8 Grocery Chains With the Best Snack Aisles
Americans sure love their potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, and candy bars. According to Statista, the snack food business is expected to generate $108.5 billion in revenue in 2023.
Walk down any snack aisle today and you will see a colorful array of packaged sweet and salty treats, as well as healthier options to fit every kind of dietary need. Many of these come from nationally recognized brands like Oreo and Frito-Lay, while others are private-label goods that you can only find at that particular store.
Your local grocery store likely has a decent amount of snacks, but some chains rise above the rest when it comes to items to nosh on when hunger strikes. Whether you're looking for something unique to nibble on or just hoping to save a few bucks at the register, keep these grocery chains in mind the next time you want to stock up on tasty snacks.
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's is top of mind for grocery shoppers for many reasons, including its selection of snacks. Since Trader Joe's sells mostly private-label products, it sells snacks that you will not be able to find anywhere else. Exclusivity aside, shoppers cannot get enough of TJ's goodies, so much so that Trader Joe's is constantly coming out with new products to keep its fans happy. From its wide varieties of Joe-Joe's cookies to lighter snacks that will help you stick to a healthy diet, Trader Joe's keeps rotating its selection of tempting nibbles, because the retailer knows you cannot resist a good snack.
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Whole Foods
Snacks are notorious for sneaking a ton of added sugars, highly processed ingredients, and artificial flavors into our day-to-day lives. But if you shop at Whole Foods, there is less reason to fear the snack aisle. The national chain sticks to its promise of selling better-for-you groceries with zero artificial ingredients, and that includes the snack aisle. Whole Foods not only sells snacks that will help you on your health and fitness journey with post-workout treats, but it is also where you will find the occasional indulgence like chips, cookies, and even candy.
Aldi
Regular shoppers have been attuned to this not-so-hidden gem of a grocery store for some time, but more and more customers now are joining the fold. Aldi is growing faster than any other chain in America. Once you begin shopping at Aldi, you will quickly realize the embarrassment of riches that exists in the store's aisles, including its snacks. And since Aldi sells mostly private-label products, you really can't get these discount goods anywhere else.
Highlights include new finds like LesserEvil Space Balls and Southern Grove Flavored Almonds. But tried-and-true favorites are always a hit, like Clancy's White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn, which fans in a Reddit thread described as "better than the name brand popcorn"—and cheaper too!
H-Mart
If you know anything about Korean cuisine, then you probably know about all the excellent snacks to try. H-Mart shoppers have a lot of opinions on what they think are the best snacks at the Asian supermarket chain. One Redditor loves the Honey Butter Chips, while several others praise the store's line of Turtle Chips (with special shout-outs to Chocolate Churro and Spicy Lime flavors).
H-E-B
The Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B is a local favorite, thanks in large part to its affordable prices and great shopping experience. In fact, H-E-B was named America's No. 1 grocery store by dunnhumby, beating out big-name competitors like Amazon. That is quite an impressive feat, but Texans are likely not surprised, especially given what they have to say about the chain's store-brand products.
One shopper shared on Reddit their new-found love for H-E-B's snack mix, with another mentioning how they "killed an entire bag in a day." H-E-B also makes its own in-house tortilla chips that Redditors heartily endorse, with one noting how they "always get the in-house chips."
Target
You can truly find everything you need at Target, from throw pillows to groceries. You might already know how Target is a reliable source for national snack brands like Oreo, Lay's, and Doritos, but there is more to the snack aisle than meets the eye. Over the years Target has developed quite a robust lineup of private-label goods, including brands like Good and Gather and Favorite Day.
Each of these brands includes all kinds of tasty treats, from healthier options to snacks that are purely for indulgence. Redditors are particularly big fans of the Good & Gather-brand cashews and salami and cheese snack packs.
Costco
If buying your snacks in bulk is the name of the game, then you really cannot beat Costco. The national chain of warehouses sells everything from groceries to home goods to even tires for your car. But fans of Costco's store brand Kirkland know what's up when it comes to top-tier snacks. Whether you are into the Butter Toffee Cashews or the Organic Roasted Seaweed, Costco members feel quite strongly about their go-to snacks whenever they make a grocery run. And since Costco is known for selling products in bulk, there are plenty of snacks to go around (or to keep all to yourself, which is totally understandable).
Kroger
As the self-described largest grocery retailer in America, you would expect Kroger to deliver big time when it comes to fan-favorite snacks—and it does. When you need a quick bite to eat in between meals, there is no shortage of options in Kroger's snack aisle, from national brands like Frito-Lay and Pirate's Booty to its own private-label products like the Private Selection Sweet Brown Butter Pretzel Twists and Simple Truth Blue Corn Tortilla Chips. Kroger also sells a number of healthy snacks, like PopCorners Kettle Corn Popped-Corn Snack and That's It Crunchables Organic Apples and Pumpkin Seeds.
