The Best Snacks, Drinks, and Meal-Planning Tools Your Taste Buds Will Thank You For

Prebiotic soda is all the rage right now, but out of every one we tried, Poppi tastes the most like the classic sodas we grew up with. May Zhu, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Chicago, explains that the beverage contains inulin — a prebiotic fiber that helps support gut health by feeding the good bacteria in the gut. Happy gut, happy life.

3 pm seltzer drinkers, unite. If you’re looking for unique flavor profiles without additional sugar, Aura Bora is a standout option. Flavors include cherry key lime, pineapple basil, and peach honeysuckle to name a few.

Call us crazy for including water on this list, but our passionate team members couldn’t resist. A crisp bottle of water is the ultimate self-care moment and Mountain Valley Spring is that very one for us. It’s bottled at the source from a spring in the Ouachita Mountains and is naturally mineral-rich. Just try it — you’ll understand after the first sip.

If you’re looking for a morning ritual that doesn’t involve caffeine jitters, Leaves of Leisure is a must. This small herbal tea brand is women-owned, and each bag is made without any additives. Our standout favorite is Snow Angel which has notes of peppermint, rosehips, and spearmint.

Effortless lattes for the win. Founded by Filipino siblings looking to spread knowledge about delicious Asian flavors, Narra is an oat milk-based latte in a can. Pick from Roasted Oolong, Strawberry Matcha, and Black Tea. Our editors note that they felt energized, without the regular caffeine anxiety.

Our editor who doesn’t drink swears by Töst. Their rosé has notes white tea, ginger, and elderberry, and tastes just like the real thing (minus the hangover the next day). The brand even has their own version of champagne, too.

Beer without the sugar or the bloat? Count us in. This one is light, crisp, and has that classic malty flavor. It’s just made of water, barley, hops, and yeast — so essentially what you would typically expect out of a beer, sans alcohol.

Fact: This spirit tricked our editor’s partner into thinking she was drinking alcohol on their first date — that’s how good it is. They’re aromatic, fresh, and herbal and are the perfect mixer for any nonalcoholic cocktail. Plus, many bars are carrying it now, so you can order it as an alcohol-free swap.

Their classic Apéritif is tart, dry, and bitter. Our editors note that it’s an acquired taste but is perfect paired with sparkling water (or even alcohol). It’s without artificial flavors, added sugars, and is vegan-friendly.

Sometimes you just want to pour a premade cocktail into a glass and call it a day. Recess’ zero-proof cocktails contain lemon balm, l-theanine, and guayusa to ease tension and balance mood. With flavors ranging from a classic lime margarita to a grapefruit paloma, you’ll never feel left out for going alcohol-free.

Hyper fixation breakfast, anyone? Made with a base of dates, oats, and dairy-free milk, Mush is the easiest, tastiest breakfast option we’ve ever tried. You can eat it on its own, or add your favorite mix-ins. Zhu suggests pairing with a hard-boiled egg for added protein.

You would think that determining the best chocolate would be a passionate debate, but Tony’s Chocolonely was a no-brainer. It’s Fair Trade-certified, ethically sourced, and the chunky bars are just so satisfying to eat. Whether you’re a milk chocolate person or loyal to bittersweet, there’s something for everyone.

It’s no-stir, isn’t too sweet (thanks to the zero added sugar), and has seven grams of protein per serving. This is the peanut butter we’re adding to toast, oatmeal, apples, and simply smothering onto everything.

The mango one is our personal favorite, but this fruit snack comes in pineapple, banana, and even chocolate-drizzled versions. Zhu notes that “single ingredient fruit jerkies like this can be a great, convenient on-the-go snack.” She suggests pairing with additional protein to help keep you fuller in between meals.

Frozen food has never tasted more flavorful than when we’ve heated up a treat from MìLà. For the noodles, the brand uses 27 different whole ingredients to achieve restaurant-level flavor at home. The ingredients for the dumplings are locally-sourced and take under 20 minutes to prep.

This scale is perfect for beginner meal prep because it has a clear LCD screen and optional detachable bowl (which can be easily cleaned). It can weigh up to 11 pounds worth of ingredients, you can toggle between units of measurement, and it can also be used for weighing everyday items.

If you haven’t shopped W&P before, this brand is a must for us. Not only are the containers sleek and come in chic colorways, but they are also actually functional. This set comes with a container with a four-cup capacity and divider and a lower tray, so you can organize your lunch — or compactly store your leftovers. Plus, the stainless steel travel utensils come in a silicone carrying case to keep them clean.

Sometimes the last thing anyone wants to do is meal prep, but it can be hard to find a delivery service with food that’s actually good for you. Our editors all raved about Factor’s delicious meals that are flavorful and dietician-designed. Each week, you can choose from over 34 meals and add-ons. If you’re short on time, this is ideal. Meals only take about two minutes to prep in the microwave.

A grocery shop that’s better for the planet and our budgets is a yes from us. We were delighted by shopping at Misfits Market knowing that we were helping to cut back on food waste. In our weekly online shops, we took on items that can’t be sold due to their appearance. So yes, the produce might look a little different, but they taste exactly the same. Just pick your plan, join for free, then build your box every week.

While a meal planner helps us figure out when we’re eating our go-to recipes every week, we found that a good place to store our recipes is hard to find. This is why Papier’s Recipe Journal was a clear winner for us. The spiral binding made it easy to flip through and we loved the dividers between breakfast, lunch, and dinner sections for streamlined organization. Some other aspects we think are noteworthy include ratings, difficulty level, and check boxes for vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian options.

This handy product has been a favorite of Skimm’rs and editors for as long as we can remember. Not only is its mini size perfect for compact storage, but it can also churn out waffles (and waffle-shaped foods) in seconds. We even love it for eggs…and cookie dough.

For smoothies, sauces, dressings, and even chopping in a pinch, the Nutribullet is a must for us because of its versatility. That versatility even shows in the endless accessories that come with it — from handled cups to to-go lids. We love this version because it’s their quietest one yet.

We’re convinced these knives improved our chopping skills. The handles are slightly weighted for a controlled grip and the magnetic stand looks sleek on our countertops. They’re made of Japanese stainless steel and high carbon for long-lasting, quality cuts. This is a pricey investment that’s actually worth it.

These have a built-in filter that helps to regulate oxygen and carbon dioxide flow, so fruits and vegetables remain fresh for extended periods of time. Just make sure not to wash your food before storing it to prevent sogginess. Save money, save food, save waste — and thank us later.

While some people feel that air fryers are “just mini convection ovens,” don’t knock the convenience of one until you try it. This one from Ninja does just about everything, including baking, air frying, roasting, dehydrating, reheating, and so much more. It can even hold a 5-pound chicken. TLDR, meal prep just got infinitely better.