All the Best Foods and Drinks We Tried in December 2023
Happy New Year! As we say goodbye to all of the ups and downs of 2023, we welcome another 365 days of opportunity and hope—but before we fully dive into 2024, it's time to reflect on some of the foods and drinks that made our mouths water in December.
While we did get the chance to try a number of festive, holiday-themed treats over the mouth, it was also a time for innovative new launches, novel flavors and exciting drops from our favorite foodie brands—and so much more. We taste-tested all kinds of tasty items to share the very best, so keep scrolling to discover the foods our editors loved best in December of 2023.
VUUM
VUUM isn't just a tasty carbonated beverage—it's also a leading innovator in the space. That's because, in addition to being bubbly and plant-based, it's also an energy and protein drink, featuring 10 grams of protein and 135mg of clean caffeine in every can. Its flavors—Berry, White Peach Citrus Ginger and Strawberry Tangerine—are all supremely sippable, helping you get where you need to go as you're powered by protein, green tea, guarana seed, theanine and vitamin C.
(via VUUM)
Get Golden
We're longtime fans of Get Golden and their wholesome and delicious snack bars, and now they're going back to the basics with a new release of one of founder Jenelle Manzi's favorite original recipes, Sunrise Spread. This rich, earthy nut butter blends cashews, almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts and chia seeds, with a dash of sea salt, for a spread that tastes amazing in anything you'd eat with peanut butter, but with enhanced nutrition and six grams of tasty protein in every serving.
(via Get Golden)
Aura Bora
We never think twice about trying tasty new Aura Bora sparkling water flavors, and their December drop, Chai Cranberry, was no exception. It's wintery, yet warming, combining the fruity tartness of red cranberries with chai spices to make the perfect naturally flavored holiday beverage.
(via Aura Bora)
Also read about: Our Favorite Foods Just Got Even Better With These Seasonal Festive Flavors
Graza
Graza is a brand known for its high-quality extra virgin olive oils, and The Gift Set makes for the ultimate foodie present, whether you're giving to someone else or enjoying it for yourself. It includes the brand's "Sizzle" EVOO for cooking and their "Drizzle" finishing EVOO, making every meal taste that much more elevated, and the eye-catching squeeze bottles are so easy to use you won't ever want to use another brand.
(via Graza)
Myna Snacks
If you haven't yet treated yourself to cookies from Pokimane's new foodie brand, Myna Snacks, make it your resolution to change that. Their Midnight Mini Cookies have a rich chocolate dough infused with white chocolate chips, making them extra sweet and snackable, while also being 100% gluten-free, GMO-free and sustainably sourced. They're also packed with vitamin D—an essential during the winter months—so we don't have to think twice about digging in.
(via Myna Snacks)
Nature Valley
We grew up with Nature Valley and its classic granola bars, so we've loved seeing the brand innovate recently, and these new offerings are good. First, there are their new Savory Nut Crunch bars in White Cheddar, Smoky BBQ and Everything Bagel flavors, which add salty and umami flavors to nutty granola bars for something entirely new in the snack bar category. They've become our go-to's when we're not craving something sweet. Then, there are the Soft-Baked Muffin Bars, tasting just like a fluffy double-chocolate chip muffin in a convenient on-the-go bar shape.
(via Nature Valley)
Goldfish
Think you know what Goldfish crackers are all about? Think again, because at the end of 2023, the brand was focused on changing the game. First are their impossible-to-resist Goldfish Crisps, which are made with potatoes in a slightly bigger, crispier and puffier goldfish shape and boast classic potato chip flavors, including Sour Cream & Onion, Cheddar and Salt & Vinegar. We dare you to stop at just a handful. Then, they surprised us with a completely different offering—limited-edition Goldfish Hello Kitty Strawberry Shortcake Flavored Grahams. These thick, pink graham crackers have a different texture than traditional Goldfish, coming in both fish and Hello Kitty shapes and boasting a fruity, sweet and slightly tart strawberry shortcake flavor that'll make the whole bag disappear in no time.
(via Goldfish)
Also read about: 6 Low-Calorie Drinks That Are Just as Great as Your Sugary Favorites
Blossom
If you're not into coffee but need a boost of energy in the mornings, check out the awesome Superfood Latte offerings from Blossom. Coming in Matcha, Cacao and Turmeric flavors, these oat milk lattes are infused with unique ingredients to get you going and maintain that energy all day long. They include L-theanine for focus and GABA for lessening stress, plus 100 mg of natural caffeine from guarana and green tea, so that even though you're getting the same caffeine as a cup of coffee, you don't have to worry about those coffee jitters.
(via Blossom)
Mananalu
Yes, actor Jason Momoa has his own aluminum-bottled water brand, and Mananalu's mission of eliminating single-use plastics is a worthy one. For every bottle purchased, the brand removes one water bottle's worth of plastic from oceans. It also helps that the water, sourced sustainably from different locations in the U.S., tastes extra crisp and fresh. For a limited time, the brand is also available in Aquaman branded bottles, which are extra perfect for celebrating the oceans and the release of the film.
(via Mananalu)
Four Sigmatic
In the past, we've tried Four Sigmatic's delicious and adaptogen-packed coffee and cacao blends, and we're even more obsessed thanks to their new caffeine-free drinks and supplements, including the tasty Calm Chai Latte. This dairy-free latte is extra creamy with cozy and warm chai spices, but the best part is how focused and relaxed it helps us to feel with a combination of reishi and turkey tail mushrooms.
(via Four Sigmatic)
Also read about: 5 Cuisines You Should Try to Expand Your Palate
Apothékary
Apothékary is a brand that calls itself "nature's medicine cabinet," making it easy to get your necessary daily nutrition with unique tinctures and vitamin powder blends, and we're new fans thanks to their latest product, Your Wildest Greens. This green tincture combines various leaves and extracts to help you load up on vitamin B12 and zinc with ease. You can add two droppers to your favorite liquids for the tincture to virtually disappear, or squeeze one dropper directly into your mouth for a dose of greens with a slightly minty, grassy taste for an improved immunity response, higher energy and more.
(via Apothékary)
Hiyo
We're no strangers to Hiyo and their delicious, mood-boosting carbonated drinks for all ages, and when we heard they were introducing a new flavor in the new year, we simply had to get our hands on it. Strawberry Guava is designed as a feel-good drink with a perfectly tangy, fresh and fruity flavor profile. For the first time, this drink also includes lemon balm and passion flower for a sense of calm, enhanced focus and stress-busting, so we can sip it any time of day to feel our very best.
(via Hiyo)
Magic Spoon
There are so many brands and flavors of cereal nowadays that it can seem almost impossible to stand out, but Magic Spoon always manages to do just that. With no grain, zero grams of sugar, three net carbs per serving and a whopping 13 grams of protein, their new sugar cookie cereal seems almost too good to be true. However, the cereal manages to be healthy and delicious at the same time. It's perfect for anyone looking to be more health-conscious or just looking for a tasty snack. The sugar cookie flavor isn't too overpowering but just enough to satisfy a sweet tooth, and the new Magic Spoon Treats are also the perfect treat later in the day to keep you going.
(via Magic Spoon)
If you missed all of our previous favorites, click HERE to discover the new food and drinks we loved best in November 2023.