Justin's Maple Almond Butter

Taste	Value	Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
30	16	13	14	5	5	5	0	88

This product is a HIT!
If you have never tried almond butter, this is the one to try. By adding maple sugar and organic palm fruit oil, it has a much more spreadable consistency. These individual squeeze packets (a little over an ounce) also make it convenient for snacking or for lunch on the go. But all almond butters are expensive and this is no exception - each one of these will cost you about a buck, but this almond butter does not separate and not a pain to stir - oh and like most almond butters it is gluten and dairy free. Retails for $0.99 per package.

Justin's Nut Butter
Boulder, CO
303 449 9559
www.justinsnutbutter.com



Snack Patrol Original Cheese Jerky

Taste	Value	Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
28	18	12	12	5	4	4	0	83

I always wondered what would be the next evolution of string cheese; after all kids love it, moms love it and it is a satisfying and healthier snack. What I like about Snack Patrol is that they label this peppered cheese jerky is made from Wisconsin mozzarella cheese and this recipe really works! There is not too much jerky which would make it too salty and too chewy. I only have 2 complaints - what's with this shape? The thickness gives it a whole other mouth-feel experience than the typical string cheese and the package is very difficult to open. Retails for $0.99 per package.

Snack Patrol, LLC
Glendale, WI
414 332 4400
www.cheesejerky.com



Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Macadamia

Taste	Value	Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
30	19	12	15	5	5	5	4	95

This product is a HIT!
Ben & Jerry's has always been focused on exceptional flavors and their new Chocolate Macadamia is another winner. By blending chocolate and vanilla ice cream, they have come up with a flavor that is not too strong and allows the fudge covered macadamia nut to be the standout. Ben & Jerry's have always been great supporters of sustainable agriculture and Fair Trade practices - now it is our turn to support them. I promise, if you like chocolate, and like ice cream, you're gonna love this flavor - it's my new favorite after Wavy Gravy. Retails for $3.49-3.99.

Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc.
Burlington, VT
802 846 1500
www.benjerry.com



FungusAmongUs Truffle Mustard

Taste	Value	Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
30	15	15	15	5	5	5	1	91

This product is a HIT!
If you had $17, found yourself in a supermarket and did not know what to spend it on - consider Fungusamongus truffle mustard. With 6% of its content being black truffles it could well be one of the best investments for your taste buds. Yes there is only just over 3 oz in this little jar, and truffles are expensive, but one whiff of the aroma will convince you to buy it - trust me, don't start opening it in the store. The initial bite is almost all mustard, but a few seconds later the black truffle taste comes through. I would actually use this with vegetables, and spread it on top of fish or meats. Retails for $16.95.

FungusAmongUs
Snohomish, WA
www.fungusamongus.com



Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Fair Trade Honey

Taste	Value	Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
30	16	15	15	5	5	5	1	92

This product is a HIT!
All honey is not the same - there are many different flavors and blends - Wholesome Sweeteners reminds me a lot of the East coast based Golden Blossom brand of honey, with a nice clean flavor and aroma and I love the easy to use upside down package. And for those of you who are wondering about how honey could be organic with the bees flying all over the place - the answer is simple - bees forage within 4 miles of their hives, which are located within the confines of their organic fields. Reminder - never give honey to infants under 1 year and if you want to know more on the impact of the declining bee population, just log on to their website for up-dates. Retails for around $8.

Wholesome Sweeteners, Inc
Sugar Land, TX
1 800 680 1896
www.fairtradehoney.com



Phil taste-tests and judges each product based on the following 8 criteria:

1. Taste (30 points): the most important attribute of any food
2. Value (20 points): is it worth it?
3. Health (15 points): based off the nutritional information, is it nutritionally balanced?
4. Ingredients (15 points): what's in it, how natural is it?
5. Preparation (5 points): when applicable, how accurate or good are the directions *
6. Appearance (5 points): is it appetizing and does it resemble its photo or description
7. Packaging (5 points): Is it appropriate for the product and does it have any benefits such as resealability, added freshness, better storage, etc.
8. Sustainability (5 Points): is the packaging biodegradable, is it wasteful, is the company endeavoring to offset their carbon footprint?

*products that do not have any preparation will have the full value of these points included in their total score.