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7 new snacks and drinks to try this month, from canned makgeolli to plant-based ice creamhttps://www.businessinsider.in/insider-picks/news/7-new-snacks-and-drinks-to-try-this-month-from-canned-makgeolli-to-plant-based-ice-cream/slidelist/77290660.cms2020-07-31T23:21:38+05:30

7 new snacks and drinks to try this month, from canned makgeolli to plant-based ice cream

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Connie ChenJul 31, 2020, 23:21 IST

7 new snacks and drinks to try this month, from canned makgeolli to plant-based ice cream — When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.
Connie Chen/Business Insider
These are the best new food and drink products the Home and Kitchen team at Insider Reviews tried this month.
Fitting for the hot summer season, they include plant-based ice cream backed by Michelin-starred chefs, and several different refreshing beverages.
In addition to testing and reviewing plenty of kitchen appliances and tools that make it easy to whip up delicious food and beverages — juicers, pizza stones, and Dutch ovens, just to name a few — our team also tries a lot of cool new snacks and drinks that are basically ready to consume.
We love coming across foods, desserts, beverages, and condiments with interesting flavors, backstories, and production methods, and we want to share them with you. They're all available to buy online — in fact, some can only be found online — so you won't be able to stumble across these products during an ordinary trip to the grocery store.
Check back every month for more of the best new snacks and drinks to shop — we'll be updating this article as we try them.
Here are 7 of our favorite new snacks and drinks right now:

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The creamiest plant-based ice cream I've tried

The creamiest plant-based ice cream I've tried — Connie Chen/Business Insider
Eclipse Cookie Butter Ice Cream
Though I'm not vegan or lactose-intolerant, I do find dairy-free ice cream desserts interesting and have tried a few. I had yet to find one I liked — until Eclipse. I was really impressed with how creamy these plant-based ice creams are, even right out of the freezer (no sitting around or microwaving required). The base is made from a combination of oats, corn, potatoes, cassava, cane sugar, and non-GMO canola oil, and you can find more detailed ingredient information here.
I finished the Cookie Butter flavor the fastest, and the Vanilla came in at a close second. Right now, Eclipse has a cool Chef Collection that runs through the summer and the next round is expected to drop the first week of August. The first collaboration featured flavors from Flour Bakery in Boston (Sticky Sticky Bun), State Bird Provisions in San Francisco (Toasted Almond Thyme), and Olmsted in Brooklyn (Blackberry Taragon), among others.

Produce boxes from local farms

Produce boxes from local farms — Connie Chen/Business Insider
CropSwap app
Now that going to a physical grocery is no longer a leisurely endeavor, online grocery services and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs are rising up to fulfill shoppers' needs. CropSwap offers CSA-style "CropBoxes" that get you fresh, affordable, and super local produce on a one-time or subscription basis.
I received a $35 box ($50 with delivery) filled with beautiful fruits and vegetables from a farm in Fillmore, CA, which is less than 100 miles from my home. It included zucchini, a few different types of kale, a variety of citrus fruits, celery, avocados, and more.

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Canned makgeolli

Canned makgeolli — Makku/Instagram
Makku Mango, Blueberry, and Original
Senior editor Jada Wong and senior reporter Owen Burke have been big fans of Makku, a new Korean drink available with nationwide shipping and same-day delivery in New York City. Jada says, "This is the first canned Korean rice wine available nationwide — makgeolli is usually sold in glass bottles at Asian and Korean supermarkets. It's got a milky viscosity, and it's sweet and refreshing. It's easy to drink and pairs well with a lot of different foods. I've tried all three flavors and Mango is my favorite."
Owen finds that Makku "offers a freshness that makes it a nice change of pace from light summer beer or the suddenly ubiquitous hard seltzer."

Starter ingredients for beloved southeast Asian dishes

Starter ingredients for beloved southeast Asian dishes — Connie Chen/Business Insider
Omsom Sampler
Omsom, started by two Vietnamese-American sisters, makes "starter kits" of aromatics, seasonings and oils for:
Lemongrass BBQ: a Vietnamese marinade often used on chicken
Larb: a Laotian and Thai minced meat salad
Sisig: a Kapampangan Filipino dish usually prepared with pork
All you have to do is follow the recipe cards, then add the pre-made starters to create a quick, delicious, and authentic meal. For this sampler bundle, which has two packets of each dish, Omsom worked with the chefs from NYC restaurants Fish Cheeks, Jeepney, and Madame Vo.
These have come in handy during quarantine, when cooking fatigue is a real phenomenon. I love that I can make a flavorful and spicy meal but don't have to go grocery shopping or prep ingredients myself.

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Gourmet pasta sauce

Gourmet pasta sauce — Sonoma Gourmet
Sonoma Gourmet Kale Pesto with White Cheddar Pasta Sauce (6-Pack)
I've gone through two jars of this stuff, and while it doesn't taste like pesto at all, it's still really delicious. It's thick, creamy, and cheesy, perfect for a take on adult mac and cheese. Usually, I combined it with some kind of protein, a variety of veggies, and a fun pasta shape. You can also heat it up for an easy dip for chips, crackers, and vegetables.

Better-for-you soda for the Instagram age

Better-for-you soda for the Instagram age — Connie Chen/Business Insider
United Sodas of America Variety Pack (12-Pack)
If Pantone made a soda, it'd probably look something like this. To create this colorful and eye-catching packaging, United Sodas worked with Alex Center, who led the design vision for Vitaminwater, Smartwater, and Powerade.
More than a bunch of pretty cans, the sodas are creatively flavored (e.g. sour blueberry, toasted coconut, blackberry jam), made with organic ingredients, and low-calorie. There are also some more traditional flavors for when you crave something classic, like cherry pop and ginger ale.

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Wine with notes of lemongrass and yuzu

Wine with notes of lemongrass and yuzu — Union Wine Company/Instagram
Underwood Mei Wine
Another drink to pack for your park picnics? Canned wine, of course.
Travel associate editor and wine enthusiast Hannah Freedman had the enviable job of taste-testing canned wines and loved Underwood from Union Wine Company's collaboration with chef Mei Lin: It's a "standout favorite thanks to its interesting flavor profile that includes notes of lemongrass, yuzu, tropical flavors like guava, and more."
It's currently only available at Union Wine Company's website and Mei Lin's restaurant, Nightshade, in Los Angeles.
Find more of the best canned wines for summer 2020 here

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