2016 12 07 18.27.46

i-Tea Avocado slush with grass jelly: If you follow Tasty Snacking, you will have gathered that I am in love with this Bay Area bubble tea chain. I've had a lot of bubble tea in my life (an embarrassing amount, in fact), both in Asia and in the US, and i-Tea is as good as it gets. On my last visit, I ordered an insanely good avocado slush with a generous helping of grass jelly. Very fresh and creamy, and pleasantly sweet at 30%. The grass jelly had a delicious herbal flavor that complemented the creamy avocado well. Their j... (read more) 5.0/5.0

exceptional taiwanese drinks itea avocado slush grass jelly 5.0
2016 12 03 16.20.24

Berkeley Bowl Organic Gravenstein Apple Sauce: During the weeks leading up to thanksgiving, these jars of apple sauce were prominently displayed at the entrance of Berkeley Bowl. The apple sauce is sweet and textured with a nice amount of autumn spices. My one of the best apple sauces I've had, but a good value. 3.0/5.0

berkeleybowl fruit organic gravenstein apple sauce 3.0
2016 12 05 21.48.04

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
2016 12 03 14.36.46

Berkeley Bowl Southwest Snack Mix: I've gotten into the bad habit of going to Berkeley Bowl when I'm hungry, which means I'll usually stop by the bulk aisles and find something to munch on while I shop. The last time this happened, I picked up their Southwest Snack mix, which contains snacks I would never purchase on their own like corn nuts, multigrain tortilla chips, and seasoned cashews. The fully flavored snack is generously spiced, with a decent amount of heat and a little bit of smokiness. The best parts are the corn... (read more) 3.5/5.0

recommended berkeleybowl cornnuts nuts peanuts cashews tortillachips crackers cheddar southwest snack mix 3.5
2016 11 30 17.01.27

Jarlsberg Garlic and Herb Cheese Crips: These unfortunate crisps contain only traces of cheese powder and mostly taste of dried thyme. Cannot see them pairing well with anything. 1.5/5.0

avoid berkeleybowl jarlsberg garlic herb cheese crips 1.5
2016 11 29 09.22.33

Berkeley Bowl Coconut Fig Organic Chunks of Energy: Purchased from the bulk section at Berkeley Bowl, the "organic chunks of energy" are dense cubes consisting of ground figs, oats, and nuts (almonds, I believe) with a strong coconut flavor. I brought them to work with me to see how effective they would be at helping me get through my post-lunch pre-dinner hunger pangs. I did notice that my stomach growled less and that I seemed to be able to focus better – and the box lasted me over a week, which I believe is enough time to work again any ... (read more) 3.5/5.0

recommended berkeleybowl coconut fig organic chunks of energy 3.5