BHG’s 2025 Food Awards

If your pantry had a red carpet, this would be its Oscars night. Better Homes & Gardens (BHG) spent months taste-testing hundreds of new grocery-store products, then handed out shiny bragging rights to the ones that actually make life easier, dinner better, and snacking more dangerous (in the best way). The result is BHG’s 2025 Food Awards: 50 winners, grouped into five “cooking personalities,” because the way you cook says a lot about yousometimes more than your streaming history.

This isn’t an awards list built on vibes alone. It’s rooted in real-world home cooking: weeknight shortcuts, better-for-you swaps that don’t taste like regret, and flavor bombs that instantly make you feel like you “know what you’re doing.” (Even if your signature dish is still “whatever was closest to the front of the fridge.”)

What are the BHG Food Awards, and why do people actually care?

BHG’s Food Awards are a snapshot of what’s newand genuinely usefulin American grocery aisles. The winners highlight products that balance taste, convenience, creativity, and everyday practicality. In other words, these are the items that earn repeat buys, not one-time curiosity purchases that live in your cabinet until 2029.

The secret sauce (pun fully intended) is that the list reflects how people cook now: more globally inspired, more flavor-forward, and more “help me make this fast” than ever. You’ll see it in the winners: yuzu ponzu, muhammara, mole negro, kimchi, hot honey, dill pickle everything, and a whole squad of ready-to-use seasonings and sauces designed to rescue bland chicken.

How BHG picks winners: the “would you buy it again?” test

When an awards list is worth your time, it usually has two things: (1) lots of tasting and testing, and (2) criteria that match real life. For shoppers, here’s the checklist you can steal when reading any “best of food” roundup:

• Flavor payoff: Does it taste great on day one and day ten?
• Versatility: Can you use it in multiple meals (not just a single “Pinterest moment”)?
• Ingredient reality: Is it a smarter choice without tasting like compromise?
• Convenience: Does it save time in a way that matters?
• Innovation: Is it new and different… but still usable by humans?

BHG also frames winners around five cooking personalitiesbasically five lovable ways we all behave in the kitchen. Find your category, and you’ll find your people.

The five cooking personalities (and the 50 winners)

1) Globe-Trotters: big flavor, passport energy

These winners are for cooks who want dinner to taste like an international layover (minus the lost luggage). Think globally inspired sauces, spreads, and condiments that add instant character to everything from rice bowls to roast chicken.

• Jolie: Pistakio OG Spread
• Simply Asia: Bang Bang Thai Style Chili Sauce
• Kikkoman: Yuzu Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Soy Sauce
• Ronda’s Fine Foods: Muhammara
• Loisa: Recaito Cooking Base
• Maazah: Mango Chutney
• Tenayo Foods: Mole Negro Paste
• Poi Dog: Chili Peppah Water

How to use these without overthinking: Stir yuzu ponzu into a quick vinaigrette for salad or drizzle it over grilled fish. Spread muhammara on a sandwich instead of mayo for a smoky, nutty upgrade. Use recaito as a flavor base for beans, stews, rice, or sautéed veggies. And if mole negro paste intimidates you, start easy: whisk a spoonful into broth, simmer, and pour over roasted chicken or sweet potatoes.

2) Health Nuts: better-for-you, but make it delicious

This category is all about nutrition-forward products that still taste like food you’d choose on purpose. Expect plant-based options, fiber and protein boosts, and fermented foods that bring both tang and “my gut will thank me later” energy.

• Armored Fresh: Vegan Parmesan
• Nasoya: White Kimchi
• Seven Sundays: Protein Oats
• Kerrygold: Avocado Oil Butter
• Stoked Oats: OatRice
• Bionaturae: Sourdough Pasta
• Soul Grain: Organic Purple Grain Cranberry Crunch Granola
• Goodles: Vegan Deluxe Mac & Cheese

Why these feel “2025”: Americans still want comfort foodsmac & cheese includedbut with better ingredients, more protein, more fiber, and more functional benefits. Fermented foods like kimchi show up because they’re flavorful, versatile, and widely associated with gut-friendly eating patterns. Pair kimchi with rice bowls, eggs, or grilled meats, and suddenly “healthy” tastes like you meant it.

3) Busy Cooks: dinner, but faster (and still tasty)

This category is for anyone who has ever said, “I love cooking,” and then immediately opened the fridge and sighed dramatically. These winners are built for speed: meal starters, shortcuts, flavor boosters, and heat-and-eat helpers that still deliver.

• Turkey and the Wolf: Gravy
• The Fresh Market: Umami Broth
• Starkist: Dill Pickle Tuna
• Birds Eye: Steamfresh Super Seared Garlic & Butter Broccoli
• Goodles: Cheddy Mac
• Campbell’s: Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
• McCormick: Flavor Maker Seasoning
• Yo Mama’s: Alfredo Sauce
• Kraft: Flavor Fusion Cheese
• Four Sixes: Hot Honey Chex Mix
• Boursin: Crumbles
• Siete Foods: Fajita Seasoning
• Pam: Air Fryer Spray
• Chicken of the Sea: Old Bay Seasoned Tuna
• Tonnino: Smoked Salmon Fillets
• Royal: Hyderabadi Biryani Kit

Busy-cook magic move: Don’t buy “random convenience.” Buy strategic convenience. A biryani kit turns a Tuesday into a “wow, you cooked” moment with minimal effort. A great broth makes everything from noodles to soups taste like you simmered something for hours. Seasonings (hello, fajita blend) give you instant structure: protein + veg + seasoning = meal.

4) Avid Bakers: weekend projects, weekday shortcuts

This one’s for people who find “relaxing” in measuring flour, plus people who want the bakery vibe without a three-day sourdough starter commitment. The winners include reliable mixes and baking-friendly staples that help you make something impressivewithout needing a second mortgage for butter.

• Torani: Puremade Caramel Syrup
• Nature’s Path: Organic Bakers Flour Blend
• Mariani: Dried Fruit
• Nestlé Toll House: Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
• Jewels Under the Kilt: Walnuts
• Chosen Foods: Avocado Oil Shortening
• Bob’s Red Mill: Brownie Mix
• Duncan Hines: Dolly Parton Buttermilk Coconut Crumb Cake Mix
• King Arthur Baking Company: Focaccia Mix Kit

Practical baking advice: Pick one “show-off” item (like a focaccia kit) and one “everyday upgrade” (like excellent walnuts or dried fruit). That combo turns plain yogurt into a parfait, oatmeal into a treat, and cookies into “why are these so good?”

5) Flavor Cravers: sauce people, rise up

If you believe food is just a delivery system for condiments (no judgmentsome of our best people are sauce people), this is your section. These winners are bold, snackable, and dangerously easy to keep reaching for.

• Graza: Flavored Drizzle
• Jacobsen Salt Co.: Smoky Salt
• Maille: Mustard Spread
• Brightland: Citrus Olive Oil
• Il Fustino: Garlic Oil
• Spicewell: Spicy Spice Sprinkle
• Nona Lim: Spicy Dip
• Mikey V’s: Tangy Hot Sauce
• Cry Baby Craig’s: Sweet & Spicy Hot Sauce

Flavor craver tip: A flavored oil plus a hot sauce is basically a personality. Drizzle citrus olive oil over roasted vegetables, popcorn, or ricotta toast. Add smoky salt to eggs, fries, or even chocolate brownies if you’re feeling chaotic (and right).

What the 2025 winners say about grocery trends right now

Even if you never buy a single award-winning item, the list is still useful because it reveals what’s winning in the marketand why. Here are the biggest takeaways:

Trend #1: “Swicy” is still king (sweet + spicy = happiness)

Hot honey snacks, sweet-and-spicy sauces, tangy hot saucesthis flavor lane keeps growing because it works on everything. You get heat, you get sweetness, you get balance, and suddenly your basic chicken sandwich feels like it has a publicist.

Trend #2: Pickle power is real

Dill pickle tuna is not a prank; it’s a signal. Pickle flavor keeps showing up across menus and products because briny tang cuts through richness and wakes up your taste buds. It also plays well with the current obsession with bold, punchy flavors.

Trend #3: Global pantry staples are going mainstream

Ponzu, muhammara, mole, recaitothese used to feel “specialty store.” Now they’re “Tuesday night.” The shift is bigger than novelty: these sauces and bases help home cooks build depth without needing a culinary degree (or 17 separate spices).

Trend #4: Better-for-you comfort is the new normal

Plant-based mac, vegan parmesan, protein oats, sourdough pastapeople want indulgent textures and flavors, but with ingredients that fit modern health goals. The best products don’t lecture; they simply taste good and happen to align with smarter eating.

Trend #5: Packaging gets practical (hello, squeeze bottles)

BHG even called out squeeze bottles as a trend: they’re tidy, easy, and encourage people to actually use their sauces instead of letting them fossilize in the fridge door.

How to shop the awards without buying 50 things

Look, your pantry is not a museum. You don’t need all 50 winners. Try this “build-your-own Food Awards starter pack” approach:

• One global flavor: Yuzu ponzu or muhammara
• One weeknight rescue: A great broth, gravy, or a seasoning blend
• One better-for-you staple: Protein oats, kimchi, or sourdough pasta
• One baking upgrade: Walnuts or a focaccia kit
• One finishing touch: Citrus olive oil, smoky salt, or a hot sauce you’ll actually use

This keeps your cart realistic while still delivering the point of an awards list: less guesswork, more wins.

Five quick meal ideas inspired by the winners

1) Ponzu weeknight salmon bowl

Roast salmon, add rice, sliced cucumbers, and a drizzle of yuzu ponzu. Finish with sesame seeds and whatever greens you have. This is the kind of meal that makes you feel like you “meal prep,” even if you do not.

2) Muhammara grilled cheese glow-up

Spread muhammara inside the bread, add cheese, grill. Serve with tomato soup or Campbell’s spicy chicken noodle soup for maximum comfort-with-an-edge.

3) Fast “restaurant” biryani

Use the Hyderabadi biryani kit, add rotisserie chicken or chickpeas, and serve with a spoonful of white kimchi on the side. Bold flavors, minimal effort, high brag potential.

4) Hot honey snack attack

Pair Hot Honey Chex Mix with apple slices and a quick yogurt dip. Sweet, spicy, crunchybasically the snack version of a standing ovation.

5) Better-for-you mac night

Make Goodles Vegan Deluxe Mac & Cheese, add steamed broccoli, and finish with smoky salt. Comfort food with an upgrade path.

500-word experience: A “BHG Food Awards Weekend” you can actually do

Want to feel the Food Awards instead of just reading about them? Here’s a fun (and very doable) mini-adventure that turns the winners into a full weekend of mealswithout turning your kitchen into a disaster zone.

Friday night: The “I survived the week” snack board

Start easy. Build a snack board with a theme: sweet heat + briny bite. Put out Four Sixes Hot Honey Chex Mix for crunch, add sliced apples or pears, and set a little bowl of Ronda’s Muhammara with pita chips or crackers. If you want a low-effort “wow,” drizzle Brightland Citrus Olive Oil over the muhammara and sprinkle a pinch of Jacobsen Smoky Salt on top. It tastes fancy, looks fancy, and requires exactly zero fancy behavior from you.

Saturday lunch: The five-minute sandwich flex

Make a sandwich that feels like it came from a place that charges $18 and spells “aioli” correctly. Spread muhammara on bread, add turkey or grilled veggies, and finish with a quick squeeze of something tangylike a mustard spread. If you have Loisa Recaito, you can even stir a spoonful into mayo for a herby spread that tastes like you planned ahead (you didn’t; it’s fine).

Saturday dinner: The “I can cook” main event

Let Royal Hyderabadi Biryani Kit do the heavy lifting. Add chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas. While it cooks, roast a sheet pan of vegetables and finish them with Graza Flavored Drizzle or Il Fustino Garlic Oil. Put Nasoya White Kimchi on the table as a bright, crunchy side. This dinner hits the perfect triangle: comforting, exciting, and not requiring you to wash 14 pans.

Sunday brunch: The “pantry brunch” that feels intentional

Make eggs (any style), toast, and something green. Drizzle toast with citrus olive oil, top with avocado (or ricotta), and add a few drops of yuzu ponzu for a salty-citrus pop. If you’re feeling bold, add hot sauceeither tangy or sweet-and-spicy. Suddenly your toast has layers, like a plot twist.

Sunday afternoon: Bake something that makes the house smell like happiness

Choose the path that matches your energy: King Arthur Focaccia Mix Kit for savory satisfaction, or Duncan Hines Dolly Parton Buttermilk Coconut Crumb Cake Mix for sweet comfort. Add chopped walnuts or dried fruit to make it feel “custom.” Then, reward yourself with a slice and a coffee. You’ve officially lived the Food Awards lifestyleand your future self will thank you when weekday cooking feels easier because you stocked a few winners.

Conclusion: What to take from BHG’s 2025 Food Awards

The best part of BHG’s 2025 Food Awards isn’t the list itselfit’s what the list does for you. It shortens the distance between “I need dinner” and “this tastes amazing.” It gives you shortcuts that don’t feel like cheating. And it proves that the modern pantry isn’t just about convenience; it’s about flavor confidence. Pick a few winners that match your cooking personality, and you’ll cook better meals with less effortno cape required.