We’ve been stuck in quarantine for a little over a month now and I’ve started to really miss checking things off of my LA bucket list. Staying socially distant is the priority, but I wanted to reel my brain to think of the things that are on my bucket list that I could still accomplish. Silly enough, going to Erewhon Calabasas was on the list, and since I needed to go grocery shopping anyway and had all the time in the world, we drove 30 minutes out of the way to check it out.
My goal was to get a bunch of healthy beverages and snacks to try out that Erewhon is generally privy to before other grocery stores. I’ve since been able to try everything I bought and have my ratings for each snack/beverage below!
Erewhon Lemon Poppy Hemp Superfood Muffin
★★★★ – 4 stars
$8.25 – I picked up these muffins to serve as a sweet ending to my every day breakfast or a mid morning snack. What I did is cut a muffin in half and stretched these muffins out over a week. These need to stay refrigerated so I would pop them in the microwave and heat for about 10-15 seconds to warm it up a bit before eating. These were delicious for being packed with superfoods! My only issue is that they were so dense and I wish they leaned just a tad more fluffy. I think that would have made that a slam dunk.
GT’s Kombucha Golden Pineapple
★★★★★ – 5 stars
$3.49 – Ok so… This flavor is SO GOOD. Here’s the thing, I have my all time favorite which will always be Gingerade and my new age favorite which is Strawberry Lemonade (only available at Trader Joe’s), but this Golden Pineapple is a solid 3rd place in my book. I don’t generally reach for pineapple flavored things, but the tanginess of the Kombucha + the sweetness of the pineapple offers a really approachable flavor. So if you’re new to Kombucha this could be a good one to try out for the first time.
Hail Merry Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups & Cookie Dough Bites
★★★★★ – 5 stars
$2.49 – I’m already a huge fan of Hail Merry desserts. They boast raw ingredients so there’s no refined sugar or processed foods in these babies. These also need to stay refrigerated as well, which is a good sign that you’re eating raw foods (but not sure fire way to tell). I’ve had the Meyer Lemon Cups, but never the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. These are my NEW ALL TIME FAV. Alert, these could be addicting. I try to only eat one cup at a time to satiate my sweet tooth. I encourage you to show the same will power. The Cookie Dough Bites were good, but not as indulgent as the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
Blue Monkey Organic Coconut Water
★★★ ★ – 4 stars
$3.59 – I was looking to increase my electrolyte intake and so I grabbed 2 different types of Coconut Waters that were similarly and reasonably priced. The first one I tried was Blue Monkey Organic Coconut Water. I made sure that the coconut waters that I picked up were just that and no added sugar. You’ve got to be careful with that when you’re searching for the right coconut water. This one in particular is definitely a good option if you’re looking for coconut water, but not my all time favorite. These coconuts are sourced in Vietnam and 100% organic. No complaints on this coconut water overall though!
Original Villager Organic Coconut Water
★★★★★ – 5 stars
$3.18 – This coconut water, for whatever reason, slid to first place between the two. It had a bit more of a coconut flavor and sweetness to it. Not sure if it’s in my head since they’re both sourced from Vietnam and are 100% organic, but that’s just my thoughts!
Iwon Organics Protein Puffs, Caramelized Onion
★★★★★ – 5 stars
$4.99 – Ok I was extremely excited to try these out! I’m OBSESSED with Funyuns and I’m always looking for a healthier snack alternative to them. I saw these and knew I had to give them a whirl. These are plant based puffs with caramelized onion flavoring. Their taste is not exactly that of Funyuns, but still, they ended up being a delicious onion flavored snack. My husband and I actually ate them all in one sitting during a game night. Oops! I’ll definitely be picking these up again the next time I see them.
Forager Project Leafy Green Chips, BBQ Chipotle Greens
★★★ – 3 stars
$3.49 – Our all time favorite healthier chip option is Beanitos’ Nacho, but we still try other brands to see if they stack up. We’re not big spice people and when we tried these they kind of packed a bit of a spicy punch that we weren’t ready for in a BBQ flavored chip. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the texture of the chip, so I wouldn’t buy these again, but I do recommend you trying it if you like spicy snacks.
Coconut Bliss Vanilla Bean in Chocolate Ice Cream Bar
★★★★★ – 5 stars
$6.79 – I am purely rating this off of the taste of this ice cream bar, definitely not the price. Because honestly, I probably wouldn’t buy these again because of the price. You get 3 bars for $6.79, which is not cheap! BUT if I’m talking purely the product, it’s the most delicious coconut ice cream that I’ve tasted by far and with the least amount of ingredients. Coconut Bliss boasts awesome ingredients in their normal pints as well, but again you pay for what you get. So if you’re into splurging a bit for a better product, I recommend their products.
Birch Benders Paleo Pancake Mix
★★★★★ – 5 stars
$5.99 – These aren’t necessarily a snack, but my husband and I treat pancakes as a sweet treat. We generally make these on the weekends only as a fun addition to our normal balanced breakfast. Cook with blueberries and top with some Organic Maple Syrup and you’ve got the best breakfast treat hands down. These are easy to make (just add water) and the ingredients in these are awesome too. Definitely worth the splurge on price. They have a bunch of pancake mixes that basically target any “diet” you might be on (Keto, Gluten Free, Plant Based, etc.).
Ashapops Popped Water Lily Seeds
★★★★ – 4 stars
$5.99 – My husband LOVES these. I actually heard about these from Adrienne Houghton on her YouTube channel, so when I saw them in the store I figured I would try them out. They’re definitely tasty, but again the price point for the amount that you get is a hinderance to being able to buy these with every grocery haul. These are packed with nutrients though so you’re getting benefits while eating a snack so that helps make these worth it! Ultimately, if I were in the store I’d likely pick up other options over these. Worth a try out for yourself though!
Olipop Sparkling Tonic
★★★★★ – 5 stars
$2.49 – What is that you say? A healthy soda? Yes please! Now, I’m not a huge soda drinker, but there is definitely a place and a time for it. When you’ve made a yummy veggie burger, an Olipop is the perfect pairing. These are my favorite flavors to get, but they have a few others to try. Because these have prebiotics, they support digestive health, but honestly, I drink these because they’re tasty and offer some sort of health benefit all the while. I generally buy 2 when I go to the grocery store to keep in the fridge for those special occasions and split the can with my husband when we crack one open. Give these a try the next time you see them in the store!
