EDITORS’ PICKS FOR INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

Plant-Based Mac and Cheese

Plant-based pioneer Follow Your Heart has reinvented a venerable pantry staple with the introduction of USDA-certified organic SuperMac, which pairs macaroni with creamy sauces made with vegetables, beans and cashews. The dairy-free offering expands the macaroni-and-cheese segment to include a nutritious option made with whole foods. Available in Cheezy Carrot and Creamy Caulifredo varieties, the kid- and allergen-friendly, dairy-, egg-, peanut-, soy-, cholesterol- and preservative-free product line can serve as a quick meal or an easy side dish. The item comes in an 8.1-ounce box with a deluxe sauce pouch and retails for a suggested $5.99 for either variety. SuperMac was dreamed up by moms and vegan chefs Heather Goldberg and Jenny Engel, of Spork Foods, and developed in partnership with Follow Your Heart. The product is available exclusively at all Whole Foods Market locations until March 2022. https://followyourheart.com/

Strong Tea

Tea maker Twinings, which now calls itself a “well- being drinks brand,” recently introduced a Superblends collection, which currently consists of four varieties fortified with vitamins and functional additives: Sleep+: Wake Up Wonderful, containing vanilla, cinnamon and melatonin; Immune Support+: A Super Defense, combining mango, ginger, green tea and vitamin C; Energy+: Play All Day, mixing the flavors of apples and oranges with green tea and vitamin B6; and Heartea+: Support a Healthy Heart, a raspberry-flavored hibiscus herbal tea with added vitamin B1. Offering consumers an easy way to achieve overall well-being, the product line features prominently in Twinings’ Drink in Life campaign, which is supported by a multifaceted marketing campaign including connected television, digital promotions and in-store point-of-sale materials. A 16-count box of any of the Superblends teas retails for a suggested $5.49. More flavors are slated to roll out in 2022, and Twinings also offers teas featuring probiotics and adaptogens. https://twiningsusa.com/; https://twiningsusa.com/collections/superblends

Sustainable Salad Kits

Hummus maker Sabra and Fifth Season, a food system pioneer and robotic-farming leader, have collaborated on a fresh idea for the produce aisle: salad kits featuring sustainably farmed greens paired with hummus, guacamole and whole grains. The kits come in two varieties, Mediterranean Hummus Salad (6.7 ounces) and Avocado Ranch Salad (7.2 ounces). Thanks to Fifth Season’s end-to-end automated growing, harvesting and packing system, the salad meal kits will remain crisp for weeks in the fridge. Sabra sources chickpeas from the Pacific Northwest and produces its hummus at a Chesterfield County, Va., facility that has earned both Silver and Gold LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The chickpea is a nitrogen-fixing legume that leaves the earth nourished after harvest. Fifth Season’s unique growing process requires up to 95% less water and 97% less land than conventional farming, enabling it to conserve resources used to produce food. Either variety of salad kit retails for a suggested $5.99, with some variability. https://www.sabra.com/; https://www.fifthseasonfresh.com/

Love Your Veggies

The most recent innovation from Veggies Made Great, Keto-Friendly Muffins come in Mochaccino Chip, Chocolate Raspberry and Cinnamon Roll flavors, all of which are lower in sugar and carbs and higher in protein than the brand’s other popular frozen muffins. As with all of the other Veggies Made Great products, Keto-Friendly Muffins feature vegetables as the primary ingredient. The suggested retail prices are $5.99 for a 6-count box and $12.59 for a 20-count box. https://www.veggiesmadegreat.com/

Good-for-You Granola

Alter Eco Foods has now entered the breakfast category with Organic Granola. Sweetened naturally with date powder and monk fruit, the crunchy granola contains no added sugar and comes in three flavors — Dark Chocolate, Cashew Butter and Cinnamon Raisin — all made with clean, USDA Certified Organic ingredients that support regenerative agriculture and contain no soy, corn or artificial ingredients. Additionally, the certified climate-neutral granola is sold in post-consumer recycled plastic packaging. An 8-ounce package of any of the varieties retails for a suggested $7.49.https://www.alterecofoods.com/

Made Without Grain

Graham crackers have long been a tasty snack for consumers of all ages, but gluten-free brand Pamela’s has now come out with a grain-free version of this family favorite. Suitable for those with grain allergies or intolerances, following a Paleo or other diet plan, or interested in improving their overall gut health, the Gluten Free Certified graham crackers are made from a blend of non-GMO almond flour, organic coconut flour and organic cassava flour, and contain no egg, corn, soy, nuts, high-fructose corn syrup, or artificial additives or flavors. Beyond snacking and dunking, the product can be used for making such items as ice cream sandwiches, s’mores, pie crusts and desserts. The suggested retail price is $6.59 per 6.25-ounce box. https://www.pamelasproducts.com/

Something Spicy

Appropriate for meals, snacks or entertaining, Applegate Naturals Spicy Breaded Chicken Breast Bites and Tenders feature 100% natural, humanely raised boneless white meat chicken that’s breaded and seasoned with a zesty blend of peppers, creating products that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. In common with all Applegate products, the fully cooked and frozen spicy breaded chicken is made with nothing artificial and no GMO ingredients. Both lean-meat offerings are low in saturated fat, contain 0 grams of trans fat and provide an excellent source of protein. The suggested retail prices are $12.49 for 10-15 tenders and $11.49 for about 18 bites, with each variety available in convenient 16-ounce resealable bags. https://applegate.com/

The Wonder of Dairy-Free Gelato

Made by family-owned and -operated Wonderlab, Doozy Pots plant-based, dairyfree gelato is now available nationwide. Offering the indulgence of a frozen dessert with the superior nutrition of sustainable hemp hearts, the product line comes in Chocolate Mint Chip, Chocolate Raspberry Swirl, Banana Cinnamon, Date Swirl and Smooth Coffee flavors. The product’s proprietary blend of earth-friendly hemp and oats is combined with other organic, regenerative and Fair/Direct Trade ingredients under the direction of brand co-founder Kirsten Sutaria, a food scientist who spent nine years as Ben & Jerry’s “flavor guru,” leading the creation of its vegan offerings and helping its portfolio become Fair Trade and non-GMO. Doozy Pots (Sutaria’s childhood nickname) also features less saturated fat, a smoother texture and more balanced sweetness than ice cream. A pint of any of the varieties, all in containers made from a minimum of 35% post-consumer recycled fibers, retails for a suggested $6.99. https://www.wonderlabdoozy.com