When it comes to between-meal eats, Canadian snacks reign supreme.
In general, there was actually nothing better than the humble snack — be it sweet, salty, or some magical combination of the two. But which one stands above the rest? Well, here in Canada, we have our favourites, and we love them deeply. Who would dare say no to a heaping bowl of deliciously salty Hickory Sticks?! Spoiler: not me.
While I'm partial to a salty snack, in the name of good journalism, I gathered Canada's most iconic eats to put them to the (taste) test.
From Canadian classics like all-dressed and ketchup chips to sweets like Coffee Crisp and Smarties — I've rounded them up, tried them, and ranked them.
So, here's my brutally honest ranking of our nationally specific snacks that I consider to be the most popular.
#1 — All Dressed
So. Much. Flavour.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
And we begin at the peak of Canadiana snacking!
The beloved cult-fave All-Dressed Chips, which, like their cousin the Ketchup Chip, have been tickling Canadian taste buds since the late 1970s.
To put it mildly, these are a flavour bomb — unsurprisingly, considering they're allegedly a blend of BBQ, salt & vinegar, sour cream & onion, and ketchup.
I can't imagine buying these from anyone other than Ruffles, and it's because they've totally perfected the delivery system. The chips' crinkly, uneven edges trap all those flavour particles inside each ridge and ruffle, so every single chip is loaded with finger-licking flavour. All-Dressed chips have been my consistent favourite for decades, and I will die on this hill.
#2 — Hickory Sticks
What all salty snacks wish they could be.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
These are really freakin' delicious.
Have I said this before? You bet.
Will I say it again, this time with my whole chest? ABSOLUTELY.
The perfect blend of smoky, salty, and crispy, they're infinitely snackable, weirdly addictive, and enticingly junk food-y. If, however, I were forced to lobby one complaint — and one only — against these tasty little matchsticks, it would be this: the packaging does them no favours, always breaking them into teensy little crumbles before they even make it into my bowl.
Until the folks at Hostess put their engineering heads together and solve this serious issue, I'm not too proud to admit that I'll still be licking every last morsel off my digits in the meantime.
#3 — Coffee Crisp
My sweet tooth has awakened.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
I remember hoping and praying every single Halloween that at least one of my neighbours would be really cool that year and hand out Coffee Crisps — that's how much I love this candy bar.
Something about the holy union between coffee and chocolate always tickled my taste buds, and now, it was finally encapsulated in a crunchy, snackable format.
I hope whoever pitched this layered trifecta of delicious flavours got a raise — genius move with the wafers, guys. It's truly inspired stuff, which is why it's so surprising that Coffee Crisps are almost 100 years old. They were first manufactured in Toronto in 1939, making them the second-oldest snack on this list.
#4 — Ketchup Chips
Okay, they're growing on me.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Believe it or not, tangy-sweet ketchup chips have been around for almost 50 years, making them both a true Canadian institution and a long-standing snack favourite (you don't see fried green tomato chips anymore, do you?).
Though they're not my favourite, I can totally see the appeal: their tanginess is addictive, leaving your tongue feeling a wee bit raw, but in the best way.
Initially, I thought I'd go with classic Lays, but then Miss Vickie's lured me in with their siren song. Calling these "spicy" was a bit of an overstatement, but they had a certain smokiness that perfectly complemented the sweetness of ripe tomatoes. Quite literally mouthwatering and just weird enough to become a pantry must-have (and don't even get me started on one of these doused in a classic French onion chip dip!).
#5 — Smarties
The snack formerly known as "Chocolate Beans."
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Before anyone yells at me for being pretentious, yes — I prefer dark chocolate. Okay? Sue me.
But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a sweet milky moment, especially when it's encased in a delightfully crunchy candy shell.
First introduced as "Chocolate Beans" (LOL) back in the day, these little pucks predate even M&Ms! I don't want to know what, exactly, gives them their candy-coloured hues, but I have to say I loved nibbling on a little handful.
I'm realizing that I love food with texture, and Smarties deliver texture in heaps. They're a bit sweet for my taste, but the next time someone whips out a bag of these, you can bet I'll be tucking in.
After all that snackin' and noshin', I've come to one conclusion: taste-testing is hard. Sure, I slaked my snackiness, but how am I supposed to pick my favourites when they each have a special place in my heart? Luckily, I have love enough for them all — yes, even the sweet ones.
When it comes to great snacks, we Canadians really know what we're doing. Some might say we've even perfected them! Who else would be unhinged enough to create a condiment-flavoured potato chip, or encase foamy coffee candy between seemingly endless layers of wafer, or boldly use every single chip seasoning known to man, all that once?
Between sweet, crunchy, tangy, smoky, and gourmand, our snacks run the full gamut of flavours, which means you'll have more than enough to pick from the next time your cravings hit.
Related: I compared grocery store instant noodles — one is by far the best for a budget meal