Some Candies Aren't So Sweet
What's the first flavor that pops into your mind when you think of candy? When you're a kid in a candy store, are you looking for crunchy insect lollipops or vegetable-flavored gummies? Well, some kids are because these types of candies existed at some point. From candied seafood to spicy suckers, find out what odd candies people are craving.
1. Dill Pickle Candy Canes
Extra pickles on a burger–– yes, please! But pickles in your candy? You must be joking. It would even be hard to find a pickle lover that wants to suck on a dill-flavored candy cane. We can all agree that green is a Christmas color but it might be wise to stick to peppermint for this festive treat.
2. Candied Squid
In Japan, squid candy is not only a thing but it’s a popular thing! Seafood is a staple in the Japanese diet and evidently, it doesn’t stop at meals. Children and adults alike enjoy munching on jerky-like sweets made from dried squid meat.
3. Cricket Lollipops
Remember Tootsie Pops?–– Lollipops with a surprise chocolate center. A cricket lollipop is just that only instead of chewy chocolate, there’s a crunchy cricket inside. Who doesn’t want to suck on a lollipop that finishes with a creepy crawly at the end?
4. Turkey Dinner Candy Corn
Americans do enjoy a Thanksgiving feast but to what level? The Turkey Dinner Candy Corn was created to replicate the flavors of our favorite dinner in the form of confection. Would Willy Wonka approve of this bizarre flavor? Maybe we should stick to Turkey for dinner and pumpkin pie for dessert.
5. Chlorophyll PEZ
PEZ dispensers come in many flavors and novelty themes but their Chlorophyll flavor is by far the most strange. Usually, folks try to alter the taste of chlorophyll by adding flavors to mask it. Whoever came up with this tangy-mint flavor has truly unique taste buds or thought it was a health kick.
6. Swinkles Salsaghetti
This weird Mexican treat is a spaghetti mockery. Its gummy noodles have a sour watermelon flavor that is coated with chili sugar and comes with a packet of sweet tamarind sauce. It’s like a spicy and fruity Italy-Mex meal with every bite.
7. Chocolate Covered Ants
Don’t stop at chocolate-covered almonds when you can cover ants in chocolate too. Some people will argue that ants are taking over the world so maybe it’s best we eat them. Chocolate-covered ants are a popular candy in Brazil but several other countries have a sweet tooth for them too.
8. Vegemite Chocolate
Only Aussies are crazy enough to mix Vegemite with chocolate. Some might argue that they’re already crazy eating Vegemite alone. This limited edition chocolate bar was Cadbury’s attempt to please the Australians by adding the popular salty spread into their candy.
9. Sour Candy Toilets
Does dipping a candy plunger into a sugary toilet bowl appeal to anyone? We get that kids are fun and silly but this toilet candy idea stinks. Sweet treats and bathrooms are a pairing we want to avoid if we can help it.
10. Fun Works Candy Notepad
Most parents don’t encourage kids to play with their food but if you disagree, hand them a candy notepad. If you feel tempted, you can write secrets on a sugar pad with a candied pen and eat the evidence. This is probably not the best candy if you distaste germs or sticky hands.
11. Wack-O-Wax Lips
Pucker up! Some funny guy in the 1920s created edible wax candy lips. It was both a treat and a prop for adult cosplay. The plump lip snacks were larger than life-size and designed to fit over your mouth. If you got tired and hungry after all that pretend smooching, you could pop them into your mouth for a sugar-fix.
12. Candied Violets
To no surprise, these delicate delights were made popular by the French. They took beautiful flowers and candied their petals with sugar. These edible flowers are almost too pretty to eat, but many would argue they don’t taste as wonderful as they look.
13. Cream Corn Candy
Cream corn is arguably the grossest canned item on grocery store shelves but at one point in time, it was a candy flavor. Some folks obviously love the creamy sickly-sweet corn kernels enough to make it into a treat and there are several recipes online to make your own.
14. Musk Sticks
Somebody loved cologne so much they didn’t just want to wear the smell, they wanted to eat the smell too. Nothing like taking a potent bite of a candy that smells like a powerful man’s fragrance. Musk sticks are floral and pink fondant candies that originated in Australia in the '90s.
15. Cheese & Onion Chocolate Bar
Cheese and onion crisps are the favorite potato chip flavor in Ireland. Tayto and Cadbury, two popular brands in the Emerald Isle, decided to combine their specialties. Turns out you should stick with what you know and never combine onions with chocolate again.
16. Toe Of Satan
This devilish lollipop would spark some controversy in the candy store. It’s a bright red sucker flavored with a deadly spicy kick. Its “hellfire chili” taste is described as 900 times hotter than a jalapeno. Seems like mean prank candy that’ll send you to the underworld.
17. Lamb-Flavored Caramels
Meat and candy should be kept separate. Lamb caramels have a taste of curry blended with a light sweetness of caramel sugar and a hint of onion. If that doesn’t have your mouth watering for more than we don’t blame you.
18. Thrills Gum
It tastes like soap! We’re not joking though–– it’s gum that tastes like your handwash. Back in the day, it was common for your mother to put a bar of soap in your mouth after you said a curse word. Maybe this bubblegum was an easier form of punishment you could fit inside your purse?
19. Camel Balls
These sweet and sour balls of bubblegum are a little bit rude. Their cartoon camel packing suggests you’re about to chew a camel’s private parts. They’re novelty candies that test your sour taste tolerance along with your maturity level.
20. Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans
Adapted from the Harry Potter series, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans truly come in every flavor. From earwax to burnt marshmallows, these jelly beans are a mix pack of taste surprises that you’ll either love or make your stomach churn.