The Flix Batman Push Puppet is candy with a bonus. The entire topper is a Batman toy (his arms wave up and down when you push on the base) that you can save after the candy is long gone. Kids are crazy about this candy product because it just screams “play with your food.” But the packaging is so complicated that you’re lucky to even get the candy out of the tube—I couldn’t open this for the longest time. Once you do get it open, you’ll be able to remove the toy topper and fill your mouth with candy in the shape of bats. With their great, sugary crunch, the tiny bat candies are about the size of Tic Tacs and come in shades of grays and purples. I couldn’t really distinguish a flavor—just tasted like sugar in my opinion. But that’s okay, because these candies are more for looks than anything else. The novelty of eating your favorite superhero is enough for most to pick it up off the shelves and buy it.

Specializing in novelty candy and licensed candy brands like Disney, Flix Candy Company is based in Illinois. Their candies make a wonderful gift for a special occasion (whether that’s a birthday, Christmas or Easter), and you won’t go broke trying to buy a candy that has a toy in the same package. The company also sells High School Musical and Hannah Montana candies for the next generation of kids destined for superstardom. It’s hard to resist these products for their familiarity. (C’mon, Batman would never make a second-rate candy! His powers must extend to candy….) But they’re not like some of the old favorites, like Peanut M&Ms or Jolly Ranchers, where you’re just destined to come back for more. All in all, Flix Batman Push Puppet is worth a shot, so long as you don’t have to fly halfway across Gotham to buy it.

Tags: Flix candy, toy candy, fruit candies, hard candies, sweets

As if Switzerland hasn’t brought the world enough marvels in candy and sweets, they’ve also brought us Ricola—a natural alternative in throat drops. Ricola Refreshers Swiss Herb Throat Drops come in two flavors: the popular LemonMint and the lesser-known Elderflower. The ingredient list is impressive—these natural mints include herbs like horehound, mallow, elder, hyssop, lemon balm, linden flowers, peppermint, sage, and thyme. Being sugar-free, the throat drops have the added benefit or relieving minor sore throat.

I tried the Elderflower drops first—I was pleasantly surprised by these throat lozenges. Each drop is oval-shaped and packaged in a pocket-sized container. So what does an elderflower taste like? It carries a hint of citrus and a touch of floral flavors—but I really can’t describe the overall taste. Perhaps it’s a bit like Clark’s Teaberry Gum? Quite tasty indeed, these throat drops are long lasting and they have a smooth texture that doesn’t leave your teeth feeling filmy like some other cough drops do. It’s also not overwhelming in the menthol department, so you’ll enjoy a nice, enjoyable taste without feeling like you have breath more powerful than a dragon’s.

LemonMint is another popular flavor sold by Ricola, and rightly so. This throat drop is pleasant to taste and naturally refreshing. It tastes more like a fresh lemon rind than your typical lemon-flavored candy—you could easily picture how nice the scent would be if you could bottle it up and spray it around your home for a whiff of lemony freshness. Personally, I’d go for the Elderflower if given a choice of the two—but why not stock up on both? You know you’ll go through bags and bags of these the next time you have a sore throat. All in all, these throat drops live up to the name—they are truly refreshing.

Tags: Ricola, breath mints, herb candies, sugar free, sweets

Jolly Rancher has gone wild with these new two-in-one candies, Double Blasts. The outside is still a hard candy shell (shaped like a small barrel), but the inside contains a blast of candy powder in a different flavor from the original. They call it “flavor-infused powder filled candy” and that’s exactly what it is. Don’t expect these to last as long as traditional Jolly Ranchers—the inner powder starts seeping out in under a minute, filling you with a complementary fruit flavor. Chorange (cherry-orange) is quite tasty, as are Raspilime (blue raspberry and lime), Strawapple and Mangolemin (take a guess on the contents of the last two). Though, you should be prepared for the lime and lemon to make your face contort a bit at the true-to-life flavor. These powders aren’t too sour tasting—just bold and packed with fruit flavor. Kids and fun-loving adults will flock to Double Blasts for the new candy experience, and because they already love and trust the Jolly Rancher name.

Started in 1949 by Colorado residents Bill and Dorothy Harmsen, the Jolly Rancher Company originally made ice cream in addition to their chocolates hard candies. Realizing their hard candies were growing in popularity at a much faster rate than their other products, they focused on these alone while growing their business. Jolly Rancher changed hands in 1966 to Beatrice Foods, in 1983 to Leaf Candy Company, and then again in 1996 to Hershey’s. The hard candies haven’t changed all that much from their original rectangular prism shape and traditional packaging until new varieties were introduced in the last decade, like Jolly Rancher Sourbolt Blasts and Double Blasts. The packaging of the Jolly Rancher Double Blasts is bright and exciting—plenty to pique your curiosity and make you pull a bag off the shelves. This is so worth trying, so don’t wait too long to snag a bag.

Tags: Jolly Rancher, hard candies, powder filled candy, sour candy, sweets

What do you think about when you hear the word Ricola? If you ask me, I’m bound to start chanting the decade-old commercial campaign: Riiii-co-laaa.

(If you don’t know what I’m referring to, click here for the ad: http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/446.) The company, which has been going strong for over 70 years, is named after its Swedish founder. The abbreviation for the company’s full name is Ri-Co-La: Richterich & Compagnie Laufen. Now you know.

Memorable ad campaign aside, this company is reaching its target audience by offering reliable, good-for-you alternatives for the health-conscious consumer. To supplement their already innovative line of nature-infused mints and throat drops, Ricola has introduced Mini Natural Herb Cough Drops. There is nothing on the market that tastes like these lozenges. With the intensity of Halls and the smooth taste of herbs, these drops fight colds by suppressing the coughs and soothing sore throats. The flavor is more floral than fruity, and you definitely feel like you’re eating something that’s good for you. But, unlike spinach, these actually taste great too.

If you’re wondering what’s behind the brick-like shape of these Original Flavor lozenges, it’s because these are made today almost exactly the same way Emil Richterich first made them. Richeterich’s recipe was born in the 1930’s in Ricola’s founding place, Laufen, Switzerland (where they are still manufactured today—some things never change). Other varieties of Ricola lozenges are factory made and come in an oval lozenge. Ricola throat drops are made to suit the public who shop for natural foods and herbal goods. Whether or not you choose the sugarless variety, you’ll enjoy a healthy alternative to other throat drops brands. You can look for these throat drops in your grocery or convenience store, or visit the company’s website for more info.

Tags: Ricola, breath mints, herb candies, cough drops, sweets

Nips, a brand purchased by international chocolatier Nestle in 1989, have been around since the 1920s. These milk-infused caramels are long-lasting and absolutely delicious, in flavors like butter rum, coffee, mocha, and dulce de leche. Chocolate Parfait and Peanut Butter Parfait have a silky “parfait�? center that melts in your mouth, making the treat truly irresistible. It’s easy to eat one after another, after another. The round, individually wrapped caramels are easy to toss in a candy jar or in your bag.

Peanut Butter Parfait Nips have an interesting consistency—if a Werther’s hard candy and a soft caramel chew produced offspring, this would be it. Nips have a smooth caramel shell that is harder than a chewy candy, but not as soft as the caramels you’d use to melt over caramel apples. Inject a dose of creamy peanut-butter flavor into the center, and you’ll discover all the peanut-buttery goodness after the candy dissolves in your mouth. A 5.5-ounce box of Nips provides a few dozen of these premium candies at a discount-store price. Variety bags are also tempting for candy lovers who can’t make up their minds. Also available in sugar free, Nips are enjoyable to a variety of candy lovers.

I had a middle school teacher who always kept Nips on hand and would occasionally reward her students occasionally with one of these candies. This only happened semi-regularly—my theory is that she just really didn’t want to let them go. Now that my middle school days are long gone and I’ve graduated to adulthood, I can buy my own bag of Nips and chomp on them all day long. But, they always tasted better coming from Mrs. Price’s candy jar. If you try any kind of Nips, try the Peanut Butter Parfait. They are by far the most fulfilling variety that’s just so creamy and different from what other candy brands bring to the table. Pop one in and let it dissolve your cares away.

Tags: creamy hard candy, long lasting candy, bite size candy, peanut butter, sweets                      

 Available in a 7-ounce bag or a 2-pound tub, King Leo’s strawberries and cream puffs are classified as one of King Leo’s “soft candies.�? But they are not actually soft, nor are they chewy. The consistency is like a hardened ball of tightly wound cotton candy, or the pastel after-dinner mints that I so often savor. I’d call them semi-soft, based on the premise that you are able to chew through without too much work, but not effortlessly. In fact, naming it a “puff�? is inherently misleading. But what is not misleading is the creamy, fruity taste. The flavor of each individually wrapped pink-and-white-striped candy is a tangy yet smooth strawberry, also reminiscent of cotton candy spun into strawberry sugary goodness. I’m a huge fan.

Since 1901, King Leo has been cranking out the sugary goods, like their world-famous peppermint stick (read: huge candy cane in stick form). Since they introduced other treats like soft candies in flavors like mint, key lime, and strawberries and cream, the company has established a fan base among young and old alike. They are currently headquartered in Julian, California and continue to churn out new candy inventions (like their award-winning peppermint bark, drinking chocolate, and chocolate-dipped peppermint sticks) to round out the collection. Though they are a low-key corporate entity, they’ve stood their ground and maintained operations for over a century. What an accomplishment in a world of candy giants.

Refreshing as King Leo’s strawberries and cream puffs are, I must complain that these candies go too fast. With the great flavor, I wish it lasted a little longer like a hard candy or a sucker would. But, perhaps that’s why these candy puffs are available in 2-pound tubs! Buy some of these for your office candy jar, and you’ll have returning grazers. Stash them in your car, and you’ll enjoy the drive time much more. Whatever you do, try these candies—don’t let your taste buds miss out. They are strawlicious.

Tags: soft candy, strawberry candy, king leo, cream puffs, fat free candy

A hard peppermint candy wrapped in red-and-white stripes with blue-and-starred twist ties, this mint is sure of one thing: It is proud to be American-made. Although the mint itself is plain white, the wrapper gives is a nationalistic feel from the time you see it in a candy dish until the moment you unwrap it and read “Simon Candy Co. Made in USA�? proudly displayed. The mint tastes refreshing, of course. It’s a mild peppermint that doesn’t blow you away or set your mouth on fire, but brings freshness like you’ve recently brushed your teeth at those times when you can’t. I don’t believe these mints have a whole lot on Brach’s more popular Star Brites mints—in fact, they are quite similar. But if you happen to be allergic to red dye, Simon’s Stars & Stripes mints would be the obvious better choice.

Patriotic from head to toe, the mint’s manufacturer is Simon Candy based out of the Amish hills of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. They’ve been around since 1949 when the company introduced its line of decorative chocolates, only to switch to hard candies years later. Any candy company that has been around for several decades can testify that sometimes you need to test the waters and see what works. And Simon Candy has done just that with their timeless hard candies like sour balls, lemon drops, and root beer barrels. They also produce sugar-free lollipops and hard candies as well as fun holiday treats like Santa’s “Coal Candy.�? Their tropical treasures hard candies are flavored like non-alcoholic cocktail drinks, and they have broken into the organic food market with their College Farm line of hard candies. They were actually the first U.S. manufacturer to produce certified organic hard candies.

Whether or not you care to jump on the organic candy bandwagon, Stars & Stripes mints are for every American. Show some patriotic spirit and buy a bag—or snag some from your friend’s candy dish. Let’s face it—everybody needs a mint sometimes.

Tags: Star & Stripes, hard candy, peppermint candy, patriot candy, sweets

Ice cream lovers may not be able to get their fix in any form other than a delicious, icy cold hand-dipped cone. But who can resist ice cream flavored candy? That’s precisely why Baskin Robbins came up with its Smooth & Creamy Hard Candies, available in flavors like Fruit Medley, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, Vanilla, and Pralines ‘n Cream. A few sugar-free varieties are also for sale at grocery stores and drug stores nationwide. And are they ever good.

The Pralines ‘ n Cream candies come in a 6-ounce bag with individually wrapped candies inside. The caramel-colored wrapper with the Baskin Robbins logo in royal blue and pink tempts the taste buds before you even unwrap a piece. Each hard candy is reminiscent of a flattened root beer barrel candy, with a 31 logo imprinted on the side. Since not everyone goes nuts for nut-inspired flavors, you may avoid these sweets altogether. In case you don’t know, the word praline refers to a dessert made from nuts and sugared syrup—this can refer to pecans, almonds or hazelnuts, depending on what region of the world you’re in. Sometimes these are covered in chocolate as well. But as far as Baskin Robbins is concerned, Pralines ‘n Cream means smooth, creamy, rich, unbelievable taste in a hard candy form that lasts and lasts. These taste a bit like Werther’s Original candies, but nuttier. A bit bigger, too, which means they last just a hair longer. Does it give the same sensation as licking a perfectly dipped ice cream cone on a hot summer day? No. But you can trick your appetite for now, and reward it later with real ice cream. Because they are all individually wrapped, this is a great hard candy to throw in your pocket or purse and save for later in the day. Great candy dish candy, too. The smooth & creamy label is not misleading in the least—these candies are a joy for the taste buds.

Tags: individually wrapped,  hard candy, ice cream candy, Baskin Robbins, sugar-free 

Move over, five-flavor rolls. Same to you, Pep-O-Mint. The new guys are in town. A Lifesavers variety bag (about 112 pieces per pound) boasts 13 fruit flavors of those little hard candies. All individually wrapped in clear plastic, the candies come in four of the five traditional flavors: cherry, pineapple, orange, and lemon (no lime in this bag). But tropically inspired tastes are also in this variety pack, including green apple, grape, watermelon, fruit punch, pina colada, tangerine, banana, mango melon, and raspberry. These doughnut-shaped candies are common fare in doctor’s office candy bowls, but are also great to keep stashed anywhere you like.

The first new flavor I tried was mango melon. It has a bright yet creamy flavor, almost like the real fruit and the color of cantaloupe. A raspberry fan in any form, I also loved that one. And you can’t go wrong with the classics, like cherry and orange. In fact, in 2003, when Lifesavers opened up the five-flavor roll’s fate to a public vote, three of the mainstays were temporarily replaced by blackberry, raspberry and watermelon, though blackberry was quickly replaced by orange. Notice that blackberry, a failed attempt, didn’t even make it in the 13-flavor bag.

The great thing about this variety bag is that you have 13 different choices—even if you don’t like a flavor or two, someone else will eventually come along and eat them. It’s because Lifesavers are perfect for when you just want to pop something in and go. Perfect for the mom on the go, the kid on the school bus (when gum is not allowed), and the candy lover in you. They don’t melt, making them a great “summer candy.�? And that’s why Lifesavers have been around for nearly a century. Currently owned by the Wrigley company, these circular candies are instantly recognizable and classic in appeal. Luckily for us, the company is innovating for the future, by producing what people want—more options (enter Lifesaver Gummies and Fruit ‘Splosions), more flavors (including sours, sorbets, and mints), and many sizes. With so many options as well as interactive contests where consumers get to decide which candy flavors will be next on the radar, Lifesavers have evolved. And yet the somehow retain all the nostalgia from your childhood and mine. Brilliant.

Tags: fruit flavored, individually wrapped, Lifesavers, Wrigley, hard candy 

Made by the makers of Werther’s Original, here’s another candy that tastes like… Werther’s Original. Sure, that makes sense. [Insert own brand of sarcasm here.] Storck brand Milkfuls are round, individually wrapped hard candies with a sweet caramel taste. Different from Werther’s because of the “milky filling�? inside, these candies didn’t do a whole lot for me. But my husband gladly finished up my leftovers and they’re still making them, so there’s got to be a market for these. I guess I just prefer that a hard candy stay hard all the way through. From the first moment I tossed the candy in my mouth, I wasn’t sure whether to chew or just let it dissolve. The hard outer shell got stuck in my teeth and the milky center wasn’t all it could have been. As Randy from American Idol would say, “It was just okay for me, dog.�?

As long as Storck has the popular Werther’s brand, I think it’s safe to say that they’ll continue to prosper. Also the makers of Mamba fruit chews, Riesen and Merci European chocolates, this company has a good thing going—and has for the last hundred years. In fact, they boast online that every day, 6.24 people around the world choose a Storck product. Wow! When the company branched out and dubbed Chicago the home for its U.S.-based operations, they knew what they were doing. Chicago is a hub for candy manufacturers. And Storck itself is a hub for good candies that good people like to keep in little glass bowls on their coffee tables and give to their good little kids. I don’t think anyone of us has escaped the realm of these candies—you’ve likely sampled and enjoyed a Werther’s Original or a milk chocolate Riesen at some time in your life. If you like Werther’s, you may also enjoy their lactose-centered counterpart, Milkfuls. After all, even if Randy and Simon didn’t care for it, you know Paula would still give it a try and an “A�? for effort.

Tags: hard candy, Werther’s candy, caramel candy, Storck, sweets