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Good Housekeeping/Mike Garten
Best Organic Ice Cream Bar
Alden’s Organic New-School Orange Cream Bar
Made with real organic orange juice and free from high fructose corn syrup, these creamy ice cream bars from Alden’s Organic are the ultimate mindful indulgence. The premium organic ingredients offer superior taste and are sourced from family-owned farms.
LAB RESULTS: Taste testers and food influencer Yumna Jawad loved the creamy texture, with one tester describing the sweet treat as “mouthwatering, smooth and satisfying.” Another said, “It’s refreshing and creamy at the same time, and it tastes so luxurious yet is only 90 calories!”
Best Waffles
Evergreen Peanut Butter Banana Bread Mini Waffles
These adorable frozen mini waffles from Evergreen are made with wholesome ingredients like whole-wheat flour and avocado oil and pack hidden fruits and veggies, making them a truly nutritious choice.
LAB RESULTS: Kids of all ages (and adults) enjoyed the waffles, and one 3-year-old taste tester even asked their parent to help them “make it,” which was a fun activity for the family to do together. “The freshness after being frozen really impressed me. These actually taste freshly baked and not just heated up,” another person said.
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Best Chocolate-Covered Berries
Tru Fru Nature’s Raspberries
Healthier dessert options don’t have to be overcomplicated— Trü Frü fits the bill, cloaking hyper-chilled real fruit that’s frozen at peak-freshness with creamy chocolate for a satisfying sweet bite that fits into a balanced, health-conscious lifestyle. Strawberry pieces are covered in white and milk chocolate, while raspberries are dipped in white and dark chocolate.
LAB RESULTS: Testers enjoyed the medley of tartness and sweetness and loved that the treat was refreshing and satisfied their sweet tooth. “I couldn’t put the bag down, it’s a new household favorite,” said one.
Best Chicken Nuggets
Caulipower Dill Flavored Chicken Bites
Made with real chicken raised without antibiotics, these nuggets by Caulipower have a crispy cauliflower coating and a tangy dill pickle seasoning that makes each savory bite truly irresistible.
LAB RESULTS: Testers found this gluten-free snack delicious and satisfying, with the dill pickle flavor giving that extra punch. While a bit over our sodium threshold, they pack 12 g of protein per serving and are a gluten-free chicken nugget that actually tastes good. “This brand is a staple in my home, and I am especially a fan of these bites that remind me of a certain pickle-juice-marinated fast-food chicken,” chef Alejandra Ramos raved.
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Best Brownie Bites
Daily Harvest Fudgy Hazelnut Brownie Bites
These frozen superfood bites from Daily Harvest feature organic dates, hazelnuts, avocado, cacao and reishi mushroom powder. The convenient resealable pouch is great for letting you grab one or two bites straight from the freezer when you’re craving something sweet.
LAB RESULTS: The star lineup of ingredients impressed both our dietitians and testers. “I was pleasantly surprised at the taste after seeing avocado on the packaging, which initially put me off a little. Nice and cold without being hard on your teeth,” one person said.
Best Banana Bites
Diana’s Dark Chocolate Caramel Crunch Banana Bites
Diana’s levels up its classic dark-chocolate-covered banana bites by adding an irresistible caramel crunch. The brand uses bananas from Ecuador that may be imperfectly-shaped but are perfectly good to eat.
LAB RESULTS: “I love that a little bite has so much flavor packed into it! The frozen banana is such a creamy, delicious bite, and the heavenly chocolate caramel crunch seals the deal, making it the perfect sweet satisfaction for a craving,” one taste tester said.
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Best Gluten-Free Ice Cream Bars
GoodPop Strawberry Shortcake Organic Ice Cream Bars
GoodPop Strawberry Shortcake organic ice cream bars are a better-for-you version of an iconic ice cream truck treat — made with grass-fed dairy, gluten-free strawberry shortcake crumbles and sweetened with farm-ripened fruit, each bar is a frozen delight.
LAB RESULTS: Food influencer Kevin Curry of Fit Men Cook couldn’t get enough of these decadent bars, saying they were award-worthy and “bangin’!” Testers loved the strawberry flavor and nostalgic feelings the bar brought them.
Best Muffins
Veggies Made Great Double Chocolate Muffins
You’d never know that Veggies Made Great Double Chocolate Muffins had zucchini and carrots as the first two ingredients — followed by other good stuff like whole eggs to provide 4 g of protein per muffin and cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate chips. These moist bites are perfect for busy individuals and families who need a nutritious and convenient option that’s gluten-, soy- and nut-free.
LAB RESULTS: “The chocolate taste is super,” raves one tester, with another likening it to a “warm brownie” and a third finding it perfect for sneaking extra nutrition into kids.
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Best Frozen Dessert Sandwich
Jeni’s Key Lime Pie Frozen Dessert Sandwiches
Two soft graham cracker cookies are filled with irresistibly delicious key lime pie ice cream in this frozen dessert sandwich from Jeni’s. The brand uses milk from grass-grazed cows, cultured buttermilk and fresh yogurt, all sourced from family dairy farms.
LAB RESULTS: Though these come in slightly above our added-sugar threshold, we found the ingredients to be best-in-class, and this was a wonderful mindful indulgence we couldn’t pass up. “Very creamy, and good key lime pie flavor,” said food influencer Yumna Jawad. Taste testers raved about the treat, adding that it held its shape and didn’t crumble or drip when being eaten.
Best Biscuits
Mason Dixie Mini Buttermilk Biscuits
Flaky and golden-brown, Mason Dixie’s mini biscuits are made with premium butter and simple ingredients. Best of all, they are ready to heat and eat in 25 seconds.
LAB RESULTS: Taste testers were pleasantly surprised by the homestyle biscuits and found them a better-quality alternative to other popular brands. “It was the best frozen biscuit I’d ever had,” one person raved. “Terrific flavor and perfect biscuit texture. They heat up nicely, and they taste just like homemade.”
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Best Frozen Yogurt Bars
Yasso Cherry Chocolate Crunch Bars
Yasso is constantly innovating, creating lighter frozen dessert options that taste amazing. Its newcomers scored this year – the Cherry Chocolate Crunch bars feature cherry-flavored Greek yogurt with a dark chocolate coating sprinkled with quinoa crispies, and Pineapple Coconut Bars combine Greek yogurt with chunks of real pineapple and coconut shreds; both offer 4 g of protein per bar. Fudge Poppables are fun fudge-flavored Greek yogurt bites with a chocolate quinoa shell.
LAB RESULTS: Testers enjoyed the flavor of all three iterations, with one calling the Fudge Poppables “a great pick-me-up.” Another tester described the Pineapple Coconut bars as “creamy, luxurious and mildy fruity,” adding that eating one brought to mind lying on a beach.
Best Breakfast Stick
Applegate Naturals Pancake & Chicken Sausage Stick
Think corn dog, but breakfast-style! This unique kid-friendly treat from Applegate Naturals starts with breakfast sausage made from humanely raised chicken, then puts it on a stick and surrounds it with a fluffy pancake!
LAB RESULTS: The “heat and carry” option was a protein-packed hit with parents and kids alike. We loved the fun concept, and though the sodium brings them a bit over our threshold, we found the ingredients to be top-notch. “This is such an easy and convenient frozen breakfast or snack on the go! I cooked it in the air fryer and it came out slightly crispy, which I really liked,” one person said.
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Best Mac & Cheese Bites
Amy’s Kitchen Mac & Cheese Snacks
Amy’s Kitchen wraps its signature Mac & Cheese in a perfectly baked crust to make it delightfully snackable, great for kids and grown-ups alike. The small organic bites are packed with big flavor.
LAB RESULTS: Parents found the snack easy to prepare in the toaster oven or the air fryer, and kids devoured the treats. “The exterior shell was crunchy and tasty, and there was a good number of pieces in each box,” one mom said. And while the snack is a little over our sodium limit, it’s made with quality ingredients and boasts 8 g of filling protein per serving.
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition and Fitness Lab, where she oversees all nutrition and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women’s Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
Alyssa is a senior editor for the Hearst Health Newsroom, where she has written research-backed health content for Prevention, Good Housekeeping and Woman’s Day since 2017. She has more than 13 years of reporting and editing experience and previously worked as research chief at Reader’s Digest, where she was responsible for the website’s health vertical as well as editing health content for the print magazine. She has also written for Chowhound, Healthination.com, Huffington Post and more.
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