Our dump bucket has seen a lot of action this year. That’s not a euphemism. We literally have a dump bucket in which we pour liquids we do not wish to finish. We tasted all sorts of thirst-quenching beverages, from orange juice to sports drinks to coconut water. We even drank through Pedialyte’s portfolio of flavors. So, it was difficult to pick the top drink of 2022. But we considered what we would most like to reach for on a hot, sweaty day and, suddenly, the answer was easy. Come on up here, Newman’s Own, and claim your Sporked award.
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This is as close to fresh-squeeze lemonade as you’ll ever get, and that is a feat for mass production. Fresh citrus flavors are notoriously difficult to capture—they dull and turn funky within days of being packaged. So, the fact that Newman’s Own was able to create a zesty, refreshing lemonade that is nationally available is worthy of praise. This is the only lemonade I will buy. It has just the right level of sweetness balanced by tart lemon zing. It came out on top in our best lemonade taste test and it comes out on top for the year. You did it again, Mr. Newman!
Gold Peak scored the gold in our best iced tea taste test. In that ranking, Danny Palumbo wrote that it’s made with “high quality tea leaves and it features a boatload of cane sugar.” That said, it’s the perfect level of sweet. It has a bold tea flavor, but cushions it with sweet, sweet sugar so you aren’t overwhelmed by the tannic tea. “Gold Peak is refreshing in all the right ways: It’s tart, bitter, earthy, and delectably sweet, but not fake tasting,” Danny wrote. While it won the silver overall, it’s still the gold standard for iced tea.
Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now).
Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test!
Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Justine Sterling
Sporked Staff
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!