One of the best parts of exploring the world is the opportunity to discover new and exciting forms of snack foods. If you’re planning a trip to the Great White North, you will be blown away by the Canadian snacks from Canada you will find throughout grocery stores, restaurants, and food trucks.
Canada has a diverse and extensive food scene and you will quickly discover that Canadians really appreciate their snacks. The stores are filled with fan-favorite chips, chocolate bars, and other sweet and savory delights that you’ll grow to love. Our guide will take you on a tour of the best ones that are available throughout most of the nation.
What’s So Special About Snacks From Canada?
It can be a weird, twilight zone feeling, especially if you’re coming from America to see familiar packaging and names but a completely different selection. It’s a fun twist though because Canadians get that same parallel universe feeling when they travel to the States and see the snacks there. It’s so weird, yet so normal.
The snacks from Canada hold a unique charm and Canadian appeal that sets them apart from other places in the world. Along with store-bought snacks, which are always good for a Netflix night in, there are different flavors you will find throughout your travels. Indigenous snacks and general Canadian classics also contribute to the snack food game as well.
Canadian Snacks – The Best One
Poutine (Fries Served With Gravy & Cheese Curds)
This is not just one of the most famous Canadian food, it is also a popular snack choice in the country. Poutine is even a favorite breakfast food for many – it’s a versatile dish that can be enjoyed anytime.
You can see that some see it as the most perfect food in all the land and is quintessentially the most Canadian food you’ll ever find.
This Quebec creation has been around since the 1950s and has been a staple in the hearts of Canadians ever since. It is simply fries topped with gravy but with a classic, game-changing twist that sees cheese curds topped and melted throughout. There are various ways you can dress up your poutine like by adding lobster, pork, bacon, or even a vegan alternative.
You can find poutine on many menus and food trucks throughout the country.
Canadian Snacks Only In Canada
Canadian Lays Chips (Potato Chip)
There are certain Canadian snacks that can only be purchased in Canada and particular chip flavors are some of them. You may have seen videos on TikTok or Instagram of Americans discovering and raving about Canadian potato chips.
The favorite flavor of Canadian Lays chips is ketchup chips. Ketchup chips were invented and introduced to a Canadian-only market back in the 1970s and people became obsessed with them. We’re not sure why these wouldn’t have seen a worldwide release, because they are absolutely one of the top three flavors of chips, ever.
These red powder chips taste and smell like ketchup but are kind of tangy like salt and vinegar. They’re hard to describe so you must just grab a bag of these delicious Canadian chips to see for yourself.
> Check Lays Ketchup Chips On Amazon
Maple Syrup Coca-Cola (Pop)
In 2020, Coca-Cola released a tribute to honor the province of Quebec for being the leading producer in the world of this famous liquid gold. You can find this flavor throughout the entire country, but you’ll be more likely to see it in Ontario or Quebec.
The flavor of this drink is a subtle, smoky maple flavor perfectly mixed with the classic taste of Coca-Cola.
Canadian Ruffles Chips
There are so many different kinds but one of the top snacks from Canada is a good old bag of Canadian Ruffles chips. All dressed is the most popular flavor among Canadians. It consists of a chip that tastes like all of the best flavors – ketchup, sour cream & onion, bbq, and salt & vinegar. It’s the perfect dusting that creates the most perfect chip in the world.
> Check All Dressed Ruffles Chips On Amazon
Kinder Surprise (Chocolate Egg With Toy)
Kinder Surprise is a delicious milk and white chocolate egg that has a fun toy inside. These toys are so cute and very nostalgic to Canadians who grew up with them. They have a distinct Kinder Surprise feel to them and you recognize them immediately.
While the Kinder Surprise isn’t exclusive to Canada, it is one of the only Canadian treats that you cannot take across the USA border. The Federal Food, Drug, And Cosmetic Act in the USA bans food containing inedible items in them as they’re a choking hazard.
So if you’re an American, we are doing you a favor by letting you know that you missed out on a crucial part of childhood that Canada can fulfill for you.
Canadian Cheezies
Orange snack foods are all over the States and other countries, think Cheetos, Doritos, and Kraft Dinner. However, you have probably never encountered Canadian cheezies.
Reddit rumors say that these are better than their American counterparts, Cheetos. We’ll let you be the judge of that when you try them on your trip to Canada.
Made by the brand Hawkins, you’ll find these in their signature white and red striped bags. The fluorescent orange cheezies catch your eye and you just know that there’s something special about them. Even the inventor knew that this secret was too special to share with the world and he wanted to keep it Canadian-only.
> Check Canadian Cheezies On Amazon
Best Chocolate Snacks From Canada
Jos Louis (Chocolate Snack Cake)
Most of the classic snack foods are grocery/convenience store staples that Canadians grew up with. The Jos Louis Cake is another high-quality, pre-packaged Canadian treat that you should try if you see them on shelves. They’re similar to Little Debbie snacks and have a Hostess Ding Dongs vibe to them.
Jos Louis cakes are made with dark, moist chocolate with a precise, creamy layer of marshmallow in the middle. They are also topped with chocolate ganache icing, making it the perfect store-bought mini cake you’ll ever find.
> Check Jos Louis Cake On Amazon
Nanaimo Bars (Chocolate & Coconut Dessert Bar)
Nanaimo bars are one of the most recognizable desserts and sweets in Canada that will be loved at first taste. They were originally created in Nanaimo, British Columbia but are now a staple snack food across the nation.
Nanaimo bars are made from dark chocolate, coconut, graham crackers, and cream. The texture of these bars is so soft that it feels like a gourmet dessert that will leave you satisfied. Nanaimo bars are the most popular Canadian snacks among locals and we suspect will become your favorites as well.
> Check Packaged Nanaimo Bars On Amazon
Big Turk (Turkish Delight Chocolate Bar)
If you’ve ever read, “The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe,” you may remember the part where they describe a mouth-watering treat known as Turkish delight. This part is so vivid in the book that you can not only taste it but crave it, even if you’ve never had it before.
Big Turk is the convenience store’s version of the treat from the book. Only sold in Canada, it is a perfect chocolate bar with a sweet, hardened gel-like filling that is so unbelievably tasty.
You will never have tried anything like this, so it’s an absolute must that you give it a go, as well as the other chocolaty Canadian snacks on our list.
> Check Big Turk Candy On Amazon
Coffee Crisp (Chocolate Bar)
The Coffee Crisp chocolate bar is a staple choice that stops hunger in its tracks. This chocolate-covered wafer bar has strong hints of coffee and is an extremely popular Canadian snack food.
Americans petitioned for Coffee Crisp to come to the States and it actually happened, it was discontinued shortly after. Maybe it was because they didn’t grow up with it so their loyalties don’t run that deep.
> Check Coffee Crisp Chocolate Bars On Amazon
Smarties (Hard Shelled Chocolate Candy)
Another Canadian-only chocolate treat that you won’t be able to find in the States is Smarties. While Americans have a candy called Smarties, it’s a completely different thing.
Smarties are hard-shelled coated chocolate that melts in your mouth and is filled with creamy milk chocolate. They are found all over the country, especially around Halloween.
> Check Smarties Chocolate On Amazon
Most Satisfying Canadian Snacks
Pizza Pops (Calzone-like Pizza Pocket)
Pizza Pops are a uniquely Canadian invention and one of the most popular snacks in Canada. They are similar to American pizza pockets, only with less dough so the filling-to-dough ratio is perfect. Pizza pops come in different varieties with Hawaiian, Pepperoni, Canadian, and Poutine being the top four flavors.
Butter Tarts (Small Tart Pastry)
How the world lives without these amazing little tarts, Canada will never understand. They are one of the most perfect Canadian snacks and would probably be a world favorite snack choice if only they expanded their market.
They are found in various stores in Canada and increase in popularity around the Christmas holiday season. These bite-sized tarts are filled with a mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla and baked into a perfect crust.
Sweet Bannock (Fried Sweet Dough)
Bannock is one of the oldest snacks from Canada that the Indigenous people have been feasting on for centuries. It is a simple dough made out of flour, baking powder, sugar, honey, salt, and milk.
Bannock can be eaten as a bread-like substitute for a stew or soup or as a dessert dressed up with jam or syrup. They are also a popular option for a fulfiling breakfast in Canada.
Saskatoon Berry Pie (Fruit Pie)
Saskatoon berries are only found in the province of Saskatchewan, around the city of Saskatoon. These berries are worth the trek to the prairies and if you see them featured in any sort of dessert, you must try them. Saskatoon berries contribute to the best freshly baked Canadian snacks, including pies, tarts, and strudels.
Discovering The Best Canadian Snacks
Canadian snack foods are plentiful and you will find a vast array in every region. We have barely scratched the surface of delicious Canadian snacks and we encourage you to be adventurous and try everything.
Canada is a big country and exploring it will take tons of energy so make sure to sustain yourself with the top-notch Canadian snacks. Pick random things in the grocery store, on menus or if you smell something in a food court but aren’t sure what it is, just try it.
With the high success rating of snacks from Canada, you will most likely find a winner.
