The Hottest New Kroger Items To Grab In January 2026

After the ball drops at midnight and you've noshed on some of the best foods to eat for luck in the new year, the first month of 2026 will be staring you down with all its wintery weather and struggles of maintaining lifestyle changes and goals that sounded good in December. What will be hitting your shopping cart in January? If you're a Kroger habitué, we think we have a pretty good idea. Along with all those typical Kroger faves like Simple Truth and Private Selection house brands, the grocer is also stocking several intriguing new goodies to kick off Q1, and we think you'll want to try them out. 

Grocery stores play music to encourage spending, but we predict that you won't need to be tricked into wanting to try something new this January. Whether you are embarking on a healthier eating regime or snacking on delicious goodies whilst watching playoff football, Kroger has the goods that "Feed the Human Spirit," as its corporate purpose statement attests. Prices vary by location, and don't include any sales or promotions that might apply. Availability will vary, so check with your local store. 

It's a little early for planning a Super Bowl party — although not too early to remember that crazy 2025 Coffee Mate ad starring Shania Twain – but we already have our eyes peeled for snacks that would pair perfectly with celebrating touchdowns and screaming at questionable coaching decisions. We like these seasoned pretzels for dipping, serving alongside a cheese plate, or simply shoveling into our open mouths during commercial breaks. 

Buy Twigz Buttery Herb & Garlic Pretzels for $4.99. 

We, like many people, love waffles and enjoy using John F. Kennedy's technique of whipping egg whites in the batter. When it comes to frozen protein waffles, however, Kroger's house brand provides a tidy savings over the big-name competitor. If one of your New Year's resolutions is to get more protein in your diet, you'll appreciate the 12 grams per serving that you get with your breakfast ... along with the sweet vanilla taste. 

Buy Simple Truth Buttermilk Vanilla Protein Waffles for $4.99.

The thought of a Shirley Temple mocktail might take you back to childhood — and the origins of the word "cocktail" might take you back to a much murkier point in history — but the cheery cherry flavor of this prebiotic cola is perfect for grown-ups. It has only three grams of sugar and 20 calories in the entire can, it's free of fake flavors or colors, and it might support better gut health. 

Buy one can of Bloom Pop Shirley Temple Prebiotic Soda for $2.49. 

Taylor Sheridan, writer and producer of T.V. hit "Yellowstone," has also spearheaded a line of affordable BBQ sauces associated with a famous Texas ranch. You can eat like a cowboy with these baked beans that bear the "Yellowstone" logo and feature a meaty, smoky, sweet melange of flavors that will make you holler "yippee-ki-yay." Okay, that might be a bit much, but we're thinking that these hearty beans could whet a healthy appetite. 

Buy Yellowstone Beef and BBQ Baked Beans for $3.29.

One of the mistakes everyone makes when popping popcorn is not thinking big with flavor. Butter is dandy and cinnamon sugar is all well and good, but here's a concept: blasting your popcorn with caramel flavor, courtesy of an aerosol can. The manufacturer advises that you can also spray ice cream or yogurt for an infusion of extra sweetness. It's low-cal, kosher, and both dairy- and gluten-free. We never knew we needed popcorn spray, but we're deeply curious. 

Buy Winona Pure Popcorn Seasoning Spray Caramel for $4.99. 

One way to make pizza crust gluten free is to use potatoes, so obviously the next logical step is smothering your pizza in cheddar and bacon like loaded fries. This specimen wasn't around when we ranked frozen pizza brands a while back, and we're equally perplexed and infatuated by the possibilities here. Does the world need French fry pizza? That's probably a moot point, because we just know you wanna try it out. 

Buy Tombstone French Fry Style Crust Loaded Bacon Cheddar Pizza for $6.49. 

We obviously advocate for baking cookies from scratch — we're foodies, it's what we do — but realize that, sometimes, time is of the essence, and a cookie craving must be satiated tout de suite. At critical moments when only speedy snacks will do, we turn to refrigerated cookie dough balls like the Kroger "break 'n bake" variety. You can bake the cookies in the air fryer, but absolutely do not eat the dough raw, because we ourselves would never do such a thing. 

Buy Kroger Break'n Bake Sugar Cookie Dough for $3.29. 

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your balsamic vinegar is likely fake. With that said, the provenance of your vinegar matters a lot less when it is flavored, and strawberry balsamic is objectively enticing, no matter where it comes from. Whether you sprinkle it over a simple salad, stir it into seltzer, marinate your steaks with it, or even drizzle a bit on your high-quality vanilla ice cream, this bottle is likely to become a pantry staple. 

Buy Papi Cuisine Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar for $19.99.