Calbee Umami Seaweed JagaRico: I used to buy the original JagaRico snack in Japan all the time – it has a solid French Fry flavor and snackable form factor that made it a dependable junk food to get from convenience stores. I hadn’t seen the umami seaweed flavor in Japan but came across it at a local Daiso. The already savory flavor of the potato sticks benefits from the flecks of seaweed and make me think that nori-dusted french fries would not be a bad idea. 3.5/5.0
recommended daiso japanese calbee umami seaweed jagarico 3.5
Trader Joe's Sparkling Coconut Water with Yuzu: A surprisingly good take on coconut water, this sweetened, carbonated beverage tastes mostly of coconut but does have a refreshing citrus aftertaste. I usually don't like flavored coconut water, but I found the creamy coconut + tangy yuzu to be well balanced and easy to pair with any other snack. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks traderjoes coconut water yuzu 3.5 sparkling
Trader Joe's Lemon Baton Wafer Cookies: One of the better cookie options from TJ's, these Pirouline-like wafers are thinner and crispier, with a pale crispy coating and sweet, slightly floral lemon filling. Would purchase again (something I'd only say for about ~25% of the snacks I've tried from TJs). 3.5/5.0
recommended traderjoes lemon baton wafer cookies 3.5
Sun Tropics Golden Curry Mochi Snack Bites: This is the second flavor I've had from Sun Tropic's Mochi Snack Bites line, purchased at Ballard Market. The Golden Curry flavor has a warming spiced flavor that I haven't seen in many western grocery stores, and it has an unexpectedly sweet aftertaste. The bites are crunchy and dense but in a filling, substantial way. Would definitely purchase again. 3.5/5.0
ballardmarket recommended suntropics golden curry mochi snack bites 3.5
Trader Joe's Spicy Porkless Plant-Based Snack Rinds: I haven't had many versions of vegetarian "rinds," but Trader Joe's uses a base of rice and peas while still capturing the wrinkled, puffed texture of pork scratchings (though they lack the oily texture you typically get from meat-based snacks). They're flavored like a sweet barbecue with a kick just spicy enough to make the "spicy" labelling accurate. A good alternative to those who like scratchings but can't eat meat (or choose not to). 3.5/5.0
recommended traderjoes spicy porkless snack rinds 3.5 plant-based
Legally Addictive Surprise Party Cookies: Another item from my snack box was a set of "cookies made from crackers," which were biscuit-based crackers loaded with a kitchen sink of ingredients some may crave (half dipped in chocolate and covered in sprinkles, toffee coated on the other side). As someone who has always felt sprinkles are both frivolous and awful tasting, these sprinkles were fairly neutral – at the very least a largely tasteless (flavor-wise) version of a tasteless (aesthetically) decoration. The best part was the t... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended legallyaddictive surprise party cookies 3.5