Safe + Fair Drizzled Popcorn Is Just as Good as Actual Dessert (And Far Healthier, Too)

Value: 20/20
Functionality: 17/20
Quality: 18/20
Aesthetics: 20/20
Taste: 16/20

Total PureWow100 Score: 91/100

We’ve been snacking a lot since quarantine started. But after a few months, we’re admittedly tired of the basic chips and pretzels in our nightly munchies rotation. Enter Safe + Fair Drizzled Popcorn, which saved the day with five unique, dessert-inspired flavors that we can’t get enough of.

All five flavors of this kettle-popped popcorn are inspired by desserts you know and love, minus all the junk and extra calories. And not only are they allergen-free, but they’re also non-GMO, vegan and free of preservatives and artificial ingredients. Oh, did we mention popcorn is naturally a whole grain?

Each flavor clocks in at 140 calories, 6 to 7 grams of fat and about 2 grams of protein and fiber each per one-ounce (aka ⅛-cup) serving. The one downside? The not insignificant amount of added sugar (12 grams per serving), so if you’re trying to lower your intake, air-popped corn with your usual dry seasonings may be a better fit. But the upside is that Safe + Fair uses real cane sugar rather than freaky, chemical-filled sweeteners and the sweet drizzles are made with natural dyes like fruit juice, vegetable juice, spirulina or turmeric to make them look colorful and pretty. Plus, its production is rigorously monitored for nut contamination, as well as milk, egg, wheat, soy and shellfish.

The drizzles are a heavenly match for crisp, slightly salty kernels. Just have a napkin at the ready—some will get melty and stick to your fingers, especially in the summertime. Each 7½-ounce bag costs $5 (plus, three percent of all Safe + Fair proceeds are donated to the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University). Try one flavor that calls to you or dig into them all buy splurging on a $24 bundle. Here’s what you have to choose from.

This bag is for all of you who dump M&M’s into your popcorn. The drizzle is made with real cocoa powder and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how evenly coated the popcorn looks when you first open the bag. This is the most decadent of the bunch and will scratch your midnight itch for a whole chocolate bar. This flavor is definitely the messiest; beware of where you put your chocolate-covered fingers between fistfuls.

Taste: 16/20

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Heads up: Your kids are going to go bonkers for this flavor. The sweet drizzle is downright delicious and tastes just like the processed treats you’d beg your parents for as a kid, minus the franken sweeteners. Visually, the drizzle is tough to see because it’s the same color as the kernels and the sprinkles are a bit sparse. Nevertheless, it’s equal parts nostalgic and addictively delicious. This flavor has the longest ingredient list thanks to the sprinkles, but we’re willing to look past that to get our birthday cake fix.

Taste: 15/20

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OK, before you even taste it, take a long, deep whiff. You’ll note the signature tangy, almost sour scent of blueberries. The lavender-colored glaze tastes a lot like the creamy blueberry yogurt coating you might see on some cereals, granola bars, dried fruits or raisins and the popcorn is really well coated, so it has a flawless balance of salty and sweet.

Taste: 18/20

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We aren’t exaggerating when we say this bag smells *exactly* like real key lime pie. Visually, it’s super well-coated, but its pale yellow-green color isn’t quite as appetizing as Strawberry Shortcake pink or Dark Chocolaty brown. Just like its namesake, the creamy sweetness of the drizzle counteracts the lime flavor’s bitterness and acidity, so don’t expect it to be sour or tart.

Taste: 16/20

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This pretty-in-pink beauty just arrived on the scene this summer, and boy is she going to win over your taste buds. Visually, we have no complaints at all. The drizzle’s color reminds us of Homer Simpson’s favorite donut and is just as fragrant as Special K Red Berries. It somehow smells and tastes less like “real” fruit than the blueberry and lime variations despite their almost identical ingredients, but TBH…that’s not keeping us from inhaling every morsel.

Taste: 17/20

Buy it ($5)