A HOLIDAY isn’t complete without a trolley-dash at the local supermarket, and honestly, forget about the beach – I was in Florida for the crisps and sweets.
For me, only one spot can claim the ultimate snack crown – America.
Having recently travelled to Miami, I couldn’t help but dive into a local supermarket as part of my holiday itinerary to find some tempting snacks.
And it isn’t just me that loves to do this – Expedia predicted that ‘supermarket tourism’ would be big for this year, with more and more travellers looking to bring home a special treat instead of a tacky keyring.
But sharing is caring, so here are my honest thoughts on some American cult snacks including whether it is worth taking them up space in your luggage or if you can find similar in the UK.
Butterfinger
Love it or hate it, peanut butter has definitely made its way into a lot of sweet treats – of which, more and more can be found in the UK – Reese’s is just one example.
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As a ‘love it’ fan, I of course was overjoyed when I discovered Butterfinger.
These treats are essentially caramelised peanut butter that has been crushed into a dense bar, and wrapped in milk chocolate.
I picked them up in mini form, in small treat boxes often found in the states.
For peanut butter fans, these crispy-crunchy bars are a treat – be warned though, after a couple they will hit you like a sugar-coated brick and have you begging for some water.
A 100g box before tax costs $2.29 (£1.71).
For a UK dupe, maybe grab a Snickers bar for a similar taste or a peanut butter KitKat Chunky.
But if you want more of a decadent peanut butter and chewy treat, we don’t really have something that matches.
Even Reese’s is smooth.
Verdict? Definitely stock up when in the US.
Birthday Cake Oreos
I still remember when Oreos made it to the UK and I was instantly hooked.
And ever since travelling to the US, I will bring back heaps of packets in crazy flavours such as carrot cake, peanut butter and jelly and blueberry pie.
This time I opted for perhaps the slightly tamer, birthday cake flavour.
Whilst super yummy, these taste very similar to regular Oreos – just perhaps with more of an icing flavour than cream.
The family pack cost $6.79 (£5.06), which gives you the same amount of Oreos that you’d get in three standard packets in the UK.
And there is good news if you do want to try them as you can often find them in some UK shops, like most recently Poundland.
Verdict? They’re great – but stick to the classics and save your dimes.
Pringles Mingles – sharp white cheddar and ranch
As an avid fan of Pringles, I was simultaneously excited but also shocked to find that my favourite crisps also had puffed snacks.
And in classic American style, I of course opted for the cheddar and ranch flavour.
Now ranch may be a acquired taste, but these creamy and herby puffed crisps are definitely moreish.
They are shaped liked the Pringles man’s bowtie as well, which is a fun feature.
A bag costs $4.99 (£3.72) – but don’t worry, you get a lot in there for your money.
Sadly, I haven’t seen anything like this in the UK – or even ranch-flavoured crisps, so you’ll need to grab them on your next visit to the states.
Verdict? Do not miss these when in America, particularly if you like ranch.
Skittles Gummies – wild berry
We all know Skittles and we all love them for not being like any other sweet you can get.
But I had never seen Skittles Gummies – essentially a soft version of Skittles.
I grabbed a bag in the wild berry flavour, and I won’t lie I was sceptical – the vibrant colours looked like I would just be eating food colouring.
As for the taste? Well, they were as expected – super sugary and artificial.
They weren’t cheap either at $3.99 (£2.97) a bag and that is before tax.
And they aren’t anything special, they taste like a lot of sweets you can get in the UK that are wild berry flavoured.
Verdict? I think if you picked up some 79p jelly cherries at ALDI and some red and black Wine Gums and you will get the same taste – potentially even better.
Save your money and suitcase space and opt for some hard ones instead once back in the UK,
Welch’s Fruit Snacks
Now before you scroll past at the thought of a fruit snack, don’t worry as these are more like sweets.
These small fruit gummies are packed full of flavour and – apparently – made with real fruit juice.
They look a lot like midget gems and I would say this is the closest the UK will get to Welch’s fruit snacks, though midget gems are much harder.
There are a number of flavours in each bag, such as grape, strawberry and orange.
A bag costs $2.99 (£2.23) but you can also get them in small bags or boxes.
Verdict? They taste a lot less artificial than the Skittles Gummies and definitely pack a powerful fruity punch – grab some when in the US.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal
Now I know a cereal isn’t exactly a snack, but when I wandered down the cereal aisle in an American supermarket, I couldn’t help but grab one of the brightly coloured boxes.
The shelves of fun and flavourful cereals also made me realise that cereals in the UK are boring.
Where are the marshmallows? And the exciting sugar rush?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is the ultimate autumnal cereal – they are little cinnamon squares that are like a much sweeter – and more fun – version of Shreddies.
It costs $5.49 (£4.09) a box and makes breakfast a real treat, but I also will tip a handful into a zip lock bag to have as a snack.
The even better news is that the UK has a great dupe – Curiously Cinnamon.
Available at most supermarkets for between £3 and £5 a box, it is essentially the same product just with a different name.
Although I do think the UK version is less sweet – which is no surprise.
Verdict? Definitely grab a box in the US, but in the meantime the UK version will do.
If you are looking for some American holiday inspo, then there’s one hotspot with £229 flights from the UK – as well as huge sandy beaches and jungle zipline.
Plus, from sailing in the bay to an iconic island prison visit – San Francisco makes a perfect city break.