It’s September and we are officially in fall flavored snack season.

I’m back from a week of vacation with my family, ready to snack and review. I’ll be sharing my Friday Substack, daily Instagram, and occasional posts exclusive to my paid subscribers.

So, my OG snack friends, you’re getting my first scoop on some of the fall snacks I’m seeing. Are there any others on your radar? Let me know if ones you want me to taste test, my messages are always open!

Starbucks

Starbucks launched their fall menu, and it’s SO much more than pumpkin. Of course, PSL and its many variations are back, but there’s now Iced Banana Bread Chai, Pecan Crunch Latte, Iced Chaider (chai + strawberry açaí). The banana bread flavors are calling me and I’ll be trying ASAP and reporting back.

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Dunkin’s Pumpkin menu is out, Starbucks launches next week, schools are back in session and HomeGoods is officially Halloween. Even though the last day of summer isn’t technically until September 22, it sure looks like fall.

Next week my kiddo’s daycare is closed for summer break and my family is spending a few days in Santa Rosa and then Santa Cruz to play, eat and see family. I won’t be sending a newsletter next Friday, but you can still get your snack fill on OMG Snack Goals Instagram and I’ll be back to your inbox the first week of September.

Instagram and the grocery aisles are all the protein craze I have to admit I’ve fallen for it. I’ve recently started tracking my daily protein intake, just to get a sense of what I’m actually consuming. I’m trying to hit enough macros which means intentionally adding extra snacks with protein. I bought a giant tub of cottage cheese (13g of protein per serving) but really there are only so many days I can eat cottage cheese in a row. I baked it into a bundt cake, and if you have other tips of what to do with cottage cheese I am all ears because I’m super over it. But with proteinmaxxing running wild, there are many other options to get those extra macros into your day.

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💪 10 Fun Protein Bites

What do pasta, yogurt, ice cream and jerky all have in common? Apparently protein. If you’re looking for a protein kick that isn’t a scoop of powder or a bar, here are some unique snacks on my radar. I have even more on my list, so may need to make a round 2 soon!

• 🥣 Chobani Protein Flip Cup - 20g of protein, 0 added sugar and fun flavors like almond coconut chocolate & strawberry banana cashew. Great as a lunch, snack or dessert. Picked up at Target.

• 🍚 Kaizen Rice - Protein rice made out of Lupini beans with 20g per serving which is 5x white rice. Flavors include Mediterranean, Spanish and original. They also make pasta and mac & cheese. Ordered on Thrive Market.

• 🍝 Tangle Pasta - Top Ramen style where you just add water and mix with the pasta and flavoring, available in cups or bags. 15g of protein can be a meal on its own or mix in veggies and shrimp (which is what I did). Available at Target and Walmart.

• 🥨 Snackish Chips - 8g of protein in a bag of potato chips. Made with avocado oil, crunchy and easy to eat. My toddler is more of a fan of these than I am. Though I am obsessed with their marketing. Exclusively at Target.

• 🥨 Wilde Protein Crackers - I’ve had their chips and now they’ve launched protein crackers with 12g of protein, made with chicken breast, bone broth and cheese. It’s like an upgraded Cheez-It. Available at Target.

• 🍖 New Primal Meat Sticks - I’d seen their chicken and beef sticks and mini sticks, but I recently discovered they have even more flavors like pizza, honey BBQ, and chicken & apple. 7-10g of protein in the big sticks and 5g in the minis. Target and Amazon have many flavors with even more on their website.

• 🥪 Smucker’s Uncrustables Protein Sandwiches - The OG Uncrustables has launched a protein sandwich with 12g of protein per serving. I haven’t tried these yet but they are at Target. Smaller brand Jams has been selling protein sandwiches for years with 10g, so this must be Smucker’s way of taking back business.

• 🍦 Cold Freak - Protein ice cream sandwiches with 20g of protein and 0 added sugar. Small brand with great founder story, only available through their website right now.

• 🥄 LASSO - Protein and fiber gelatin cups with 10g protein and 5g fiber and only 60 calories. Jello but better. Flavors include orange cream, crisp apple, and watermelon lime. Limited distribution so ordering direct through their website is best bet, and you can get a sampler cup of all the flavors. Crisp apple is my favorite, toddler likes orange.

• 🍫 Hormbles Chormbles - Protein Candy, my new discovery that I’m obsessed with. 10g of protein and 0g of sugar per chocolate bar with very little protein taste. Chocolate bar for the afternoon or evening or smuggling into a movie. Comes in bars and bags of minis, available at Target and their website.

🎉 Little Bites Volume 8

• I got this Instagram ad for the Pottery Barn Kids Halloween collection, look at this banana costume! Also served as a reminder that Halloween is coming up in 2.5 months so it’s time to start costume planning.

• Is Target the new Whole Foods? That’s what I’ve been hearing and I might have to agree. They have Roy Choi snacks, organic offerings, small businesses, lots of protein. I shared my most purchased Target toddler snacks this week.

• Probably the most common phrase of my toddler these days is “more snacks” and since my brain is buzzing with snacks as well, it seems appropriate to get myself a more snacks hat on Etsy.

• After receiving one million Instagram ads from Emmafy, I fell for it and bought their Mini Backpack and Roomiest Everything Tote. They both seem great for my exploding snack stash in my car and diaper bag.

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Where to enjoy OMG Snack Goals

If you liked this post, you know where to find me…

Instagram: @omgsnackgoals

Substack:

OMG SNACK GOALS

A newsletter for anyone who’s lifestyle is snacking. Come obsess about snacks with me.

By Miraya Berke

Follow for snack news, foodie finds, and what’s worth adding to your cart. Plus lots of whimsy fun on Instagram!

Movies are back and I'm fully in my BYO snacks era.

I'm hosting my first collab giveaway on Instagram this afternoon with a new friend who makes upcycled thrift pieces, think Teenie Beanie Baby bag charms and quilt-kinis made from men's button downs. Go check it out for a chance to try all the candies featured in this newsletter.

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🎥 BYO Movie Snacks

Does anyone buy candy at the movie theater? I fully believe that bringing snacks from home > movie theater candy. I’m not looking to spend $6 for same thing that costs $1 at the drug store. Much prefer to BYO snacks. You can even go wild and pack a whole charcuterie box!

There have been a lot of good movies out and it’s really feeling like the movies are back! The Odyssey, Spiderman, Toy Story 5, Obsession and I even went to the theater for first time in months and saw The Invite (loved it) and of course packed up my purse with snacks. If you’re looking for inspiration candy and popcorn to smuggle into your next film, here you go.

🍬 Candy

The New York Times recently published an article Who Put Candy on a Diet, about the “better for you” candy wave. They name dropped a lot of brands, many I’ve tried but a few new to me. I got my hands on quite a few of them, so here’s my take.

Better Sour - These launched a few years ago and have really amped up their flavor range and distribution, they’re even at Costco now. They are more of a sticky gummy than bouncy, but not so much that they get stuck in your teeth. Fun flavors like Passion Fruit, Pomegranate Apricot, Guava Calamansi Lime and packed with 15g of Fiber and only 3g of sugar. Founders are two best friends from Hawaii, hence the tropical fruit flavors. I’ve seen these at Sprouts, Thrive Market and other independent retailers.

Behave - I tried these first a few years ago when they launched in 2020. The founder has been open about the business struggles and in 2024 they had a viral comeback on TikTok Shops and now they are available in Target. Low sugar (3g) and high fiber (19g) are quite impressive numbers for a bag of candy. I especially like the sour stars, which are my preferred amount of sour with just the right tang.

Rotten - If you’re a fan of Nerds Gummy Clusters (which is seems so many people are), you’ve got to try these. The Original Gummy Cruncheez are fun, same sugar crunch of a Nerds Gummy Cluster but 58% less sugar and 9g of fiber. I also tried the Spicy Sour, which was not for me as Tajin flavoring just isn’t my thing. They also make Wormz, Tiniez, and Chewerz. Branding is pretty wild, way less female targeted than Better Sour and Behave. I picked these up at Sprouts.

Harken - They sell bags of little ones as well as individual bars. So far I’ve tried the Gooey One, The Nutty One and the Coconutty One. I’m a big fan! Delightful flavors, rich in fiber, not too sweet but scratches my sweet tooth. Female founded, cute story, cheering this brand on! I found at Sprouts, Thrive Market, and other independent retailers.

Hormbles Chormbles - This was the only one on the NYT list I’d never heard of and the only positioned as protein candy. 10g of protein in a candy bar, no sugar and 150 calories compares to eating a power bar or jerky stick. I can’t say this tastes like a See’s Candy, there is definitely a hint of protein powder and very little sweetness. I wouldn’t stock up on these, but fun to try to spice up your protein fix. They come in a range of flavors like Salted Fudge Crisp, Classic Milk, and Peanut Butter Crunch and are now available at Target.

🍿 Popcorn

If you’re more of a popcorn with your movie type, movie theater popcorn often is worth the treat. Drenched in yellow butter and served in a giant bowl, it’s hard to recreate that at home. But if you’re looking to save some money or portion control your popcorn consumption, some of my favorite popcorn brands are:

• Lesser Evil

• Skinny Pop

• Trader Joe’s: Hot Honey is a house favorite, Pickle, any new seasonal drop

• Khloud

🎉 Little Bites Volume 7

• Pop Up Bagels, an elite bagel company which is quickly spreading across the nation, constantly launches unique collabs and most recently with Natalie’s OJ. They’ve teamed up with hamburger brands, honey, seltzer, pickles, strawberries, all for out of the box schmear flavors. I wish they would open in The Bay, so if you’re in LA or NY, please go so I can live vicariously through you.

• In other collab news, Poppi launched a new drink flavor, Sour Apple, and to celebrate they created exclusive candies at Lil Sweet Treat shops. They both sound SO good and I desperately want to try them.

• Outshine Snacks, the brand I used to manage on social, is hosting a Best Flavor Friends sweepstakes now through September 20. Grand prize is a getaway for you and your bestie!

• Is Pyrex the new it girl coffee cup?

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Where to enjoy OMG Snack Goals

If you liked this post, you know where to find me…

Instagram: @omgsnackgoals

Substack:

OMG SNACK GOALS

A newsletter for anyone who’s lifestyle is snacking. Come obsess about snacks with me.

By Miraya Berke

Follow for snack news, foodie finds, and what’s worth adding to your cart. Plus lots of whimsy fun on Instagram!

Summer is flying by! My toddler only has 2 weeks left in his class until summer break and then he goes up to the next class (I’m not crying). And many families are juggling the craze of short camp schedules. Are you holding onto these final days or already leaning into fall season?

It seems that the stores are ready for Fall. Target is in full swing and I was influenced, I even bought a ghost soap dispenser (he’s really cute) and Starbucks PSL official date is 8/25. Pumpkin coffee creamer, pumpkin bread, pumpkin yogurt…what other pumpkin flavor snacks will we have to look forward to soon?

In other news, I hit 500 followers on Instagram! Woo hoo! Thanks for following and supporting. I hosted a giveaway to win a custom snack bundle. I curated a box of snacks based on the winner’s direction.

Right now this newsletter is totally free, but did you know that I also have paid tiers? As a VIP Snack Club Subscriber ($200), I’ll make you a curated snack box plus you’ll receive subscriber-only newsletters. We’re talking a big box filled with snacks just for you! My first recipient was thrilled and said it was like grown-up Halloween. Not to mention, you’re supporting my snack journey. If you’re looking for a gift for yourself, or a friend (I’ll even make you a cute personalized certificate) consider becoming a VIP Snack Club Subscriber.

Subscribe now

🛒 Costco

Last week was all Trader Joe’s, today I’m talking Costco. I shared a roundup on Instagram with my go-to Costco snack items.

• That’s It Mini Fruit Bar - fruit and no added sugar, great mini size

• Nature’s Garden Yoggies - like healthy gummies with probiotics

• Amara Smoothie Melts - my toddler inhales these so we buy 2 boxes

• Fishwife Tuna - you know I’m a big fan, unbeatable price

• Noka Superfood Smoothies - quick, easy breakfast with protein

• Hardboiled eggs - any time of the day convenient snack

• Pure Organic Fruit Bars - affordable, mostly healthy fruity snack

• Goodles - regular dinner rotation with leftovers for school lunch

🎉 Little Bites Volume 6

• Levain, the best cookies in the world, has launched a Crate & Barrel Collab, and I have to admit that I already purchased a cookie plate. I’m a huge Levain fan. So much that I ship their cookies to my home every few months and wear their hat regularly. So this collab felt designed for me. I did somehow resist the cake platter, the cookie cup and the spatula. Excellent gift idea for any cookie fans in your life! (hint hint 😉)

• Last week I had the opportunity to go on a bakery tour of Semifreddi’s and it was awesome! They make 40,000 breads and baked goods every day and we saw where the magic happens. Everyone left with a bag of bread, granola, crostini, and biscotti. They just launched a Super Garlic Crostini at Sprouts nationwide. Super tasty on their own, and I can’t wait to try the crostini as a crouton on a salad or with a charcuterie plate.

• The coolest pickle brand, Good Girl Snacks, just announced their newest product, mini bags of cornichons, and as always, they have nailed it. The design, the concept of pickles on the go, I’m obsessed and will be buying ASAP.

• Are you a collector of Inciardi Mini Prints? Delightful vending machines stocked with prints, many of which are foods, stationed in hip locations around the states. I have a few myself, and I’m always on the lookout for them. Well now I saw Inciardi has special magnets for the prints, so cute and clever!

• Stevia seems to be a hidden ingredient in so many of the hip new brands these days. If you see Stevia on an ingredient list, are you in or out? I’m curious - let me know in the chat!

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Where to enjoy OMG Snack Goals

If you liked this post, you know where to find me…

Instagram: @omgsnackgoals

Substack:

OMG SNACK GOALS

A newsletter for anyone who’s lifestyle is snacking. Come obsess about snacks with me.

By Miraya Berke

Follow for snack news, foodie finds, and what’s worth adding to your cart. Plus lots of whimsy fun on Instagram!

Happy Friday! I mentioned last week that I’m focusing on 1 Substack a week that will be filled to the brim with snack fun. If you’re craving more of me (and my snack joy) during the week, make sure you’re following along on Instagram where I’m sharing reviews, trends, and what I’m munching on. And if you want a customized snack rec from me, just comment on this post!

In addition to snacking and scrolling, I’ve been taking discovery calls with potential clients, many in the food space. The common thread: educating consumer habits.

People already know where to find ice cream in the freezer aisle. But when a brand disrupts a new category, that built-in consumer knowledge doesn’t exist yet. The problem becomes education. The opportunity is social media.

Case in point: no one thought to wrap a Fruit Roll-Up around ice cream until a TikTok trend did it for them. Now creators and the brand itself have fully leaned in, wrapping Fruit Roll-Ups around ice cream, popsicles, frozen fruit. Fruit Roll-Up is even doing a pop-up at the Museum of Ice Cream in Las Vegas.

That’s the power of social: food disruptors go mainstream the moment their share of voice grows through content and community.

I’m very excited to blend my love of snacks, knowledge of social and moment making to work with brands looking to make a splash. If you’re with a brand or know someone who is launching a product or needs help taking an idea from concept to execution, let’s talk. 👋

Now on to the snacks!

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🛒 Trader Joes

This week on Instagram I shared my go-to Trader Joe’s snack items. Truly we always have these items in our house as they are loved by my toddler, and my husband and I also enjoy them too. Add these to your next TJ’s shopping list:

• Bambas - peanut & corn puffed snacks with 5g of protein per serving

• Freeze dried strawberries - eat them out of the bag, topped on yogurt or cereal

• Plantain Chips - great in the car, or dip in peanut butter

• Veggie Sticks - healthy, satisfying snack

• Fruit Bars - pure fruit and more affordable than name brand versions

• Manzanilla olive pouches - great on-the go or at home, convenient size

• Berries - the rumors are true, toddlers love berries

I mentioned our Trader Joe’s family photo which we recreated years later… well here it is! Circa 1994 ish and then again in 2022. And yes, that’s me inside the grocery cart!

🎉 Little Bites Volume 5

• Starbucks launched a new Orange Cream Collection: Orange Cream Cold Brew, Orange Cream Frappuccino Drink and Iced Orange Cream Matcha. Even though I’m not usually a huge orange flavor fan, the matcha was calling my name. It’s sweet and refreshing without being overly creamy or heavy. Might not order regularly, but fun to try and would recommend for a summer sip!

• Instagram sent me an ad for Kitsch Hair & Body Mist Trio: Smell Like A Snack. Not sure I really need to “Smell like a snack with three delectable scents: Buttered Popcorn, Fizzy Cola & Cinnamon Pretzel” though it is tempting!

• I met the founder of Dou, a 3rd generation sauce maker who gifted me her Snack Oil (which is sold on Amazon); it’s like a chili crisp but made with olive oil to honor her California roots. So far I’ve drizzled it on veggies and eggs and it’s amazing. Might have to make Snack Oil my new thing, as it’s very on brand!

• New Reese’s ad for Oreo Cups starring Lindsay Lohan and Amy Sedaris. It’s a bit silly, but cute with the nod to The Parent Trap’s iconic Oreo + peanut butter combo.

• Snack boxes are all over my feed, again. Seems like every few months these blow up. I have actually never made myself a snack (or snackle) box. I’ve always been intrigued but it never seems worth the effort. I’d prefer a snack cup, seems way easier. But curious, have you made a snack box and what did you put in it?

• Now something I would go to the effort to make… Italian sandwich chip bag. It’s like a walking taco and a sandwich had a baby. Eager to try this!

• Another Trader Joe’s shoutout, this time exclusively for the parents. I fell for the cuteness of the new Milk Chocolate Sardines with Sea Salt. Normally I’d prefer dark chocolate over milk, so I was skeptical. But the individually wrapped fish and salt make these super adorable and tasty. Also, not brand new but another recent snack in our rotation is the Hot Honey Popcorn. We’ve been buying 2 bags at a time because we’re scared they will stop carrying them and my husband Matt is addicted.

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Where to enjoy OMG Snack Goals

If you liked this post, you know where to find me…

Instagram: @omgsnackgoals

Substack:

OMG SNACK GOALS

A newsletter for anyone who’s lifestyle is snacking. Come obsess about snacks with me.

By Miraya Berke

Follow for snack news, foodie finds, and what’s worth adding to your cart. Plus lots of whimsy fun on Instagram!

This is the fourth consecutive week I’ve written Little Bites. And also maybe my last, at least for now.

I’ve spent the last month cranking out Substack posts (this is #9). I have a long brainstorm doc with upcoming posts: Snacks For That series, taste tests, roundups from grocery stores. I’m truly so happy you’re here with me on my snack journey.

But it seems the increased posting isn’t actually helping much with awareness of new readers. Plus, I’m taking on more freelance work so have to get a bit sharper with where I dedicate my time. So to spare my sanity (and your inboxes) for now I’m planning to scale back to 1 newsletter per week. Paid subscribers (thank you thank you 🙏) you’ll continue to receive additional monthly posts, more snack musings for you!

Don’t you worry my one weekly post will for sure be a goodie! Filled with little bites news plus taste test and/or Snacks For That. Thanks for being here as I hone my voice, experiment and figure out what works on Substack.

In the mean time, can I ask your help? I’m trying to figure out other ways to grow my Substack. I have a few ideas (based on conversations, Instagram tips and Claude recs), and would love your thoughts:

1. Free download lead magnet on Instagram in exchange for email sign up

A special PDF I’d create, such as My snack tier list or Curated best of guide… would you be intrigued by something like this? What topic might catch your eye most?

2. Recommendations from other Substack newsletters

Do you have a Substack or know someone who might recommend me on their homepage? I’m recommending my friend rom com & culture newsletter, and happy to recommend other relevant ones on mine!

3. Share with a friend

If you’re enjoying reading OMG Snack Goals, please with a friend to help get my writing in front of more snack enthusiasts!

Share

Thanks for listening and for replying, either in a comment or email or text. Open to any ideas.

Now, you’re here for the snacks, so here is: Little Bites Volume 4!

🎉 Little Bites Volume 4

• Mini cans are having a moment. Olipop launched their mini cans. Yesterday I got a text from Poppi (yes I’m on their text list) that their mini cans, which launched last year, are 40% off on Amazon. Bloom has mini energy drinks at Target. And there’s a super cute new brand, No Biggie, marketing towards kids. Plus the everywhere Diet Coke mini cans. It seems this trend towards mini will continue with the rise of GLP-1 and more portion controlled options. Honestly, pretty genius. Sometimes you just need a little something (7.5 oz instead of 12) and now you can have it.

• The sprinkle craze continues. Sprinkle cakes. Sprinkles on coffee. People are filling old Altoids tins with sprinkles for “whimsy on the go”. Protein sprinkles. What is next? Well, I’ve fallen for it. I too purchased a $20 jar of sprinkles yesterday. Am I crazy? Perhaps, but it sure is fun and I’m excited to put sprinkles on everything now.

• I’m seeing a new trend in hard candies. Feels so retro, like my grandma who always carried Werther’s Originals in her purse. Creme Savers, so middle school to me, are popping up everywhere (Target, World Market), and after devouring a whole sleeve I can confirm they hit just as good now as they did when I was 11. I tried new Sweeter Collective Shirley Temple, which was a mild taste, almost like how your mouth tastes after you’ve finished an iced cold Shirley Temple. What surprised me was it had 5g of fiber per serving (3 candies). I love how easy these hard candies are to pop in my purse for a sweet treat on the go.

• I started watching the new TV show Five-Star Weekend on Peacock based on the novel by Elin Hilderbrand. Jennifer Garner is a food influencer and the show is filled with lots of tasty bites: blackberry galette, an overnight oat display, Twizzlers. I think Twizzlers may be one of the most controversial candies - delicious cherry or plastic? You tell me.

• Jenny Lemons, the it-girl brand of hair clips (and my personal favorite) is known for their food themed accessories. We’re talking pizza, pickles, strawberries, martinis. Their newest collection….seafood! If you saw my post earlier this week all about tinned fish, you know I like seafood. So these adorable new sea creature clips are calling me!

  

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Where to enjoy OMG Snack Goals

If you liked this post, you know where to find me…

Instagram: @omgsnackgoals

Substack:

OMG SNACK GOALS

A newsletter for anyone who’s lifestyle is snacking. Come obsess about snacks with me.

By Miraya Berke

Follow for snack news, foodie finds, and what’s worth adding to your cart. Plus lots of whimsy fun on Instagram!

Tinned fish is having a moment, and it’s easy to see why, it’s both a snack and a meal. I’ve got a whole basket of it living in my pantry at all times now. Fishwife has been the main character in my house for years, but I wanted to actually test how other brands stack up. So I bought a bunch, ate my way through them with the help of my husband, and now I’m reporting back.

A few ways I’ve been using tinned fish lately, in case you need the inspiration:

• Weekly protein add to pretty much anything

• Mixed into a salad

• Quick poke bowl

• Spooned on top of mac-and-cheese

• Spread on top of a bagel with cream cheese

• With crackers and cheese for an easy snack plate

• DIY sushi night with seaweed, rice, avocado and other toppings

🐟 Tinned Fish Review #1: Siesta Co Tuna Belly in Olive Oil

First impression: Picked this one up at Of All Places, the beautiful trendy grocery store in Albany. Price tag was $13, so similar to Fishwife.

Taste test: Very oily. The cut is different from what I’m used to for other tinned fish. Since it’s the belly inside the can was long strips instead of little chunks. Feels fancy. Very buttery, good olive oil.

Overall rating: 7/10

Would I buy it again? Probably not. At that price, I’d rather stick with Fishwife. But my husband did say he liked this one!

🐟 Tinned Fish Review #2: Wildfish Cannery Smoked Salmon

First impression: From Bi-Rite Market for $9. Packaging is so pretty, like Fishwife or even a candy bar, so it caught my eye. Cool website, fish comes from Alaska. An older brand since 1987 which looks like it got a trendy rebrand.

Taste test: Salmon-forward, but not too fishy, which salmon can sometimes be. Solid cuts. But quite salty for my taste.

Overall rating: 6/10

Would I buy it again? Probably not. Again, Fishwife wins out.

🐟 Tinned Fish Review #3: Trader Joe’s Smoked Trout Fillets in Canola Oil

First impression: This is always stocked in our pantry right next to our Fishwife. It’s about half the price, so it’s what gets eaten when I’m less inspired with my meal, more a safety protein than a special one.

Taste test: Way more oily, and not as good an oil as the ones using olive oil. 20g of protein and 140 calories though, so it gets the job done.

Overall rating: 8/10

Would I buy it again? Yes, and I do frequently.

🐟 Tinned Fish Review #4: Fishwife

First impression: I’ve been ordering Fishwife from their website since 2022, in orders of 9 or 12 cans at a time. Smoked rainbow trout and the smoked salmon with Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp are my absolute favorites. Costco now sells their Albacore Tuna in Spicy Olive Oil, so obviously we buy that too. The packaging is beautiful, the social media is wonderful, and the founder story is genuinely engaging.

Taste test: Big chunks, impactful flavor, hits the spot every time. The olive oil actually tastes good, so I mix it into my dressing instead of draining it out. Tried the Gold Label smoked salmon for the first time and it lived up to the hype and price tag.

Overall rating: 10/10

Would I buy it again? Yes, yes, yes, and everyone else should too. When they have an Amazon Prime sale, I stock up. For Black Friday there is always a discount, and I stock up. The salmon and trout runs $10-$15 each, so I’m always looking out for a sale. The 3 pack of tuna at Costco is a great deal. I’m such a Fishwife fan girl I even bought my dad a Fish Dad hat for Father’s Day and got myself a Fishwife shirt.

Wanted to like the others, but at the end of the day, Fishwife still wins.

Have you tried any of these? Which tinned fish should I try next?

Leave a comment

If you’re looking for other inspiration on how to incorporate tinned fish into your meals, Fishwife actually has a whole cookbook and has published many of their recipes on their website!

Small Joy of the Week ✨

In other fish news, I had my first caviar and fried chicken pairing. I’d seen this trend on social media when KFC delivered celebrities fried chicken and caviar to their hotel rooms while they got ready for the Met Gala. I’d also seen people bringing caviar to In-N-Out to top their burgers. Hi-lo vibes, and I’m here for it.

It tasted like fancy ketchup, a little salty bite, not as crunchy as I expected, thinking more sushi roe vibes. It felt fancy, came with a cute little spoon, and turned Jollibee fried chicken into a full experience. I liked it, though it didn’t feel like I need to eat it again, which is probably for the best to be honest.

More snacks soon,
🥨 Miraya

I’ve been having fun over on Instagram making snack themed videos. Check it out and give me a follow if you haven’t already. Daily posts and stories with even more foodie recs and joy!

I woke up to an exciting milestone - I made it on the Substack Rising list!

I took a screenshot, see below for proof! But funny enough, as I was drafting this newsletter, I hit refresh, and my title had disappeared and I was no longer on the rising list. Oh how fleeting these small wins can be sometimes!

Since I’m still at 51 subscriber…

Read more

I hope you had a sweet week! I’ve been focused on Instagram content creation and having fun filming and editing. This week I gained over 100 followers which feels like a huge milestone! Thank you so much for being here in these very early days of OMG Snack Goals.

If you have any specific snacks or topics you’d like to see included, please let me know so we can grow this together!

Leave a comment

Now on to the snack news, foodie finds, and what’s worth adding to your cart.

• My aunt has been making little art in tins out of glass pieces and for my birthday she made me this beautiful pretzel! So perfect for Snack Goals 🥨

• Summer Fancy Food Show recently happened in NYC and I’ve been experiencing serious FOMO as I see recap posts and photo dumps of all the new snacks. I just learned that the Fest is coming to SF in January and I am officially manifesting that I get to go!

• My first order from Thrive Market arrived and I’ve been eating my way through the snacks, along with my toddler’s help.

  • So far I’m a fan of the Issei mochi gummies and Chasin’ Dreams Farm cheddar puffs

  • My first real snack dud… FAVES real fruit chews. They basically taste like a vitamin. Sure, they are a “healthy” gummy as they include 1 serving of fruits and veggies, yet they have 12g of sugar so not great to share with my kiddo. Wouldn’t recommend.

• Claire’s is going through a big brand refresh to appeal to Gen Alpha, and I noticed lots of hip gummies as part of it. Accessories and candy go hand-in-hand.

• I’ve had a lot of ice cream, like a lot. But last week I tried 2 new types of ice cream!

  • Rita’s Italian Ice - a classic that I’ve walked past it countless times in Alameda, and finally went for it. I didn’t expect the ice to be pre-made, but there were tubs of brightly colored, flavored ices which you could mix with custard. I opted for a blend of custard with Root Beer for my own root beer float. Delish!

  • Lebanese ice cream aka Booza - Stretchy ice cream - I had never even heard of this before! My friend introduced me to it at Roast & Toast in Berkeley. It’s churned with air, mastic gum and no eggs, giving it a dense and stretchy texture. I tried rose cardamom and it was covered with roses and pistachios. I had read online it was like ice cream meets mochi, but it wasn’t quite as stretchy as I wanted it to be. The flavor was vibrant and lovely, as I am always a big floral fan.

• Speaking of ice cream, for the last few weeks Outshine Snacks, the fruit bar brand I used to work on, has gone totally viral for people wrapping Fruit Roll Ups around them. Have you tried this? Would you? The flavor combos people have come up with are fascinating - Tajin, Watermelon, Coconut - I think I’ve seen them all. The frozen bar makes the Fruit Roll Up crunchy for a satisfying bite.

• My Instagram has been filled with “Fiber Maxxing” and other related things to help you poop…well now we have Sh*t Shoes, the more chic version of a Squatty Potty. Pretty genius, and hilarious. Their content has been going viral especially now as we enter “diarrhea summer” 😂

Also, yesterday I launched a new series Snacks For That. If you missed it, you can read it below. And if you have an occasion you’d like snack advice for (beach day, road trip, gift for someone, etc) just let me know!

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

In the weeks following having my baby, we were fortunate to be the recipients of many tasty foods. We had a meal train from our friends with scheduled dinners multiple nights a week, either delivery or our friends bringing homemade goods. It was nurturing for our bellies and minds.

One of my most memorable food drop offs was from a fellow new mom, who surprised us one morning and just said to look at our front door. She’d left a Trader Joe’s bag with bagels, cream cheese, eggs, flowers, and two coffees - the essentials. I was teary-eyed, from my lack of sleep and from the kindness. There was no plan, no ask, just a sweet gesture from a mom who knew how hard it was.

I’ve held on to this and delivered similar packages for a few other new moms since. Pay it forward as they say. There are many Instagram videos of meal prep you can do but as someone who doesn’t cook and would much rather curate a bag of snacks, here’s the formula I recommend.

COFFEE

The new mama is not getting much sleep, max 3 hour chunks in those early days, so coffee is crucial. This can be a can, iced from a local coffee shop, or a bag of beans. If you know they don’t drink coffee, opt for a box of nice tea.

CHOCOLATE

Stress, exhaustion, and overwhelm all melt away with a little chocolate. A fancy chocolate bar goes a long way and can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Tony’s Chocoloney is a regular in my house, especially their tiny bars. Other tried and true chocolate brands: TCHO, Maeve, Mayana See’s Candies (Scotchmallows are the winner in my house). Yum! Maybe I need to write a chocolate post soon.

SALTY

There is a lot of repetition in the early days, especially if mama is breastfeeding. Hours of her day will be in a chair with her boobs hanging out. An easily munchable salty snack like popcorn or chips will provide entertainment and satisfaction. If you’re looking for chip inspo, I shared a roundup of 3 buzzy new chip brands earlier this week!

PROTEIN

Mamas gotta eat! Her body just birthed a baby, now it’s producing milk, she’s working hard and needs fuel. Quick protein hits are crucial to have on hand. Protein bars in fun flavors are awesome. Other nutrition like jerky, string cheese, nuts, eggs are great to have on hand.

ICE CREAM

Similar to chocolate, ice cream makes everything better. One or two pints will be an extra dash of joy in your delivery. Some of my personal favorite ice cream brands: Haagen-Dazs (have to include, did work there for 5 years), Bad Walter’s (local in Bay Area), Jeni’s, Van Leeuwen, Humphry Slocombe…. but any yummy ice cream will do 🍦

If you’re not confident that the new parents will be home, obviously don’t drop off ice cream on their doorstep otherwise it will melt! But the reality is, most new parents are home, a lot. Especially early in the morning. So you should be safe. But if this is a mid-day drop off, skip the ice cream.

Beyond these five essential food groups, some other ideas to include:

• Hydration: coconut water, electrolytes…. breastfeeding mamas are thirsty!! 💧

• Something pretty and for just fun: flowers, bath bomb, eye mask 💐

• Gift certificate to somewhere close by: a local coffee shop, nail salon, cute boutique, bakery...makes a great excuse for her to get out of the house 💅

I’m thinking of starting a new series… Snacks For That.

Road trip, airplane, movie night, kid’s birthday party, etc.

What do you want to see next?

Leave a comment

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

First I have to start by saying, I am not a big chip household, usually. We usually stock tortilla chips for salsa and guac. There is always popcorn for movies. Our pantry has pretzels, two at the moment, for my toddler’s obsession. But chips feel more like a side for a deli sandwich or in a big bowl at a BBQ. So we don’t often have chips at home. Recently though there were not 1, 2 but 3 buzzy new chips on my radar. So I bought them all. Ate them all. And now sharing with you the roundup.

Have you tried any of these chips? Or other new chip brands I should check out? Let me know in the comments.

Leave a comment

Chip Review #1: Graza

First impression:
I am a Graza olive oil house, I have the Sizzle, Drizzle and Sizzle Spray positioned next to the stove top at all times. So when they launched chips, of course I had to try them. I started with Zesty Caesar, because I don’t think I’ve ever tried a Caesar flavored chip before. And then Salt & Vinegar, a personal favorite, next.

I must admit that when Graza launched an olive oil martini with Aura Bora in 2023, I totally bought it. I was pregnant and a sucker for cool collabs. So as you can see, I am a Graza fan already. Their branding and marketing campaigns are always spot on.

Taste test:
These are solid chips that feel elevated while being affordable and accessible (hi Target). The bag says that potato chips are about 31% olive oil, and they fry theirs in 100% E.V.O.O (presumably Graza olive oil). The Salt & Vinegar was the right vinegary bite without being overly tangy. It says its made with Red Wine Vinegar, and I’m not sure which kind is used in other chips but does sound fancy. I didn’t try this but just had an idea - the Caesar chips crunched up as croutons on a Caesar salad… now that would be good!

Overall rating: 8/10

Would I buy it again?
Yes, most likely to buy to share at a party as having a whole bag of these in my house is just too dangerous… I’ll eat the whole bag. But first I have to try the other two flavors: Hot & Sweet and then the Classic Sea Salt.

Chip Review #2: Snackish

First impression:
In April when Snackish launched an office tour on Instagram with Kat Stickler I followed and was instantly invested. It wasn’t until late June that they had finally launched at my Target, so I could try them. For two months I watched clever content from their founder Tara Bosch (who also founded Smart Sweets), celebrities like Chad Michael Murray and influencers who are also partners of the company. Snackish is built by a team of moms, has incredible marketing and I was hyped to try them.

Taste test:
I purchased the variety pack, which comes with a mix of 3 BBQ Bash and 3 Salt Kissed small bags. I was instantly impressed by the generous serving size and 8g of protein for 130 calories. But less impressed by the crunch of the chip. It’s thin and very light. The first ingredient says “Dried Potato,” which is interesting compared to other chips that just say potato. It’s giving Wilde Chips texture, which are actually made from chicken breast and thus high protein. Even though these are made of potatoes, they are somehow lacking the addictive crunch of a regular chip. I did share a bag with my toddler, who said “good” so that’s a sign he liked it, and I’m always trying to sneak more protein to him so that is a plus!

Overall rating: 6/10

Would I buy it again?
I’ll probably buy the small bag as a protein boost at the Target check out (and resist the tempting candy bars). I’ve been tracking my protein, so 8g in a bag of chips is a great way to rack up extra grams. A small bag of Snackish is a healthy and satisfying snack to grab while waiting in line or to toss in a bag for an errand. If I’m getting a big bag of something salty, I’ll go with another brand or popcorn instead though.

Chip Review #3: Local Style

First impression:
Another brand I spotted on Instagram, last year, when the founder wore a chip bag dress to the James Beard Award red carpet. The founder is a mom and shares fun, relatable videos about building a snack brand in Chicago. I love the fashion element, which she has repeated for different occasions. There hadn't been an easy way to purchase the bags until they launched nationwide at World Market just a few weeks ago, and I quickly went to buy and support.

Taste test:
I got both the Deep Dish Pizza and Hot Giard flavors, classic Chicago and so unique. The packaging is delightful with fun characters. Kettle cooked, so flavorful, zesty, crunchy and addictive. The sort of spicy flavor of a Hot Cheeto that you just have to keep going back for more to quench. The bag serving size is supposed to be 5, and I am embarrassed to admit how fast I devoured them.

Overall rating: 9/10

Would I buy it again?
The flavors I already tried, no, and not because I didn’t like them, I REALLY liked them. I just know I’ll eat the whole bag again. I definitely want to try their other flavors. They make a Hot Beef, which I am especially curious about having just finished the last season of The Bear. Also the Hot Dog flavor is interesting. I’d skip the Classic Salted, mainly because that just sounds boring and I’d rather try more unique flavors.

And I have one more honorable mention crunchy snack to share, fresh from the box of my Thrive Market order, and I’m just sharing it with paid subscribers.

Consider supporting my new business endeavors for $5 a month. You’ll help fuel my snack budget and my ego.

And if you were considering buying one of my very limited Snack Boxes, Substack subscribers receive a discount code, so really it’s like you’re saving money (girl math).

Thanks for your support and for being here, each like, comment, share and subscription warms my heart.

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What are your thoughts on the name Little Bites for this weekly series? I was obsessed last week and honestly, now second guessing.

Other name ideas:

1. Bite Sized

2. Small Snacks

3. Snack Report

4. The Snack Feed

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Leave a comment

Now, on to the foodies news.

• Target launched a Snack Squad sweatshirt for toddlers, so of course I had to buy it.

• Also on Target, HydroJug and Poppi collaborated for a collection of dorm goodies like robes, string lights, plush pillows. Those Poppi robes felt like such a hot commodity years ago when they were only gifted to influencers, but suddenly now not quite as desirable since everyone can get one.

• Elle, the Legally Blonde prequel mini series dropped on Amazon Prime and it’s the first show I binged in ages. I watched it all while I was sick, so I can’t really decide if I loved it or hated it. Super nostalgic, excellent nods to the movie which I love, but it also was a bit too on the nose with the law storyline which just didn’t make sense to me. Beyond the content, I’ve admired all the Legally Blonde branded items you can now buy, from sparkling water to hairspray, (just like Barbie licensing), which Amazon heavily advertises throughout the show breaks.

• I wouldn’t consider myself a Chaco girlie, but they launched tomato and blueberry sandals and I am seriously considering them.

• Chad Michael Murray appears in another ad as a millennial thirst trap, this time for Bubbly alongside influencer overthemoonfaraway (1.5 million followers for 90s humor). The video is blowing up on social and rightfully so, tapping into an influencer with a loyal and relevant following. Do I actually want to try Bubbly’s new Melted Ice Pop flavor? Honestly, not really. But it will make me pay attention to Bubbly at the market and what other flavors they have!

• My Instagram has been flooded by everything in buckets, from cake to coffee. I’m not sure I need a whole bucket of anything, though am intrigued. Have you been seeing this trend too?

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Last week I turned 36. Celebrated in Boise with my best friend and her family and we ate lots of ice cream.

I also launched my first snack box for $36, because birthday math. It’s been so joyous shipping out the first orders and receiving notes, like “it’s like grown-up and expansive palette Halloween.” I’ve been sharing what’s in the box on @omgsnackgoals Instagram, and if you want to join this snack party and try all the goods at home, there are a few left… snag one here before they’re gone forever.

For my birthday, my husband gifted me a subscription to Thrive Market, which I was pumped for! He’s heard me weigh the pros/cons of signing up. Pro: access to more snacks, con: I’ll buy more. But he lovingly said it seemed like a fitting gift as I enter this snack endeavor.

And honestly, he will benefit from this purchase, as will my snack-obsessed toddler, who demanded “more snacks” for breakfast instead of the oatmeal bowl we’d prepped.

Thrive is set up with recurring orders, so you find your staples and can automatically get the same goods the following month as a subscription. That most likely won’t be how I use it, though. Instead, it’ll be another source to scope out new snacks. This means I’ll have to edit my cart monthly to make sure I don’t get repeats… unless there’s a snack I love so much I want more of! They also have deals on brands, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for those, of course.

So, what’s in my first Thrive order? Let me tell you!

• Joon - Dill Pickle Pistachios

• SprinkleBites - Berry Protein Sprinkles

• Chasin’ Dreams Farm - Cheddar Ancient Grain Puffs

• Issei - Mochi Gummies, Sour Green Apple

• Golden Farms - Mango Sauce

• Brami - Italian Snacking Lupini Beans, Sardinian Sea Salt

• Narra - Oat Milk Latte, Roasted Oolong Tea

• FAVES - Real Fruit Chews, Blueberry Raspberry

Have you tried any of these? Which do you want a review of first?

Leave a comment

I am especially excited for the protein sprinkles. Ever since I made the Mini Dot Cake, I’ve had sprinkles at home, which I’ll occasionally add to my toddler’s toast or yogurt to make it more whimsy, as they say. Really, it’s just colorful and fun, and we can call toast and peanut butter “sprinkle cake” and my toddler is fooled. So protein sprinkles? Genius! These are the kind of new food products I would love to start myself one day!

By the way, this post is not sponsored by Thrive Market. Though maybe one day someone will pay me to write about snacks… the dream!

I did see in my new Thrive account that I have a link to invite friends to get 40% off their next order on Thrive with this code. So if you’re inspired, take a look! They do have a membership model, but you can always place an order, get the discount, and stock up on snacks, then cancel after the first delivery if it’s not for you. If you do end up signing up for a membership, I’ll get some extra Thrive $ for more snacks, so win-win!

And now I’ll eagerly await my snack delivery, and thank my husband again for this awesome gift.

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Hi snack friends 💗

My brain is buzzing with new snacks and foodie news, so instead of crafting long and in-frequent articles, I’m going to give the ever popular listicle format a go.

• I just spent four days in Boise, Idaho for my birthday with my bestie and her family. We ate our way through the city and enjoyed daily ice cream and a potato shaped candy bar. Apparently there was a potato shaped ice cream, though we missed that.

• I’m a pack snacks for airplane kind of girl since airport snacks are way over priced and usually unimpressive. But I fell for Snappers Dark Chocolate Caramel & Brownie Clusters, which were a hit with my toddler and husband as well. Crunchy, caramel-y, chocolatey…pretty solid.

• There’s a new protein chip on the block, Snackish. Founded by the creator of Smart Sweets, their marketing is spot on, especially this Chad Michael Murray video. Full chip taste test coming soon!

• Final season of The Bear is out on Hulu. I haven’t watched it yet, but excited to. Yes, chef!

• Lisa Says Gah launched an adorable euro breakfast collection - it’s super cute and I wish I could buy it all and wear as I eat my snacks.

• Littles instant coffee caught my eye at a shop in Boise and I resisted buying, but now I already regret it. I’m especially intrigued by their strawberry coffee, yum 🍓 I’ll be on the lookout for it.

• Buttergirlnyc launched their first butter drop in NYC and I felt serious fomo not being able to try. I’m inspired by the content and buzz the founder has created all about butter.

• Good Girl Snacks, the creators of my favorite Hot Girl Pickles, teamed up with HOP WTR for a collab pickle lemonade. I wish I could try a can but not quite curious enough to ship a whole box. Of course their unboxing and influencer gifting is all over my feed though!

What do you think of this new little bites format?

Leave a comment

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

It’s finally here. My first ever curated OMG Snack Goals snack box is live and I’m testing small, so once these are gone, they’re gone. (We already sold a few to paid subscribers yesterday, so the count is ticking.)

Shop Snack Box!

Why $36?

This Saturday, June 27 is my 36th birthday. So naturally, Box #1 is $36, shipping included. It felt right.

For that, you get:

• 6 snacks, curated with love

• A mini food art print from Bay Area artist Melan Made That

• Birthday energy from me to you, for supporting this little snack hustle

Live local? Use code LOCALPICKUP at checkout to save $10 and I’ll coordinate getting it to you directly, no shipping required.

Behind the scenes: building the first OMG Snack Goals box

Spoiler: it was more involved than expected.

1. Picking the snacks
Started with a spreadsheet (obviously). Logged everything I love, categorized it, and narrowed to a final lineup with good range of flavor, texture, and snack moment.

2. Buying said snacks
No wholesale account, no reseller permit (yet). Just me, retail prices, and a very determined hunt for promo codes. Not a money-making endeavor right now, basically selling to you at cost. We make it work.

3. Adding one non-edible element
Every box includes a surprise that isn’t a snack…but is very snack-adjacent. Why? I believe experiences deserve souvenirs. When you travel somewhere great, you bring something home. When I produce events, there’s always something tangible to hold onto after the moment passes.

So tucked inside each box is a mini food art print by Melan Made That, a Bay Area artist whose work I’ve loved for years. Her colorful, food-forward prints are made to hang on the kitchen wall, above your desk, wherever you need a little burst of color. Food is worth celebrating beyond the bite, and this is your memento from your first OMG Snack Goals experience.

4. Figuring out packaging
Wanted it to be cost-effective and cute, which is a fun little puzzle. I literally brought a bag of all the goodies to a local store to test which box everything fit into. (Fun fact: there’s a different box for local pickup vs. shipped orders. Logistics!)

5. Adding a little branding
Not ready to go deep on merch yet, but a box needed something. Solution: custom OMG Snack Goals stickers on every order, shipped or hand-delivered.

6. Everything else
Building the site, setting up payments, figuring out shipping, and of course all the content and marketing to actually tell people this exists. Thanks for liking and commenting on my many Instagram posts. It genuinely means a lot!

Shop Snack Box!

Thank you for being here and supporting this little snack universe. I hope you'll grab one for you or a friend.

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

I’ve been dreaming of this for a while now and it’s finally here! My first ever curated snack box is now live, and YOU, my paid subscribers, get first dibs.

Shop Snack Box!

Use code SNACKSUBSCRIBER for 10% off. Just for you.

Here’s how this whole thing started… every Target run for diapers and milk, I’d sneak a snack or two into the cart for myself. T…

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I flew in Sunday bright and early. While I regretted my 6AM flight the moment my 4:30AM alarm went off, it was actually such a breeze. Oakland airport is minutes from my house and there are no lines, especially early in the morning. So within an hour of waking up, I was already through security. And the by 7:30AM I was at LAX getting picked up by my friend. Pretty amazing!

Our itinerary was filled with things I couldn’t easily do with a toddler, and each one gave me a little more energy and made my shoulders drop an inch. This was my first, non-work, solo trip since having my son 25 months ago. It was marvelous. Looking back through my photo album, we ate A LOT of good food. So here’s everything we ate… as you can see, I did not stop.

SUNDAY

Bluey’s Kitchen: First stop was this super cute café in Mar Vista on Venice Blvd down the street from my friend’s house. I devoured a delicious breakfast burrito with Mexican chorizo, a cold brew and then a matcha latte to go.

Sugar Fish: An LA staple and a must stop on every visit. We weren’t super hungry, and also wanted to save room for a big dinner, so we each just ordered the Trust Me Lite. Refreshing, satisfying and very LA. Also got an iced green tea, because I needed more caffeine from my early morning, plus it’s the best. Why won’t they open in the Bay Area, I do not understand.

Salt & Straw: It was literally next door, so we peeked in just to see the flavors. Of course we ordered. Their flavors are out of this world. I got a split scoop cup of Jasmine Milk Tea & Almond Stracciatella with Hong Kong Milk Tea & Toasted White Chocolate. I’m a huge fan of tea flavored ice creams, and these did not disappoint.

Levain Bakery: This are my favorite cookies, ever. I’m not embarrassed to say we ship them to the Bay a few times a year and keep them in the freezer. So whenever I’m near a shop, I go. My friend lives down the street from Abbot Kinney Blvd. so we wandered the street before dinner, stocking up with bags of treats. I ordered two Double Chocolate Chip, which is the best, a Carrot Cake to try, and a Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip…with the intention to bring some home to my husband, which I did! Had to save room.

Lil Sweet Treat: As we made our way down the block, I was so excited to finally try this buzzy candy shop that started in NY and has been spreading fast. They even just opened in SF but I haven’t made it there yet. I assumed it would just be standard candy, but I was genuinely impressed by the variety. Flavors and shapes I’d never seen before - croissants, cars, matcha, ginger. Truly a fun candy experience.

Felix Trattoria: Classy and fabulous pasta filled dinner! We each ordered martinis and savored their famous focaccia, which came out piping hot and dripping in olive oil. The Misticanza market salad was incredible. Fried squash blossoms with ricotta, almost too beautiful to eat. We split two perfect pastas, Amatriciana Rigatoni and Linguine Al Limone. The pasta menu is arranged by regions, very cool and very good.

Non-food activities: Rose Bowl Flea Market, Venice shopping, visited Dani’s sister and her kids

MONDAY

Max & Helen’s: A newish brunch spot opened by Phil Rosenthal and Nancy Silverton has been high on my parent’s to try list, but the line is often very long. A Monday AM was the perfect time to go, we only had to wait about 15 minutes until we were seated at the counter. The place is super packed, and rightfully so. We shared their famous waffle with maple butter and pastrami hash. Both so good. We wished we were hungrier.

Levain Bakery: Yes, again. Less than 24 hours later. I’d seen on Instagram that a new flavor launched that day, so obviously we had to go. Down the street from brunch we picked up the brand new Raspberry Pistachio cookie. Pistachio is everywhere right now, usually with chocolate, but the raspberry was brighter and crisper - I really liked it.

Pizzeria Mozza: Also owned by Nancy Silverton, and one of my all-time LA favorites. My friend had never been, and when we drove right past it in the afternoon, we took it as a sign. A full Nancy Silverton day. I have dreams about the Nancy Chopped Salad and it lived up completely. We shared a sausage pizza and a squash blossom burrata pizza (looked stunning but was a little tricky to eat). Paired with a lambrusco which is a sparkling red, the perfect pizza wine.

Non-food activities: wandered the shops on Larchmont, attended a taping of The Tonight Show. Colin Farrell and Jessica Williams were guests, and I got a cameo in Jimmy’s final goodbye shot!

TUESDAY

With a 3pm flight out of Burbank and my friend at work, I decided to do something I’d never done before, a solo day at an amusement park. Universal Studios Hollywood is 10 minutes from the airport and figured an Uber there and storing my bag would be cheaper and more fun than trying to Uber all over LA, which is always so much bigger than I remember.

In 4 hours I was able to hit 7 rides, 1 show and consume 5 snacks. Single rider lane for the win, I never waited more than 10 minutes for a ride. Having been to Disneyland a lot, I was really impressed by Universal. It felt much calmer, given it was a Tuesday, but way less waiting, even for the characters. At Disneyland you can wait in line for 30 minutes just to snap a picture with Mickey Mouse. All over the park with Shrek, Minions, Hello Kitty, hardly any lines. Plus, there were solid looking cocktails if you’re into that.

So, the snacks. I can say, I really went for the Butterbeer, and it did not disappoint. Frozen was like sweet ice crystals melting on my tongue, on a hot day it was truly perfection.

The snacks:
🍺 Frozen Butterbeer
🍦 Butterbeer Soft Serve
🥪 Minion Cafe Brisket Melt & Minion Fries
🍋 Frozen Lemonade
🍄 Power Up Cafe Super Mushroom Calzone

Overall, a short but very good break. Especially after weeks of a sick kiddo at home, which pushed back a lot of my self-imposed deadlines for what comes next. But I am so close to launching the snack box. Finally. Next week!! Keep your eyes on your inbox. Also, paid subscribers get a discount code.

Subscribe now

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

It’s been a few weeks since my last post. Of course I’ve still been eating plenty of snacks, but life got busy and sitting down to document it all became harder.

The biggest change? I left my job of five years.

I recently transitioned out of my role as Social Media Manager at Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream. The role was changing, and honestly, I was ready for something new too.

The last few weeks have looked like brain-dumping years worth of contacts, systems, passwords, workflows, and tiny “only I know how to do this” details. Equal parts logistical off-boarding and existential pondering.

What now?

As someone who has always loved building moments, ideas, communities, and creative projects, I knew I was ready for whatever comes next. I have a few things in the works…not quite ready to share all the details yet, but more soon.

One thing I can share: the snack box is getting very real!

I’ve hinted at it in a few past posts, but there is now an actual closet in my home packed with snacks. I’ve tasted, narrowed down, debated, and officially ordered inventory! Next up: launching the webpage, figuring out shipping and packaging, and adding some fun flair to the unboxing experience.

So… soon!

Would you be interested in a curated snack box from me? With Father’s Day coming up, it could make a fun gift. Or honestly just a joyful excuse to stock your pantry with good snacks. I’d love to know: what would you hope to get out of a snack box like this? Discovery? Nostalgia? Fun packaging? A little treat to break up the workday? Let me know in the comments.

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Cool Snack: Dot Cakes 🎂

Have the Dot Cakes completely taken over your social feeds and news too? Mine is flooded with sprinkles.

Honestly, I knew it had reached peak virality when I went to the grocery store and the mini dot sprinkles were almost sold out.

Naturally, I was intrigued.

I’m not in NYC and could not imagine standing in line for one. And while I love eating desserts, I’m really not much of a baker. So instead, I made the lazy girl version at home: a $5 slice of grocery store white cake, $3 sprinkles, and voilà.

For the circle shape? I used a coupe glass because it was the right size and objectively cuter.

And honestly? It was tasty. Hard to go wrong with cake and sprinkles.

But why did this specific dessert become so viral?

After years of researching and taste-testing desserts for Dessert Goals festival, here’s why I think it took off:

• Limited availability creates exclusivity

• Bright colors = instant visual appeal

• Extremely ASMR-friendly with the scraping and scooping

• The spoon reveal moment through the sprinkles is satisfying every time

• Simple, nostalgic flavors that feel approachable to almost everyone

That said, it’ll probably be hard for the OG The DotCakes bakery to truly “own” the trend long term. It’s very easy for other bakeries or people at home to recreate. I’ve already seen flavor spins ranging from peanut butter versions to savory takes (cornbread yum!).

Still, you have to respect the social movement they sparked.

Have you tried one yet? Would you?

Small Joy of the Week ✨

Working a 9–5 while raising a kid means I rarely get uninterrupted time to myself. Recently, I decided to prioritize a few days of fun, reconnecting with the kinds of moments that brought me joy pre-baby.

Highly recommend playing tourist in your own city. On my agenda:

☀️ Pool day via ResortPass

🍙 Discovered new snacks at Tokyo Central

📖 Slow solo lunch at Loquat Bakery with a rom-com book

🎭 Matinee Broadway play

🕹️ Date night at the new Dave & Buster’s in Jack London

Stay tuned for snack box updates soon, and thanks for sticking with me through my little hiatus.

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

But I haven’t snacked on anything that hit a level of “I need to share this immediately.” No five star snacks, nothing super gross. Just a lot of solid, dependable bites. And it made me realize…

the joy isn’t always in the snack itself. Sometimes, it’s in the grocery store.

For me, my love of grocery stores started with my dad.

He truly is obsessed with grocery stores. On a pretty normal day he will gladly hit two or three just because there might be something new. Or better. Or interesting.

And he brought that energy everywhere.

We’d be on family trips to Hawaii, New Zealand, Italy and he’d want to go to a local grocery store. Walk every aisle. Take it all in.

At the time I probably wanted to be anywhere else. Now, I fully get it.

There’s something kind of magical about a grocery store in a new place. The packaging, the flavors, the little product differences. Food really makes the best souvenir.

Somewhere along the way, that became my thing too.

I’ve always loved to shop, it started with Sanrio and the world of Hello Kitty, then Limited Too, eventually thrift stores. It wasn’t even always about buying, it was the experience of being in the store. The color combos, the unique displays, the trends, the intoxicating thrill of a potential discovery.

And grocery stores are that exact same feeling. Except you get to eat your finds. You discover it, bring it home, experience it. And then it’s gone. No clutter. Just the memory (and sometimes a repurchase).

During COVID, grocery shopping was the outing. We’d fill the cart to the brim and I’d always say, “we won’t starve!” like it was my tag line. A phrase I continue to use to this day.

Whether it’s a full stock-up or a quick run that turns into 10 things (so you can still go in the express lane), I love it.

The wandering. The packaging. Seeing what’s new.

And my favorite part lately is finding something I know will light my kiddo Grant up. Like spotting Moana mac & cheese and immediately knowing this is going to delight him. And it totally did.

That little moment in the aisle imagining his reaction might be my favorite kind of snack anticipation right now. Sometimes it’s just as good, if not better, than a snack discovery for myself.

So no official reviews this week. But a reminder: sometimes the magic isn’t just in the snack. It’s in the wandering, the discovering, the choosing.

Thanks for being here in these early days of OMG Snack Goals. I promise, more snack reviews coming soon. Plus my first snack box! Which I’m quite excited for. The next few weeks my posts might continue to be a tad sporadic but I’ll be back in a more reliable cadence real soon. In the mean time, keep texting or DMing me your snack finds. I am loving it!

More snacks soon,

🥨 Miraya

Grant gets VERY excited when packages arrive and demands we open them immediately. I’d never filmed the experience before, but thought it would be fun. So this was his first unboxing video, and his second test taste video.

Since you’re one of my very first paid subscribers, it felt right to share these little…

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