Some people can get through the day without snacks. And then there’s the rest of us. Snacks are a great way to get from one meal to the next when you’re not quite ready for a full meal but still want to avoid hunger pangs. Also, with the madness of the pandemic, it’s totally normal to feel hungrier than usual for a few reasons. (Or to feel any number of things when it comes to food, really.) If you’re spending more time at home and you find yourself feeling hungrier, it might be because you’re more attuned to your appetite. These past few months have forced a lot of us to slow down and be present with whatever is happening. If you’re normally multitasking and rushing through the day, it’s easier to rush through eating and not pay such close attention to our actual hunger. Feeling extra hungry can also be a sign of the stress of it all. Either way, making sure you’re eating consistently throughout the day is super important right now.
Here are 18 snacks from POC-owned brands to help you do that. Continuously investing our dollars into POC-owned companies is vital to those companies’ survival and success. Keep in mind that most of these snacks come in multipacks and the prices reflect that. Now, let’s get to snacking, shall we?
1. Mumgry
Mumgry is a nut butter line that is handcrafted and prides itself on ethical ingredient sourcing. Founder Lilian Umurungi-Jung sells unique flavors like pistachio almond butter and chocolate peanut butter. Umurungi-Jung created the line because she didn’t come across many snack options that seemed high-quality to her when she was pregnant. Three weeks postpartum, she started experimenting and making her own snacks out of nut butters.
Product to try:
Mumgry
Pistachio Almond Butter
$20 at Mumgry
2. Dang Foods
Dang Foods was born when two Thai-American brothers wanted to enjoy snacks inspired by the flavors they grew up eating. Named after their mom, Dang Foods offers a wide variety of snacks, including bars, chips, and coconut and rice snacks. Some of their ingredients come directly from family farms in Thailand that the farmers operate with a focus on ethical business practices.
Product to try:
Dang Foods
Toasted Coconut Dang Bar (Pack of 12)
$33 at Dang Foods
3. Oh-Mazing
If you’re looking to up your granola game, Oh-Mazing has got you covered. This granola company offers unique flavors such as lemon bar, Caribbean delight, and cranberry orange. They also offer a sampler pack so you can taste all five of their flavors. The owner, Stephanie Williams, started experimenting with granola at home, and the snack quickly caught on among her loved ones.
Product to try:
Ohmazing
Caribbean Delight Granola
$3 at Ohmazing
4. A Dozen Cousins
Ibraheem Basir grew up eating a blend of Creole, Caribbean, and Latin American flavors. As he got older, he wanted to create a convenient food that honored the cooking he grew up enjoying. So he launched A Dozen Cousins, which offers a variety of flavored beans ready in less than a minute. You can enjoy the products on toast, with nachos, tortillas, or with veggies, to name a few ideas. The company is passionate about increasing access to healthy foods in low-access communities and provides grants and volunteer support to nonprofits working to address this.
Product to try:
A Dozen Cousins
Refried Black Beans (Pack of 8)
$30 at A Dozen Cousins
5. Flows Grocery
This online grocer sources its supplies exclusively from brands and businesses owned by people of color, and its pillars are group economics, food security, promotion of entrepreneurship, and increasing visibility of Black-owned brands. It offers a wide range of foods, snacks, and even has personal care and beauty products. The grocer also offers free shipping deals if you buy multiple products.
Product to try:
Flows Grocery
One Stop Pickle Shop Sweet Heat Spears
$12 $6 at Flows Grocery
6. Symphony Chips
This family-owned business started off as a spice company, and during an in-store demonstration it began to put its spices on chips so people could really pick up on the flavors. People loved the spices but also really wanted the chips, and so Symphony Chips was born. These gourmet potato chips come in a variety of flavors, from balsamic to smoked.
Product to try:
Symphony Chips
Smoked Flavor Potato Chips (Pack of 6)
$21 at Symphony Chips
7. Power Bites
Busy father and chef Sharif Rasheed was on a quest to whip up a soft granola bar for his teething son, and when he made his first batch, the granola broke up into square pieces. His son actually loved the end result, which gave Rasheed the idea for his company. Power Bites contain a great balance of dark chocolate, dates, maple syrup, oats, almond butter, and more. The company is also big on social impact and donates a percentage of all sales to public school teachers.
Product to try:
Power Bites
Salted Peanut Butter Crunch (5 Bags)
$23 at Power Bites
8. Partake Foods
When Denise Woodard’s daughter got diagnosed with severe food allergies, it was challenging for Woodard and her husband to find healthy snacks that were safe for their daughter but also tasted good. As a result, Woodard left her corporate job to launch her very own snack company. Aside from great products, Partake offers mentorship programs for women and people of color and works with the Food Equality Initiative to help increase food access for families in need.
Product to try:
Partake Foods
Crunchy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (3 Boxes)
$15 at Partake Foods
9. Pipcorn Snacks
Pipcorn came about when Jeff Martin and his sister, Jen, popped a batch of heirloom popcorn kernels together and were blown away by the flavor. They found the Indiana farmer who grew the kernels using his family’s heirloom seed supply, and the rest is history. They added Jeff’s wife, Teresa, to the team and launched their business. The brand has been featured on Oprah and Shark Tank, its products are available at Whole Foods, and the company has expanded its snack line to include cheese balls, corn dippers, crackers, and more.
Product to try:
Pipcorn Snacks
Truffle Popcorn (4 Bags)
$16 at Pipcorn Snacks
10. Siete Foods
This Mexican-American food company is a family effort in many ways. Veronica Garza is cofounder and president, while her brother, Miguel, is cofounder and CEO. Their grandma has even noted that the company’s grain-free tortillas taste better than her own! In addition to tortillas, Siete Foods creates tortilla chips, hot sauces, dairy-free queso, enchilada sauce, and more.
Product to try:
Siete Foods
Ranch Grain-Free Tortilla Chips (24 Bags)
$42 at Siete Foods
11. Nature’s Path
Founded by husband and wife duo Arran and Ratana Stephens, Nature’s Path offers 100-plus products, from cereals, granolas, bars, biscuits, and more. Their daughter, Jyoti, leads sustainability efforts within the company around issues like ethical sourcing, energy efficiency, and waste reduction, and their son, Arjan, leads the expansion of the company’s products. With so many products (and flavors), there’s a lot to sample.
Product to try:
Nature’s Path
Love Crunch Dark Chocolate Macaroon Granola
$5 at Nature’s Path
12. Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
Michael Pan started his company after reconnecting with his family in Malaysia. Many of his family members are vegetarian Buddhists, and while spending time with them, Pan ate a variety of delicious mushroom dishes. When he was back in the States, he got to work developing a mushroom jerky product based on his family recipe. Pan’s Mushroom Jerky is now available in stores nationwide and offers flavors like Zesty Thai and Applewood BBQ.
Product to try:
Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
Salt & Pepper Mushroom Jerky
$9 at Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
13. Teranga
Nafy Flatley started Teranga to reconnect with her childhood memories in Senegal, and her products are inspired by the flavors she grew up enjoying. Aside from offering juices, Teranga also has energy bars made with goji berries, sorghum, cacao nibs, pine nuts, and other nutritious ingredients.
Product to try:
Teranga
Teranga Energy Bar with Pine Nuts
$4 at Teranga
14. Marjorie’s Beef Jerky
On every bag, you’ll see Michelle Timberlake’s mother, Marjorie, to whom the product is dedicated. This jerky uses premium meat to create six different flavors of snacks. Aside from offering tasty jerky, the company is also on a mission to donate money to civil rights attorneys and help provide burial costs for people who have been unjustly killed.
Product to try:
Marjorie’s Beef Jerky
Orange Teriyaki Beef Jerky (Pack of 6)
$60 $49 at Marjorie’s Beef Jerky
15. Mylk Dog
Mylk Dog’s Notcho Cheez is made with a blend of spices, peppers, cashews, and other ingredients that can help provide a kick to your favorite snacks. You can enjoy with it tortilla chips, vegetables, tostadas, nachos, beans, and more.
Product to try:
Mylk Dog
Spicy Fiesta Queso (2 Jars)
$30 at Mylk Dog
16. Brooklyn Granola
Margaret Barrow had been eating granola for over 30 years before deciding she would create her own. The college professor started sharing her creations with her family, along with students and faculty. Her granola was a huge hit, and with her students’ feedback, she decided to launch her very own granola company. Brooklyn Granola donates a portion of profits to community college mentorship programs, and two of her mentees actually joined her in expanding the company.
Product to try:
Brooklyn Granola
Luscious Cranberry Coconut Granola (Pack of 3)
$21 at Brooklyn Granola
17. Sol Cacao
Sol Cacao is an artisan chocolate manufacturer based in the South Bronx and founded by three brothers. They offer three “bean to bar” chocolate treats made with just two ingredients: cacao beans and raw cane sugar. The company focuses on sustainable organic farming practices, environmental preservation, and ethical sourcing to create their products.
Product to try:
Sol Cacao
72% Madagascar Chocolate
$7 at Sol Cacao
18. Sweet Dames
Genelle Drayton named her company after her grandparents, from whom she got her love of cooking and entertaining. Drayton catered her first event when she was only 10 years old, and since that moment she knew she wanted to make a career out of entertaining. With Sweet Dames, Drayton hopes to share her love of food with others too. The company features a variety of macaroons and other sweets that you can enjoy when you need a little pick-me-up.
Product to try:
Sweet Dames
Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroon Bites
$15 at Sweet Dames
