This new one is made with navy beans, onions, wheat, and spices. The company says it "delivers that summertime taste with none of the guilt."
The expert's take: "This is the best plant-based dog of the options here as it has less sodium than its competitors, and like its peers, it's low in saturated fat. Since it has navy beans, it also provides fiber," says registered dietitian, Julie Upton, MS, RD.
Our tasting notes: "When tasting all the winners in the plant-based categories, this one stood out the most. With and without ketchup, it tastes like a hot dog straight from the grill. I have eaten this product multiple times since with roasted vegetables, a salad, and on its own. The texture isn't 100% on the money, but as a vegetarian, I didn't mind that," says News Editor Amanda McDonald.
See more of our plant-based picks here!
Best Frozen Food: Evergreen Frozen Waffles, Mixed Berry & Almond
The founder, Emily Groden, is a former college athlete turned Harvard lawyer who wanted to create a better-for-you waffle to feed her daughter. Evergreen Waffles are made with 100% whole wheat and flavored only with real fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices–without refined sugar, dairy, or preservatives. Each Evergreen variety contains 12 ingredients or less. The only preservative Evergreen uses is the freezer.
The expert's take: "This pick is rich in plants and 'real' food—not just powders and colors. This waffle includes antioxidants, protein, fiber, and limited added sugar but from ingredients you can rely on. I also appreciate the use of avocado oil instead of canola oil. So much better for our bodies!" says registered dietitian, Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN.
Our tasting notes: "If there's a negative to these waffles, it's that they're small—probably because the owner of Evergreen originally made them with her daughter in mind. Bigger would be better because they're absolutely delicious. These adorable waffles are Belgian-style and thick and hearty with visible berries. They taste nutty and sweet, and they're amazing with a drizzle of syrup and some whipped cream. Ice cream wouldn't be a bad idea either, for a relatively healthy dessert," says Senior Editor Meaghan Cameron.
See more of our frozen food picks here!
Best Dessert: Yasso Poppables, Vanilla Bean
If you don't think Greek yogurt would work as a substitute for ice cream, think again! Yasso Poppables are individual Greek yogurt bites coated in dark chocolate and crunchy quinoa, and they're going to be your new favorite frozen dessert. And yes, you can see the flex of vanilla bean in the Greek yogurt that gives these bites a deep flavor that so many vanilla ice creams are missing. And 60 calories per Poppable? Nothing could be better than that.
The experts' take: "We love that this is a low calorie, low-fat way to satisfy a sweet craving. It may be hard to have just one, but try to keep the servings in check as the saturated fat really goes up as you have more," say registered dietitians, Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT, and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT, aka The Nutrition Twins.
Our tasting notes: "Yasso knew what they were doing with these Poppables. They reminded me of a gourmet version of the Dibs ice cream snacks from Nestlé—but better. The dark chocolate and quinoa crunch layer gives you the crunchiness you need to compliment the creamy Greek yogurt inside. I'll be eating these as my go-to frozen dessert from here on out," says Associate Editor Rachel Linder.
See more of our dessert picks here!
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