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Best Canadian Snacks From Your Childhood

Remember these?

If you think about your Canadian childhood, there are certain things that instantly stick out. Attending the Scholastic Book Fair, watching “Mr. Dressup” on TV and reading Anne of Green Gables at school are just a few.

But what about your favourite childhood snacks? Canadian kids had it good because we had so many great options to choose from. Here, we take a trip down memory lane and reveal the seven best Canadian kids’ snacks we’ve ever had.

Watch the video above or take a look at the list below.


Most people mistake the Jos Louis for an American treat because they assume it was named after famous U.S. boxer Joe Louis. This isn’t true. The red velvet cake was actually invented by Quebec company Vachon in 1932 and was named after the Vachon sons, Joseph and Louis. Since then, the soft cake with its vanilla cream filling has continued to delight us.


It’s still bizarre to us that Smarties aren’t a thing in the U.S. But that’s because Americans have given the name Smarties to the completely inferior candy we call Rockets. The candy-coated chocolate buttons have always been a childhood staple in the Great White North and are manufactured by Nestlé Canada.


Remember Hot Lunch Day at school? The best part about getting a hot meal delivered to your class was the dessert that went with it. While some students opted for something sweet, many knew the real treat was getting a salty, smoky bag of Hickory Sticks.

The classic chips are produced by Canadian company Hostess Potato Chips and were at the height of their popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s.


Ask any ‘90s kid and they’ll tell you that Dunkaroos were the bomb! These tasty treats consisted of mini cookies that kids could dunk into frosting before eating. While Dunkaroos were originally manufactured by General Mills, an American company, they were discontinued in the U.S. in 2012 and are currently only manufactured and sold in Canada.

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Nanaimo bars are as Canadian as it gets! These no-bake treats — which include a layer of wafer, custard and melted chocolate — were named after Nanaimo, B.C. According to the Food Network, the first known recipe for these bars appeared in 1952 and was titled “chocolate square.” The next year, a similar recipe appeared in a Vancouver cookbook and was renamed as “Nanaimo Bar.”


OK, Kinder Surprise isn’t exactly Canadian, but the delightful treat is so popular among Canadian kids that we couldn’t leave it off this list!

The chocolate egg, which has a surprise toy inside, was created by Italian company Ferrero in the ‘70s. While Kinder Surprise can be found all around the world, it's banned in the U.S. because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes the toy could be a choking hazard. However, the U.S. will be getting their own version of Kinder Surprise, known as Kinder Joy eggs, next year. These new treats will be FDA-approved.

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Peanuts were never allowed at school, so Glosette Raisins made a fine alternative for us Canucks. While raisins weren’t really a go-to snack for kids, this treat proved that if you cover anything in chocolate, kids will eat it. Glosette Raisins are an exclusively Canadian candy and are manufactured by Hershey's Canada.

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