I packed up and moved to Japan at the start of this year — and honestly, I have no regrets so far.
The food is incredible, the snacks are fun, and there's no shortage of new flavours to try. I've been grabbing everything from convenience store finds to viral treats, and it's been one of my favourite parts of living here.
But as someone who was born and raised in Ottawa, I grew up with quite a few classic Canadian snacks that I didn't realize I'd miss this much.
Now that I'm living abroad, these are the ones I wish I had just one more time before leaving.
Kraft Dinner
I’ve loved Kraft Dinner since childhood.
It’s not an everyday thing, of course — but every now and then, I get the itch and desperately need a bowl (and yes, I can easily crush the whole box myself).
Some of my family members add ketchup and hot dogs to theirs, which honestly sends a chill down my spine, but I’ll always be a KD fan regardless.
I haven’t been able to find it in Japan so far, but luckily, my sister-in-law is bringing a few boxes in her suitcase when she visits soon.
Truly a lifesaver.
Two-bite brownies
I first had Two-Bite Brownies as a kid when my mom ordered them with Pizza Pizza, and I still find myself craving them.
I’m definitely a big chocolate person (as you'll probably notice from this list), and I love how fudgy and soft these are.
There’s something about the size and texture that makes them so easy to keep eating without thinking — which is dangerous for me, but also part of the appeal.
I’ve since replaced them with chocolate cake sticks I found at a grocery store here, but it’s not quite the same.
I’ll definitely be picking these up again when I’m back in Canada.
Smarties
I can always get down with Smarties.
They’re the perfect crunchy, chocolatey little treat.
I like peanut M&M’s too, and I’ve been swapping those in while I'm in Japan — but Smarties will always be a favourite.
Sometimes I’ll just pour them straight into my mouth from the box, but if I’m feeling extra, I’ll separate them by colour and eat them that way.
I also love that the colouring is made from ingredients like beetroot and spirulina (so I can pretend I’m being a little healthy when I eat them).
Cheetos puffs
I know a lot of Canadians swear by Hawkins Cheezies, so hopefully this isn't too controversial — but I’ll take Cheetos any day.
Puffs or crunchy, I’m happy either way.
There are cheesy snacks here in Japan as well, but they don’t hit the same.
They usually have a different flavour profile, and sometimes you just want that classic Cheetos taste.
I’ve had Hawkins Cheezies before, too, and at the time I was definitely team Cheetos.
That said, it’s been a while, so I’m open to giving Hawkins another try when I’m back in Canada.
Maple candies
I enjoy most of the classic maple treats — maple butter, taffy, fudge, lollipops — but I’m specifically talking about those hard maple candies you can get at Bulk Barn.
When I was a teenager, I’d literally buy a huge bag and snack on them all the time.
I tried to grab some before moving, but they’d gotten so expensive.
Inflation, I guess.
Still, I’m not a huge candy person overall, but these are candies I’ll always love (and miss).
Miss Vickie's chips
I’ve always loved salt-and-vinegar chips (my go-to used to be Lay’s), but once I tried Miss Vickie’s, I was fully converted.
Kettle chips are the only way to go for me now. No picnic, camping trip, or movie night feels complete without them.
Hot take: I'm not a fan of many other classic Canadian chip flavours.
You'd never find ketchup or all-dressed chips on this list — sorry, not sorry. I know those flavours are basically a Canadian rite of passage, but I’ve just never been able to get into them, and I don't plan on it anytime soon.
BeaverTails
Of course, I had to include BeaverTails.
Every winter, when I'd go skating on the canal in Ottawa, grabbing a BeaverTail was an essential part of the experience.
And honestly, I keep it pretty simple — cinnamon sugar is my go-to. Sometimes I’d grab one when I lived near the ByWard Market, too, just because.
Safe to say I’m very excited to get a BeaverTail when I'm in Canada again.
All this to say
Moving abroad has been amazing so far, but it definitely makes you realize how attached you get to the foods you grew up with.
Even with all the new snacks to try, I still find myself thinking about the ones on this list the most.
Hopefully, some of these picks resonated — and I already know one of the first things I’ll be doing when I'm back home is stocking up on all of them.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
