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Fun to eat and fun to wear, Flix Gummy Bands are indistinguishable from the real thing. Capitalizing on the slogan-bracelet craze (you know, the Lance Armstrong “Live Strong” fad that trickled down to other markets), these chewy bracelets are better because they’re edible. Though you could wear it all day instead of ingesting it, the fruity smell would probably drive you too wild not to eat it. I ripped open my bag excitedly and slipped the bracelet over my wrist (it fits adults and kids, too). The slogan said “Friends”—some say “Together” or “So Sweet.” For this reason, it’s an obvious choice for kids to trade at school for Valentine’s Day. I was too anxious to wear my gummy band for very long without eating it. Sinking my teeth into its blue raspberry core, I enjoyed the rich licorice-like texture and bright, fruity taste. My only complaint is that it didn’t last longer. I guess I’d be wise to buy a four-pack of bracelets to keep myself chewing awhile longer. The bands come in four great flavors—blue raspberry, green apple, grape and watermelon. My favorite was the green apple, but they’re all pretty good. One thing about novelty candy is that you sometimes must sacrifice a good taste for a great appearance. But this candy was tops, from the packaging to the wearability to its flavor.

Based in Niles, Illinois, Flix Candy has been putting their fun-filled confections on shelves nationwide since 1994. They have seasonal products for the “big four candy holidays” (Easter, Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day) as well as licensed candies representing such brands as Disney’s Hannnah Montana and High School Musical, and even Batman and Scooby Doo. Props to Flix for keeping candy fun and lighthearted—exactly what it should be. I’d eat Flix Gummy Bands again and again. Maybe next they’ll come out with gumdrop earrings? A gummy necktie?

Tags: Flix candy, toy candy, fruit candies, gummy bracelet, sweets

Want candy you can pull apart and play with before you eat it? If you’re a fan of Fruit Roll Ups with pop-out shapes, Twizzler’s Pull-n-Peels and Oreos (the cookie that’s meant for twisting apart and licking the insides), you’ll probably dig Fascini’s Creatables. This candy puts the emphasis on “eat” (Cr-eat-ables), but the wrapper shows that this is meant to be fun for your hands, too. In fact, the company markets this as the candy you absolutely must play with before you eat. Open up a pack of these fruity shoelaces and you’ll chew on strawberry, apple, tutti frutti or blue raspberry fun.

I love the idea of candy that’s multidimensional. If it can provide kids with entertainment, rather than being here today, gone tomorrow, that’s a huge bonus. These candy ropes can be braided into lanyard jewelry, or sculpted into animals, buildings—whatever the mind can dream up. Unfortunately, the taste and the general waxy texture of the candy left something to be desired. These aren’t especially great going down. But then again, kids probably won’t notice. They’re busy having too much fun! Props to Fascini for inspiring creativity in its eaters. This would make a great candy for a special occasion, like Easter or Christmas. If you’re curious and would like to try your hand at lanyard-making, try out a pack of these fruity ropes today.

Based in the Netherlands, the Fascini company is nearly a century old, getting its start not in candies, but in rodent repellent. Now attracting instead of repelling its clients, Fascini has expertise in licorices, peppermint candies and other chewy or gummy treats. The company also makes some great sweet and sour gummy candies like Sour Snagx and Sour Cosmix, made with the same fruitgum recipe. All in all, Creatables get an “A” for fun but a “C” for taste.

Tags: Fascini, Toy candy, fruit candies, candy ropes, sweets

San Francisco–based candy company Gimbal’s was born in 1898. (Yes, that’s Gimbal’s, not gumballs.) Brothers Alexander, Louis and Eugene Gimbal Joined forces to cook up some of the greatest candy in town. In fact, they first made a name for themselves by using a steam-production process under the name “Pacific Steam Candy Factory.” Making penny candies and nickel candy bars, not much has changed outside of the price. They still have the old-fashioned goods, but also some innovative candies in the works.

Good thing for Gimbal’s, some candies never get old. Take jelly beans, for instance. These are not just a sweet treat for Easter baskets anymore, but are yummy any day of the year. Gimbal’s Jelly Beans are of the gourmet variety, and they come in 41 flavors like tiramisu, java, buttered popcorn, baja margarita, key lime, boysenberry, french vanilla, passion fruit, peach, chocolate, lemon meringue, blue Hawaiian, tutti frutti and hot cinnamon—and that’s not even half of them. You may be thinking that these sound a lot like the Jelly Belly flavors, and they are very similar. But there are some different ones—and besides, there’s no copyright on candy flavors. That would be so limiting! The Java is a standout flavor—tastes just like a cup of gourmet flavored coffee. Perfectly Pear is divine, and Orange ‘n Cream tastes just like a Dreamsicle. You might be knocked off your feet when you taste the Butted Popcorn jelly bean. It’s strikingly similar to a movie theater bucket of buttery goodness. Strawberry Daiquiri was a bit over the top in flavor, and tasted artificial. But each flavor is so much it’s own, that you have to taste them all (with a big gulp of water in between) to really make a judgment call. I love Gimbal’s Jelly Beans, and will most definitely be a repeat customer. You should satisfy your gourmet tastes with a bag of your own.

Tags: Gimbal’s, jelly beans, soft candy, kosher candy, sweets

Sometimes, you feel the need to get back to Mother Nature. If you feel that longing yourself, why not treat your breath to the same experience? Ricola Breath Mints declare themselves to be nature’s perfect mint. In three flavors, Peppermint, Spearmint, and LemonMint (Ricola’s best-selling mint flavor), Ricola Breath Mints come in an easy-to-dispense .88-ounce box. The mints use naturally chewy gum arabic and a natural herb mix for flavorings. But the ingredient list also includes aspartame, which immediately negates the “all natural” taglines as far as I’m concerned. Not that I stray from aspartame as a general rule, but it’s certainly not the best for human health from what I’ve heard.

I first opened the LemonMint, to see what all the fuss was about. After all, don’t most breath mints claim to be sugar-free, refreshing, and long lasting? These chewy mints from Ricola have a gummy quality to them that is similar to a thick licorice. They are shaped like a tiny gumdrop and feel smooth inside the mouth, but are not easy to chew. The overall taste of these mints was definitely healthy, but not outstanding. Another downfall is I felt like I had to eat three or four mints to get the freshness I’d normally expect one breath mint to bring. The spearmint flavor packed a lot more punch than the lemon, as did the peppermint, which won out in the flavor department.

My favorite feature was the unique click-top box. I don’t know how they did it, but the cardboard box audibly “clicks” into place when you close the top. This is a great feature for a person who hates it when breath mints spill out in their pocket or inside their purse. The box is very much pocket-sized and is convenient to take with you when you’re on the go. All in all, I’d say Ricola Breath Mints’ strongest asset is packaging. If you’re looking for a more natural alternative to your standard breath freshener, this may be just what you need.

Tags: Ricola, breath mints, herb candies, chewy mints, sweets

Five flavors of fruity candy chews in a movie theater box (or a smaller bag if you prefer)—you can’t go wrong with this formula. Mike & Ikes come to us from Just Born Candy Company, based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. They were invented in 1940, and the popular flavors changed over the years. But the five original fruits (strawberry, lime, lemon, orange, and cherry) remain today and are sold in a variety pack. Other Mike & Ikes combinations available are Tropical Typhoon, Jolly Joes (grape), Berry Blast, and Tangy Twister. They have an upcoming promotion where you can vote for the next new flavor combination, if you feel your voice should be heard. Just Born candy company also makes Hot Tamales (a cinnamon-flavored version of Mike & Ikes), Zours, and the Easter season’s popular treat, marshmallow Peeps.

Mike & Ikes are the same consistency as a jelly bean, but they are about the size and shape of a large Tylenol Extra Strength pill. Still, you won’t have to work hard to get these pills down, because their fruit flavors are pure delight. My favorites are strawberry and lemon, and I especially like to mix them together for a little strawberry lemonade. Mike & Ikes’ packaging has changed over the decades, but the flavor remains the same. You can tell by visiting their website that Mike & Ikes are trying to appeal to a young, hip audience with their Web presence resembling a skatepark with grafitti text and all. But adults will buy them for the nostalgia factor and kids don’t really need a reason to eat candy—so in that sense, they’ve got all their bases covered. Mike & Ikes are one of my favorite chewy, fruit candies that I’ve recently rediscovered. Discover them again or for the first time at your local convenience or grocery store or a movie theater. You won’t be disappointed by the juicy taste that bursts from each little piece.

Tags: Mike & Ike, Movie candy, fruit chews, fruit candies, sweets

Candy for wine connoisseurs? A brand of British-based Cadbury candies, Maynards Wine Gums are hot, hot, hot in the UK, which is where I first tried them. In fact, they are to the U.K. what Starburst and Skittles are to the United States. Imagine chewy gum drops in wine-inspired flavors and colors, and you’ve imagined Maynards Wine Gums.

But, don’t be fooled by the name. Wine gums are not chewing gum, but more of a chewy gummi candy. And they don’t contain any wine! They come in larger bags and smaller rolls that you can pick up from the candy aisle and take on the road for a refreshing fruity taste. These candies may not suit those who don’t like wine—or parents who don’t want their kids to develop a liking for alcohol. They come in flavors like port, sherry, burgundy, champagne and claret, as well as different shapes including kidney-shaped, crown, and rectangle. Invented by Charles Maynard in 1909, these chews have a thicker consistency than other gummies, which lets the flavor last—like a fine wine. The flavor quotient on these candies is outstanding—bright and refreshing all the way down.

I was initially lured in by a wall-sized poster in a London Tube stop. Wine Gums? I was stumped. I could tell they were candies and that I wanted to try them, but I really didn’t know what to expect. So I dashed off to a convenience store to stock up on Green & Blacks candy bars (a real candy gem!) and purchased a pack of wine gums out of curiosity. At first taste, I didn’t know what to think. They did in fact taste a bit like alcohol, but not in an overwhelming way. The flavor was unique but hard to describe. Black and red wine gums are the most popular, but yellow, green, and orange are not to be omitted. The number-one selling fruity candy in the U.K., wine gums are a product you really have to experience for yourself.

Tags: Wine gummi, chewy gum drops, fruit chews, fruity candy, sweets

Manufactured by Farley’s and Sather’s Candy Company since 2005, Trolli candies came out in the 1980s. The product line changed hands several times in two decades, but they are now distributed with Farley’s and Sather’s other hard, soft, chewy, and gummi candies. The first product created by Trolli was the gummi worm, one of today’s best-selling gummi candies along with bears.

Now the Trolli brand has expanded its line to include Trolli-Os, in flavors like sour apple, peach, melon, and tropical fruits. Apple O’s are donut-shaped gummies with green on one side and white on the back. The whole candy is coated in sugar to offset the kick you get from the fresh yet tangy apple taste. With a hole in the middle big enough to stick your tongue through, these candies are fun for kids to eat—almost as fun as creepy, crawly gummy worms. But parents may prefer these treats for their kids to Trolli Brite Crawlers or (gasp!) Gummi Octopus. Other candies represent something you really shouldn’t stick in your mouth, which can drive some parents crazy. The size of each candy is larger than normal, but you can definitely manage it in your mouth all at once. Just picture a gummi bear on steroids.

Trolli Apple-O’s come in a 4.25-ounce bag. Now normally I would say that the majority of candies don’t have a large enough quantity-per-package ratio. But for these candies, I was done with the apple flavor and ready for something else by the end of the bag. So it’s just right in size. But that doesn’t mean the flavor is bad, though some would sense a slightly unpleasant aftertaste to the Trolli Apple-O’s. Overall, the fruity apple flavor is refreshing and makes a great summer candy that won’t melt in your bag. So toss some in and hit the beach or the park. You can celebrate summer any time of year with Trolli Apple-O’s gummies.

Tags: Trolli, gummy candy, apple candy, green candy, sweets

The Big Mac of the candy counter, Megamallows Big Burger is a sight to behold. A funny-looking, puffed-up hamburger, this candy is decked out with a meat patty, bun (complete with icing sesame seeds), and “cheese�?—all made of strawberry-flavored marshmallow. It’s not just a candy. It’s an eating experience that you won’t soon forget. I’m talking about the peculiarity of biting into a hamburger and tasting strawberry candy. It’s an odd feeling, but I’d have to say that I quite enjoyed it. And perhaps that’s why the makers, San Diego–based Kandy Kastle Inc., call it the “All American Fun Burger.�?

With a somewhat gummy consistency, the term marshmallow may seem misleading. It’s really more of a gummy-mallow hybrid. At a few inches tall, you can eat this just like a real hamburger, or tear apart the bun, cheese, and meat patty layers if you wish. But if you do decide to save some for later, better wrap it back up for freshness. (I used a mini chip clip to save mine for later.) At just over four ounces, the whole thing is about the size of a fist, probably not to be consumed in one sitting. Unlike real hamburgers, this treat is fat free, low in sodium, and cholesterol free. (Now if only they’d make real burgers and fries that way…)

If you are right now asking yourself, “Why would I want a marshmallow to look like a hamburger?�?—you are in good company. For years, I’ve been trying to figure out why bubble gum comes in CD cases, band-aid tins, fake cell phones, and makeup compacts. The reason: it’s fun and kids will buy it, especially when you play up the technology angle like candy cell phones (and, in the ‘90s, pagers). Around the holidays, the giant Mallow Burger makes a great basket or stocking stuffer. So stock up and join the fast food candy revolution. Would you like to Super Size that?

Tags: marshmallow hamburger, strawberry, gummy, fat free candy, sweets 

Whoa. I mean…WHOA. These are excellent. I don’t care who you are, or what you do. You are not too old to open a bag of the new Lifesavers Fruit Splosions (if you Google “explosions,�? you’re gonna come up dry) but if you try gummy candies then let them carry you away to a juicier place. I tried the sour cherry variety and discovered that these are heavenly. You can also grab a variety pack with orange, blackberry, strawberry and watermelon. Each six ounce bag has about four servings, but I’m not sure if mine lasted that long. The flavor is tangy without being too sour, and really tastes like fruit juice is fused inside. No, these aren’t going to quench your thirst, but they will please the palette just the same. If you’ve tried and dismissed other Lifesavers  gummies, don’t write off the Fruit Splosions. They are really ten times better just for the sour flavor and juicy insides. And the package says they’re made with real fruit juice: perfection in a round, gummy chew.

The Lifesavers brand, originally a hard candy available in peppermint and later produced in five-flavor rolls, was a member of the Kraft foods family before Wrigley bought the brand in 2004. But inventor Clarence Crane knew that he needed to make a candy to help out his chocolate business, which saw significantly lower sales in the summer months. Lifesavers did well, offering a more refreshing candy to the masses—one that wouldn’t melt in the heat. They were named after—you guessed it—life preservers. This was shortly after the Titanic disaster, after all. And life preservers were all the rage. Given the connection, I think it’s all too appropriate that Lifesavers liquefy their product. It’s simply a fabulous pairing and so much better than any fruit snacks that promise to “gush�? with fruit juice. Try these and you’ll soon blow up with flavor like little Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. You’ll want another bag, and another, and another….

Tags: Lifesavers, gummy candy, fruit filled candy,  chewy candy,  sweets

“For Life’s Boo Boos�?

So let’s say you were one of the kids that got a golden ticket and were let into Willy Wonka’s factory. You make it inside but not all the way to the end. Your curiosity grabs a hold of you. You feel the urge to venture into a sacred part of the factory you shouldn’t. You get lost in a dark tunnel, but the smell of candy, chocolate, sour and sweet keep you running for more. Suddenly without seeing you trip and fall and get all kinds of banged up. What would you do? Do you call for help having ventured off the path? Do you crawl to the other side of the tunnel to the candy? Do you get medical treatment? Well one of the first things you should do is slap on a Gummi Band-Aid. Nothing could heal your wounds faster than a Gummi Band-Aid. It has the magic and all the splendid wonder that comes with quick healing and fast relief that a good Band-Aid should.

If you are like me, all thumbs, two left feet and clumsy since the day you were born, you might get a kick out of this. Gummi-Aid. They are Band-Aids in the flavor and shape and consistency and taste and everything similar to a band aid, just in Gummi form. In three flavors for you to enjoy. Now the idea of Band-Aids as a treat might not sound to appealing, but believe you me these guys are well worth the risk. You can put them in the medicine cabinet and take one to you friends when they are hurt and watch the reaction they will get. Not only will they think it’s a god treat but watch as the pain fades away as they snack on such a Gummi treat. Gummi-Aid has cured many a “boo boo” as y grandma would call it, while I was outside playing or rough housing with my younger brother. Sure enough one of us would get hurt and she would have to separate us. But we knew what was coming. Gummi-Aid. And sometimes we would fight just so we could get the treat. Gotcha Grandma!