What’s New in Food This August? Olive Oil 'Caviar,' Hogwarts Pumpkin Cakes and More

Ghirardelli has long held the title of making the best boxed brownie mix, and now the brand is venturing into new territory: ready-to-bake cookie dough. It's launching with chocolate chip cookie dough and a decadent chocolate chip brownie cookie dough. Having sampled both, I can honestly say they're great, though if you only try one, make it the chocolate chip brownie. It makes for a fudgy cookie that's oozing with molten chocolate chips, perfect for pairing with a bitter cold brew or glass of ice cold milk. (The chocolate chip has great caramelization, but overall, it's on par with Toll House or your classic chewy cookie recipe. The brownie variety is more unique, IMO.)

Take a closer look at the snack aisles, and you'll probably find a lot of new packaging. A host of brands are coming out with better-for-you snacks free of artificial dyes and featuring straightforward ingredients. Solely, the fruit jerky brand, just launched a Mango & Raspberry flavor that contains just two ingredients: organic mango and, you guessed it, raspberries. Meanwhile, Wilde launched protein crackers in four flavors (Buffalo Cheddar, Classic Cheddar, Hot Honey and my favorite, Smoked Gouda) made with chicken breasts and bone broth.

Beech-Nut is easing into this territory too, with the launch of its Goodies line in the US, featuring single-serving packs of Sweet Potato Sticks, Banana Bread Mini Oat Bites and Cinna-Toast Squares.

Ah, to start the morning with a latte and a freshly baked croissant...that's the life, even though the reality for most of us is scarfing a half-frozen waffle from the toaster as we race out the door. Wildgrain aims to change that, featuring parbaked goods that can go straight from the freezer to your oven. I've tried multiple types of croissants and bread from the brand, and they're shockingly good. Like, fresh-from-a-top-notch-bakery good (and far better than anything you'll pick up at the grocery store).

The brand's subscription boxes allow you to choose from baked goods, breads and fresh pasta, and they're continually adding new items (strawberry rhubarb turnovers, pepperoni pizza buns and sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches are just a sampling of the items added this summer).

Grab-and-go PB&J sandwiches are a busy weekday staple, and Uncrustables has long been the go-to brand. But these days, all kinds of competitors are popping up, from Target's Good & Gather (which offers a Sun Butter variety) to Jams (which packs 10 grams of protein in each sandwich).

Now, Welch's is entering the lineup with Real PB&Js. Available at Walmart in three varieties (strawberry jam, mixed berry spread and grape jelly), the sandwiches are marketed for "real big appetites," as they're 50 percent larger than the typical 2-ounce PB&J pocket.

Tiny, little orbs of bliss are a big deal in 2026, whether you enjoy them as boba or popping pearls in a drink, or as caviar atop your chicken nuggets (or fancier fare). But sardine brand Season is betting on a new riff: Olive Tree Pearls. They have a caviar-like size and texture, only they're little bubbles of EVOO. Each teaspoon packs as many antioxidants as 10 liters of olive oil, according to the brand, and they're designed to top salads, crostini and fried eggs.

JonnyPops are some of the best ice pops I've ever tried, hands down. Yes, the ombré stripes are Instagram-worthy, but the flavor combinations, use of real fruit juice and lack of artificial dyes makes the brand a standout. That's why their latest launch has my attention: Electrolyte Pops. Available in two varieties—Organic Hydro Blue Raspberry Punch Minis and Organic Super Cherry Splash Minis—the no-sugar-added treats provide 2 percent of your daily value of magnesium and 2 percent of potassium (and the Super Cherry Splash contain 10 percent of your recommended intake of vitamin C).

Somewhere in the late 2010s, chardonnay got associated with the "wine mom" trope. People started shunning it in favor of crisper whites, like Sauvignon Blanc, but if there is a wine to change your mind, it's Juggernaut's North Coast. It has a bold, robust flavor that's fruity, not syrupy, with a palate-cleansing finish that makes it great for pairing with grilled fish or chicken.

Purity is quietly making a name for itself with its health-conscious coffee blends, designed to support gut health while offering a boost of antioxidants. Now, the brand's launching beans specifically designed for cold brew: a medium roast with peanut butter and cocoa nib notes. Early reviewers describe it as "rich and dreamy" and "refreshing" yet "strong," so I'm eager to give it a taste.

Some of us drink cold brew all day...and pay the price for it later (*raises hand*). Sure, decaf is an option, but it's long held a reputation for being watery and less flavorful all-around. Verve Coffee's latest seasonal blend, Long Play, aims to change all that, with a complex blend of Colombian coffees that are decaffeinated using a sugar cane process, so the beans' sweetness and texture are preserved as much as possible. You better believe I'll be coarsely grinding this medium roast and using it for my afternoon iced coffee ASAP.

Consider this your sign to finally host that Return to Hogwarts party: Betty Crocker and Pillsbury are launching a whole series of Harry Potter-inspired baking kits—and they have nothing to do with Butterbeer. Head to the refrigerated section of your local grocery store to snag ready-to-bake Golden Snitch cookies, then swing by the baking aisle to scoop up a Chocolate Frog Truffle Kit, Forbidden Forest Chocolate Cakes or Hogwarts House Pumpkin Cakes. A kit that lets you create the coolest treats you've seen on Pinterest, even if you have minimal baking skills? I don't know what dark magic is involved, but I'm here for it.

High-fiber, protein-rich pastas often taste mealy, but that's not the case with Brami. Its noodles—made with just Italian durum flour and lupini beans—have the toothsome, firm texture you associate with traditional pasta. Its latest shape, Cubetti, is particularly delightful. The tiny, textured cubes really catch sauce from every angle. And it doesn't hurt that each serving packs 21 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber.