The 6 Best Grocery Products Of 2023, So Far

Fast food promotions might get all the hype and the glory, but let's focus for a moment on the foods that sit patiently on grocery store shelves, ready to rock our world. Though some are clearly designed to generate buzz, others are quiet champions of the condiment or snack aisle, succeeding entirely on the merits of the product rather than relying on flashy gimmicks.

Here are six products released in 2023 that have seriously impressed us. While they might be limited-time-only offerings, we'll cherish the time we've gotten to spend with them.

When we heard that Wendy's and Conagra were teaming up to bring a canned version of Dave Thomas' classic chili to grocery stores back in March, we were skeptical. Since Wendy's chili is made on site at the restaurant each day using leftover hamburger patties, it was unclear how its flavor would translate to a canned product. That's why we're so blown away by this release: It's one of the better canned chilis we've ever had, each spoonful packed with beans, green pepper, and enough ground beef to make it feel like a hearty stew. Well done, Wendy's. Read our full review here.

It's never a good idea to try to be everything to everyone, but that's what Hostess set out to do when it launched Kazbars, its newest snack cake, back in February. The candy-bar-inspired creation features layers of chocolate cake, crème filling, fudge, caramel, and crunchy candy bits for a multi-textured snacking experience. It also comes in multiple sizes, so you can decide whether to make it a quick snack or an indulgent dessert—a move that caters to both children and their millennial parents. Simply put, this cake showcases what Hostess does best, and every bite is a good time. Watch our video taste test here.

It's not the first time Nissin has played around with its Cup Noodles flavors and it definitely won't be the last—but the release of Breakfast Cup Noodles this past March was so unexpected, it deserves special recognition. These just-add-water instant microwave noodles are made to taste like a platter of pancakes, sausage, and eggs, a far cry from Nissin's usual lineup of seafood, curry, and chicken flavors. The rich and saucy result is what we have dubbed "entertainingly tasty," because a product that could have been a mere stunt proved to be a downright desirable sweet and savory breakfast. Read our full review here.

After Heinz released three new spicy ketchups in April and Tapatío launched its own spicy ketchup product in May, we pitted the two against each other to see which one deserves to be in your grocery cart—ultimately, though, these are both great products, and we hope they both stick around. Spicy ketchup is a nice counterpoint to the smooth, sweet stuff we're used to, and no matter which brand you purchase, it is sure to add interest to this summer's cookouts. Read more about spicy ketchup here and here.

Back by popular demand, Doritos has re-released two summery chip flavors through July 30: Tangy Ketchup and Hot Mustard. And while ketchup is a phenomenal flavor for potato chips, it doesn't quite translate to the corn chip base of a Dorito. Hot Mustard, though, is everything a Dorito should be. It tastes a lot like Chinese hot mustard or the strong brown mustard that makes your eyes water, not the muted bright yellow stuff on hot dogs. This bag of Doritos is one of the only mustard-flavored snacks at the grocery store, but it makes the point that there should be far more. Read our full review here.

Hands down, the best part of 2023 has been its pickle renaissance, which started last year and has since risen to glorious heights. The best pickle product we've found yet was released in March: Frank's RedHot Dill Pickle Hot Sauce, which is made with real pickle juice and a generous helping of dill that complement the classic Frank's spicy vinegar flavors. Though it started as an online exclusive, a rep for Frank's confirmed that the product is headed to grocery stores nationwide later this summer, with a full rollout by early fall. Which is great, because we ran out of the first bottle in three days flat.