12 Must-Buy Snacks and 8 to Avoid at Sprouts Farmers Market

One piece of advice commonly tossed around by those familiar with the relationship between psychology and consumer habits is to not shop hungry; if you do, you might end up with a cart full of snacks that you don’t really need. But with great prices and quality ingredients like those offered by Sprouts Farmers Market, would that be such a bad thing? This supermarket chain is known for its prioritization of natural, healthy ingredients, so it almost goes without saying that its snack selection will be top-notch and full of real, gourmet flavors. But with so many dozens of options, it can be difficult to know which products should remain on the shelves and which should jump into your cart.

This guide will introduce you to a diverse selection of snacks at Sprouts Farmers Market, recommending which ones to buy and which ones to skip. The featured products range from sweet, savory, crunchy, or soft, sometimes embodying several of these traits at once. There are classic vices and innovative twists, healthy treats and indulgent sweets. I judged each product based on flavor, texture, mouthfeel, and convenience. More information on methodology can be found at the end of this article.

Bagged popcorn started coming into its prime a few years ago, with brands like Skinny Pop taking over the market. However, Sprouts popcorn is just as good — dare I say better — than Skinny Pop’s, and it comes at a fraction of the price. For this review, I tasted Sprouts Himalayan pink salt coconut oil popcorn, which I consider a step up from its lightly sea salted variation. 

It tastes like what you might get at the movie theater if they didn’t unnecessarily drench your bucket in excess butter. It was crisp and not too salty, yet it could still easily satisfy a craving for savory food. Almost all the kernels were fully popped, so you don’t need to worry too much about being surprised with a tooth-cracking bite of popcorn.

As someone who grew up eating a Nutri-Grain bar every morning before school, it doesn’t take much effort for me to recall the soft, gooey, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth texture these bars have. I can therefore say with authority that Sprouts peanut butter and strawberry PB & Yayz missed the mark. They were dry and tough, and it took effort to chew them. The only redeeming quality of these sandwich bars is that they are sweetened with date paste instead of ingredients like sugar, dextrose, and fructose. As a result, they are not overwhelmingly sweet, as is the case with some Nutri-Grain bar flavors.

Most of us have been munching on chips since we were toddlers and have therefore developed a pretty good meter for what makes a good potato chip. The Sprouts kettle style sea salt chips were just that: good. They were crispy, crunchy, and melted in my mouth after a few moments. I thought that they contained the perfect amount of salt to be satisfying, but not at the expense of overpowering the flavor of the potato itself. 

However, I concede that many people dive into a bag of chips expecting a heavenly amount of sodium, and such folks might find this product a little lacking in that department. Nevertheless, I recommend buying this product so that you can test it for yourself. I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle difference between these chips and others on the market; namely, they do not try to make any bold claims, but instead serve their sole purpose of being a tasty snack.

I won’t deny that Sprouts organic lightly salted yellow corn cakes are better than many of the commercial rice cakes I have tried. After all, they had some flavor and didn’t taste like cardboard. It helped that they were lightly salted. Even so, in this case, “some flavor” still wasn’t “enough flavor,” and I found myself wishing for more boldness in this product. Plus, the texture of these corn cakes was a bit too chewy for my liking. If you are already a fan of rice cakes, you might enjoy these, but for everyone else, I recommend skipping this product in favor of a more exciting one.

A few pieces of Sprouts vanilla flavored yogurt covered raisins can be a gratifying snack or dessert any time of the day. After all, raisins and yogurt are both healthy, right? It turns out that many more ingredients go into this recipe than one might think, including milk powder, confectioners glaze, and sugar. So while it’s not exactly a whole food snack, it sure is tasty. 

Because making yogurt covered raisins requires so many ingredients and is no simple feat, I was happy to outsource this confectionery task to the real experts, who certainly delivered. The raisins’ plumpness meant that they could be chewed for longer, allowing multiple layers of textures and flavors to manifest. The aftertaste was very sweet, but in a mellow way that still carried complexity.

The Sprouts original giant Inca corn is not a snack you should pack for a road trip — unless driving your co-pilot up the wall is your idea of a good time. It is one of the crunchiest products on this list, and indeed, one of the crunchiest foods I have ever eaten. Even you might get tired of hearing yourself munch on this snack after a while. It does have some nice qualities, though; for instance, it has just the right amount of salt. While I generally recommend skipping this product, you might want to try it if you are a fan of Fritos. Although the chips consist solely of corn, corn oil, and salt, this product is made with giant corn, high oleic sunflower oil, and salt. They are therefore strikingly similar in taste.

Having spent several months living in Austria, I have eaten unseemly amounts of Manner hazelnut wafers. These confections were first manufactured by the Austrian entrepreneur Josef Manner in the late 19th century and proceeded to mesmerize the taste buds of a worldwide audience. Needless to say, I was excited to sample Sprouts hazelnut wafer bites and see if they lived up to my high standards. 

The verdict? These conveniently sized wafers are a good buy if you frequently find your sweet tooth acting up. Although I thought they could use more hazelnut — the cream in Manner wafers is 12% hazelnut, while the cream in Sprouts wafers is only 6% — the hazelnut flavor was nevertheless delightful and made this product worth buying.

Although I love sesame seeds, so much so that I often eat tahini straight from the jar, Sprouts sesame seed croccantes Italian crackers did not impress me much. I found them bland and would never eat them in isolation; thick and sturdy, they need to be accompanied by a vibrant dip like muhammara that can add complementary flavors and textures. Alone, they had a dry mouthfeel and could have used a stronger sesame flavor to make them stand out more. Skip this product unless you need a healthy cracker for a party spread.

As long as you are open to trying innovative snacks, Sprouts organic dark chocolate rice cakes are a must-buy. Rice and chocolate may not intuitively go together, but once you’ve tried the pairing, you’ll realize that the two ingredients are a match made in heaven. This combo is what makes Crunch chocolate bars and Krackel candy bars so glorious, not to mention chocolate Rice Krispies treats and Mexican hot chocolate rice pudding. Compared to such desserts, this product falls on the healthier end of the spectrum and can satisfy both sweet and savory cravings. The dark chocolate is rich and present in just the right amount, but it melts easily, so don’t leave these cakes in your car on a sunny day.

Are you a fan of sour gummies? If so, Sprouts freeze dried mangosteen should find its way into your shopping cart ASAP. With a similar flavor profile, this snack is considerably healthier than what you would find on the candy aisle. It contains only one ingredient (without any added sugar or preservatives). A whole bag of these tart, sweet treats is equal to one serving, so they are also a good choice if you tend to mindlessly eat. Small in size, they can be eaten by the handful without much mess. And before you go ask Google, mango and mangosteen are entirely different from one another.

I love seaweed when it’s wrapped around sushi or adding an umami flavor to my vegan seafood dishes. I don’t love it when I have to eat it in isolation. Admittedly, Sprouts’ organic sea salt roasted seaweed snack was better than other brands of seaweed I have tasted (such as Gimme), but its raw, fishy flavor is certainly not for everyone — nor is its thin, flaky, chewy texture. Although I am perfectly aware of seaweed’s health benefits and appreciate that this product is only made with three ingredients (organic seaweed, organic high oleic sunflower oil, and sea salt), I would skip buying this one as a snack and instead save it for cooking.

Nostalgic of childhood, and tasting just as wonderful in adulthood, Sprouts strawberry flavored yogurt covered pretzels were one of my favorite products on this list. Although strawberries did not make it onto the ingredient list, the flavor of the velvety smooth yogurt coating did not taste artificial, as is the case with many other strawberry flavored products. The pretzels contained just the right amount of salt to contrast the sweetness, and the aftertaste was refreshing and bright. Capable of satisfying cravings for something sweet, something salty, and something crunchy all at once, this product is a must-buy.

Trader Joe’s Bamba peanut snacks have my heart, but Sprouts peanut butter puffs do not. While this product is undeniably interesting, offering a distinct combination of textures and flavors not found in other snacks, I would not buy it again. These puffs don’t work well as an on-the-go snack due to the fact that you will need to wash your hands after eating them. They also left my mouth feeling dry and my throat feeling parched. Though both products’ ingredient lists are short, Sprouts peanut butter puffs differ significantly in composition from Trader Joe’s Bamba snacks. I suspect the presence of peanut flour and some unnecessary cane sugar made me dislike the former.

When I visited my grandmother as a kid, I always snuck a few Pepperidge Farm Pirouette wafers from her kitchen, feeling elegant as I twirled each long stick in my hand before delighting in their chocolate-filled centers. Sprouts’ chocolate coconut rolls are like the classic wafers of my youth, but with a tropical twist. These rolls are a manageable size and an ideal choice for a light dessert snack. With the first two ingredients being coconut milk and coconut sugar, there is no denying that this product is more generous with the coconut than the chocolate. Rice flour and egg help explain the meringue-like powdery finish that characterizes the rolls’ soft texture. This product comes in several other variations, including plain coconut, cinnamon coconut, and espresso coconut. If you are a cocoa lover, there are even two varieties dipped in dark chocolate.

In my experience, most plain veggie straw products are failed attempts to emulate potato chips. That’s probably why brands like Garden Veggie Snacks have come up with varieties like zesty ranch, cinnamon apple, and BBQ to make its straws more interesting. I am disappointed to report that Sprouts veggie straws were nothing short of bland. While these straws were crisp and relatively clean to eat, they were in desperate need of additional savory seasonings. According to the package, tomato powder and spinach powder are present to enliven the otherwise plain Jane flavor profiles of potato starch and potato flour. However, I can’t say that the product did justice to either tomatoes or spinach. I recommend skipping this product and finding another snack instead.

If Mediterranean food is your jam, then pick up a box of Sprouts sea salt baked pita crackers next time you go shopping. You may already be familiar with Stacy’s pita chips, and while I do love that brand, Sprouts’ version is blessedly softer and easier on the jaws. These small, circular crackers feature airy pockets that provide lightness and textural variation to each bite, ensuring that you are constantly stimulated as you crunch and munch away. These chips are not overly salty and therefore taste like a healthy snack that would shine alongside accompaniments like a simple creamy hummus or goat cheese. Because of their size, you can eat plenty of them before feeling full.

Sprouts grain free vegan cheddar crackers should be at the top of your grocery list if you love Doritos and/or have dietary restrictions regarding gluten, soy, or dairy. These crackers and Doritos taste strikingly similar, though Sprouts’ version will leave you with much cleaner hands. Plus, these crackers feature a more wholesome texture that is gratifying to chew. I was impressed that these grain-free crackers were made with cassava flour and almond meal; I would not have guessed it if I were doing a blind trial. You can easily eat these crackers plain or dip them in a condiment like sour cream or grilled corn and avocado guacamole.

If you grew up eating cracker sticks and cheese dip at school lunch, then Sprouts PB&J dippers with grape jelly will seem like a natural spin on a classic favorite. Unfortunately, though, this snack does not live up to its full potential. The peanut butter flavored sticks are too soft, perhaps due to the inclusion of egg powder, and they do not contain enough peanut butter from end to end. Additionally, while the jelly needs to be somewhat sticky to adhere to the sticks, it is too stretchy and obviously made with glucose syrup. The jelly puts this product at risk of creating a sticky mess (I somehow managed to get some on my elbow), so it is not ideal for little kids. If, despite this review, you still wish to try these dippers, know that you can also pick between strawberry and raspberry variations.

Graham crackers are not just for s’mores; they are also for spreading with peanut butter, adding to cookies, and even rimming cocktail glasses. After taste testing Sprouts honey graham crackers, I could see this product excelling in any one of those roles. The honey was present in just the right amount, and each cracker was sturdy rather than crumbly. Indeed, the soft, yet snappable texture of these graham crackers was splendid and far superior to that of many other brands I have eaten. I appreciated that they come in squares, as opposed to the perforated rectangles other brands carry. This eliminates the need to undergo the messy ordeal of breaking each cracker in half.

Most of us can recall licking Cheetos cheese dust off our fingers from when we were children, carefree and blissfully ignorant about nutrition. These crunchy, corn-based cheese snacks may have been served at school lunch or as a snack after soccer practice. They were certainly never posed as a “health food,” but they sure hit the spot when we were craving something savory. Sprouts cheese curls, unlike classic Cheetos, are baked in an oven, not fried, rendering them a healthier alternative to the nostalgic munchie. The two products’ ingredients are similar, but not identical; for instance, Sprouts cheese curls do not contain MSG. These curls were also noticeably cleaner to eat and could feasibly be carried on a picnic without much fuss.

I considered the texture, mouthfeel, and convenience of each product. I did not consider price, nor did I look at online reviews. I tasted these products side by side, giving each snack a score from one to 10. The ones that earned a five or below became automatic “skips,” while the ones that scored six or above were cleared as “buys.” Although I have occasionally noted ingredients in this review, I did not look at the nutrition labels until after sampling and forming my own opinions about each one.