25 Best Buys at H-E-B, According to a Lifelong Fan

When I moved from the snowy North to sunny Austin, Texas, in 2015, I went through a crash course in three things Texans love: wearing cowboy boots unironically, the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and H-E-B.

A privately held supermarket chain with over 335 locations in the Lone Star State, H-E-B is eponymously named after founder Howard Edward Butt, who first spearheaded the expansion of his mother Florence Butt’s little grocery store in Kerrville, Texas, over 100 years ago. Whatever my thoughts on its origin story, the widely beloved homegrown grocery chain, which also operates the local fine-foods retailer Central Market, has made this Minnesota native a lifelong convert by consistently serving up top-notch local products and in-house store brands that rival or even outshine similar name-brand products.

From fresh, in-house tortillas and a stellar salsa selection to its own line of sustainably sourced coffee spotlighting local towns, here are 25 reasons why I fell in love with H-E-B.

H-E-B Bakery Flour Tortillas

Made fresh in store, H-E-B Bakery Flour Tortillas are a staple in the pantries of many Texans. With just the right bounce and texture, these sturdy tortillas form the perfect handle for taco fillings and hold up well for mopping up salsas. It’s also an ideal snack when warmed over the plancha or grilled with a bit of butter.

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H‑E‑B Carolina Reaper Pepper Cheese Puffs

H-E-B Carolina Reaper Pepper Cheese Puffs are dangerously habit-forming—emphasis on the “dangerously.” The Carolina Reaper pepper tops spice charts as one of the hottest peppers on the planet. “Just found these yesterday and holy sh**t they are life changing,” wrote one fan on Reddit, naming the puffs as their favorite H-E-B item, “hot as f**ck but so good.” Word of warning: These puffs are not for the faint-hearted. And wash your hands after eating before you touch your eyes.

Mission Organics Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

A perennial favorite among H-E-B fanatics, Mission Organics Blue Corn Tortilla Chips are made with only four high-quality, non-GMO ingredients: organic blue corn masa flour ground from whole kernel corn, water, organic sunflower oil, and sea salt.

“I strongly believe these blue corn tortilla chips are the best you can find in stores,” raved one Redditor, who was aghast when H-E-B and Central Market locations in the Austin area were low on stock of these beloved tortilla chips last year. Fortunately for him, they’re back in stores now.

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H‑E‑B Mi Tienda Salsa Tradicional – Mild

H-E-B Mi Tienda items aim to recreate the flavors and feelings of an abuelita’s kitchen. The Salsa Tradicional is a simple table salsa perfect for munching with chips, and it far outshines most watery, bland grocery store salsas (which often taste more like old tomatoes than salsa). Made from freshly blended tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeños, garlic, and cilantro, the mild version is a sure crowd-pleaser that will suit even the most sensitive palates.

Herdez Medium Roasted Poblano Salsa Cremosa

If you’re pressed for the time to roast some peppers and blend up your own salsa cremosa, Herdez Salsa Cremosa delivers a satisfyingly creamy green salsa that you can pour on top of practically anything savory. Whether on top of your chicken and rice bowl, over a salad, or as a dip for chips and vegetables, Herdez Medium Roasted Poblano Salsa Cremosa packs a tart, savory punch, which is well-balanced by its smooth texture. It’s also half the price of Tacodeli Creamy Jalapeno Salsa Dona, another H-E-B favorite.

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Whataburger Honey Butter Sauce

The fast-food burger chain Whataburger is another beloved Texas institution. Part of what makes its burgers so good are the sauces, which luckily happen to be available at your neighborhood H-E-B! Level up your eggs, tacos, fries, hot dogs, burgers, and more with sauces like Fancy Ketchup, Picante, Spicy Ketchup, and Jalapeño Ranch. Honey Butter, aka “liquid gold,” is a personal favorite for biscuits and sandwiches, as well as a consistent mention among fans on Reddit.

H-E-B Fideo Loco Comida Kit

My Texas-Mexican boyfriend grew up eating fideo in tomato sauce and cheese at his grandmother’s house, and these kits let him whip up childhood flavors when we’re feeling lazy. All you have to do is sauté a half pound of ground beef in some oil and follow the instructions on the box. Add any extras like diced onion, garlic, fresh tomatoes, peppers, cheese, etc. for an extra comforting meal.

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Fiery Hot Big-Time Crunch

H-E-B has the spicy snack aisle game on lock. Are you a fan of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? I dare say that H-E-B’s Fiery Hot Big-Time Crunch blows the more famous name brand out of the water on both texture and flavor fronts. The crunchy corn puffs are slightly less spicy than their name-brand counterparts, but the flavors are more nuanced.

H-E-B Creamy Creations Ice Cream

Texas-based Blue Bell may be the third best-selling ice cream brand in America, but only true Texans know how good H-E-B Creamy Creations Ice Cream is. As former Houston Press food critic Kaitlin Steinberg once wrote, “Blue Bell makes an effort to be Southern rather than touting its obvious Texas roots, but not Creamy Creations. The H-E-B brand ice cream is proud of its heritage and shows it through Texas-inspired flavors.” Fans on Reddit rave about the brand, too, with one commenting, “Creamy creations beats bluebell. Their seasonal ice cream is the best. Apple spice apple pie in it and pumpkin pie the same. Their peanut butter chocolate is amazing an right now they have grass hopper. Mint with mint cookies… I could go on and on.”

Indeed, the list could go on, but in my personal opinion, the Java Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream is not to be missed.

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Cafe Olé

The grocery chain’s own coffee brand Cafe Olé offers a charming “Taste of” series, spotlighting unique flavor profiles that define different Texas towns. Sustainably sourced from coffee regions around the world, the brand offers a comprehensive coffee collection including single cup, bagged ground, cold brew coffee, and bulk beans.

The Taste of San Antonio blend, featuring medium roast Arabica beans with cinnamon, chocolate, and vanilla flavors, won the approval of beer and coffee blog The Brew Adventures: “I am not usually a fan of my black coffee having a lot of flavor in it, but this is one that I can drink often. The flavoring is definitely strong, but isn’t so abrasive that I can’t enjoy the natural coffee flavors. And after enjoying it for a few years now, it still remains a household favorite.”

H-E-B Mi Tienda Beef Fajitas

Ready for summertime grilling? Or just a quick, easy stovetop dinner? Pair this pre-seasoned, tenderized, and trimmed, H-E-B Mi Tienda beef skirt steak with some vegetables, flour tortillas, and salsa and get the family around the table. Whether on the grill or in the skillet, the Mi Tienda beef fajitas are so juicy and flavorful that one fan on Reddit was willing to drive over an hour to pick them up: “The HEB brand fajita meat is awesome, I currently live in dfw so we don’t have the luxury of an HEB close to me but I have gone a little more than an hour out of my way to go get Fajita meat from HEB.”

RELATED: 25 Best Grilling & Outdoor Dining Buys to Snag Before They Sell Out

H-E-B Sparkling water

Sparkling water is a must-have for mixing drinks or just for when you’re sick of plain ol’ water but don’t want any extra sugar or caffeine. H-E-B Sparkling water is significantly cheaper than name brands like Pellegrino and just as delightfully bubbly. A 12-pack of unsweetened sparkling water will cost you less than $5 (in most places). One “Houston area HEB fan” on Reddit concurred, writing that “HEB sparkling water is VERY good, but much cheaper than other brands”

Meal Simple by H‑E‑B Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Don’t miss out on the Meal Simple series in H-E-B’s deli section. The Rotisserie Chicken Salad, made from the retailer’s in-house rotisserie chicken with diced celery, onion, and creamy dressing, is ideal for sandwiches, crackers, wraps, or simply on its own. Sevearl customers on an Austin-area Reddit thread named it their by-the-pound chicken salad of choice.

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H‑E‑B Bakery Full Fruit Tres Leches Cake

The H-E-B bakery is packed with goodies, but one top contender that consistently pops up on Reddit forums is its Tres Leches Cake. As one Redditor poignantly puts it, “Tres leches cake!!! My biggest weakness. Can’t speak to the authenticity but it sure is tasty!” You can order the light, moist, and creamy cake topped with a variety of fruit and real whipping cream in a variety of sizes, from a full cake that serves 24 people to individual slices.

H-E-B Bakery Two-Bite Brownies

Another hit from the HEB bakery is the rich, chocolatey H-E-B Bakery Two-Bite Brownies. As the name suggests, each brownie consists of only a two-bite indulgence, making it perfect for pairing with ice cream—and also incredibly easy to scarf down half a box. Made with a blend of double-roasted cocoa and real chocolate, the brownie bites are soft and moist in the middle with a toothsome crispy edge. On a forum discussing their favorite HEB bakery items, one Redditor wrote of the standout brownie bites, “I wish I was exaggerating but I could eat an entire box if I wanted to.”

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H‑E‑B White Chocolate-Covered Lemon-Flavored Almonds

Pick up a bag of these Lemon Almonds, and pretty soon you’ll find yourself buying them by the pound from the bulk section. The lemon yogurt coating contrasts perfectly with the salty almonds for a sweet-and-savory snack that could fall into either the dessert or snack category. Either way, they’re habit-forming.

H-E-B Deli Meat & Cheese

Meat and cheese from deli department is another widely popular H-E-B find. The blog Texas Grocery Finds wrote in 2022, “You might not have considered this, but the fresh HEB deli meat and cheese is out of this world compared to the pre-packaged options. It’s something many of us pass everyday without giving a second glance, but if you’re ready to splurge, you can make some killer sandwiches by lingering here a bit longer. We occasionally like to purchase the maple ham pre-sliced, but when my Mother-In-Law comes to town, she buys the best, fresh roast beef for french dip sandwiches.”

I absolutely agree that the deli’s sliced mesquite smoked roast beef is prime sandwich material.

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Meal Simple by H‑E‑B Tex-Mex Brisket Queso Dip

Combining two Texas standards—brisket and queso—this ready-to-cook Brisket Queso dip is an H-E-B classic that made Austin lifestyle magazine Tribeza‘s Best Of Texas list. All you need to do is stir in a half-cup water, broth, milk, or beer, then pop it on the grill or in the oven, and cook as directed. The decadent cheesy concoction is a perfect topper for tortilla chips, rice, or burgers.

H-E-B Bagel Not Included Spice Blend

Looking for that Everything Bagel taste without the carbs? Sprinkle a little of HEB’s Bagel Not Included Spice Blend on your eggs, avocado taste, or smoked salmon for a little extra of that “everything” oomph. The garlic and sesame seed seasoning takes basic foods to the next level.

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H‑E‑B Bakery French Bread

Redditors go crazy for the bakery’s French bread, and for good reason. It’s made fresh in-house and perfect for sopping up soup or making Texas toast. I never fail to pick up one or two of the light, airy baguettes when I’m in the store. After all, they’re barely over a dollar right now. As one Redditor raved,”The $1 bread loaf near the registers is GODLY.” Another concurred, “FACTS. I love that bread, man.”

The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que Sauce

Founded in 1967 by a family in Driftwood, Texas, Salt Lick BBQ is named after the area where deer would gather to lick the salt and minerals off the rocks scattered throughout the family’s ranch. Today, the famed barbecue brand has a wonderful line of sauces carried in H-E-B stores throughout the state, along with several restaurants. One fan on Reddit wrote, “Not only is it the best that I’ve tasted in a bottle, have a look at the ingredients. All natural and no HFCS.”

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Mrs Baird’s Texas Toast Bread

“Texas Toast,” aka thick slices of toasted white bread smothered with butter and garlic, is an ideal pairing with barbecue, eggs, soup, are just on its own. If you’re lucky enough to be near an H-E-B, reach for Mrs. Baird’s Texas Toast Bread for your quick fix of baked-in-Texas goodness.

H‑E‑B Deli Cheese Ball – Cheddar Ranch Bacon Pecan

Being lactose-intolerant doesn’t stop me from perusing the H-E-B deli’s cheese ball selection. The chain offers a large rotating seasonal selection, as well as a few favorites that stay on the shelves all year. The perennial Cheddar Ranch Bacon Pecan cheese ball consists of a ball of cheddar cheese rolled in ranch dressing seasoning and baked bacon. Take it out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before serving for an easy spread or slice.

RELATED: I Tried 7 Trader Joe’s Cheeses & the Best Is Super Creamy and Rich

Swoon by H‑E‑B Banana S’mores Ice Cream

H-E-B’s other Swoon-worthy ice cream brand focuses on gourmet flavors with no high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors. The Banana S’mores edition tops both the Tribeza list and the grocery list of many shoppers on Reddit. One fan wrote, ‘”To my palate, it’s probably as close to perfect as dessert gets.”

H-E-B Mootopia Lactose-Free Whole Milk

Mootopia is an H-E-B brand of lactose-free dairy products that is a consistent frontrunner in forums for those who need to avoid lactose but still want milk products in their lives. The brand runs a full range of lactose-free milk, including whole milk, fat-free, and chocolate, and 2% fat. I love using the lactose-free whole milk in baking and coffee for a full dairy taste without the tummy trouble. “Mootopia does taste better than any other milk brand,” wrote one fan on Reddit. “But its great because it has fewer calories, way more protein, and way less sugar and carbs.”

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