My deep dive into Canadian culture continues, and this time, I'm taste-testing your most iconic snacks.
As an Irish guy living in Canada, I've been doing my part to immerse myself fully in Canadian life. From trying viral Tim Hortons menu items to exploring Dollarama for the first time, I'm trying my best to soak it all up.
Naturally, I wasn't sure what counts as a truly Canadian snack, so I turned to the experts — you. I asked Narcity Canada readers what snacks are the most Canadian, and nearly 250 people shared their top picks.
Thankfully, it wasn't too hard to narrow things down since the same favourites kept popping up in the comments.
Quick disclaimer — I've already tried a few classics like poutine, peameal bacon, and all-dressed chips — so please don't come for me for omitting poutine from the list!
Instead, I picked seven popular Canadian treats I'd never tasted before: a butter tart, a Wunderbar, a Coffee Crisp bar, Hawkins Cheezies, ketchup chips, a Nanaimo bar, and a Vachon cake.
However, I didn't expect how tough it would be to actually find them.
I grabbed the ketchup chips and Coffee Crisp at No Frills, but there was no sign of the others.
Rabba came through with the Hawkins Cheezies and Wunderbar, but still no butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, or Vachon cake.
After a mini scavenger hunt (and a mild panic), I finally tracked the rest down at Loblaws.
Now that I've got the goods, I'm ready to give my honest take on these Canadian staples, and trust me, there were some surprises.
This is my ranking, from best to worst. Sorry in advance, Canada!
Coffee Crisp
The Coffee Crisp bar is a lovely light snack.
When I think of a snack, I picture something that goes hand-in-hand with a hot cup of tea or coffee, and that you can enjoy on a 15-minute break at work that actually hits the spot.
The Coffee Crisp is exactly that kind of snack.
Even though it's made by Nestlé, it instantly reminded me of the Cadbury Time Out bar, which is sold in Ireland. It's got that satisfying wafer crunch, but the subtle coffee flavour running through the chocolate really elevates it.
From now on, anytime I brew a tea or coffee, a Coffee Crisp will be joining it. I might even dunk it, and honestly, you should too. Don't knock it 'til you try it!
This one exceeded all expectations. Good thing I picked up a multi-pack.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Wunderbar
The Cadbury Wunderbar didn't disappoint!
This was a reader favourite, and honestly, it completely lived up to the hype.
Cadbury is the GOAT for a reason. I already love a bunch of their bars, and now the Wunderbar is officially on that list.
The outer chocolate was smooth and tasty, but it's the inside that sealed the deal. The peanut butter filling was rich and creamy, and the caramel added just the right amount of chew and sweetness.
It actually reminded me of the Cadbury Boost bar (formerly Moro) that is sold in Ireland — but dare I say it, this one's even better.
I can see this becoming a full-blown guilty pleasure.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Butter tart
A raisin butter tart.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I went into this one. At first glance, it reminded me of a mince pie with the lid missing, but I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
The pastry had a lovely texture, buttery and just the right amount of crumbly. I went for a raisin butter tart, which initially made me feel a bit skeptical, but the filling totally won me over.
It was rich and flavourful without being overly sweet, a perfect balance.
I'd 100% have one again.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Vachon Lune 1/2 Moon
The sponge was delicious, but the filling was meh.
I was shocked by the size of the box and the snack itself. I was expecting something bite-sized, but this was way bigger.
First impressions were solid. The sponge cake was soft, fluffy, and packed with flavour, easily the best part.
But the filling in the middle brought it down a notch. It was overly sweet and felt like it was missing something, perhaps consistency or balance. It was just not quite right.
Still, the sponge saved it from being a total miss.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Hawkins Cheezies
The Hawkins Cheezies are so beloved by Canadians.
This was one of the most popular responses from readers, and honestly, I get it. Hawkins Cheezies are a Canadian classic, beloved by many.
That makes this awkward... because I didn't enjoy them.
The cheese flavour was just too intense for me, and the saltiness didn't help, as it was overpowering.
However, it was the texture that was the major letdown. These things are like crunchy little dental traps — you'd need pliers to get them out of your teeth. It would nearly damage your fingernails!
And I know this is borderline blasphemy, but... whispers quietly — Cheetos are better.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Nanaimo bar
A Nanaimo bar from Loblaws.
At first glance, this actually looked pretty delicious. It gave me biscuit cake vibes with its layered presentation, and I was intrigued.
Cutting into it, I was surprised to find a layer of icing tucked in the middle, which added to the appeal, visually, at least.
But unfortunately, it tasted nothing like it looked.
I'm not a big fan of coconut, which didn't help, but even beyond that, the textures were odd. The chocolate topping felt too slick, and the crumb base had a grainy, almost soggy consistency that I couldn't quite get past.
The flavour didn't land for me either. From the first bite to the aftertaste, it was just... off. It could be one of those things you have to grow up with to fully appreciate.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Ketchup potato chips
No Name ketchup-flavoured potato chips.
I'll be honest, my expectations were low for this one.
It might shock some of you, but I've had a lifelong aversion to ketchup.
As a kid, just looking at it made my stomach turn, but I've mellowed a bit since then. I can now tolerate the smell, and I even mix it with mayo for burger sauce, which, bizarrely, I do enjoy.
But ketchup on its own is still a firm no.
So, when it came time to try a ketchup-flavoured chip, I was skeptical, to say the least. And unfortunately, my suspicions were correct.
The bright red dust on the chip already had me uneasy, and the flavour didn't do it any favours. It was tangy, artificial, and just entirely off-putting for me.
Sorry, Canada, but this one's not for me.
Rating: 1 out of 5
The Coffee Crisp has won out this time. What other iconic Canadian snacks should I try?
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.