How to Snack Smarter

Registered dietitians and culinary pros in the GH Nutrition Lab pored over the nutrition facts, ingredient lists, and flavor profiles of hundreds of snacks. Then we enlisted nearly 2,000 taste testers to help choose the winners (tough job!), evaluating over 5,300 samples and analyzing 49,495 data points. Read on for some of our top-tested winning picks, which excel in nutrition and taste.

- STEFANI SASSOS, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N.

Powerhouse Produce

Best Apple

Pink Lady apples are sweet and tart, bursting with flavor and nutrition. This go-to solution for simple snacking is always the first to blossom and the last to be harvested, so each one soaks up about 200 days of sunshine for that rosy color and delicious flavor.

LAB RESULTS Testers found the flavor superior to that of other apples, saying it was "crisp, refreshing and incredibly tasty." Our experts said it holds up well in baking but is perfect on its own too.

PINK LADY APPLES, $1 TO $3 PER LB, GROCERY STORES

Most Innovative Fruit Snack

Overripe and wasted fruit scraps are rescued and upcycled for this unique snack; they're gently dried into snackable slices that retain the fruits' nutrient-rich peels.

LAB RESULTS The StrawPeary blend boasts an incredibly refreshing flavor and 5 g of fiber per serving sans any added sugar. "Hands down the best of all we tried," a tester raved.

RIND STRAW-PEARY BLEND, $5 TO $6 PER BAG, WHOLE FOODS MARKET

Best Citrus

Juicy and seedless, these enormous mandarins are known for their perfectly balanced sweetness and for being easy to peel.