Half my cart this week is candy and cookies chasing summer nostalgia, plus a beer-cheese cracker and a loaded taco chip elbowing in — with just one freezer detour for fries that taste like a pickle jar.
1. America’s 250 Anniversary Edition Birthday Cake Drizzled Mini Rice Cakes – 4oz – $3.79
Backyard cookouts and Fourth of July leftovers call for something light but still sweet, and this red-white-and-blue bag leans into America’s 250th with a birthday-cake glaze drizzled over mini rice cakes. It’s an easy grab for a kid’s lunchbox or a dessert table bowl when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
Taste: The rice cake stays airy and a little crisp, while the drizzle brings a sugary, almost frosting-like sweetness with a faint vanilla-sprinkle flavor. It’s light rather than rich, so a few pieces feel like enough.
Make It Better: Break them into a trail mix with pretzels and mini chocolate chips so the sweetness doesn’t hit all at once.
Parting Thoughts: This one’s built for kids and sweet-tooth grazers — light on substance, but nobody will complain.
2. Alexia Frozen Dill Pickle Seasoned Fries – 20oz – $6.19
Not every frozen fry needs a gimmick, but dill pickle seasoning turns a basic side into the star of a summer cookout plate. Alexia’s version is built for backyard grilling nights when burgers are already on the menu and you want a fry that doesn’t just sit there.
Taste: The seasoning is tangy and a little sharp right out of the oven, with dill and vinegar notes clinging to a crisp, golden exterior over a soft potato center.
Make It Better: Serve with a ranch or dill dip so the pickle flavor has something creamy to play off of.
Parting Thoughts: Skip it if you’re not a pickle person — the seasoning is assertive, not subtle.
3. UNREAL Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate S’mores Kit – 13.79oz – $14.99
Graham crackers, vegan marshmallows, and eight peanut butter cups come bagged together in one kit, built for the nights you’re camping, at a bonfire, or just want s’mores in the backyard without a grocery list. It’s gluten-free, so it works for a mixed group without a separate plan for one person.
Taste: The chocolate is smooth and a touch less sweet than standard candy bar chocolate, the peanut butter filling is dense, and the marshmallow toasts up soft with a light char if you hold it over the fire.
Make It Better: Toast the marshmallow first, then sandwich it while it’s still warm so the peanut butter cup softens slightly.
Parting Thoughts: A crowd-pleaser worth the price; a solo s’mores craving is cheaper solved with a candy bar and a lighter.
4. JOYRIDE Ice Pop Strips – 3.5 oz – $4.99
I keep a bag of these in my beach tote for the drive home from the pool, since they hit that popsicle craving without needing a freezer. The strips are built for on-the-go summer days — road trips, beach bags, anywhere melting isn’t an option.
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Taste: They’re sour up front in a way that makes your jaw clench, then mellow into a fruity, candy-sweet chew that sticks around after the sourness fades.
Make It Better: Freeze the bag for twenty minutes before a hot car ride — they firm up and taste even more like an actual ice pop.
Parting Thoughts: Sour candy diehards will stash a bag for every outing; overly tart flavors aren’t for everyone.
5. Oreo Limited Edition Firecracker Pop Sandwich Cookies – 11.46oz – $5.39
Bright red and blue cookies stacked with a popsicle-flavored creme are the kind of thing that shows up at a summer barbecue dessert table and disappears first. They’re built for nostalgia — the flavor is aiming straight at childhood popsicle memories, not sophistication.
Taste: The creme is fruity and artificially bright, cherry and blue raspberry blurred together, sandwiched between the usual crisp, slightly cocoa-tinged Oreo wafer.
Make It Better: Crush a few into vanilla ice cream for an instant popsicle-cookie sundae.
Parting Thoughts: It’s more novelty than a cookie you’ll crave weekly, though the nostalgia hit is real.
6. Cheez-It Beer Cheese Baked Snack Crackers – 12.4oz – $3.99
Tailgate season is close enough that a beer-cheese cracker collab feels timely, and this Coors Light tie-in is built for game-day bowls, road trip snacking, or a desk drawer stash for the afternoon slump. It’s a limited run, so it’s worth grabbing before football season claims the shelf space.
Taste: There’s a distinct malty beer note up front that fades into the familiar sharp, cheesy Cheez-It base, with a light paprika warmth and a slightly dustier seasoning than the original.
Make It Better: Pair with a cold beer for game day — the malt notes echo each other in a way that plain Cheez-Its can’t.
Parting Thoughts: Tailgate hosts will stock up fast, though I wouldn’t pick it over the original on a normal Tuesday.
7. Doritos Late Night Loaded Taco Tortilla Chips – 9oz – $4.59
A neon dust coats every chip in this bag, built for the kind of late-night snacking or summer party spread where bold flavor matters more than restraint. It’s a good pick for a movie night bowl or a potluck table next to the usual chip options.
Taste: The taco seasoning is bold and a little smoky, layered with a tangy lime finish that lingers after the crunch — heavier and saltier than a standard nacho cheese chip.
Make It Better: Crush them over a taco salad or nachos for an instant flavor boost instead of eating straight from the bag.
Parting Thoughts: Bold-flavor lovers will tear through the bag; milder palates might find it a lot in one chip.
Keep Reading
- Must-Try Snacks You Can Only Find At Target
- 20 Shockingly Good Target Finds I’m Buying on Repeat
- Things I Never Leave Target Without
- The Ultimate Target Shopping Cheat Sheet: Clean, High-Protein & Worth It
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