Mint and the holidays feel like a natural pairing. At least, that was the plan going into this Trader Joe’s field trip. In this episode of Snack Society, I’m tasting my way through some of Trader Joe’s holiday snack lineup, discovering which minty treats delivered, which ones surprised me, and which item quietly stole the show.

This expedition took place during a Western New York Trader Joe’s run, and while most of the snacks leaned minty, one festive wildcard insisted on tagging along.

• Mini Peppermint Meringues
• Jingly Jangly (Holiday Edition)
• Dark Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane Marshmallows
• Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe-Joe’s
• Sleigh Ride Cookies

Find out what we thought about each, and which item won the MVP of the Haul.

Snacks packed. Playlist ready. Let’s find the fun.

What is it about candy canes that makes them feel like the official start of December?

Maybe it’s the crinkle of the wrapper, the rush of childhood nostalgia, or the way peppermint somehow becomes its own personality this time of year. Whatever the reason, candy canes are pure holiday magic, and that makes them the perfect launch point for our very first Snack Files.

In this series, we’ll take one snack at a time and explore its history, where it pops up in pop culture, and, of course, how it tastes when we put it to the official Snack Society test.

In this Snack Files, we’ll cover:

• A surprisingly twisty history of candy canes
• The pop culture moments that made them iconic
• A Snack Society taste test
• Some places you can visit to get your candy cane fix.

Snacks packed? Playlist ready? Let’s find the fun.