6 New Kroger Products (4 to Try, 2 to Skip)

Turns out we’ve got friends in high places here at Sporked. Kroger, the parent company behind stores like Ralphs and Food 4 Less, sent us a very cute box of new grocery products (plus one fan favorite item that buyers are raving about) from their private label brands to taste test and give our unfiltered thoughts. I mean, the Kroger PR team is probably hoping for a little bit of a filter on our thoughts, but that’s not how things work around here. (Lucky for them, most of these Kroger products were pretty good, so they can relax.) Let’s take a look at what new Kroger brand products you should buy or skip the next time you hit up the store.

Private Selection Golden Pineapple Spears 

“Holy moly,” I said, pulling this giant jar of fresh pineapple spears out of the bag. I’m weak, so lifting what is essentially an entire cut pineapple soaking in a jar of coconut water was no easy feat for me. That being said, I’m a big fan of this product for a couple of key reasons. First, cutting up fresh pineapple is a huge hassle that I like to avoid whenever humanly possible. These massive, meaty pineapple spears are so easy to pull out, convenient to eat, and honestly? The jar is aesthetically appealing, too. I shouldn’t care about that, but I really do. These spears are incredibly soft and have a strong, concentrated pineapple flavor thanks to all the juices mingling with the coconut water. The flavor does lean quite sweet (the ingredients also include a “light syrup” in the mix). But as someone more sensitive to sweetness than most people, I still really enjoyed them. I can’t imagine a more perfect product for Pina Coladas—just pop one out of the jar and into the blender with some rum and coconut milk, and you’re good to go. 

Verdict: Buy

Private Selection Croissant Loaf (Fan Favorite Item)

Help! I’ve fallen (in love), and I can’t get up (from the couch after eating an entire loaf of this croissant bread). Among the new Kroger foods we received, Kroger was also kind enough to send us a fan favorite product that’s been making the rounds—and I can totally see why this loaf is such a hit with shoppers. The soft, buttery, flaky bread slices are so thick and pillowy, I could literally nap on them. They taste divine with butter alone, so I can only imagine the possibilities with a little jam or Nutella. The general consensus among buyers is that once you make French toast with this, you may never go back to your go-to loaf again. The only thing I’m not a huge fan of here is the price ($6.99), but you’ll have to decide if fancy French toast is worth the splurge! 

Verdict: Buy

Private Selection Gnocchi with Parmigiano Reggiano

Any day I get to eat gnocchi for free is a great day for me. Private Selection’s new Gnocchi with Parmigiano Reggiano is something I would recommend for pasta lovers looking for unique new grocery products to try. The texture is hard to fault—it has a soft, pillowy chew enhanced by the dough’s ridges and overall handmade appeal. That said, the team was a little divided on the flavor. The delicate hint of parmigiano adds a slightly bitter nuttiness that can linger, which some of us found interesting, and others could do without. You probably wouldn’t want to pair this with a cheese-based pasta sauce, but if you’d like to try a gnocchi with an added twist of flavor, definitely give this a shot. 

Verdict: Buy

Simple Truth Organic Taqueria Style Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips

As I wrote in my notes, these are “very corny.” That could have also referred to the doodle of a singing tortilla chip I drew at the edge of the paper, but I digress. Simple Truth’s Taqueria Style Corn Tortilla Chips remind me of fresh chips served at a Mexican restaurant. These are salty and a little bitter, thanks to that corn-forward flavor. I really appreciate the integrity of the chip itself—the structure is super sturdy but still tastes quite delicate and flaky. All that said, we’ve tried some very tasty tortilla chips in the past, and I can’t say with certainty that these stand out among the crowd. Still, if you buy them, you won’t be disappointed! As far as Kroger products go, they are pretty tasty. 

Verdict: Buy

Big K Grapefruit Citrus Soda and Big K Grapefruit Citrus Soda (Zero Sugar)

Okay, my honest opinion? You can skip these new Big K Grapefruit Citrus Sodas. Not every grapefruit soda should be considered a Squirt dupe, but I almost wish these were trying a little harder to mimic popular brands. They’re just a little lackluster. I will say, the zero sugar version doesn’t have a strong artificial sweetener taste, which impressed me. Are they disgusting? No. Are they worth buying over other grapefruit sodas? Nah. 

Verdict: Skip