20 Food & Drink Discoveries For May 2021 & Well Beyond
With everything happening in the world, there is still a lot of uncertainty going around. But everyone needs to eat, and there is no shortage of exciting food and drink offerings to order online. If you are searching for new food discoveries, you have come to the right place as I have been monitoring the latest and greatest from online retailers. Here are 20 recommendations available for ordering today.
Headquartered in Mount Kisco, New York, Patch Organics aims to promote a healthier, more sustainable and accessible beverage for consumers. In turn, its organic pumpkin seed milk is available at specialty retailers and food service locations and online via both www.patchmilk.com and Amazon. Its first-to-market pumpkin seed-based alternative milk is originally-produced in small batch quantities, while also vegan, gluten-free, certified-organic, non-GMO, kosher and free of the top 8 allergens.
Pop Bitties are air-popped, better-for-you chips made from whole grains like sorghum, brown rice, quinoa and chia. Available in 4 different flavors — Pink Himalayan Salt, Vegan Sour Cream & Onion, Hickory Barbeque, and Maple & Sea Salt — each variety of Pop Bitties is delicious on its own, while also pairable with hummus, cheese or dips. On the health end, Pop Bitties contain no trans-fats or artificial ingredients and are non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan. Also free of major allergens, they are corn-free, tree-nut free, and peanut-free. Highly-recommended.
Earlier this month a partnership between Real Oyster Cult and Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky was announced. A match made on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, where the Talisker distillery sits on the rugged coast alongside an oyster farm, the nearby waters create the signature maritime and briny notes of Talisker. Thus you have an ideal Scotch to pair with oysters. As an homage to its deep-rooted love of bivalves, Talisker is bringing this signature pairing to people across the U.S. just in time for MDW through a limited-edition kit available for purchase via Real Oyster Cult.
Talisker and ROC are offering oyster and whisky fanatics alike the exclusive opportunity to enjoy bivalves on the half shell as they were meant to be slurped, alongside the Single Malt made by the sea. Each kit delivers a selection of farm-fresh, sustainable Atlantic Oysters carefully curated to complement the tasting notes of Talisker: the whisky’s iconic smokiness, pepper, and dried fruit flavors seduce the salt and sweet of the 3 bivalve varieties featured. The kits also contain all the accessories needed to shuck, slurp and sip through summer, including oysters (30 or 60), Talisker Shucking Gloves, 2 Whisky Droppers (for garnishing bivalves with a touch of Talisker) Oyster Pairings Guide, and a 10 percent off code to purchase any Talisker bottle on Reserve Bar.
Founder over 100 years ago in Nebraska, Omaha Steaks is a fine retailer of steaks, seafood and food-related gifts. Among those great food-related options are the brand’s Omaha Steaks Dry Rub. Its Private Reserve Rub is a mix of pepper and sea salt, as harmonized with unique notes of coriander, dill and caraway over a baseline of garlic, chili-pepper and onion, thus creating a unique blend. This one can be used for steaks, pork and poultry alike.
Intended to be sweet, delicious and healthy, these mini-muffin bites are both light are satisfying. Free from the top 8 common food allergens while big on flavor, Dotz Allergy-Friendly Baked Goods can serve as a quick snack at home or as an easy on-the-go snack. There are 4 delicious flavors to enjoy from Dotz: Very Berry, Triple Chocolate, Lemon Blueberry and Chocolate Chip. Admirably, all 4 of these flavors are dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free and nut-free.
Mary’s Gone Crackers is reportedly the largest organic and gluten free cracker company within the United States. The company bakes organic, gluten-free, Non-GMO crackers in its own dedicated organic and gluten-free bakery in Reno, Nevada. Since its inception, the company has grown at a rapid pace, expanding its offerings while staying true to its promise to use only whole, plant-based ingredients free from wheat, nuts, eggs, and dairy. Products are available nationally and across Canada at natural, specialty, mainstream grocery, and club stores. Mary’s Gone Crackers, in business since 2004, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kameda Seika, Japan’s largest manufacturer of rice crackers.
In conjunction with its much-anticipated Real Thin line extension launch, Mary’s Gone Crackers recently hosted its first virtual event showcasing the brand-new Olive Oil + Cracked Black Pepper, Chipotle, and Tomato + Basil Real Thin crackers for select media representatives. I had the pleasure of attending this event and also experiencing these excellent new Real Thin crackers. The Tomato + Basil Real Thin crackers are my personal favorite from the new line.
Califia Farms Mushroom Oat Barista Blend
Califia Farms recently announced the launch of 2 new plant-based beverages: Mushroom Oat Barista Blend and Hemp Barista Blend. Developed by professional baristas and available to use in your home kitchen, these plant milks steam, stretch and foam beautifully and make the barista experience delicious and easy. Reportedly the first and only ready-to-use oat milk blended with certified organic Cordyceps and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, the Mushroom Oat Barista Blend is shelf-stable, allergen-free and low in sugar. The Hemp Barista Blend is also allergen-free and shelf-stable, while an excellent source of calcium with plenty of omega-3 ALA fatty acids. Now available via plenty of national retailers, including Whole Foods and Amazon.
XOMA Operations Inc. is a subsidiary of NEXE Innovations Inc., and its Xoma Superfoods product line officially last last month. Its eCommerce store now offers 3 different 12-count coffee products with functional ingredients packaged in NEXE’s fully-compostable, plant-based capsules, as compatible with Keurig single-serve coffee brewing systems. The 3 products are XOMA Coffee Fortified with MCT, XOMA Mushroom Coffee and XOMA Keto Coffee. In the words of Anthony Rosenfeld, NEXE Advisor and former vice president of marketing for Vega: “Consumers had already begun making the shift to online shopping, and the COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed this trend. Consumers are also more aware than ever about the value of health- and environmentally-conscious products. Xoma sits at the intersection of these trends.”
Outstanding Foods’ PigOut Pigless Pork Rinds
Built on the burning desire to make plant-based foods “tasty as hell,” Outstanding Foods creates foods for everyone without sacrificing taste or texture. Beginning with wholesome 100 percent plant-based ingredients, packed with protein and other health benefits, each product is skillfully prepared for superb taste and superior texture, and is free from gluten, soy, GMOs, trans-fats and cholesterol. The brand also gives back, partnering with non-profits that help improve the well-being of farm animals, the environment, and the health of the communities it serves. The plant-based brand has Los Angeles Laker JaVale McGee among its impressive roster of celebrity investors. My favorite offering from Outstanding Foods’ is from its TakeOut label, its Pizza Partay offering, which ought to deliver 30 percent-plus of your daily nutrient values at only around 400 calories in total for a full big bag.
NadaMoo! is reportedly the original dairy-free, coconut milk ice cream rich in plant-based ingredients. Earlier this year the brand launched a classic S’mores flavor, as featuring a toasted marshmallow flavor and a smooth chocolate swirl. Like all other NadaMoo! flavors, the ingredients found within the S’mores ice cream is grown in pesticide and synthetic-free soil, processed without artificial preservatives, colors and flavors, and is certified non-GMO, gluten-free and B-Corp. Furthermore, NadaMoo! also remains committed to using low-impact, environmentally friendly farming practices and 100 percent sustainably-sourced sugarcane and paper-based packaging. I have thoroughly enjoyed every single flavor I have tried so far from NadaMoo!, quickly forgetting that this is dairy-free ice cream.
Catch Sitka Seafoods is an Alaska-based, family-owned seafood company providing Alaskan wild-caught seafood to customers across the country. Per its website, founders Issam and Mindy Samman “take pride in providing the world’s most incredible fish, all wild caught by the local Sitka community of fisher families.” Each fish from Catch Sitka Seafoods is said to be individually-caught, immediately-iced, expertly-portioned, packaged and blast-frozen, thus locking in flavor and nutrition all at once. In turn, seafood from Catch Sitka is quality-oriented and something people can feel good about buying.
If still seeking Father’s Day 2021 gift ideas, Catch Sitka Seafoods’ Subscription Box makes for an ideal gift for a seafood-loving father, delivering tasty and sustainably-sourced seafood right to his door each month. If a monthly subscription isn’t ideal for you, one-off gift boxes are available, and current box options include the 3-Lb. and 5-Lb. Wild Alaskan Salmon, Halibut & Smoked Fish Gift Boxes and The Mighty King 11-Lb. Gift Box. Thus, there is something for everyone who likes excellent seafood, thanks to Catch Sitka Seafoods.
Simply put, these are delicious, awesome snacks you crave, but free from the top 8 allergens. Developed by a mother whose children had severe food allergies, Without A Trace aims to offer a mouthwatering variety of plant-based, gluten-free Chewy Granola Bars, Power Bites and Cookies. Ideal for grab-and-go scenarios, Without A Trace ought to be suitable for snackers of all ages, nutritional needs and locational purposes. Its Rad Raspberry Power Bites and Strawberry Surprise Chewy Granola Bars are my favorites of what I have tried from Without A Trace Foods.
Folios Cheese Wraps are suitable for delicious, keto-approved recipes, removing one’s fear of eating too many macros. Available online and in stores across the U.S., they can be found in a 10-count pack at Costco for $8.99 and all other retailers nationwide in a 4-count pack with prices ranging from $4.99 to $5.99. Per Valerie Liu, Marketing Manager at parent company Norseland: “The first ever 100 percent cheese wrap, Folios Cheese Wraps, continues to be a huge hit with consumers looking for healthy wrap alternatives.” Traditional wraps aside, Folios Cheese Wraps can be used for pot stickers, crepes and keto sushi offerings alike.
Healthy ingredients in disguise, one can say. As developed by a mom whose 2 daughters had been diagnosed with celiac disease, all Undercover Snacks offerings are made with carefully sourced all-natural, gluten-free, non-GMO, simple ingredients and Rain Forest Alliance Certified-chocolate. Undercover Snacks are made with crispy quinoa, which is naturally gluten-free, packed with protein, fiber and nutrients, and has an incredible crunchy texture. Made in a dedicated facility that is free of the top 10 food allergens, Undercover Snacks products come in 8 decadent varieties, including Dark Chocolate + Peppermint, Dark Chocolate + Pomegranate, Dark Chocolate + Blueberries, Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt, and — my personal favorite — Milk Chocolate + Currants. Snacks you do not have to feel bad about heavily-indulging in.
All Clean Food produces a boxed pasta meal that is free from the top 14 allergens. Easy-to-make and done in 12 minutes, All Clean Food offers what appear to be the only organic and clean ingredient boxed pasta meals on the market. Free of preservatives and hidden ingredients, these meals are not only delicious but also vegan-friendly, plant-based, gluten-free and non-GMO. They are now available in 4 varieties: Taco Pasta, Creamy Garlic Pasta, Savory Italian Pasta, and Porcini Mushroom Pasta.
A fantastically-addictive snack from Southeast Asia, Ting’s jackfruit chips are vegan, plant-based, gluten-free and preservative-free. They contain no added sugars and reportedly have 70 percent less oil than regular chips. Crunchy, sweet and slightly-tangy, Ting’s Chips are made with jackfruit at peak ripeness. A good source of natural energy, jackfruit is known to be high in vitamins and potassium alike. Taste and product quality aside, Ting’s allocates 2 percent of its profit to support the lunches of students at Trakiat School, a K-8 located in Puok, a rural village outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Also known as “makhana,” Bohana — as founded in 2018 — makes popped water lily seeds, which have been consumed in India for thousands of years as an Ayurvedic “superfood.” Reinvented for a modern era to become a light and satisfying puffed snack, Bohana is a natural protein-packed, plant-based snack. Its latest non-GMO, gluten-free, low-calorie and kosher offerings are Zesty Ranch and Hickory BBQ, as launched earlier this month. Also excellent from the brand are its Wild White Cheddar, Pink Himalayan Salt and Soulful Spice flavors. As available via Bohanalife.com, Amazon and select retail partners, Bohana has become one of my favorite late-evening snacks, as something that I can eat a lot of without feeling any guilt about such.
Kubeba Life bars are top 8 allergy-free, while packed with 5 grams of fiber and 12-13 grams of plant-based protein apiece. Quality products aside, Kubeba has been featured by Forbes, The Beetand Nosh alike. Available in 3 savory and unique flavors, including Salted Fudge, Blueberry Ginger and — my favorite — Cinnamon Fig. Kubeba’s bars are gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO. You can order at wholesale prices directly through the Kubeba website.
Que Pasa Tortilla Chips use natural ingredients like whole grain organic white corn and yellow corn. Unlike typical corn tortilla chips that use processed corn flour, Que Pasa grounds whole corn kernels using volcanic stones, which is said to be the traditional way of making tortilla chips, as passed down through generations. In turn, these delicious, crunchy chips are GMO-free, nut-free, gluten-free, vegan and kosher. Que Pasa Foods itself is a family-owned organic tortilla chip company headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia. The brand joined Nature’s Path Foods, North America’s largest organic breakfast and snack food company, in 2012. In turn, the Que Pasa brand is not only socially-responsible and environmentally-sustainable, yet also available nationwide in the U.S. via Whole Foods and Sprouts Markets.
Eat G.A.N.G.S.T.E.R. Cookie & Cake Mixes
For those who are following an AIP diet, or those who want to eat wholesome, gut-friendly, delicious food, you do not “have” to tough it out — as an alternative, there is Eat G.A.N.G.S.T.E.R. Without grains, eggs, dairy or nuts, Eat G.A.N.G.S.T.E.R cookie and cake mixes ought to bring you joy while supporting you in your health journey. So what does G.A.N.G.S.T.E.R stand for, you ask? “Grain-free, Additive-free, Nightshade-free, Gluten-free, Soy & Legume-free, Tree-nut & Seed-free, Egg & Dairy-free, and Refined Sugar-free.” Its cake mix offerings include Choconot Fudge and Cinnawin Spice, and while its Cookie Mixes include Oatmeal Schmoatmeal, ‘Cut-Out’ Sugar Cookie and Caro’Bout Fudge Cookie. Something for everyone on the sweet (yet healthy) spectrum.
HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs
HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs is an organic, Non-GMO, gluten-free snack that also happens to be vegan and baked (not fried). HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs also have 4 grams of protein (plant power), 3 grams of fiber and only 130 calories per 1-ounce serving. The snacks come in delicious flavors such as Vegan White Cheddar, Nacho Vibes, Bohemian Barbecue and Sriracha Sunrise. The brand also released a range of Tortilla Chips last year, which are USDA-certified organic, gluten-free and vegan-friendly. HIPPEAS Tortilla Chips are now available in 3 far-out flavors: Straight Up Sea Salt, Rockin’ Ranch and — my favorite of the 3 — Jalapeno Vegan Cheddar. I am guilty of eating a full bag in 1 sitting on numerous occasions, although with no actual guilty felt.
Real Food From The Ground Up makes delicious, crave-worthy snacks with a plant-based twist. They recently launched a Cauliflower Snacking Cracker, which may be what your charcuterie board has been missing. These tasty crackers are available in Sea Salt and Everything flavors. They also just released a new vegetable base — Purple Carrot is the newest veggie to the Real Food From The Ground Up with the launch of Purple Carrot Crackers. Just as crunchy and tasty as the orange version, but made with real purple carrot, its #1 ingredient. They come in two delicious flavors: Sea Salt and Ranch and a serving size is 50 crackers. Both cracker varieties are Vegan, Non-GMO and Gluten Free Cartified.
The makers of “animal-free ice cream” — as praised by Time, Popular Science, Today, BuzzFeed and Well+Good alike — Brave Robot’s ice cream is lactose-free, antibiotic-free, hormone-free and vegan-friendly with no trans-fats. Reportedly on a mission to “create the world’s best tasting, most sustainable ice cream,” Brave Robot’s website currently has a “one free pint on us” promotion. If taking Brave Robot up on that offer, I would recommend trying out a pint of Blueberry Pie. You can expect vanilla alongside swirls of blueberry jam and graham cookie. I easily ate a whole pint in a sitting earlier this month.
AHA Sparkling Water is Coca-Cola’s first new brand in over a decade, and earlier this month AHA unveiled its “Can I Get An AHA?” campaign featuring comedians Lauren Lapkus and Colton Dunn. In its first year on the market, AHA Sparkling Water disrupted the sparkling water category with bold flavor combinations, enlivening sensory experiences, and first-to-market caffeinated options. In the words of Ulises Ramírez with The Coca-Cola Company: “As the sparkling water category continues to gain traction, we’re excited to unveil AHA’s first-ever comprehensive marketing campaign featuring a bold and unexpected duo reflective of our brand ethos. With a name that’s fun to say and a beverage that’s fun to drink, we’re leaning into humor with the goal of enlivening our fans’ everyday moments.”
Coca-Cola x National Drive-In Movie Day
60 percent of moviegoers say their movie viewing habits have changed due to COVID-19, with many people still rushing to drive-in theaters. Coca-Cola is jumping on that trend and, in celebration of National Drive-In Movie Day, the brand is showing up to the country’s oldest drive-in theater to provide the ultimate movie night experience on June 5 and 6, 2021 with films, free popcorn and loads of ice-cold 20 oz. Coca-Cola; those Cokes reportedly in new summer packaging. Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre in Orefield, Pennsylvania — as opened in 1933 — is an example of one of the drive-ins reinforcing that love of National Drive-In Movie Day alongside Coca-Cola. But if you are not traveling to a drive-in anytime soon and want some complimentary Coca-Cola, simply sign up at www.Coke.com/Summer to receive a freebie code via e-mail for some Coca-Cola to help unlock some summer feels.
Growing up, the 3 “Soom Sisters” — Shelby, Jackie and Amy — knew what tahini was from eating hummus and seeing the dusty old cans of it in the back of their kitchen pantry. The Soom brand started almost 10 years ago when Shelby was visiting Jackie and her husband in Israel. They stopped by Jackie’s in-law’s, nestled along the Mediterranean Sea. After an amazing meal, Jackie’s mother-in-law served an unforgettable carrot cake. It was so moist and flavorful that Shelby had to know the secret. It turns out, the carrot cake was made using tahini. Thus in 2013, Soom Foods, a certified women-owned company, was born. The company’s Pantry Sampler, priced at $26.99, is a recommended bundle offering easy access to all of Soom’s nutritious, delicious, and versatile products. Use them in dressings, marinades, sauces, dips, spreads, soups, smoothies, desserts and breakfast items alike.
Delectable, healthy seed crackers do exist, thanks to Orga Foods Super Crisps. With flavors like Garlic & Onion, Vegan Cheese, Cranberry, Spicy BBQ, Cacao & Coconut and Spirulina, Orga Foods’ crisps check the box for every type of flavor preference. They are light, crispy, vegan, keto and paleo-friendly, gluten free and non-GMO certified. And, of course, available via Amazon. The Vegan Cheese crisps are surprising my favorite of what I tried from Orga as it is the rare “fake cheese” product I thoroughly-enjoy.
Last but definitely not least… A major innovator in gluten-free snacks, Absolutely! Gluten Free is offering both new packaging and varieties in 2021. Absolutely! Gluten Free popular crackers and flatbreads are crisp, crunchy and delicious, with a wide range of flavors, including Original Variety, Toasted Onion, Everything, and Cracked Pepper. Multi-purpose by nature, these crackers and flatbreads are ideal for a cheese and charcuterie board, for dipping, topping, to accompany with soups or salads, or even just straight out of the box on their own. Meanwhile, Absolutely! Gluten Free’s new Coconut Chews re moist, soft “coconutty” sweets that now come in 2 new flavors: Key lime and Blueberry. Its Absolutely! Gluten Free Macaroons — which I recently had the opportunity of trying and loving — are available in Chocolate and Coconut.
In the words of Laura Morris, Associate Marketing Director for the brand: “Absolutely! Gluten-Free is the must-have product line not only for people who are seeking to eliminate gluten from their diets, but for people who are looking to discover delicious snacks and treats that are also healthy and free of allergens. Absolutely! Gluten Free is ‘proof of the pudding’ that gluten-free can also mean delicious.”
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Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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