PEOPLE Food Awards 2019: The Best Supermarket Products of the Year

PEOPLE editors ate, drank and cooked more than 1,200 different items to find the most delicious new grocery products.

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Introducing the PEOPLE Food Awards 2019!

ice cream
Levi Brown

Grocery shelves are packed with products promising great taste, easy preparation and healthy benefits—but do they really deliver? To find out, PEOPLE editors ate, drank and cooked more than 1,200 different items to find the most delicious new supermarket foods. Make room in your shopping cart this week because these winners—all featured in the July 15th issue of PEOPLE— are worth it.

02 of 55

WINNER: BEST PASTA

raos linguine
Brian Henn

Rao's Homemade Linguine

Slow-dried with a subtly bumpy texture, the noodles cook up perfectly al dente—firm, chewy, delicious—and absorb the ideal amount of sauce. "I added 20 bags to my wedding registry," raved one tester.

Buy It! $3; raos.com

03 of 55

WINNER: BEST SOUP

poblano soup

Campbell's Well Yes! Sweet Corn & Roasted Poblano

Slightly sweet and smoky, it heats up in 2 minutes in the microwave and has a sippable spout. "Stash it in your desk—it's the best work lunch," said a tester.

Buy It! $2 each; amazon.com

04 of 55

WINNER: BEST MEAL KIT

korean barbeque

Food Network Kitchen Inspirations Korean-Style BBQ Kit

Just add steak (or chicken or tofu)—the flavorful rice, kimchi and sauce are included. "You can't mess this up," promised a tester.

Buy It! $4; foodnetworkkitcheninspirations.com

05 of 55

WINNER: BEST PASTA SAUCE

marinara sauce
BRIAN HENN

Barilla Vero Gusto Calabrian Marinara

The Italian peppers add a natural sweetness—not the sugary kind you find in some other jarred sauces—and a hint of heat.

Buy It! $6 for 20 oz.; publix.com

06 of 55

WINNER: BEST PLANT-BASED

right rice

RightRice Garlic Herb

The fast-cooking kernels—made with lentils, chickpeas and green peas—won't turn mushy when cooked or reheated the next day. Plus each serving has 10g of protein.

Buy It! $4 for 7 oz.; amazon.com

07 of 55

WINNER: BEST CANNED BEANS

beans

S&W Indian Style Savory Sides

"I could've eaten this out of the can by itself!" a staffer gushed about these flavorful garbanzo beans stewed with peppers, onions and curry.

Buy It! $1.59; fredmeyer.com

08 of 55

WINNER: BEST WRAP

garden wraps

Angelic Bakehouse Garden Wraps: Turmeric Sweet Potato

Made with sprouted whole grains and packed with protein and fiber, they'll add great flavor to lunch or weeknight enchiladas.

Buy It! $4.49 for 6; angelicbakehouse.com

09 of 55

WINNER: BEST RICE KIT

Goya
Brian Henn

Goya Paella

Rice, seasoning and seafood—it's all in the box! Testers raved about the easy-to-follow directions (it's ready in three steps!) and flavorful results. "It brought me back to my days in Barcelona," said one staffer.

Buy It! $7; walmart.com

10 of 55

WINNER: BEST COOKIES

oreos
Brian Henn

Fudge Covered Oreo

Cloaked in a layer of chocolate, the sandwich cookies are "sweet but not too sweet," said a staffer. "The fudge shell also helps keep the wafers crispy when you dunk them in milk."

Buy It! $3.29 for 12; target.com

11 of 55

WINNER: BEST CANDY BAR

mandms
Brian Henn

M&M's Crispy Milk Chocolate Bar

It's like two treats in one: Each chunky square of this bar is generously studded with colorful, crispy candies.

Buy It! $1.68; walmart.com

12 of 55

WINNER: BEST CAKE MIX

mochi
Brian Henn

Trader Joe's Mochi Cake Mix

A cross between traditional cake and Japanese mochi (a sweet, rice-based dough), the results are delightfully custardy and bouncy with chewy, browned edges.

Buy It! $4; traderjoes.com

13 of 55

WINNER: BEST GUMMY CANDY

gummy bears
Levi Brown

Black Forest Gummy Bears

"I didn't know gummy bears could taste so good!" a tester said of these soft, chewy candies made with real fruit juice and plant-based colors.

Buy It! $3.49 for 8 oz.; walmart.com

14 of 55

WINNER: BEST POTATO CHIPS

chips
Levi Brown

Cape Cod Waves Sea Salt

Salty, crunchy and sturdy enough for dipping, this is the classic chip at its best. "I could polish off a bag in one sitting," said one staffer.

Buy It! $3.79 for 7.5 oz.; target.com

15 of 55

WINNER: BEST POPCORN

skinny pop
Brian Henn

SkinnyPop Sweet & Salty Kettle Popcorn

Every fluffy kernel is lightly sweet, slightly salty and super-crunchy. Gobble them up by the handful—it clocks in at only 140 calories for a 2½ cup serving.

Buy It! $4.29 for 5.3 oz.; shop.skinnypop.com

16 of 55

WINNER: BEST TORTILLA CHIPS

Doritos
Brian Henn

Doritos Flamin' Hot Nacho

They start with a subtle nacho flavor but follow with a heat that continues to build. They had testers reaching for water and coming back to crunch some more.

Buy It! $4.29 for 9.75 oz.; walmart.com

17 of 55

WINNER: BEST CRACKERS

stacys cheese petites
Brian Henn

Stacy's Cheese Petites: Romano with Garlic & Pepper

Baked with real cheese, these bite-size crackers are perfectly salty, crispy and poppable.

Buy It! $5 for 4 oz.; walmart.com

18 of 55

WINNER: BEST SNACK BAR

kind bar
Brian Henn

KIND Dark Chocolate Almond & Coconut

Both crunchy and chewy, each bar is full of roasted almonds and chunky coconut chips and drizzled with dark chocolate.

Buy It! $15 for 12 bars; kindsnacks.com

19 of 55

WINNER: BEST NUTS

cashews
BRIAN HENN

Whole Foods Market Kettle-Cooked Cacao Nib Cashews

"They taste like candy!" a tester raved about these plump, candied nuts studded with bitter, chocolatey nibs.

Buy It! $6 for 8 oz.; wholefoodsmarket.com

20 of 55

WINNER: BEST HOT DOG

Nathan's hot dogs

Nathan's Famous Jalapeño & Cheddar Beef Franks

Stuffed with cheese and chiles, the sausages impressed staffers who liked the "meaty flavor that wasn't too salty or spicy."

Buy It! $5 for 5; heb.com

21 of 55

WINNER: BEST BACON

bacon
Levi Brown

Pure Farmland Applewood Smoked Bacon

Thick and marbled, the strips crisped up perfectly in the pan: "I see a lot of BLTs in my future," said a taster.

Buy It! $5 for 10 oz.; target.com, Walmart stores

22 of 55

WINNER: BEST TURKEY BURGER

turkey burger

Applegate Organics "The Great Organic Blend Burger": Turkey

No dry burgers here! Organic mushrooms are mixed into the patties, helping the turkey meat stay juicy and flavorful.

Buy It! $10 for 4; applegate.com

23 of 55

WINNER: BEST FROZEN CHICKEN

chicken strips

Perdue SimplySmart Organics: Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Strips

Fully cooked and frozen, the lightly breaded strips take minutes to heat up—and come out plump, crispy and juicy.

Buy It! $10 for 24 oz.; target.com

24 of 55

WINNER: BEST TUNA

chicken of the sea

Chicken of the Sea Infusions: Basil

Whether served over salad or eaten on its own (there's a fork in the lid!), this wild-caught tuna with olive oil and sweet basil was a lunchtime favorite.

Buy It! $2.29 for 2.8 oz; amazon.com

25 of 55

WINNER: BEST JERKY

jerky
Brian Henn

Krave Cracked Peppercorn Gourmet Beef Cuts

Tasters gave high marks for "the perfect jerky texture" (not stringy or chewy like others we tried) and bold pepper flavor.

Buy It! $6 for 2.7 oz.; cvs.com

26 of 55

WINNER: BEST FROZEN MEAL

Mac and cheese
Levi Brown

Amy's Mac & Cheese Meatless Pepperoni Bowl

The creamy, cheddar-smothered pasta cooks up remarkably firm and chewy—even in the microwave.

Buy It! $4.49; target.com

27 of 55

WINNER: BEST PIZZA CRUST

cauliflower crust

Green Giant Cauliflower Pizza Crust: Tuscan

While other veggie crusts got soggy and fell apart, the "wheaty" texture (it's packed with 80 percent cauliflower), Italian spices and cornmeal-crusted base had tasters raving.

Buy It! $5; walmart.com

28 of 55

WINNER: BEST BISCUIT

biscuits

Pillsbury Grands! Sweet Hawaiian Biscuits

They bake up fluffy, flaky and buttery with just the right amount of pineapple sweetness. "Hello, biscuit of my dreams!" said a tester.

Buy It! $2; walmart.com

29 of 55

WINNER: BEST SALAD DRESSING

newmans

Newman's Own White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Staffers raved about its versatility—as a dressing and a marinade—and light, sweet-sour flavor. "It tastes homemade," one said. Bonus: All of the profits from its sale go to charity.

Buy It! $4 for 16 oz.; newmansown.com

30 of 55

WINNER: BEST SANDWICH SPREAD

burgersauce
Levi Brown

Hellmann's Classic Burger Sauce

It's a condiment supergroup: Imagine the best of ketchup, mayo, mustard and relish coming together in one special sauce.

Buy It! $3.49 for 11 oz.; hellmanns.com

31 of 55

WINNER: BEST RANCH

twisted ranch

Twisted Ranch Black Peppered Parmesan

Get all the satisfaction of tangy ranch dressing with a cheesy, spicy kick. "Eat it with pizza—trust me on this," urged a taster.

Buy It! $3.29 for 13 oz.; walmart.com

32 of 55

WINNER: BEST SALSA

salsa
Brian Henn

Pace Pineapple Serrano Chunky Texas Salsa

The hearty tomato salsa starts out sweet (that's the pineapple) and builds to a medium-level heat (that's the serrano chile).

Buy It! $2.47 for 15 oz.; heb.com

33 of 55

WINNER: BEST NUT BUTTER

Justin's

Justin's Maple Cashew Butter

Salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy . . . check, check, check and check! This maple sugar-infused spread is the ultimate craving buster.

Buy It! $13 for 12 oz.; shop.justins.com

34 of 55

WINNER: BEST CEREAL

blueberry cheerios
Brian Henn

Blueberry Cheerios

It's the classic Cheerios flavor but with a pop of sweet berries (the O's get that purple tint from a blueberry puree). "I now carry a bag of these in my purse—they're my favorite on-the-go snack," said a staffer.

Buy It! $4.79 for 19.5 oz.; target.com

35 of 55

WINNER: BEST BREAD

pancake bread

Trader Joe's Pancake Bread

Designed to taste like a stack of buttermilk pancakes, the maple-syrup-infused loaf is so buttery and tender it melts in the mouth. "I had to hide it in the garage because my husband and I couldn't stop eating it!" said one tester.

Buy It! $4; traderjoes.com

36 of 55

WINNER: BEST BAGEL

Bagels
Levi Brown

Silver Hills Bakery Organic Sprouted Power Bagels: Cinnamon Raisin

Chewy yet tender with a sweet, slightly malty flavor, they led one tester to declare these "the best grocery-store bagels I've ever had."

Buy It! $6 for 5; silverhillsbakery.ca

37 of 55

WINNER: BEST FROZEN WAFFLES

waffles

Eggo Thick & Fluffy Belgian Style Waffles: Double Chocolatey

They're the ultimate morning treat: Our testers said these chocolate-chip-stuffed waffles were "perfectly moist and fluffy" right out of the toaster.

Buy It! $3 for 6; walmart.com

38 of 55

WINNER: BEST OATMEAL

thinkthin

ThinkThin Protein & Probiotics Hot Oatmeal: Cinnamon Almond

Described as "yummy, healthy and convenient," by one tester, the single-serve, protein-packed cups cook up thick and quick in the microwave.

Buy It! $2.29 each; amazon.com

39 of 55

WINNER: BEST GREEK YOGURT

chobani squeeze yogurt

Chobani Savor Greek Yogurt: Whole Milk Plain

"Why didn't someone think of this before?!" asked a staffer, who loved the squeezable, resealable package and tangy-tart flavor.

Buy It! $3 for 14 oz.; chobani.com

40 of 55

WINNER: BEST SLICED CHEESE

cheddar slices

Kerrygold Savory Cheddar Slices

A tasty middle ground between sharp and mild cheddar, the buttery, easy-melting cheese is "just begging to be slapped on a grilled cheese."

Buy It! $3.89 for 12 slices; kerrygoldusa.com

41 of 55

WINNER: BEST SHREDDED CHEESE

Sargento cheese shreds

Sargento Reserve Series: Aged Gouda

Whether served on salad, in tacos or on their own, these buttery shreds got high marks for taste and "easy gooey melting."

Buy It! $3 for 6 oz.; sargento.com

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WINNER: BEST FLAVORED YOGURT

yogurt
Levi Brown

Noosa Mates Lemon Tart

Lusciously tart and topped with shortbread crumbles and toasted almonds, the combo was dubbed "better than pie"—and many came back for seconds.

Buy It! $2.49 each; meijer.com

43 of 55

WINNER: BEST CREAMER

creamer

Coffee Mate Natural Bliss Toasted Coconut Creamer

Rich and thick with a sweet coconut aroma, it had a staffer describing it best: "You can transform a crappy cup of coffee with one pour."

Buy It! $2.79 for 16 oz.; target.com

44 of 55

WINNER: BEST GHEE

ghee
Brian Henn

4th & Heart Turmeric Ghee

Testers praised the clarified butter for its "crazy-good" turmeric flavor, high smoke point and lactose-free properties. Said one: "I can imagine using it in so many different dishes."

Buy It! $12.49 for 9 oz.; amazon.com

45 of 55

WINNER: BEST COFFEE

panera bread coffee

Panera at Home Light Roast Ground Coffee

It hit the sweet spot: smooth and creamy with faint hints of chocolate. And it doesn't have a bitter aftertaste.

Buy It! $9 for 12 oz.; paneraathome.com

46 of 55

WINNER: BEST CANNED COFFEE

rise cold brew

RISE Brewing Co. Oat Milk Latte

Staffers were surprised by the creaminess of this nondairy drink "with the right kick of caffeine." One taster declared: "I'm obsessed with it!"

Buy It! $14 for 4-pack; amazon.com

47 of 55

WINNER: BEST TEA

teavana
Levi Brown

Teavana Hot Tea Sachets: Earl Grey Creme

The black-tea blend is bold, but it goes down smooth and mellow thanks to notes of sweet, creamy vanilla and a hint of lavender.

Buy It! $6 for 15 bags; target.com

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WINNER: BEST FLAVORED SPARKLING WATER

pellegrino
Brian Henn

S.Pellegrino Essenza: Tangerine & Wild Strawberry

Staffers gave high marks for the "pleasantly delicate bubbles" and delicious berry and citrus flavor. "And the cans are simply gorgeous!"

Buy It! $7 for 8-pack; amazon.com

49 of 55

WINNER: BEST SPARKLING JUICE

welchs
Brian Henn

Welch's Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé

Made with green Niagara and purple Concord grapes to create a soft blush color, it's a refreshing blend of fizzy and fruity. "I would serve this at a party or barbecue—instead of just serving soda, it's a fun alternative to champagne or other boozy bubbles," said a tester.

Buy It! $3 for 25.4 fl oz.; target.com

50 of 55

WINNER: BEST LEMONADE

minut emaid
Brian Henn

Minute Maid PLUS+ Antioxidants Tropical Lemonade

The combination of tart lemon and apple with sweet mango, orange and pineapple made this blend

a favorite with our adult and kid tasters.

Buy It! $4 for 6-pack; cvs.com

51 of 55

WINNER: BEST NON-DAIRY ICE CREAM

sorbet
Levi Brown

Jeni's Frosé Sorbet

Made for summer days, this frozen rosé is delicately fruity and sweet, with just the right blend of fresh pear, strawberry, watermelon and tart lemon.

Buy It! $12 a pint; shop.jenis.com

52 of 55

WINNER: BEST ICE CREAM

talento

Talenti Gelato Layers: Salted Caramel Truffle

Go on, indulge! The pints are stacked with salted-caramel gelato, chocolate-cookie crumbles, dulce de leche caramel, sea-salt gelato and chocolate-caramel truffles.

Buy It! $6 a pint; target.com

53 of 55

WINNER: BEST ICE CREAM BAR

snickers
BRIAN HENN

Snickers Dark Ice Cream Bar

"My family ate them on movie night. We can't remember the movie, but we still talk about dessert," a tester said of this dark-chocolate bar filled with peanut butter-chocolate ice cream, peanuts and caramel.

Buy It! $4.19 for 6; walmart.com

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WINNER: BEST SINGLE-SERVE ICE CREAM

ice cream sundae
Brian Henn

Blue Bunny Load'd Sundaes: Cherry Cheesecake

Dessert for one! Get cheesecake ice cream, cherry sauce swirls, graham cracker pieces and cherry-coated candies in every spoonful.

Buy It! $3 for 8.5 oz.; bluebunny.com

55 of 55

WINNER: BEST NOVELTY

cookie dough
Brian Henn

Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Chunks

They're the same edible, frozen dough balls found in Ben & Jerry's popular ice creams but now available on their own in ready-to-snack bags.

Buy It! $7 for 8 oz.; benjerry.com

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