We Tried Hundreds of Snacks This Year — Here Are the 6 You Need to Know About

At The Kitchn, we take snack time seriously. We spend a lot of our days eating, writing about food, and thinking about what to eat next. That often means trying hundreds of snacks throughout the year — whether they’re brand-new or just new to us. 

With so many options on shelves, it’s hard to know what’s worth our money. So we gathered together and spent the past few months discussing the ones we reach for every week. After a lot of tasting (and a little debating), we assembled a list of the 40 must-have snacks to eat right now.

To curate this list, we focused on three key factors: affordability, availability, and flavor. We narrowed down hundreds of contenders into six snack-worthy categories: Maximal Crunch, Dips & Spreads, Newcomers, Travel-Ready, Pure Nostalgia, and Sweet Spot. And while we love every snack on this list, here are the six you need to know about right now.

Made with just dehydrated apples, strawberries, bananas, and a bit of agave fiber, these fruit straws are sweet — but not too sweet — and have the most satisfying crunch. These are the next generation of fruit snacks that are making the crunchy, fruity category so exciting. 

This pickle dip brings briny, creamy flavor in every single bite — without a drop of dairy. We love this dip for its tangy taste that’s loaded with actual diced dill pickles. Scoop it up with some chips or vegetables, or spoon it over a salad. It’s always delicious. 

Out of the dozens of new snack releases this year, one of our favorites is the chamoy flavor of Kettle Brand Potato Chips. We’re already huge fans of Kettle Brand chips for its extra-crispy chips (chefs also swear by them). These are next-level, though, thanks to a generous layer of chamoy — a popular Mexican condiment made from a mix of dried fruits, chilies, lime juice, and salt — seasoning. They’re a limited release through the summer. So run, don’t walk, to your closest grocery store.

Okay, yes, these might be for kids, but even adults can’t get enough of these pocket-sized granola bars. Packed with organic oats and chocolate chips, they taste like a soft-baked cookie (if you close your eyes). Ali, our associate groceries editor, always keeps one in her bag for snack emergencies. 

Although Pocky has been around since the 1960s, the chocolate-covered biscuit straws have withstood the snacking test of time. Kristina Razon, our deputy food editor, has loved them since childhood. “The crisp biscuit and thin chocolate coating make it the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.” We absolutely agree. It’s crunchy, chocolaty, and totally nostalgic. 

Few candies have garnered as much fanfare as Nerds Gummy Clusters. The infamous snack was dubbed the “Movie Night Must-Have” in last year’s Kitchn Grocery Essentials Awards and continues to steal the hearts of our editors. Rachel, our culinary producer, gushes that its “chewy center holds all the tangy crunchy Nerds together, doing the impossible” — making something that’s better than the original.

Buy: Nerds Gummy Clusters Candy, $3.79 (on sale!) for 8 ounces at Amazon 

What’s your favorite snack? Tell us about it in the comments below.