japan: konbini food

I've been living in Tokyo for almost 2 months now. It's been a fun adventure trying all the food, especially since everything tastes delicious! My current obsession is konbini (convenience store) food - specifically 7-Eleven. I have a newfound loyalty to 7-Eleven because I am an ice cream lover and after trying many different konbinis, I believe 7-Eleven has the best ice cream selection. While making daily ice cream stops (you are free to judge haha), I've been trying their other foods---onigiri, sandwiches, sausages, cookies, etc. I'm trying everything so you can save your stomach space and just eat the best. The list below is in the order of my favorites. I will continue to update this list as I discover more goodies!

almond milk & strawberry ​with rice cake ice cream bar

This ice cream bar is the reason I became a loyal customer of 7-Eleven. It's an almond milk ice cream bar with strawberry filling and little mochi pieces. This ice cream might be seasonal because I haven't been able to find it again. Let's hope they bring it back! ​

country ma'am cookies 

I am actually a cookie snob; I only like freshly baked cookies. These are packaged cookies and I, the cookie snob, shouldn't like these, but I like them so much. Actually, I love them. They're soft, chewy and chocolatey. But the real magic happens after you warm up the cookies in the microwave for 20 seconds ... really tastes like fresh baked cookies!   

pork, egg & pork broth onigiri

I love Korean onigiris with lots of gochujang (hot chili pepper paste). I haven't found a Japanese onigiri that is packed with flavor like the Korean ones, but this pork and egg onigiri is just perfect. The flavor is amazing and the egg is cooked just right - slightly runny. I could eat this one every day.   

ZERO kcal cider triple soda pop 

I don't normally drink soda because of the sugar and caffeine level, but ZERO kcal Cider Triple is free of both. My husband thinks it's too sweet, but I think it's a nice refreshing option when you're craving soda! I also tried ZERO kcal Fiber and it tastes like an orange soda! 

mint chocolate ice bar 

I imagine the mint chocolate chip ice cream bar to be the perfect date dessert. You can enjoy something sweet with your date and have incredibly fresh minty breath after for a smooch. *wink wink* 

Natto seaweed roll

I heard that natto is often one of the first foods for Japanese babies. I was hesitant to try it because I heard it's an acquired taste. I guess we are ready to eat like the locals because we loved it! Just watch my son chowing down on his natto seaweed roll. He seemed intrigued by the stickiness! 

Cheese corn snacks 

Cheese is healthy, corn is healthy... so these cheese corn snacks must be healthy. I will keep telling myself that because these spiral-shaped chips are so tasty! Each bite is packed with crunch and cheese. This one is a family favorite. 

rice crackers

I let my daughter choose any snack she wanted and she chose these rice crackers. My daughter was deliciously chomping on them making me question, “It’s just a rice cracker... how good could it be?” I popped one in my mouth and it wasn’t just a rice cracker... it was sweet, savory, crunchy and everything delightful in one bite! 

Haagen-Dazs strawberry truffe ice cream sandwich 

My husband bought a bunch of ice creams for us to share, but while he was putting the baby to sleep, I tried Haagen-Dazs’ strawberry truffe ice cream sandwich. The wafers were so crispy and the strawberry and chocolate flavors fused so well together. I kept saying telling myself, “One more bite, need to share!” I think I saved him one bite... one tiny bite, but a bite!

Sugakiya spicy ramen 

Every time I watch a Korean drama, I crave instant ramen! That's exactly what happened yesterday, so I opted for this spicy ramen. I couldn’t read the label, but I was sold by the amount of chili powder shown on the packaging. It was so spicy, I felt alive!

mintia excare mints

I never thought I would love the taste of mints, but this one is an exception. It tastes like a mix of milky soda pop and mint - like candy that happens to freshen your breath!

​Update: My husband just told me that the flavor is yogurt mint... if I could only read Japanese, I could have just read that instead of trying to guess the flavor!  

Sausage

My husband and daughter go to town on konbini sausages. I always declined when they would make a beeline to the nearest konbini for these sausages when we used to visit Japan. I finally gave in and it's... delicious. 

sando 

These white bread sandwiches are a staple to an office worker in Japan (that one worker being my husband). I like the variety and half & half choices. You can choose from shrimp cutlet to strawberry cream sandwiches. 

Hopefully my list makes your next konbini visit delicious and enjoyable. If you have a konbini food recommendation, please feel free to share! I would love to try your favorites too!