With Halloween approaching, it’s hard not to think about all.the.candy. We sure do enjoy seeing more natural and organic candy in those buckets every year. Admittedly, we look forward to the end of the night, sneaking chocolates from our kids’ haul (hey, we walked all that way too!). Naturally, here are some candy reviews to delight or displease the taste buds of adults and kids alike.
Annie’s
Organic Really Peely Fruit Tape, Strawberry and Berry
He Said: This one really brings out the kid in me. I always have to put the roll on my finger and eat it like a paper shredder. Usually about halfway through I have that moment of clarity where I realize I’m a 37-year-old with a foot-and-a-half of fruit tape hanging out of my mouth, and all the other parents are staring at me. The adult in me is happy that there’s nothing artificial and no high fructose corn syrup in these.
5 stars
She Said: As a parent, fruit tape translates to insta-cavity. Imagine my surprise when this one didn’t gunk up my molars or stick to my fingers. Annie’s hits a home run with these intensely flavored treats! And they did it without added sugar. It’s just fruit juices and purées—perfect for the little goblins at your door.
4 stars
Seely
He said: Oh man, these were as good as a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day. The dark chocolate coating was exquisite, and the peppermint filling was sweet and chilly. Seely puts all other peppermint patties to shame. These are the candy that when you see it, you tell your kids, “You wouldn’t like these. How about a fruit tape instead?”
5 stars
She Said: Somehow, Seely harnessed the frosty air of the Arctic in a medallion-sized candy (read: must love peppermint). They were delicious, though more chocolate would be amazing. These super-rich, fancy patties are for the most discerning tastes, and are best for after the kiddos go to bed.
4 stars
Project 7
Champagne Dreams Gourmet Gummies
He Said: Hooray! Now there’s a gummy bear for alcoholics. These tasted exactly as advertised. The rosé gummy was floral and sweet, and the brut was crisp and dry. I don’t know about you, but I like my gummy bears to be sweet and my wine with alcohol in it. So these were basically the worst of both worlds. I honestly can’t think of a time I would ever need these.
3 stars
She Said: I’m a fan of soft gummy bears, not the chew-till-your-jaw-hurts kind, so these fit the bill. But, I wouldn’t call them “gourmet” since they just tasted sweet, not like champagne (can we get the real stuff? Ha). What I love: organic ingredients, made in the USA, and giving back to non-profits that are changing the world.
4 stars
Raaka Chocolate
Yacón Root, Unroasted Dark Chocolate
He Said: I want you to imagine the most delicious chocolate you’ve ever tasted. Right now you’re probably thinking of something ultra-sweet, silky smooth, and rich with a lightly roasted nutty taste. Yeah, this Raaka Chocolate tasted nothing like that. This is unroasted chocolate. Turns out roasting the beans is a very important step in making chocolate taste good. This was a bitter punch to the taste buds followed by a tart fruit taste. I literally winced every time I had to sample this.
1 star
She Said: Well, unroasted chocolate was a new adventure to me, and one that I don’t plan on revisiting. The first taste was smooth chocolatey… deception! As I chewed it, I ended up with a mouthful of chalky bitterness. I guess I’m not sophisticated enough to enjoy this. Hopefully Raaka’s roasted chocolate bars are better.
1 star
Yum Earth
Organic Sour Twists, Watermelon Lemonade
He Said: Our boys loved these, so that’s worth a star or two right there. I found these to be a bit too sour, and that’s coming from a guy who used to eat Warheads two at a time as a kid. I also found them a little tough for a gummy candy, which was hilarious when our 3-year-old tried to chew up half a pack at once. So yeah, not my cup of tea, but the kiddos loved them and that’s all that really matters in the end.
4 stars
She Said: Level of sourness according to the facial-contortion scale: HIGH. My jaw hurts just thinking about them. Lemonade is sour already, so I’m not sure why Yum Earth felt the torture was necessary. The watermelon-lemonade flavor combo sounded awesome, but was overly sweet. The witches, vampires and ghosts at our door will likely love these little pouches, and I’ll be glad to pass them out!
2 stars
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