It’s officially spooky season, which means it’s also time to indulge in your favorite candies and confectionaries. Who says candy can only be enjoyed in abundance on Halloween? I vehemently oppose that so-called “rule” — I’m in favor of enjoying sweet treats as frequently as possible throughout the month of October.
Recently, I’ve been scouring Trader Joe’s snack sections for candies galore. I’ve picked up and had the pleasure of trying a variety of gummies, chocolates and sour treats. But which ones are actually worth it?
Here are the 8 best Trader Joe’s candies guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth this spooky season.
Juicy Apple Gummy Candy
Available for a limited time, TJ’s fruit-centric gummy is everything its name suggests: juicy and packed with apple flavor. It’s also the perfect treat for sweet and sour lovers. Each bag includes sweet red apple gummy candies and sour green apple gummy candies, each filled with a juicy, liquid center. The gummies are made by the same French supplier responsible for TJ’s impressive lineup of gummy candies, so they’re top-notch when it comes to quality and taste. Simply put, these candies are a must-try for all gummy and fruit candy lovers!
Enjoy the gummies on their own, straight out of the bag. Per TJ’s recommendation, try adding them on top of cupcakes and other baked goodies.
Fruity Gummy Candies
Speaking of gummies, another must-try is TJ’s Fruity Gummy Candies, which include not one but five unique flavors: pineapple, mango, grapefruit, watermelon and blueberry. Individual gummies are also shaped like the fruits they taste like.
A top-notch gummy candy not only tastes good — it also has to have the perfect texture: chewy with a slight bite to it. These gummies are indeed top-notch. They’re perfectly chewy, packed with juice and sweet. Even better? The gummies are made without animal gelatin and flavored with actual fruit juice concentrates, mango purée and additional natural flavors. Their vibrant colors are also achieved using fruit juice and spirulina extract, not artificial food dyes.
Sour Strawberry Candy Belts
If you’re a fiend for sour candies (like me!) but haven’t had the pleasure of trying TJ’s Sour Strawberry Candy Belts, I urge you to drop whatever it is you’re doing, head to your local store and buy yourself a tub or two. Stat! When I say these candies changed my life, I genuinely mean it. These are the sour candies of my dreams: deliciously fruity and mouth-wateringly sour. It’s the kind of sour that will make your tongue tingle and, eventually, feel raw. Just writing about these sour belts is making me salivate.
Each rose-colored strip smells like and tastes strongly of strawberry. They’re also coated in a ton of citric acid. And, they’re 100% vegan!
Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers
TJ’s cult-favorite Scandinavian Swimmers has a super sour rendition that stays true to the original flavors and shapes — red berry (starfish), huckleberry (dolphin), orange (tang fish) and strawberry (clam shell) — with a generous amount of sour coating. These candies will have your mouth puckering — and salivating for more. Each candy embodies the joy of indulging in sugary confections. They’re tasty and playful.
If extra sour sweets aren’t your cup of tea, TJ’s Scandinavian Swimmers are an excellent choice.
Sour Jelly Beans
Jelly beans are great, but sour jelly beans are even better. Inspired by its Gourmet Jelly Beans, TJ’s Sour Jelly Beans burst into a beautiful medley of fruity and extremely tart flavors once bitten into. Jelly bean flavors include green apple, blue raspberry, lemon, tangerine, and cranberry — “which each deliver just enough fruity sweetness to accentuate their accompanying jolt of sour,” per TJ’s.
Enjoy them on their own or alongside regular jelly beans for a sweet-sour mix.
Watermelon Freeze Dried Candies
These bite-sized candy puffs scream fun. They’re vibrant, coming in an array of pastel hues, and offer a delicious sensory experience with each bite. TJ’s Watermelon Freeze Dried Candies are crunchy at first. They then melt on your tongue with a slight fizzle.
The freeze-dried puffs are made with natural ingredients, including spirulina, paprika, vegetable juice, turmeric and fruit juice. But the star of the show is watermelon. Much like the fruit, the puffs are refreshing yet syrupy with a slight tartness. They’re also highly addictive.
Coffee Lover’s Espresso Beans
Coffee and chocolate are, undoubtedly, a match made in heaven. TJ’s Coffee Lover’s Espresso Beans feature 100% Arabica beans from Brazil that are coated in dark, milk and white chocolates. The black-colored beans are dark chocolate espresso flavored, while the brown beans are milk chocolate flavored, meant to mimic the robustness and sweetness of a cappuccino. There are also tan-colored beans, which are reminiscent of a caramel latte, and white beans, which taste like coffee and cream.
As someone who loves dark chocolate and a strong cup of black coffee, the dark chocolate beans are my favorite. But regardless of how hardcore your caffeine intake and preferences are, there’s a bean (or two or three) that’s certified to satisfy your sweet cravings.
Dark Chocolate Orange Sticks
Chocolate also pairs perfectly with orange. That’s why TJ’s Dark Chocolate Orange Sticks deserve to be on your must-try list. They’re essentially short sticks of orange-flavored jelly coated in a decadent layer of dark chocolate. The sticks are soft and gelatinous with a slight crisp from their outer layers — simply put, a textural masterpiece.
It’s also worth noting that the Dark Chocolate Orange Sticks are made by the same confectionary that crafts TJ’s Scandinavian Swimmers.
