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If you remember this candy from the days of high school French club fundraisers, you’re not alone. Eiffel Bon Bons, distributed in the U.S. by the Foreign Candy Company (based in Iowa), come in both strawberry and apple flavors. These are the varieties available through retailers to the general public, but rumor has it that fundraising groups have access to three additional flavors (blue raspberry, watermelon and cherry). Having never lived in France, I can’t confirm that this is true. But rumor also has it that Eiffel Bon Bons are a popular European candy, having been around for the last 20 or so years.

When I opened the strawberry package, I was expecting something that tasted soft and creamy, but I got a tart bite of sugary sweetness. These tiny candy chews are about the size of gumdrops, and the consistency of tough taffy or a day-old marshmallow. But who can argue with that adorable little French candy man on the packaging? He stretches out his white-gloved hand as if to say, “Welcome to France. Eat this candy, and you will be transported to someplace magical and delicious!” That said, the candy itself may be a bit too chewy for some. Hard on the jaws, the candy pieces are tasty, leaving their fruity undertones on the palate long after they are gone. The apple chew was not as good as the strawberry, but that’s just preference.

These aren’t the kinds of candies I could scarf down all at once—I’d rather enjoy them over time. If I could reinvent the packaging, I’d put them in a box rather than a bag, so I could close it up and enjoy some of the candies later in the day. Available 1.25- or 4-ounce bags, these French-inspired chews are good enough to chew on a rainy day, but nothing to write home about. Still, the company’s idea to market through school language clubs is brilliant. If you make the product available only at certain times and in certain seasons (take, for example, Girl Scout Cookies, or Cadbury Cream Eggs), the candy addicts will come running, waving their dollar bills all the way. It’s a proven fact.

Tags: bon bon, chewy candy, fruit candies, soft candy, sweets

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

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

 
What do you get when you mix Billy Bob Teeth with rap star Nelly’s dental fixation?

“Lemme see ya grillz!” Grillz Candy is one of the most surprising candies of this decade. Aimed at children three and older, this fruity lollipop is attached to a “partial” denture made of six shiny, silver teeth that you can use to dress up like your favorite rapper. When you smile, your new grillz will shine, letting people know you mean business. And the best part—this grill doesn’t cost thousands of dollars like the ones real rappers wear. Celebrity grills can cost anywhere from $50 for one gold-encrusted tooth to as much as $10,000! Wrappers lile Lil Jon, Snoop Dogg and the Ying Yang Twins sport diamond-jeweled grills in gold or platinum varieties. With the notion that “bigger is better,” these rappers really put their money where their mouth is. And Since Nelly’s hit song “Grillz,” this hip-hop phenomenon has become a worldwide fad. Just listen to the lyrics: “My teeth are mind blowin’ givin everybody chillz. Call me George Foreman ’cause I’m sellin’ everybody grillz.”

Just like Grillz candy, real Grillz can be bad for your teeth. The American Dental Association believes that wearing metal a metal grill extensively can cause bacteria to get trapped causing cavities, gum disease, or bone loss. If that’s the case, buying Grillz candy for your kids is definitely a better alternative to the real thing—price-wise and health-wise. I ripped open this package, anxious to see my rapper face. What would I look like with grillz? Would I like the look so much I’d want to keep it? That thought was fleeting, as I realized I’d just succumbed to another trend not much different from Billy Bob Teeth. In fact, Grillz are today what Billy Bob Teeth were a decade ago, and what wax lips were in the 1950’s and 60’s. What will you look like with a shiny smile? No need to rob a jewelry store—you can get these Grillz in the novelty candy section of your local grocery store.

Tags: Grillz candy, novelty, lollipop, fruit candy, sweets

Atkinson’s most famous candy, Chick-O-Sticks are a cultural icon. Quite a nostalgic treat, these candies are a favorite of the generation that grew up rocking out to Elvis and cutting loose with the Jitterbug or the Lindy Hop. Lucky for us, these candies are still sold widely today. Chick-O-Sticks are made from a recipe of finely ground and roasted peanuts mixed with granulated sugar. The mixture is then rolled into candy sticks and topped with toasted coconut. If you like Butterfingers, you may like Chick-O-Sticks, because the filling of both is virtually the same. Or, like me, you may just wonder where all the chocolate coating went. Still, the Atkinson’s company is doing their own thing, and the resulting candy pieces are flaky, crunchy, and a bit like tightly wound peanut brittle. The taste is good, but these orange-colored nuggets will get stuck in your teeth, so keep a toothbrush handy for afterward. I liked these overall, but I wouldn’t eat a bag full, or even crave them. And that’s coming from a fan of both peanut butter and coconut. A plus to these candies it that they are individually wrapped and they will not melt in the heat. With two grams of fat and 80 calories per serving, you won’t have your fitness instructor on your tail.

Sold in longer sticks or smaller, bite-size pieces, Chick-O-Sticks are founded in a strong candy-making tradition. The Atkinson’s Company has been making sweets since 1932 from their home in Lufkin, Texas. The company is family-owned and produces other quality products like Old Fashion Peanut Brittle, Assorted Sours, Mint Twists, Long Boys (chewy coconut caramels), Rainbow Coconut and Peanut Butter Bars. By far the most popular, Chick-O-Sticks are a great invention, and one that we hope will be around for future generations of candy aficionados.

Tags: crunchy, peanut butter, toasted coconut, honeycombed, sweets

Alka Seltzer for children? Yes, indeed. Enter Fizzies drink tablets, a candy tablet that is not meant to go in the mouth, but in a 6-ounce cup of water to make a fruity drink mix. The outer packaging of this candy looks enticing. Fizzies come in seven flavors (lemon-lime, root beer, sour apple, orange, blue razz, fruit punch, and cherry) and the animated Fizzard the Wizard character adorns the colorful wrappers. Fizzard casts spells like “balla bo berry, turn to cherry” and “floo fly florange, turn to orange!” And his spells most certainly work—when placed in water, the tablets turn a regular glass of water vibrant colors, adding a dose of flavor and fun for kids who are more interested in eating candy than drinking their recommended dosage of water.

Once the kids taste this water, however, they are likely to spit it out. Though the effervescent tablets are advertised as a good source of vitamin C (equaling 100 percent of your recommended daily value), kids may not be fooled into gulping this stuff down. It doesn’t taste as sweet and fruity as Kool-aid, nor does it taste like a soft drink. The end result is actually closer to watered-down medicine. The orange isn’t bad though, and reminded me of Airborne, the anti-cold medicine. On the plus side, these are calorie free and should make moms happy. The hands-down best part about this candy is watching it dissolve and turn your water colors. Different colored tablets can be combined to create new colors and flavors, which adds an element of learning to the mix.

If you recall, Fizzies first became popular in the 1950’s and 60’s, so parents seeking a nostalgic treat may need to snag one of these tablets just to recall the unique drink-making experience. Fizzies are manufactured today by Las Vegas company Amerilab Technologies, who also create Drinkin’ Mate, a special effervescent tablet meant to relieve hangovers. Who knew?

Tags: Fizzies, candy tablet, fruit drink, Vitamin C candy, sweets

 
“5 is the new black.” Thought you won’t see the manufacturer’s name anywhere on the package, Wrigley’s is the company behind “5”, the newest product to hit candy shelves. The name sticks, as each sugar-free piece of chewing gum has only five calories. Some people think there’s a greater significance to the name. Does 5 ignite the five senses when  chewed? It has been five years since Wrigley’s introduced Orbit gum in 2002. Could that be the reason for the mysterious, numeric product name?

Once you get past the perplexing title, you can instantly appreciate 5 for its sleek, black packaging. In fact, the company is targeting teens with this product with the slogan “5 is the new black.” I was familiar with this gum before I tried it, since I’d seen one of the company’s advertisements playing on the big screen in a pre-movie commercial. I was intrigued by the image of the gum before I even tasted it—talk about effective advertising.

When I picked up the box, I thought it looked strikingly similar to a pack of cigarettes. The gum sticks even stand upright in the pack and slide out the top like cigarettes would. The gum definitely has a bad-boy image to it, as much it is possible for a chewing gum to seem rebellious. Available in three flavors—Cobalt (Peppermint), Flare (Cinnamon), and Rain (Spearmint)—each pack contains 15 pieces of gum covered in bright, color-coordinated foil of red, blue, or green. Rain tastes a lot like other spearmint gums on the market—nothing new there. Flare is a bit tamer than Big Red, with more of a bubble gum flavor to it than the hot and spicy cinnamon you would expect. And Cobalt is refreshing like a candy cane, but again, not as intense as you would expect from the packaging. I must say that the flavor, though not as intense as some other gums bring, lasts and lasts. It’s doubtful that chewing a certain type of gum can give you an image boost. But if any gum could make you cool, it would be 5.

Tags: Wrigley, chewing gum, breath freshener, long lasting gum, sweets

Tooth whiteners are all the rage. If you haven’t noticed, just walk down the toothpaste aisle of your local grocery store and you’ll discover toothpastes, tooth strips, mouthwash, and chewing gums that all claim to whiten teeth quickly and easily. Enter Wrigley’s Orbit White chewing gum. This pack contains twelve pieces of sugarless gum “proven to remove stains and whiten teeth,” or so the packaging states.

I decided to put this gum to the test. Because this pack was the Melon Breeze flavor, I had my doubts. I’m a bit skeptical that something that tastes fruity can also be good for my teeth. But I decided to give it a whirl. Much to my surprise, the gum did leave my teeth and breath feeling cleaner. There was no sugary residue to complain about, nor any aftertaste. Each piece of gum (and there are 12 in the pack) is stored in foil-covered pockets. The white, rectangular gum pieces are complete with green specks that just make them look like a genuine tooth whitener. The wrapper calls these magical little components “sparkling speckles.” If you eat two pieces of Orbit White gum after eating and drinking, you should notice results after 8 weeks. That’s according to the clinical tests. Unfortunately, that adds up to a lot of cash. So much money, in fact, that you might actually be better off purchasing those super-expensive white strips if you want to get more bang for your buck.

At 2.5 calories per piece, you still can’t go wrong for a sugarless, fruit-flavored gum that makes your teeth and breath fresher. (Melon Breeze must be a combination of cantaloupe and kiwi from the looks of the packaging, but I actually tasted more of a fresh watermelon flavor.) You can also buy Orbit White in traditional flavors: Spearmint, Peppermint, and Bubblemint. Whether or not this gum lives up to the clinical tests, the packaging and product should be enough to draw you in.

Tags: Orbit gum, chewing gum, fruit flavored gum, breath freshener, sweets

Switzerland-born Nestle arrived on the chocolate scene in 1866. Their century and a half of candy experience has given them an edge over the competition and established their brand name worldwide—but did you know that Nestle also creates baby food, powdered drink mix, and bottled water? As their product line has become more diverse, it’s still chocolate that they are most associated with.

Nestle Treasures are among the best filled chocolates on the market. If you haven’t tried these yet, get out to your supermarket and buy a bag—or four. Twelve-ounce bags are filled with individually foil-wrapped, chocolate nuggets that look like mini bars of gold. For bonafide chocolate lovers, that’s not too far off from what they actually are. Unwrapping the royal-purple wrapper, you can feel the inner majesty of the candy begin to surface and alert your senses to one fact: you are about to taste something amazing. Biting into the chocolate chunk, you unearth a creamy caramel fountain. This candy brings a milky sweetness that is the perfect ending to any meal. You can get by on just one—but you won’t want to stop there.

Part of Nestle’s Signatures brand, Treasures also come in full-size candy bars. They are also excellent for baking delicious cookies and brownies, and are available in flavors like chocolate crème, peanut butter, and the new dark chocolate caramel. Your best bet is to just buy the assorted bag and enjoy all of the varieties because you won’t want to miss any of them. I’ve sampled all of the filling flavors and would enthusiastically award peanut butter First Place. Caramel gets the Second Place ribbon, and chocolate crème comes in a close Third. All in all, these candies are the most appropriately named candies out there. Does a Snickers really taste like a “Snicker?” Who knows. But these are most definitely, as the name suggests, treasures to be uncovered.

Tags: Nestle, caramel candy, milk chocolate, bite size candy , sweets

 
Under the Hershey’s umbrella since 1977, Twizzlers have been around since the beginning of the 20th century. People love licorice because it is fat free, tastes great, and is fun to chew on. In 1994, Hershey’s decided to take Twizzlers to the next level, letting customers interact with the product. Twizzlers Pull & Peel candies are a similar concept to fruit roll-ups, in that kids (and kid-like adults) love to take them apart and play with them as part of the eating process. You can unravel the strands and braid them, make jewelry out of them, or just slurp them up like a straw.

In cherry, watermelon, and other fruit flavors, Pull & Peel must be an acquired taste, because I just didn’t love them as much as the traditional licorice ropes. But then again, they don’t claim to be licorice just because they share the popular Twizzlers brand. The taste of the cherry ropes is similar to that of some type of cough syrup that’s trying to be appetizing but just doesn’t make it all the way there. It’s not an offensive taste—in fact, I’m sure some people out there love it. No matter what you think of the taste, you will most likely eat the whole bag because these Twizzlers are just so fun to chew. Wrap them around your finger or chomp on the entire licorice braid—There’s no wrong way to do it. One drawback—You’re not going to be able to chew off the ends and use this licorice rope like a straw, which is an oh-so-fun component to traditional Twizzlers.

My expert conclusion: This candy is a lot more fun to eat than its predecessor, Twizzler licorice ropes. But if you’re looking for the same classic taste, you won’t find that here. Pick the flavor that most appeals to you, and try it at least once. The “candy” part of your brain deserves to have some fun.

Tags: Twizzlers, licorice candy, fat free candy, chewy candy , sweets