Taste Testers Pick Best New Grocery Foods and Snacks
Tasting panels at two consumer publications have been busy noshing on foods available at grocery stores around the United States and now, the verdicts are in. People Magazine has released its 2023 Food Awards highlighting the 66 best supermarket products of the year, while Good Housekeeping announced the winners of its Best Snack Awards for the year.
[Read more: “Do You Have the Best New Product of 2023?’]
People enlisted more than 150 testers from 32 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico to try and rate more than 1,300 supermarket products. Good Housekeeping’s entries were judged by the group’s team of registered dietitians, along with outside culinary professionals and thousands of home testers.
A cursory look at the findings shows that innovative takes on familiar favorites are a hit. Among other winners, People’s panelists chose products such as Frosted Banana Bread Pop-Tarts, Lucky Charms S'mores, Hidden Valley Pickle-Flavored Ranch and Heinz Chipotle Spicy Ketchup, to name a few. Good Housekeeping’s tasters called out new flavor varieties of popular items, like SkinnyPop Sea Salt & Pepper Popcorn and Grillo's Pickle De Gallo.
Plant-based products available in grocery stores got some love this year, too. Beyond Meat Steak was named best plant-based beef on People’s list, which also honored Impossible Spicy Chicken Nuggets and Philadelphia Plant-Based Cream Cheese. Good Housekeeping gave nods to the Hippeas brand for its Sour Cream & Onion Veggie Straws, along with Tia Lupita Cactus Grain Free Tortilla Chips. Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas in Korean BBQ flavor and Wholly Veggie! Frozen Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, among other items.
Innovative desserts and sweets with a mash-up flair nabbed some spots on both lists. According to People’s experts, the best brownie mix went to Betty Crocker Reese’s Peanut Butter Premium Brownie Mix and the best candy was M&M’s Caramel Cold Brew pack. Good Housekeeping gave accolades to Chocolove XO No Sugar Added Elderberries & Blueberries Dark Chocolate bar and Yasso Vanilla Bean Poppables made with Greek yogurt.
Products that represented some kind of format innovation scored well, too. Examples include People’s recognition of Outshine Go-Getter Smoothie Cubes and Superpretzel Soft Pretzel French Onion Filled Knots and Good Housekeeping’s selection of Nonni's Bakery THINaddictives Berry Blend almond cookies.
The complete list of People's 2023 Food Awards is available on its website. Likewise, Good Housekeeping’s top 100 snacks are profiled online.
