How familiar are you with Canadian snacks? I was lucky enough to receive a box of Canadian treats recently, and I wanted to share them with you! Keep reading to discover some of the top Canadian snacks and my thoughts on them!
In this post, I am doing a taste test of 5 of the top Canadian snacks. As a Brit, I haven’t sampled any of these snacks before, so I’m sharing my first impressions with you!
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Top Canadian Snacks
So towards the end of 2020, Helene from Wandering Helene had the genius idea of arranging an international snack exchange!
After a year of being grounded, as travel bloggers, we were all looking for new and unique ways to satisfy our wanderlust. A snack exchange did just that while throwing in some tasty treats for good measure!
Each person in the exchange received a surprise box of goodies from someone else in the group. We didn’t know who was sending us treats or where they were coming from.
I was lucky enough to receive a box of Canadian snacks from Justė at TrueStory. Justė has been living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada for several years. So she’s a bit of an expert on Canadian snacks!
Here’s an overview of what she sent me, my initial thoughts, and the results of the taste test! Keep reading to find out which snack is my favourite!
Old Dutch Ketchup Flavored Potato Chips
Before I even opened the box, James said to me, “I bet there are some tomato flavoured crisps in there.” And low and behold, what is the first thing I pull out when I open the box? Ketchup flavoured potato chips! I didn’t even know that was a thing!
The Old Dutch brand first started in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a small company. They pride themselves on being a company with a heartfelt tradition of making great-tasting snacks. And a whole lot of old-world charm!
My Initial Thoughts
So, I’m going to admit, I’m a bit skeptical of this one. I don’t like ketchup and I’m not really a tomato fan in general. That being said, ketchup flavoured potato chips do intrigue me! I might be a bit hesitant but I’m excited to give them a try!
My Thoughts After Tasting
Ok, we’re not off to a winning start as I really didn’t like this one!
The crisps have a really strong tomato flavour and possibly a mild hint of paprika that is just not for me! The flavour is tangy and tastes just like Heinz tomato ketchup.
Fortunately, the ketchup potato chips were James’s favourite snack so he happily polished off the pack! He claims that they are much better than UK varieties of tomato flavoured crisps, so if that’s what you’re into, there’s a good chance you will love these!
Dill Pickle Pow Pea Pops
Pea Pops are described as roasted (never fried) green peas. They are produced by the company Three Farmers, who pride themselves on producing ‘healthy, wholesome plant-based snacks.’ They position themselves as a healthy alternative to potato chips.
My Initial Thoughts
From past experience, I’m rarely a fan of the ‘healthy alternative’ snacks. The ones I’ve experienced in the past often appear gimmicky and never stick around for long. However, given Pea Pops are a popular Canadian snack, maybe they’ve discovered something we’ve not quite caught onto yet in the UK. I’m looking forward to giving them a try!
My Thoughts After Tasting
As it turns out, Pea Pops have a really unique flavour that is hard to describe!
The closest description I can think of for is quite salty and earthy flavoured. But they do have an intriguing after-taste that isn’t too dissimilar from mint sauce. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting!
Texture-wise, this snack is very crunchy! Pea Pops definitely have an interesting flavour that wasn’t what I imagined, but I don’t dislike it. The only thing about it is I don’t think I could eat a lot in one go. I’d probably only want a small handful at most as it isn’t a particularly moreish snack.
Hawkins Cheezies Corn Snacks
I think this might be the snack I am most excited about! These corn snacks are made with real cheddar cheese and are pretty vibrant in their orange colour! I think they will probably be fairly comparable to Wotsits here in the UK.
W.T. Hawkins Ltd. was founded in Ontario from a revolutionary idea first created in the United States. It is based on a technique of extruding cornmeal into various shapes, cooking them in vegetable shortening, and then coating them in aged cheddar cheese. Despite the company’s growth over the last 50 years, Hawkins still holds very firmly onto its roots as a family owned business.
My Initial Thoughts
As I’ve already said, I’m excited about this one! I’m a big fan of cheese or anything cheese flavoured! I’m hoping they live up to the taste I’m envisioning!
My Thoughts After Tasting
So the first thing that was noticeable was how weighty this snack is. It isn’t as light as Wotsits and is more dense and crunchy, akin to NikNaks or Cheetos.
Taste-wise, the flavour of this snack is much more subtle than the colour leads you to believe! Rather than the strong, artificial flavour of Wotsits, it is a more natural cheese flavour that is not so overpowering.
James likened both the flavour and the texture to Cheddar Cheetos. I haven’t eaten Cheetos personally, but he assures me they are pretty close in terms of taste and texture!
Ranch Flavored Corn Nuts
Ok, so I had to research this one a bit because I’ve never heard of a corn nut before! If you’re in the dark like me, corn nuts are corn kernels that have been roasted or deep-fried. And just to avoid any confusion, they don’t contain any nuts.
My Initial Thoughts
I am definitely intrigued by this one. Firstly I am very excited about the ranch flavour! You don’t get a ranch equivelant in the UK and I do love ranch!
However, ‘corn nuts’ just makes me think of those uncooked popcorn kernels that practically break your teeth when you eat one by mistake. I’m a little apprehensive about getting through the taste test with my fillings intact!
My Thoughts After Tasting
So the Corn Nuts were crunchy but not the ‘break your teeth’ kind of crunchy I had in mind! Rather than the popcorn kernels I thought of, the Corn Nuts are more like roasted sweetcorn, which makes more sense really!
When it comes to taste, I can’t think of a direct comparison. The flavour is quite strong and salty. The seasoning is not too dissimilar from sour cream and chive flavoured Pringles, but the corn itself has a unique taste that is harder to place!
Overall, this snack is really addictive and it would be really easy to crunch your way through the whole bag!
Cherry Blossom
Made by Hershey Canada Inc, the Cherry Blossom is the sweet treat that I’ve saved until last! The Cherry Blossom is a chocolate unique to Canada. It features a maraschino cherry and cherry syrup centre, surrounded by a thick chocolate shell which is mixed with chopped peanuts and coconut.
My Initial Thoughts
Before tasting the Cherry Blossom, I already feel quite overwhelmed! There’s a lot of strong flavours going on there with the cherry, peanut and coconut, and my brain can’t quite comprehend how they will all taste together! But I do have a sweet tooth though, so I’m super excited about this one!
My Thoughts After Tasting
In typical Hershey’s style, the chocolate comes wrapped in silver paper, making it feel like a really indulgent treat. Just to add to the indulgent feel, the chocolate itself is actually pretty large and weighty!
On the first bite, I discovered that the shell is really thick! I wasn’t prepared for quite how tough it was!
When it comes to taste, the coconut and peanut flavours are surprisingly subtle. The cherry syrup is also delicately flavoured. Rather than all of the flavours competing like I thought they would, they all complemented each other for a subtle taste that was sweet and delicious.
Be warned though, you’re likely to get sticky when eating this one! (And want more…)
Top Canadian Snacks
Overall, Canada has some pretty impressive snacks!
It always surprises me how different snacks can be from one country to the next. The Canadian snacks I tried are unlike anything you would find in the UK!
I’d like to say a huge thanks to Justė for sharing these delicious snacks with me so I could share them with you!
My Personal Favorite Canadian Snack
So after a thorough taste test, I’m surprised to say that my favourite snack is the Hershey’s Cherry Blossom.
Given I have such a sweet tooth, I don’t really think it should come as much of a surprise to be honest!
But I was surprised that the combination of flavours worked so well because I wouldn’t normally opt for peanut or coconut options. However, all of the flavours were really delicate and complemented each other. I’d strongly recommend picking one of these up when you’re next in Canada!
Awesome Canadian Bloggers Your Should Check Out
I have visited Canada but only a tiny corner of the country and I am no expert.
(But I can state with good authority that they have some awesome snacks…)
So if you want to learn more about Canada and some of the amazing places to visit there, check out these awesome Canadian bloggers (who are my personal favourites) for inspiration!
- TrueStory – Obviously you should definitely hop over to TrueStory and check out what Justė is up to! As well as sharing her stories of life in Canada, she shares some awesome posts about other popular Canadian foods.
- In Search Of Sarah – Sarah is based in the Niagara region of Ontario and shares some great guides to the area. This is a part of Canada that I have visited, but every time I read one of Sarah’s posts it just makes me want to go back because I realise how many hidden gems I missed!
- Ontario Hiking – Also in the Ontario area, you can find Lauren from Ontario Hiking. She shares the top hiking trails in the region and is the perfect one-stop-shop to learn everything you need to know about getting outdoors on your Ontario trip.
- A Walk And A Lark – Josy is another outdoor enthusiast who is based in Vancouver. She has a skill for finding the most breath-taking trails with unbelievable views you are sure to fall in love with!
My Top 10 Recommended UK Snacks
And while I might not be an expert on Canada, I am definitely an expert on snacks from the UK.
Here are some of my top recommended UK snacks that you should try when you next visit the country.
Crisps (Potato Chips)
- Pickled Onion Monster Munch
- Cheddar Cheese Mini Cheddars
Chocolates
- Cadbury Fudge
- Milky Way
- KitKat
- Galaxy
- Terry’s Chocolate Orange
- Nestle Milky Bar
Drinks
- English Tea (I recommend Yorkshire Tea!)
- Cadbury’s Hot Chocolate
Sweets/Candy
- Flumps
- Double Dip
- Parma Violets
- Haribo Tangfastics
Other
- Butterkist Toffee Popcorn
- Jammie Dodgers
Would You Try These Canadian Snacks?
So if you’re an adventurous snack-lover who is looking for an international treat, be sure to bookmark this page or pin it so you can sample these Canadian snacks on your next visit!
Would you try any of these Canadian snacks? If you would, I’d love to hear about it! Let’s connect on Instagram and send me a DM with which one you really want to try!
Until our next adventure!
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If you like this review of top Canadian snacks, be sure to follow Get Lost on Pinterest. That’s where we’ll be sharing all of our travel food inspiration!
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Hello, I’m Hannah! I’m a writer and photographer who loves experiencing the wonders of Yorkshire. My guides will help you escape from your daily routine by showing you that you don’t have to go far to find an adventure.
I think I had Cheezies when I visited Canada. I can’t wait to try these other snacks .
It’s so fun trying international snacks, isn’t it! I love a trip to a supermarket in another country! I hope you get an opportunity to try some of these snacks!
I am all about trying local snack foods when I visit a new place. But I draw the line at corn nuts of any description. I don’t know why, they’re just not appealing to me. And I’d also never heard of tomato flavoured chips before. I think I’d probably be a fan of those.
Haha! The corn nuts were definitely interesting! It is fun to try international snacks. I hope you get an opportunity to try some tomato flavored chips soon! They weren’t my cup of tea but James loved them!
Haha I’m with you on the ketchup chips. Though I think my son would love them, as he loves anything and everything ketchup!
Haha yeah they definitely weren’t for me but James loved them and I think my brother would too! The other snacks were tasty though!
I’m not familiar with any of them but I love going into a supermarket on holiday and buying things to try so I really enjoyed this post! And I’m with you on the Yorkshire tea and Monster Munch recommendations… 🙂
It’s crazy how different international snacks are, isn’t it? You definitely can’t beat a bag of pickled onion Monster Munch though!
This is such a cool post Hannah! I love trying out new flavours and I think this is the best way we can ‘travel’ these days. We started cooking a traditional dish from every country in the world and it’s been great fun. But would love to try some like this 🙂
Ooh cooking an international dish to ‘travel’ sounds like such a fun idea! We recently recreated some of our favourite meals we’ve had on our travels but they weren’t exactly traditional, just meaks we enjoyed and remember. Trying the snacks was good fun and it was crazy how different they are from UK snacks!
What a fun idea! The Cherry Blossom does sound delicious! I’m a huge tomato fan so I’d probably live the ketchup chips!
The Cherry Blossom was delicious! The ketchup chips definitely weren’t for me but James loved them! I hope you get an opportunity to try them soon!
What I’ve always enjoyed are the all-dressed Ruffles that you can find here in the U.S., although I only assume those are Canadian because of the maple leaf that have on the label. As a chip fiend, I’m definitely all about the crisp options. Fun list!
Quote a few people have recommended all-dressed Ruffles! I’ll have to give those a try next time I’m in the US! I’m glad you like the list!
Salty snacks are actually recommended in hot climates to replace lost sodium. As a cheese addict I like the sound of Hawkins Cheezies. This is a great idea for a post so thanks for sharing.
Ooh that’s a fun fact! I always assumed the salt would dehydrate you so I wouldn’t have made the connection! The Cheezies were so good! I’m glad you like the post!
I’m always game to try new foods! I’ve only had the corn nuts as we have them here in the states. While I like tomatoes, not a fan of ketchup so I am intrigued by those chips 🙂
The ketchup chips seem to be a divider! I hope you get an opportunity to try them and make a verdict!
I desperately want to go out and get a flump now 😊 such a great post x
Haha! As fun as it is trying international snacks, they never quite beat childhood favourites do they? I hope you managed to track down some flumps! Thanks for reading my post x
Wow, the ketchup chips sound interesting! My favorite Canadian snack is Miss Vickie’s Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar Chips, they’re EVERYTHING!
Oh I LOVE salt and vinegar chips! They sound amazing! I’m definitely tracking those down when I’m next in Canada! Thanks for the suggestion!
This is such an interesting post! I hadn’t heard of many of these foods besides the ranch corn nuts, haha. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you liked reading about these Canadian snacks! I hope you get a chance to try them! Thanks for reading!
Love this review of all the different Canadian snacks to try. My dad LOVED chocolate covered cherries. I’m thinking I’d like to try those pea pods.
I’m glad you like the review! I hope you have an opportunity to try the pea pods soon! Thanks for reading!
Haha as a Canadian I approve of this message. My dad would add coffee crisp. Every time he goes back to Canada he comes back with a suitcase full. I do miss ketchup potato chips though, those are my favorite.
Ooh I don’t know what coffee crisps are but they sound good! The ketchup potato chips were definitely wasted on me but James loved them! I hope you can get your hands on some soon!
I love hearing what people from other areas think of different snacks! And I usually don’t realize certain snacks that I like aren’t found in most places! Thanks for the idea to send snack packs to people!
It’s crazy isn’t it how different snacks are from one place to the next! I always find it fascinating trying food and snacks from other places. I hope you get an opportunity to send some snacks around the world…and receive some too!
This is such a fun idea, especially at the moment. I’m now going to text my friends that live in Canada because when I visited them, they did not let me into any of these secret snacks. I am going to ask them to post me a Cherry Blossom. The name itself is cool but I also have a sweet tooth and wouldn’t mind being sticky!
Ooh yes!!! I’d suggest you ask them to post you a few Cherry Blossoms! It was delicious! Haha definitely sticky but well worth it! I hope you get to try it soon!
You are really making me miss home right now! I have to say I’ve only had a couple of these though – I’m more of a chocolate person!
Oh I’m sorry Krista! I hope you’re able to visit home soon! I’m definitely a chocolate person too! You’ll have to let me know which Canadian chocolate you recommend!
I have never been to Canada so I’m not familiar with their snacks, so I love the idea of receiving a box of snacks to sample. I love cheddar cheese so I lining towards the cheezies. I’m sure I would love that. I have to see if I can source some to try.
It was fun trying some new international snacks! The Cheezies are a good choice for a cheese-lover! I hope you are able to source some to try!
I’d definitely try all these snacks! That’s such a great idea to do a swap with someone from another country. I think I’d like the ketchup chips and would love to try the cherry blossom. Never heard of that before and will need to buy some when I visit Canada again!
It was good fun and a great way to try some international snacks! The cherry blossom was delicious! I hope you get to Canada soon to try them!
Yum! this is making me hungry!
There were some delicious options here! Sorry for making you crave a snack!
Ohhh those Pea Pops actually look great. and Dill Flavor? I’m going to have to look for those. Thanks for sharing these! I love snacks for the road and will definitely keep my eyes out for these.
The dill flavour pea pops were really interesting! Definitely not like anything we have in the UK (that I’m aware of anyway!) I hope you get a chance to try some!
Gosh, I should definitely not have read this while I’m hungry!! They all sound delicious, but I have to say – the Cheezies catch my attention because hello, cheese!! As an American, the idea you’ve never tasted Cheetos is very concerning… and must be rectified soon!! (Looking forward to an American snack review one day)
Oh no! Sorry to make you more hungry! These snacks were definitely delicious and fun to try! The Cheezies are a must if you’re a cheese lover! Haha, I’m sure we can get Cheetos here in the UK but for some reason, I’ve just never tried them. Probably because I usually lean towards sweet snacks rather than savoury ones! I’ll be sure to give them a try and I’d definitely love to do an American snack review! That sounds fun!
What a fun post and neat idea! I enjoyed reading it. Haha. When we travel to other countries, finding different snacks and treats is one of the best parts!
Picking up international snacks is great, isn’t it! Do you get super excited visiting a grocery store abroad too? It is one of my favourite things to do when we travel!
Oooh interesting choices. I am a bit embarrassed that I didn’t try of these, even though we’ve lived in Canada for three years now! I totally agree that ketchup chips are rubbish…but they have some called ‘all dressed’ which are pretty tasty (not as good as monster munch!)
I quite like some of the cadbury’s bars they have in Canada, that we don’t have back in the UK. Things like Wunderbar and Crispy Crunch. 🙂
p.s. Thank you sooooo much for the shout out. You have made my day!!
Ooh I hope you get to hunt some of these down and try them! A few people have recommended ‘all dressed’ so I’ll have to get my hands on some of those! I’m not sure anything quite beats Monster Munch though!
Those Cadbury’s bars sound interesting! I didn’t realise they had different ones abroad! I’ll add those to my list to try too!
You’re more than welcome! I love reading your blog!
A very interesting experiment! Since I generally don’t eat snacks out of a bag, there is only one that appeals to me. I am a chocaholic so that would be the Cherry Blossom.
I’m totally with you there! I’m such a chocoholic too! The Cherry Blossom was the clear winner in my opinion!
What a great read, critique, and FUN exchange to participate in! I love the concept. I also love how you so carefully took us through your first impression, your analysis, your taste test, and your final assessment. So scientific, lol. I think my favorite based on your descriptions would be the ranch corn nuts. I loved this blog!
Haha! I’d like to think I approached it scientifically but I’m not going to lie, I was mainly just excited to get stuck into the snacks! The corn nuts messed with my head a bit! I enjoyed them but they were just a really crazy idea! It was definitely a fun experiment!
Wait an international snack exchange? How do I get involved????
I spotted it because I follow Helene (@wanderinghelene) on Twitter and she shared it on there! I’m not sure if she is running one at the moment but she’s done a couple now and they proved popular!
What a fun way to still explore the world while at home! I love this idea of sharing food from different cultures, even if they are just small snacks.
It was exactly what I needed after spending 12 months at home! It’s definitely a fun way of ‘travelling’ while we can’t travel! Plus I got to enjoy the delicious snacks as a bonus!
These are such fascinating snacks. I grew up in the US but most of these are quite foreign to me, but I do miss Corn Nuts. The Hawkins Cheezies remind me of Cheetos, the dense snack not the fluffy one that is similar to Wotsis; very similar to what you mentioned!
Corn Nuts blew my mind! I’ve never seen anything like them before! The Cheezies were quite confusing too because I definitely thought they would be like Wotsits! It’s crazy how different snacks are around the world!
To tell the truth, I’m not really a fan of snacks, in my culture it is not very common. Instead of a snacks I prefer to eat a fruit.
Oh that’s really interesting! I’m so guilty of snacking far too often! I enjoy fruit but don’t reach for it often enough when I’m looking for a snack. It’s definitely a habit that I need to get into!
Ketchup Old Dutchies are good for sure! I like “all dressed” Ruffles the best though. I also can’t pass up a coffee crisp when given the chance
Everyone is suggesting “all dressed” Ruffles so I’m definitely going to have to try those! Also, I have no idea what a coffee crisp is but it sounds like heaven!
I have never tried any of these in the US. They look scrumptious! Would love to try them one day.
I hope you get an opportunity to visit Canada to try them! They were delicious and are well worth trying if you get a chance!
Great lists! I’m not really familiar with Canadian snacks but you gave me an appetite for it. I would live to try those chips haha
I hope you get an opportunity to visit Canada and try them soon! I didn’t really know anything about Canadian snacks before taking part in the swap. I’d foolishly assumed they were pretty much the same as US snacks but I was wrong!
Haha I love this! I have never heard of any of these things snacks before but they seem very intriguing. It was a really good idea to include your initial impressions and then what you thought after eating!
I’m glad you liked the post! It took a lot of self-control to not dive face-first into the snacks while I wrote my first impressions! It was great fun trying something different though, especially while we’re unable to travel!
The corn nuts remind me of a snack I used to get in Mexico- break your teeth hard is a good description! Lol!
Haha! I’m pleased to report that all of my teeth were intact from the Corn Nuts which surprised me! I thought they would be a lot tougher than they were. I hope you get an opportunity to try them for yourself!
That Hershey’s cherry thing sounds so delicious! I would be totally turned off by the ketchup potato chips too…those sound pretty gross. I don’t even like ketchup on fries or burgers.
The Cherry Blossom was delicious! It wasn’t at all what I was expecting when I tried it! I’m like you, I can’t stand ketchup at all! The potato chips weren’t my thing, unfortunately! Thanks for reading!
Ooo, I’m all about trying out snacks everywhere! I’d be iffy on the ketchup chips too, haha. We have corn nuts in the states (or used to? I haven’t seen them since my childhood, haha) and they’re definitely addictive!
Haha yeah, the ketchup chips are definitely an acquired taste! It was cool to be able to try them though! The corn nuts are so strange to me! We don’t have anything like them in the UK. Very addictive though so maybe it is a good job we don’t have them here!
Interesting. I’ve lived in Canada for >40 years, in 3 different provinces, and the only snack I’ve tried on this list is ketchup chips. (I liked them better as a kid. And my kids like them, but we don’t get them all that often.)
I’ve had Cheezies, but I don’t think this brand. And I’ve seen cherry blossoms, but I’ve never tried one. And I thought I was an adventurous eater!
To the commenter who said something about fruit – my kids do eat a lot of fruit (as snacks). They like smoothies, or toast (with peanut butter or jam or honey. Toasted raisin bread with butter is a treat.) Maybe we just don’t eat many packaged snacks? (Dark chocolate, on the other hand…! 😉
When we’re canoe camping we like “GORP” or trail mix – dried fruit & nuts. Granola bars. Licorice (red & black). The kids like gummy worms/sour keys…
Ooh I’m surprised you haven’t tried more of the snacks! Maybe the ones my partner chose were local favourites very close to her! I recommend trying a Cherry Blossom if you get the chance! I love the idea of trail mix, but I’ve never really seen it here in the UK. It would be perfect for our hiking trips! It’s so interesting to learn about snacks in other parts of the world! Thanks for sharing some of your favourites!