Biena Rockin' Ranch Chickpea Snacks: An unlikely combination of fried chickpeas and ranch that works remarkably well, though I'm convinced that almost anything could be made tasty with the tangy and zesty ranch seasoning. The addictive coating is a cross between sour cream and onion and ranch dressing, making it bolder than your typical ranch snack. Adds great texture to salads but is also addictive straight out of the bag (though a bit messy to eat). 3.5/5.0
recommended berkeleybowl vegetables biena rockin' ranch chickpea 3.5
Bitsy's Brainfood Zucchini Gingerbread Carrot Smart Cookies: This brand of snacks was started by two moms looking for healthier options for their growing kids. I purchased the bag from Berkeley Bowl not knowing what to expect – I really like gingerbread, but I absolutely hate zucchini. Luckily, the crunchy alphabet-shaped cookies ended up being delicious and taste much more like baked goods like carrot cake or zucchini bread than they do of any pure vegetable. Sweetness from the carrots is definitely distinguishable from the molasses, cinnamon, and ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
organic berkeleybowl 4.0 gingerbread recommended bitsysbrainfood zucchini carrot smart cookies
Bitsy's Brainfood Sweet potato oatmeal raisin cookies: I was a fan of the zucchini gingerbread carrot cookies I previously purchased from this brand, so I decided to try another flavor from their line. The alphabet-shaped cookies are crunchy and dense and have a pleasantly spiced, lightly sweetened flavor, with just a hint of vegetable at the end. No whole raisins to be found - the ingredients appear to be ground into the same mix. Suspiciously, these cookies were a very similar shade of brown as the zucchini gingerbread carrot ones and also had... (read more) 3.0/5.0
vegetables bitsysbrainfood sweet potato oatmeal raisin cookies 3.0 berkeleybowl
Bob's Red Mill Fruit & Seed Muesli: I am a recent museli convert, enjoying their versatility to be transformed into a warm bowl of cereal or chilled overnight oats. This particular "European Style" flavor has dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries), sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds, and coconut flakes, along with several types of grains and oats. A single bag has two weeks worth of servings. A healthy and tasty breakfast option. 3.5/5.0
recommended berkeleybowl bobsredmill fruit seed muesli 3.5
Burma Superstar Lotus Root Chips: I ate at Burma Superstar in Richmond 6 years ago, so I instantly recognized their branding when I saw this bag of lotus chips on the shelves at Berkeley Bowl. Thinly sliced lotus root is deep fried and lightly tossed with nori, cayenne, and sesame. Oil saturates the rings, leaving your fingers coated in a thin layer of grease and speckles of seaweed. No serving size indicated on the packaging, but they lasted two days at work. 3.5/5.0
berkeleybowl veggie recommended burmasuperstar lotus root chips 3.5
Calbee Hot Garlic Shrimp Crackers: Another unexpected take on this classic Chinese shrimp cracker, this time "hot garlic." Ridged crisps are tossed in a tangy seasoned coating that is unmistakably garlic but not particularly spicy. Somewhat reminiscent of a sweet paprika flavor mixed with MSG. Same delicious savory shrimp flavor. I don't know if I like it more than the original, but I don't regret trying it either. 3.0/5.0
berkeleybowl seafood chinese calbee hot garlic shrimp crackers 3.0