Quick List - The Most Disturbing Candy Package Characters

 A quick list of the most disturbing #characters depicted on candy packages out of the all the treats I've reviewed on candycritic.org.

Quick List - The Most Artistic Candy Packages

 A quick list of the most #artistic candy and snack packages out of the all the treats I've reviewed on candycritic.org.

Quick List - My Favourite Characters On Candy Packages

 A quick list of my favourite characters featured on #candy and snack packages. At least out of the all the treats I've reviewed on  candycritic.org.

Junk Fud and You - Snack Sets?

 Buying a set or variety pack of treats or candy can have it's pros and cons. I decided to examine both and let those candy companies know how to do it right.

Quick List - My Favourite Candy Packages

 A quick list of some of my favourite candy packages from all of the treats that I've reviewed on candycritic.org.

All In The Package?

When I first started candycritic.org I had a slight rule that I wouldn't judge a candy by its package. In the last few years I've really changed my tune on that rule. For one thing, the package is often the first reason I buy almost any candy from a store shelf. Unless it's suggested to me by people like you, I almost always inspect the package to figure out what I might be getting into. The package has to not only attract the eye, but it should also explain what might be inside. There can be a element of surprise, but in the case of this week's new review, some package are so surprising that they're down right confusing.

Check out my latest review featuring a package that just doesn't make sense at all.

Offensive Packages

Every once in a while I come across a candy package that's kind of offensive by today's standards. The two main causes for such packages are history or cultural difference. This package for example depicts the old fashioned cinema trope of cowboys vs Indians. This is a problematic concept because we now know that these early depictions were false, and created a very negative stereo type of what North and South American aboriginal people's were like. So how can a package like this still exist, it comes from a culture that doesn't have that history. It's from Asia, a place where indigenous cultural history is very different than what we know in North and South America. This package is likely looked at as a vintage look at North American culture, and that's all. Is it right, that's not really for me to decide.

Check out this latest treat in a possibly troublesome package.

The Weirdest Reason To Buy A Candy?

I mention this in the review, but I think it's worth saying again. The reason I bought this candy is because of the package, one particular detail in fact. The small dinosaur on the package is wearing a t-shirt, and on this t-shirt is the word "Kris". My name is Chris, and even though it's spelt differently I don't think I've ever seen a character on a package of candy with the same name as me (sort of). I got so excited that I didn't care what this candy was about, I had to include it in my reviews. For all those wondering how to get me to review a treat, just give your mascot the same name as me.

Check out the candy that stroked my ego perfectly.

When I Can't Read The Package

I'm always nervous about treats when I can't read the package, but it's not a fear kind of nervous. It's more like that nervous you get before going on a roller coaster. While you're pretty sure everything will be alright, there is a chance that things could go wrong. I'm not often worried about things like food poisoning or anything, in fact I'm more nervous about the treat being really boring. That actually happens more than you might think.

Check out my latest mysterious review.

A New Popcorn Name Might Pop Up

 When it comes to names of popcorn brands, I love a good pun. Not every brand manages to come up with a great pun, I’m looking at your Orville Redenbacher, but there are so many great names for popcorn brands that I figured it was well worth sharing my favourites. A good name can easily influence me to buy a particular popcorn, although my go to is Orville Redenbacher (it’s a bit of a contradiction I know). However, if a really clever name comes up I’ll at the very least give it a try.

Probably the most popular brand of popcorn with a fairly clever name is Pop Secret. The brand is so popular that I feel like the pun in the name is lost on most people. It’s even possible that you didn’t even think about it until reading this very article, but Pop Secret is a really clever name. I wonder if the early marketing for Pop Secret involved some kind of secret butter recipe, or maybe a top secret type of corn was being used. Either way it’s a solid pun for a popcorn brand.

I came across this Pop Star brand of popcorn, and I must say it’s also a pretty solid pun. It’s a little off track because I feel like pop stars are more about music, and people don’t really associate music and popcorn consumption. Maybe that the angle the Pop Star popcorn people thought they could exploit. Maybe people are eating popcorn at concerts, and I’m just not aware of it.

Mr Popgun is a slightly clever name for popcorn, but I’ll be honest, I think the package might be considered a little politically incorrect. I will also be honest and say that I did buy some of this popcorn because I found the package to be so politically incorrect, and the popcorn was really good. I assume the “popgun” is in reference to the toy guns that often shoot a small cork attached to a string out the muzzle. 

This Mr Bop popcorn is a bit of a conundrum. I feel like they’re trying to make some kind of pun, but I don’t really know what that pun is supposed to be. Maybe in some parts of the world the onomatopoeia for the sound popcorn makes is “bop” and not “pop”. Although that would mean you’re eating bopcorn and not popcorn. The marketing behind this brand is a little confusing, but I feel like there’s at least an attempt to make it fun.

While writing this article I was trying to come up with some good pun names that have not been used yet for popcorn. I decided to ask Allison and she instantly came up with one that was so good that I just gave up trying to come up with my own. She suggested that you use a military theme and just call it Colonel Kernel. I have to be honest, that might be better than Pop Secret, and it’s much better than all of the rest. So if any popcorn brand wants to use Colonel Kernel as a popcorn brand name, be my guest, I just ask that you send me some, I like the extra butter variety.

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Mysterious Packages

I feel like the lesson about taking candy from strangers was completely lost on me. I regularly accept candy from strangers, and open packages and eat contents for things that I have no idea who may have made it. My general assumption is that if it's packaged well than it mush be okay, but sometimes I don't even follow that rule. I've bought candy off a vendor at the side of the street in a package that's been poorly taped up. I eat candy found in packages from foreign lands with no idea what I'm getting into. This week's feature review is a fine example of that. I opened the bag and...

Find out what was in this very random red envelope with Japanese writing on it.

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A Purple Package With a Fun Story

 

While posting this review I learned something really interesting about this candy. Apparently the name of this candy can be directly translated into the words "African violet". My Ukrainian isn't that great, but I'm going to assume that this is no accident. If you look at the package you can clearly see that there is some visual similarities. I'm not sure if I can give a candy a better review because of this, but I really think it's neat, and worth mentioning here at least.

Check out the full review right now.

Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter too.

While you're at it, check out the brand new full sized, collected version of Snack Facts, my comic about snacks and treats.

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The Package Matters

Whenever I review a candy, I never know if I should talk about the package. I do post a photo of the package with each review, but I wonder if I should talk about the way the package influences me. The honest truth is that package design has a great deal of influence on the candy I buy. More often than not I buy candy that I don't know anything about. At this point there are very few candies that I know about that I haven't tried. So when I'm faced with a wall of candy, the package is often the only thing I have to judge. This is even more true if I'm in a country where I can't read the language or the description of the candy in the package. This basically means that if you're showing a picture of a cow on your candy package, there better be something creamy inside... or maybe beefy?

Check out this cow themed candy review.

While you're at it, make sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see what other cool candy packages I come across.

Don't forget to pick up my latest book as well, it's called Treats and Beasts.

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Time To Geek Out... Or Nerd Out.

It's not often that I write a review that has almost nothing to do with the candy and everything to do with the package. When this does happen it goes one of two directions, either the package is so amazing that I can't help but talk about it, or it's such a disappointment that it actually lowers the quality of the candy. Let me just say that I wasn't impressed with the way this candy was presented.

Check out my full review to find out why this candy idea fell flat.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with all my candy fun times.

Be sure to follow me on Patreon for all kinds of bonus content including a full preview of my new project called Treats and Beasts.

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Amazing Candy/Junk Food Thing That You Should Buy - Crazy Candy Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle

What better way to pass the time then making this really cool candy jigsaw puzzle. Some of the candies on this puzzle are true classics from my childhood too.

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Tom's Look At The Visual Side Of Christmas Snacks And Candy - Christmas Haul Part 3

Here is an interesting variation on Kit Kat using a “traditional” old-school depiction of Santa Claus with some modern touches. At first glance, Santa appears to be the jolly old elf as depicted in, perhaps the classic “Night Before Christmas” tale. On closer inspection, the middle Santa wears googles and has a funkily-decorated snowboard under one arm. Beside that Santa is another Santa wearing headphones with the cord disappearing into his red outfit. One assumes he’s streaming some music that is suitably hip and now. Maybe it’s a tastefully selected playlist of festive tunes? Or a podcast? Whatever is playing through the headphones, Santa has eyes closed in blissful rapture.

The third Santa has me baffled. There appears to be a small, dark object near his waist. I don’t know what it is. Anyone else have that sorted out?

Finally, I noticed that Santa’s outfit is different from typical depictions. It looks like a robe with a hood. The garment has festive motifs at the cuffs and surrounding his face. Maybe this suggests how Santa looks in his leisure time before heading out on his Christmas Eve travels?

The second sighting is a delight since I’ve seen very few uses of the Yeti in a holiday treat context. As a kid, an advent calendar was a staple at the holidays in my family. Each day, it was exciting to open each numbered cardboard door to see what would be there! Indeed, it was a major effort of restraint to keep from opening the whole thing up on day one.

I might have to buy this advent calendar to see if each treat has a Yeti shape. I was ‘addicted’ to Cookies’N’Creme bars for a brief time back in my college days. The bar seems to have staying power and it’s good to see an entire advent calendar devoted to it. It may prove to be too much of a good thing but that’s a slim possibility.

By the way, Hershey’s lets potential buyers know up front that the final door has an entire chocolate bar behind it. Not sure what I think about this spoiler versus marketing conundrum. The final door was always a special reward after 23 days of anticipation. A small quibble in an otherwise fun product to be sure!

Tom

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Tom's Look At The Visual Side Of Christmas Snacks And Candy - Christmas Haul Part 1

Aaah, Christmas time! This is the time of year when companies pull out all the stops to make tempting treats for dazzled eyes! Here are but a few seen recently while shopping...

This is the first time I’ve seen this item. It is a log cabin to build using Kit Kat bars. It’s a fun twist on the traditional gingerbread house. A second visit to the store revealed that Smarties are also involved in the bundle. The photograph I took shows the charming graphics of the bear outside the cabin. It may be his alternative to hibernating in a cave!

The second photo is of two Lindt Lindor treats of a massive proportion! It may not be apparent in the picture but these babies are the size of basketballs! If you are told you have to cut back on sweets and can have only one treat this season, maybe keep this monster in mind! If they’re as good as the regular size Lindors, it’s a win!!

Finally, a local grocery store has a sizable Lindt display that includes the brochure in the third photograph. This is an example of what my sister jokingly refers to as “chocolate porn”. On specifically selected paper stock with high quality printing, paper after page of chocolate Lindt products are temptingly laid out for daydreaming and list-making. Just look at the Lindt treats adorning the cake on the cover!!The season has just begun, folks! Hang in there and pace yourself. Don’t forget the New Year’s promise of copious regular exercise!

Cheers
Tom

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Tom's Look At The Visual Side Of Christmas Snacks And Candy - Lip Pops Lollipops "Rudolph"

Hohoho! Who’s ready for the holidays? Well, it’s landing in a commercial sense already, so buckle up, folks! It’s not all reason to grumble though! Some of the fun is visiting with old familiar faces once again. Relatives and family, sure but what I really mean is seeing old characters from classic Christmas tv specials! One of the greats from my childhood is the Rankin/Bass “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” that was made in the mid-Sixties. It is a fantastic stop-motion animated story with new characters like Yukon Cornelius, the Abominable Snowman and Hermy (one of Santa’s elves who really wants to be a dentist) added to the tale told in the song. If you haven’t seen it, I warn you of a *spoiler* in today’s column! Go watch it and come back later!!

You’re back? Great! So, above is a header from a box that displays Lip Pops connected to the show. One is a snout of Rudolph the other is the teeth of the Abominable Snowman! Fun, right? Well, in the photo on the header, the manufacturer of the treat has chosen the moment when “Bumble” (as nicknamed by Yukon) realizes he’s had ALL HIS TEETH REMOVED by amateur, aspiring dentist elf Hermy. That’s right! A truly horrific, traumatic moment for the beast is used to help sell candy!

Fortunately, the package of the treat shows Bumble in all his toothy glory! When I was a kid, I’d have wanted the Abominable Snowman chompers really badly!! There’s a good chance I may buy it before the season is done! If I do, I will send Candy Critic a Bumble/Tom selfie!

Happy Holidays!

Tom

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Candy In The Media - A Clever Chance The Wrapper Kit Kat

I love a good pun (just check out the homepage on Candy Critic), and so I love the idea of cross promoting Chance the Rapper, on a wrapper.

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Tom's Look At The Visual Side Of Snacks And Candy - Russell Stover Halloween Treats

These flavours were among the fastest to sell in these Russell Stover chocolates. I loved the illustrations on the wrappers! It’s a familiar style influenced by modern Japanese animation “cute” style, done with fun personality. Just look how well the ingredient characters seem to get along (especially the coconut shard with an arm embracing the pumpkin)! How could these NOT taste great?! And they are mighty tasty!

Nice job Russell Stover designer(s)!
That’s it!
Happy Hallowe’en!

Tom

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You can also pick up one of Tom's exclusive Candy Critic t-shirts.

Why Would You Eat That?!! T-Shirt
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