Junk Fud and You - Candy as Currency

 Did you know that in some countries, candy is sort of like currency. I'll explain why.

That's One Expensive Chocolate

 I'm not sure I'd even want to eat it after I paid for it.

If you like chocolate, maybe you'll like this cool chocolate themed t-shirt too.

Candy In The Media - A DIY Gumball Mashine

Make your own gumball machine out of cardboard, then make enough money to buy a real gumball machine.

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This Week In Candy

Last week I was challenged... well sort of, by the folks at Kit Kat to make a Kit Kat hot dog.  There's pretty much no food challenge I won't consider, and this one seemed like it might work out.  On Twitter, the folks from Kit Kat sent me a photo of a Kit Kat hot dog and kind of dared me to try it.  The bread and Kit Kat seemed like it would be not problem, but I was a little concerned about the ketchup.  At first I went through the various ingredients that I could use that would look like ketchup, but would taste good on a Kit Kat bar.  I had a few ideas like jam and strawberry sauce, but then I thought about it.  I thought that using anything but ketchup would be cheating, and not really in the spirit of the challenge.

So I decided that the best thing I could do is just go for it.  As you can see above, it's not the most appetizing of foods to look at, but strangely enough the ketchup wasn't so bad.  The fact that many bottled ketchup's have so much sugar worked with the Kit Kat bar.  The slightly sour vinegar taste of the ketchup actually balanced out with the sweet Kit Kat.  While I don't think we'll be seeing a Ketchup Kit Kat in the near future, it wasn't as gross as I thought it would be.

We just posted a new episode of our Junk Fud podcast.  Junk Fud is a podcast where I chat with my friends about the world of candy, baked goods, fast food, and anything else we might deem as "junk food".  This episode I'm talking with my friend Mark about one of our favorite foods, pizza.  Mark and I are going to try and post a monthly episode of Junk Fud, and we're looking for any subject ideas you might have.  You can download the latest episode here, as well as some of our older episodes as well.

Over the last few weeks several chocolate bar companies have announced that they're changing the size of their chocolate bars.  Some companies have also come out announcing that they refuse to change the size, but prices will likely go up.  This is in big part to a huge increase in the price of cocoa right now.  Or more realistically, a huge fluctuation in the price of cocoa over the last few years.  Since candy companies don't know how much they're going to be paying for cocoa, they assume that they're paying the most it's been for a while, rather than lose money.  So what's your opinion on this, should candy companies change the size of chocolate bars, make them more expensive, or is there another alternative to keeping the candy industry in business.

I can't believe I'm already down to the fourth paragraph and I'm only now talking about Valentine's Day.  It's this week, and that means that heart shaped boxes of chocolates, conversation hearts, and heart shaped lollipops are going to be flying off the shelf this week.

To help you gear up for the holiday of love, this week on Snack Facts we'll be looking at Valentine's Day.  Check out our Instagram feed were every day we'll be posting a new fun fact about the holiday we all love.  If you're not on Instagram, you can also follow our loving posts on our Facebook page and our Twitter feed as well.

I've reviewed a few Valentine's treats in my day, but so many of them aren't really that clever.  So this year I thought of the most clever treat you could give that someone you love.  I thought the Passion Flake is both tasty and a clever gift for this holiday, I just hope Allison agrees.

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Cadbury Proof - Part 2

Photo by Adam Montpetit www.behance.net/amontpetit

Almost 5 years ago I posted a blog about the purchase of Cadbury by Kraft (You can read it here).  I said in this post that I would save a Dairy Milk wrapper that was purchased when Cadbury wasn't owned by Kraft, then in one year I would compare the bars and see if there were any changes made.  Life got in the way and I wasn't able to write the article in one year.  Then after having moved several times, I lost the wrapper.  However, after having moved again recently, I was going through my file drawer and I came across the Dairy Milk wrapper from almost 5 years ago.  It reminded me that I should check up on how Cadbury/Kraft was doing.  See if they've made any great advancements, as well as check to make sure they're not lowering their standards in any way.

Since I'm not living in Canada right now, the place where I bought the original bar, I had to ask around and see if anybody would be willing to help me out by purchasing and photographing a Dairy Milk bar for me in Canada.  Fortunately my friend Adam (check out his awesome photo website here) was happy to oblige.  Probably both to help, and also to have an excuse to eat some chocolate after his photo shoot.  The first picture on this post is of the current state of the Dairy Milk bar in Canada, the photo directly above is of the wrapper from almost 5 years ago.  The wrapper itself has gone through a bit of updating, but I must say not much.  The two glasses of milk are still there, and the logo is almost exactly the same.  The colour of the package may have changed a bit, but that could also be a lighting thing.  The Dairy Milk font has changed a little, and the biggest change is the addition of the giant chocolate jug.  So far this is fairly promising.

Photo by Adam Montpetit www.behance.net/amontpetit

Upon comparing the ingredients, I'm happy to report that the order that they appear is still the same, and there appears to be little or no change to the ingredients.  This doesn't mean that there is definitely no change at all.  Companies are required to list what ingredients are in a bar, not how much of each ingredient is in a bar.  That means that notionally they could lower the amount of cocoa in the bar, and keep the wrapper the same.  The only reason they would have to change the package is if the change affected the ratio of ingredients.  The ingredients are listed from most found in the bar to the least.  So the amount of cocoa would have to change to the point where there was either less cocoa than soy lecithin, or more cocoa than cocoa butter for a change to be required.

I'm also happy to report that they haven't changed the size of the bar either.  I've traveled around and seen "updated" Dairy Milk bars in the shapes of bubbles, and these bars were a few grams lighter than the Canadian Dairy Milk bar.  I was worried that the folks at Kraft had decided that this "new" shape would be the norm all over the world, and that they would shrink the size of the Dairy Milk bar.  But as the bar Adam purchased shows, 42 grams, is exactly the same weight as the one I purchased several years back. It would appear that Kraft is doing well and leaving this classic bar alone.

While I am very happy about the fact that the Dairy Milk bar hasn't changed in Canada, I'm not completely happy with the way Kraft has dealt with Cadbury products.  I was optimistic when the purchase happened that Kraft would try and make Cadbury products more universal.  I was hoping that they might try and move some Cadbury products into new markets and share the wealth.  Caramello Koalas should be available to everyone around the world, not just Australians, and Crunchy bars should be on every store shelf around the world.  Most importantly Cadbury should be available to my neighbors to the south, the Americans.  As far as I know Cadbury is still a specialty item in the US, and that's a shame.  It's about time Americans knew what great chocolate bars taste like, and maybe add a bit of competition into what I consider one of the weakest in quality of chocolate bar markets.

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Candy News

Because it appears that each "Candy News" post leading up to Christmas needs more Gingerbread links:  Here's some Sci-Fi Gingerbread, and here's the world's largest gingerbread house.  Also, if you've ever wondered how much gingerbread it would take to rebuild your own home, here's a calculator to figure it out.

More people are eating chocolate than ever before, particularly the dark stuff.

Chocolate isn't the only classic treat to be trending right now, licorice is apparently pretty hot too.

Did you know how much theaters are over charging for popcorn, you may not want to know.

When North American candy gets imported to foreign countries, you can only hope that awesome variations are coming soon.

Did you know that Portland is now considered  the "nation’s epicenter of artisan chocolate-making"? Maybe there's good reason.

Remember that Nutella bar I talked about last week?  Well apparently it was so popular that they had to shut it down, because everything sold out.

Speaking of Nutella, most people assume that the stuff is Italian, but actually it's a pretty global product.

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

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Friday Candy Video

Now that you've collected all of your Halloween candy, it's about time you figured out how you can maximize your haul on the playground.  This video gives a pretty detailed account to the value of the treats you've brought in.  I personally think there should be some kind of official exchange rate for Halloween candy posted somewhere.  This would allow you to see what your candy is worth based on the supply and demand of your area.

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Candy News

The economy is getting so bad that even some candy companies are feeling the pinch, this is rare because often in bad economic times candy companies thrive.

The folks at Ring Pops want you to decide on their new flavour of Ring Pop.  Personally I think I'd want to try the cookies and cream.

My friend Peter (@ponate), gives us his reasons why cotton candy is the best theater food ever.  He does however neglect to mention the sticky fingers problem.

If you want to plan a vacation this February, might I suggest Hershey Pennsylvania?

Learning something new, and chocolate, put them together and you have a very fun afternoon.

You may want to argue that Missouri is not the chocolate capital of the USA, but they have a pretty good argument.

Can chocolate be fine art, a gallery in New York would like to say that it can.

I think science is using M&M's for evil experiments, like finding out if we eat more candy/junk food because we're stressed.

How many letters do you mail in a month?  Would that number increase if the envelope tasted awesome?

If you want to keep up with all of the daily candy news that we come across as it happens, follow us on Twitter.

Classic/Creative Candy Advertising - Potato Money

I think Boing Boing, the place where I found this ad, said it best "Why aren't you turning potatoes into cash RIGHT NOW?".

Click here to see what else Boing Boing had to say about this awesome advertisement.

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Friday's Candy Links

Obama tells the world he loves Girls Scout Thin Mints, the internets react.

Mental Floss explores how much money Americans spend on things... like 16.8 billion on Easter, 550 million on pretzels, and 16 billion on chocolate.

An interesting look at sugar free candy, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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This Week In Candy

Candy News -  I've been reading a lot lately about finances in the candy industry.  Cocoa and sugar prices are constantly fluctuating, and this creates uncertainty in the candy business world.  Fortunately it seems that only a few candy businesses are suffering so much that they have to close down, but many are feeling the crunch.  I worry when economic problems hit the candy industry, because it often leads to quality problems.  When cocoa and sugar are expensive (or even threaten to be expensive), candy quality can go down.  One of the great selling points of candy is its price, that's why the candy industry does well during recessions.  Because of this, candy companies will work harder at keeping their prices low, even if it sacrifices quality to do it.

What's Happening At Candy Critic -  Knock wood, I should have some good news about something I don't want to talk about yet.  Other than that we've been keeping busy with working on some new articles that should be online in the next few weeks.  We're also trying to come up with a good theme for our next candy review-a-thon that we hope to have next week.

Rant -  I've often mentioned on this blog, my dislike for sugar free sweet treats.  I want to clear one thing up about that.  I'm not against sugar free sweets, I'm against the way they are marketed to the world.  Sugar free sweets are an excellent way for people with health problems, like diabetes, to enjoy a treat now and again.  They can also be a great way to curb your sweet tooth, but you have to be careful.  Many sugar free sweets may contain other ingredients that are also bad for you when eaten excessively.  If you're looking to lose weight, or just eat healthier, the best way to do this is eating moderately.  This also allows you to enjoy the, often better tasting, sugar filled sweets.  Just because a treat comes in one package, does not mean that it's a single serving.  Also, a single serving for you could be very different than a single serving for another.  Learn to enjoy a taste of a sweet treat, without trying to fill a hunger.

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Monday's Candy Links

First of all it's my birthday.

"Rich People More Likely To Take Candy From Children: Real Report", isn't social science wonderful.

I love this little food art, but I'd be disappointed if I went to your house and this is all you served me for dinner.

If you haven't been caught up as to why cocoa is great for you, here's some information.

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Candy Art - A Place to Put Your Money

I'm not sure if everybody would agree that this candy themed wallet is art, but I'm sure most wouldn't argue that it's a great design.  In my mind art and design are really one in the same, so with that in mind I'm going to present this great looking candy wallet as art.  I'm also going to suggest that if anybody wants suggestions for my birthday (coming soon) that this candy wallet might just do the trick.

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Tuesday's Candy Links

The French love M&Ms, they love them so much that they're going to produce lots more M&Ms for them to enjoy.

Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow and Whipped Cream Vodkas, this could be a great new idea for drinking, until you drink a whole bottle of the stuff.

When the economy is going bad, the candy industry does very well, here's some ideas as to why.

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Tuesday's Candy Links

Kids love candy, and teachers like to take it away, so 10 year old girl attacked her teacher to keep her candy.

I'm no investment genius, but I suggest you invest in the candy industry, in tough times it always thrives.

If you're overeating sweets you might want to talk to your therapist rather than your nutritionist.

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With This Ring Pop...

Did you know that Mariah Carey got a Ring Pop as an anniversary gift from her boyfriend Nick Cannon?  I don't think it was edible because it was covered with shinny rocks (I assume diamonds but I don't care to speculate).  The way I look at it, I would be disappointed with this kind of gesture.  Think of all of the real Ring Pops one could buy with that kind of dough.  As much as sparkly things interest me, it's a fleeting interest, but my interest in candy has held out for... well my who life so far.

Click here to read my Ring Pop review.

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What 5 Cents Could Buy You In The 1950s

While it seems reasonable that 5 cents could get you a pack of life savers, I'm a little disturbed about the price of some of these other items featured in this ad.

Ad from Vintage Ad Browser.

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I May Be Broke, But At Least I'm Not Thirsty

One of my pet peeves about traveling, mostly in Europe, is the bottled water scam.  It happens in many restaurants all over the continent, and there's not much you can do about it.  When you arrive at a restaurant, parched after a day of sight seeing, and you ask for water, all they have is bottled water.  Now I happen to know that in Greece, Poland, and Lithuania that the water is safe to drink.  I appreciate the offer of bottled, but when I ask for tap water, that's all I want.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to visit your establishment and just drink tap water.  I plan on getting something to eat, and maybe another fancy drink as well.  I just need something to balance out my body before enjoying your wonderful food.  In some restaurants, particularly the ones I like, they set you up with some cold tap water right off the bat, without asking.  It's a nice thing to do.

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There's Money In Them There Candies

According to Forbes magazine, the owner of Ferrero, makers of Nutella and many other find chocolate type products, is one of the richest men in the whole world.  Maybe I should stop promoting his chocolate hazel nut spread so much on this site until he drops me a check or two... alas I don't think I can, it just tastes so good.

Click here to read about Michele Ferrero.

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Candy Show News

Have you ever wondered what happens at a candy convention?  I can tell you, it's both spectacular and remarkably boring all at the same time.  The spectacular aspects are pretty easy to imagine, there's candy everywhere, there's cool looking booths, and there's often dressed up mascots running around.  The boring is a little surprising for most.  Candy is a big business, it makes a lot of money, so there are a lot of people wondering around in suits, making "deals", and generally not being fun.  Both are essential in a candy convention, however whenever I visit a candy show I choose to ignore the boring.

Click here for some video highlights from the Sweet and Snack Expo that shows off both.

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