I have go-to snacks that I purchase at each visit to the grocery store. And then there are snacks that I reserve for mini special occasions — long weekends, Netflix marathons, etc. — that hold a special place in my personal list of snacks. Unfortunately, some of these special snacks are not available in every store, but I like to think that adds to the excitement of each one.

So here we go, my All-Time Top 3 snacks…

1. Private Selection Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

This is my favorite ice cream of all-time. Seriously. I came across this ice cream brand in elementary school, and I have been a loyal customer ever since. This ice cream can be found in grocery stores, and it is hands down better than the chocolate chip ice cream I’ve had at any other ice cream parlor. Whenever I have chocolate chip ice cream, this is the standard I compare it to.

No one has surpassed it.

Here’s the tricky part: it’s not in every grocery store. I have only ever found the Private Selection brand within Kroger and Ralph’s. If you live near either of these grocery stores, or are familiar with the grocery store chains associated with Kroger and Ralph’s, then you need to try this ice cream. It is a game changer.

My personal style of enjoying this brand of ice cream is to leave it out for about 10-15 minutes — this lets it soften and become very creamy. Not all people are fans of slightly melted ice cream though — either way, I highly recommend this!

2. Chips Ahoy Cookies + Cream Cheese Icing

Unlike snack #1, this snack combination can be found practically anywhere. The Chips Ahoy cookies are obvious, but pay attention to using “Cream Cheese” icing and NOT vanilla. Vanilla icing isn’t terrible, but the Cream Cheese icing is a less overwhelming version of the vanilla (believe me, I have tested this!).

As for the application, it’s simple. Grab a cookie and start with spreading a thin layer of icing across, then enjoy! From there you can gauge what’s your preferred amount of icing. Please keep in mind that Chips Ahoy cookies seem to go stale pretty quickly if not re-sealed air-tight — once they’re stale and not crunchy anymore, this combo is a no-go.

3. Popcornopolis Fifty-Fifty (NOT Caramel) Popcorn

People who have never lived in Chicago may not be familiar with this type of snack. Popcornopolis calls it “Fifty Fifty”, but it is also deemed “Chicago Style” popcorn — a mix of cheese and caramel popcorn. Oddly I couldn’t find a picture of the “Fifty Fifty” bag sold in stores, so I used a picture of the Caramel one — they look identical besides the name.

This snack is particular special to me because it is definitely not easy to find Chicago Style popcorn in grocery stores — usually they’re only in actual popcorn shops. Kettle, Cheese, and Butter are always the dominant popcorn flavor choices in grocery stores, so I was sooo happy when I found this brand.

When enjoying this snack, do try your best to keep an even caramel-to-cheese ratio. The two flavors can easily overpower each other. Unfortunately I usually have to grab a separate bowl and scoop out handfuls to ensure the ratio is correct — but this ritual only adds to the enjoyment!

Where can you find this? I’ve only been able to find it in Safeway and Ralph’s. I live in California and not sure how widespread those stores are. But I definitely recommend checking your grocery store’s popcorn section for this.

Honorable Mention: Odwalla Smoothie Drinks

This is an honorable mention because I never crave it, but when I decide to splurge (it’s a bit pricey and goes quickly) and buy it, I never regret the decision. I love smoothies but hardly ever go to places that make good ones, and while Odwalla is closer to a juice than a smoothie, it still tastes great. I listed Mango Tango in the picture, but also check out the Strawberry Banana flavor.

The Odwalla smoothie drinks are pretty sweet, so it makes a good compliment to something salty (I like drinking it with the Popcornopolis snack).

And that’s it!

If you decide to try any of these snacks, let me know what you think! And definitely share any snacks you reserve for special occasions (hopefully they aren’t difficult to track down) — I’d like to check them out.