It's worth noting that Dollar Tree only has three locations in all of Toronto, so tracking one down was a bit more difficult than I'd have liked. However, I was willing to traverse through traffic and sacrifice an hour to get to the bottom of things. After all, just because it's out of the way for me doesn't mean you shouldn't take advantage.
Titan Bar
A wrapper of a Titan bar.
Store: Dollarama
Price: $0.50
Is it worth it?: Definitely. The chocolate bar, which generously gives you two per package so you can "conquer your hunger", is a dupe of a Snickers that, in my opinion, more than satisfies at a favourable price point.
It gives you all the caramel and peanut goodness that you've been forking over $2.50 for at your local gas station or convenience store for just a single loonie, just like the good old days.
Better yet, you can buy a 96-bar case of these bad boys for just $48 off of Dollarama's website, which will no doubt pique the interest of anyone trying to save on snacks in the current economy.
Taffy Taffy
A Taffy Taffy with a bite out of it.
Store: Dollar Tree
Price:$1.50
Is it worth it?: Not at all. If you love a good piece of taffy every now and then, I'd recommend shelling out the extra change for a piece of Laffy Taffy. As you can probably tell from the picture above, I didn't get too far into eating the sweet before realizing that it was barely edible.
It was flavourless, stale, and had a texture that made me feel like I was eating a piece of sticky tack. No thank you. Never again.
Sour Gummy Cherries
An empty package of Sour Gummy Cherries.
Store: Dollarama
Price: $1.00
Is it worth it?: I like these gummies. Are they a blatant rip-off of Maynards Sour Cherry Blasters? Sure, but they're made with 'real fruit juice' and actually deliver. As you can probably tell by the ravenous Jurassic Park-like tear in the packaging, I demolished these tasty snacks in a single night, which I'm not ashamed of in the slightest.
If this treat has any downside, it's that it's surprisingly addicting and will no doubt plague you with painful cavities if you don't limit your supply to a single bag. So, depending on how disciplined you are, you might want to avoid buying these little flavour bombs in bulk.
Sour Cherry Tinglers
A package of Sour Cherry Tinglers.
Store: Dollar Tree
Price: $1.50
Is it worth it?: I swear I'm not being such a Dollarama stan on purpose. But, in my humble opinion, Dollar Tree's dupe of Sour Cherry Blasters just doesn't cut it. They taste sort of like a dulled-out version of a cherry Slush Puppie, which isn't bad per se but doesn't have the same pop as the sweet listed above, possibly because of its utter lack of any natural fruit flavours.
It doesn't help that this candy is also more difficult to track down due to the limited number of Dollar Tree locations in the Greater Toronto Area and is slightly more expensive.
Gummy Bears
A package of Gummy Bears.
Store: Dollarama
Price: $1.00
Is it worth it?: If you like Gummy Bears, then yes. I feel like this is one of those candies you could blindfold me and make me taste test several different versions from various brands, and they would all taste the same.
They were sweet and fruity, with the latter quality no doubt being helped out by the product's inclusion of 'real fruit juice.' Sometimes, these staple snacks can taste a bit generic, but I have to admit the Sweet Shoppe does a good job of offering cheap snacks that still hold plenty of flavor.
Herds Elephant Gummy
A box of Herds Elephant Gummy.
Store: Dollar Tree
Price: $1.50
Is it worth it?: These little connectable treats may be a fun idea for kids, especially those who love to play with their food. However, their artificial flavouring and intense chewiness make them a less enjoyable snack than the Gummy Bears listed above.
I found myself struggling to get through the first one I popped in my mouth, and I'm a grown man with adult teeth. I can't imagine my nieces and nephews' baby choppers powering through such a challenging treat
Nordic Berries
A bag of Nordic Berries.
Store: Dollarama
Price: $1.00
Is it worth it?: Despite Nordic Berries' noble attempt to copy Maynard's Swedish Berries formula for cheap, this one is a big thumbs down from me. Why? Because they don't taste anything like the latter. If I'm buying a dupe of something, I at least expect it to be in the ballpark. These gelatinous sugar balls don't provide any of the raspberry or lingonberry notes that make the original so mouthwatering and enjoyable.
Gummy Cupcakes
A box of Gummy Cupcakes.
Store: Dollar Tree
Price: $1.50
Is it worth it?: I was surprised by how shiny and colourful these tiny gummies were; they're quite eye-catching. Sadly, their flavour wasn't at all representative of their cupcake shape. In fact, they tasted more like bland gummy bears that hadn't been properly infused with enough fruity flavour than anything as buttery or as indulgent as a cupcake.
They could be a good grab for a kid's birthday party since they are quite aesthetically pleasing, but other than that, I'd avoid picking these up. They are a dud on the palate.
