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Welcome to The Snack Bar, TQE's very own concession stand stocked with the latest sweet and savory treats on the market. Our editors gather for unbiased taste tests and share their honest thoughts every time, so we can help you navigate which buzzy snacks are worth the purchase.
Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the web’s best products. If you purchase through our links, we may receive a commission. Our editorial team is independent and only endorses products we believe in.
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If you’re like most Americans (roughly 66%, according to one study), coffee is an essential part of your morning, and maybe your afternoon, evening, and night, too (we don’t judge). Despite the ubiquitous coffee shops and apparent caffeine fixation here in the US, the most popular beverage in the world after water is tea. Tea’s dominance over coffee could be thanks to its popularity in the two most populous countries, China and India, but the leafy brew is also beloved across Europe and is steadily making its way into the routines of millions of Americans. As demand for tea has grown in the states, so too have our options.
The tea section at any grocery store is no longer limited to dusty boxes of Lipton. And while many new brands are bringing loose-leaf teas to the American audience, you don’t have to invest in an entirely new brew set-up to enjoy these delicious new beverages. This week’s Snack Bar is all about the best bagged teas available online. If you’re looking for a coffee alternative, a caffeine-free sip, or something flavorful to perk up your afternoons, you’ll want to try out these tasty new brews.
ORA is a New York City-based acupuncture and massage clinic with an herbal tea line designed to help clients bring the calm and relaxation of a studio visit home. The brand’s Inner Vitality tea has a gently spiced and subtlety sweet flavor. It’s made from green rooibos tea, which is a little creamy and vanilla-scented, along with grassy alfalfa and stinging nettle. There’s a bit of floral rose petal in the mix, as well as energizing clove and cinnamon. This herbal blend is caffeine-free.
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This intense black tea is about as simple as you can get from an ingredient perspective, with a complex, bold flavor. The English breakfast tea is made from 100% China Black Keemum, a tea variety that’s been cultivated for the British palate since the 1800s. The result is a full-bodied, higher-caffeine brew that will give you the morning jolt you’re looking for.
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This bright collection of teas from Canadian brand David’s Tea is bursting with fresh fruity flavors like Blueberry Jam, Frozen Raspberry, and Dragonfruit Aloe. This collection is designed for the fruit lover: It has summer berries, tropical delights, and splashes of citrus. The selection includes a variety of caffeine levels, including caffeine-free herbal teas, low-caffeine green teas, and higher-caffeine black tea blends.
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Ippodo is a Kyoto, Japan-based tea company that’s over 300 years old. The brand is dedicated to producing traditional Japanese green teas, with a focus on vibrant matcha powders. Barley tea is also a popular, but sometimes overlooked, Japanese drink made from steeping roasted barley grains in hot water. The flavor is earthy and smoky, with a touch of sweetness. These larger tea bags can be steeped in hot water or cold-brewed for iced tea (it will need to brew for an hour in cold water), and each bag can flavor one liter of water. Barley tea is caffeine-free.
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Tea Forte is known for its signature mesh pyramid-shaped bags, which fit beautifully into this pretty giftable set. The wellbeing teas include a range of caffeinated green teas and caffeine-free herbal blends, each designed for a specific element of wellness. The Defense tea includes immune-strengthening ginger and elderberry, while the Invitorage green tea is boosted with beetroot and ginseng. On the herbal side, you have Purfy, a citrusy tea made with the digestive aid dandelion root, Radiance, which contains dried berries and rosemary, and lavender-flecked Serenity tea. This set has a blend for every mood and time of day.
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Leaves of Leisure is a company built to help customers slow down and enjoy life. This Picnic in the Park tea captures the fresh, invigorating feeling of being outdoors on the first clear, sunny day of the year. It’s fruity and sweet, thanks to dried apple pieces and hibiscus, with a slightly earthy undertone from senna leaves. The tea is caffeine-free.
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Iced tea drinkers, this one’s for you. The Republic of Tea makes large tea bags designed to cold-infuse a quart of water for a refreshing, fruity iced tea to share (or not). The hibiscus flavor is floral and slightly bitter, which gives it a refreshing sophisticated taste. The cold tea takes just 10 minutes to brew and is caffeine-free.
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Sencha differs from other varieties of green tea, such as matcha and hojicha, in that the tea leaves are steamed before being rolled and dried. The whole dried leaves are then steeped in hot water to produce a delicate, floral drink. These tea bags from the Japanese brand Yamamotoyama are fresh-tasting and vibrant. They contain caffeine.
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If you want a dessert-like experience in your mug, brew a cup of Teapigs Rooibos Creme Caramel tea, which is a caffeine-free blend of rooibos, which has a naturally creamy vanilla essence, with caramel pieces. The drink is nutty, warming, rich, and creamy, like a sweet treat with benefits.
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THIS MONTH’S WINNER IS…
This bright collection of teas from Canadian brand David’s Tea is bursting with fresh fruity flavors like Blueberry Jam, Frozen Raspberry, and Dragonfruit Aloe. This collection is designed for the fruit lover: It has summer berries, tropical delights, and splashes of citrus. The selection includes a variety of caffeine levels, including caffeine-free herbal teas, low-caffeine green teas, and higher-caffeine black tea blends.
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