Califa Farms Unsweetened almond milk: This unsweetened almond milk from Califa Farms is better than most I’ve had because of its concentrated nutty flavor. The consistency is a bit thin but not surprisingly so for a non-dairy milk. Separately, I also tried the original (sweetened) flavor, which was overly sweet, so if you prefer lighter drinks like me, definitely go for the unsweetened. I used this almond milk to make chia seed puddings but also to drink on its own. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks califafarms unsweetened almond milk 3.5 berkeleybowl
Smash Strawberries & cream marshmallow treats: I founded out all the Smash marshmallow flavors with their Strawberries & Cream flavored marshmallow treats. The square bars are coated with sugar crystals and bits of freeze dried strawberries. It tastes like Berry Kix cereal, a flavor I haven’t had in over a decade yet was instantly recognizable. I would not recommend this snack - too sweet and artificial tasting. 2.5/5.0
Ricekrispie smash strawberries cream marshmallow treats 2.5
Better Made Special Barbecue flavored potato chips: This brand of chips was founded in Detroit, which is where I ate a bag during a conference snack break. The chips are thin and slightly crispy but mostly saturated with oil. Seasoned with a sweet tangy vinegar-based powder, it has all the classic flavorings of a bbq chip. It falls squarely in the middle - just so so. 3.0/5.0
potatochips junkfood bettermadespecial barbecue flavored potato chips 3.0
Pressed Juicery Apple lemon ginger cayenne pressed juice: Up to this time in my life, I have completely avoided the pressed juice craze, opting for fruit in the flesh. In fact, more generally, I haven’t bought a carton of juice from the grocery store in years. This particular bottle from Pressed Juicery was a freebie, given to patrons of the Nordstrom pop up on Melrose in LA. I was surprised by its potency, with an impressively spicy ginger and cayenne kick that will almost certainly catch most off-guard. The apple and lemon flavor was also clean t... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks fruit spicy pressedjuicery apple lemon ginger cayenne pressed juice 3.5
Detroit Water Ice Mango and watermelon ice: Seeking a local treat, I found myself at Detroit Water Ice, a store specializing in flavored ice that falls somewhere between Italian ice and Icee. After sampling their intensely and unappetizingly sweet cinnamon horchata, I inquired about their least sweet options. With a Kiddie combo of watermelon and mango in hand, I left with a not-so-kid-sized cup of generally smooth shaved ice - soft but not watery, and fully saturated with fruit concentrate. Reminded me of otter pops in flavor, rather... (read more) 3.0/5.0
frozen sweet dessert detroitwaterice mango watermelon ice 3.0
La Croix Passionfruit seltzer: As someone who hates beer, I’m so glad that La Croix has enough social currency to pop up as a non-alcoholic beverage option at social events. I think at every get together I’ve gone to over the past few months, I’ve grabbed a can of La Croix in place of a can of soda. This passionfruit La Croix is one of the better ones, with a concentrated tropical fruit flavor that doesn’t leave a bitter or overly sweet aftertaste. And as always, the level of carbonation is good - not overly sharp and fiz... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks lacroix passionfruit seltzer 3.5