Sensible Snacking

Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods, Saddle Brook, N.J., launched four new cleaner, veggie-forward frozen snacks for kids and adults alike. New Dr. Praeger’s Pizza Stars include real vegetables as the first ingredient—including cauliflower, zucchini, navy beans, and onions, blended with real mozzarella cheese, tomato paste, whole grain oats, and simple seasonings. This cheesy snack delivers 5g of protein, 4g of fiber, and only 170 calories per serving.

“For years, Dr. Praeger’s has been a go-to for families looking for cleaner, better-for-you options, and we’re excited to bring that same philosophy to one of the biggest snacking categories out there,” says Andy Reichgut, CEO of Dr. Praeger’s.

Other new additions include Taco Stars, featuring black beans, corn, red peppers, and mild taco seasoning; Ranch Crunchy Veggie Fries, made with ten different vegetables; and Broccoli Cheddar Cheesy Bites, with real cheddar cheese and broccoli wrapped in a crispy bite-sized form.

Sweet Treat

Conagra Brands, Inc., Chicago, used the National Confectioners Association's 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis to introduce a wide range of new offerings. Included was new Snack Pack recipe crafted with the chocolate experts from DOVE Chocolate (Mars Wrigley).

New Snack Pack DOVE Dark Chocolate Pudding Cups feature three types of cocoa for “a rich, dark chocolate flavor, with a smooth, silky texture, thanks to twice the amount of milk as regular Snack Pack pudding,” the company said. A pack of six, 3.25oz cups retails for $3.19.

"The Sweets & Snacks Expo is a great forum to highlight our diverse snacks portfolio," said Jill Dexter, Conagra Brands president, Grocery and Snacks. "Our meat snacks, salty snacks, seeds and sweet treats appeal to a wide audience of consumers, and we're excited to showcase our newest offerings."

The Right Bite

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., Tampa, Fla., partnered with John Soules Foods, Tyler, Tex., to introduce Checkers & Rally's Chicken Bites with crispy, fully cooked, all-white meat chicken. They debuted at Kroger, Dollar General, and Family Dollar stores nationwide with plans to expand to additional grocery retailers.

"Consumers are increasingly craving the convenience of enjoying their favorite restaurant items at home," said Michael Pierce, John Soules head of marketing. "We're thrilled to partner with Checkers & Rally's to bring the taste and quality of their signature Chicken Bites to grocery store freezers, making it easier than ever for fans to enjoy them."

Clean Label Fries

Restaurant frozen French fry supplier Jesse & Ben’s, Washington, D.C., went retail with a full product line launch at Sprouts nationwide. Officials say it’s the only brand in the U.S. cooking its fries in grass-fed beef tallow “with restaurant-quality taste, simple ingredients, and no seed oils.”

A new Sweet Potato Fries (made with beef tallow) joins the line. Other varieties include Classic Sea Salt, made with avocado oil; Rosemary & Garlic, seasoned with real rosemary and garlic; and a Tallow & Sea Salt, also cooked in beef tallow.

Popular Pairing

The J. M. Smucker Co., Orrville, Ohio, extended its frozen Uncrustables line with its first limited-edition flavor, Smucker's Uncrustables Peanut Butter & Mixed Berry Spread Sandwiches. Debuting nationwide at select retailers this summer, the four-count product features Uncrustables soft bread, creamy peanut butter and a sweet mixed berry spread (made with a blend of strawberries and blueberries).

“Last fall, we introduced the brand's first new PB&J flavor in a decade with Uncrustables Peanut Butter & Raspberry Spread Sandwiches. The overwhelmingly positive reception from both new and loyal Uncrustables fans reflected the clear demand for new flavor innovations,” said Chris Achenbach, director of brand strategy. “To deliver on the desire for even more ways to enjoy Uncrustables, we will be launching two limited-edition flavors in 2025. We're thrilled for consumers to enjoy the Peanut Butter & Mixed Berry Spread sandwiches and [are] excited to share our next flavor innovation later this year.”

New Taste, Texture

J&J Snack Foods Corp., Mt. Laurel, N.J., introduced a reformulated version of its SUPERPRETZEL frozen soft pretzel with a “new recipe that delivers a softer texture and a richer, more robust flavor.” Specifically, officials say the new version delivers “a heartier, Bavarian-style bite” with a softer texture.

"We have a passion for pretzels at J&J Snack Foods, and SUPERPRETZEL has been a household favorite for more than 50 years," said Chief Marketing Officer Lynwood Mallard. "We listened to our customers and made small but meaningful recipe updates to enhance the product while keeping the signature twist, convenience, and vegan-friendly recipe our fans love."

Say Cheese!

Sartori Company, Plymouth, Wis., introduced snackable Cheese Bites in two signature flavors: MontAmoré Cheddar and Italian Herb Cheddar. Both come in 4.5oz packages, each containing six snackable cheese wheels.

Sartori says MontAmoré Cheddar Cheese Bites feature creamy white cheddar with robust notes of aged Parmesan. Italian Herb Cheddar Cheese Bites feature cheddar with a savory blend of fresh herbs, lemon and Aleppo pepper.

"We've been perfecting these Cheese Bites for quite a while, and we're happy that people will now be able to more easily enjoy their favorite Sartori cheese on the go," said CEO Bert Sartori.

No-Thaw, Dippable Treat

The Kraft Heinz Company, Chicago and Pittsburgh, introduced Lunchables PB&J, which it bills as the “first-ever dippable, no-thaw crustless PB&J.” Lunchables PB&J includes two crustless peanut butter sandwiches per pack along with a side of grape or strawberry flavored dip (with no artificial colors). It rolled out to select retailers nationwide for $2.49 per pack.

“The launch of Lunchables PB&J is a continuation in our mission to reinvent the refrigerated category by providing high quality, delicious, affordable and convenient solutions for snack time and beyond,” said Danni Levin, Lunchables associate director of innovation. “We’re remixing a classic, delivering on parents’ desire for convenience and kids’ love of dipping and customizing … PB&Js will never be the same!”