So I’ve been sober for about a year, and one of the things that’s helping me stay that way is to appreciate the small things in life and to try new things rather than let myself get too stuck in a rut.

One thing I’ve recently decided I’d like to do is to circumnavigate the world with snacks. I know, I know… It’s not the most rock & roll way to spend your weekend, but I’m actually genuinely interested to try it out.

I’d like to try a crisp, a candy/chocolate and a soft drink from each country on my way, but I’m happy to deviate from that in the name of something people think is worth trying. I don’t have any dietary requirements other than the fact that I don’t drink alcohol any more, and I don’t like peanuts (not allergic, just don’t like them).

I’m in the UK, so continental Europe is the logical starting point. I was thinking France>Belgium>Germany>Czechia and down towards Turkey/the Middle East, but am open to suggestions.

Could you all recommend the best crisp, sweet and soft drink to try from your respective countries?

Thanks in advance!

8 comments
  1. Crisp: Patatje Joppie. Idk of it’s the best (or any good) but it’s distinctive.
    Candy: liquorice. If you’re the daring type get something salty, if you’re not get something sweet. My favourite sweet one is “schoolkrijt” (school chalk, tastes much better than it sounds) with pyramids as the runner-up and my favourite salty is zwart-witjes which are technically not liquorice but more salmiak.
    Soft drink: not sure we have a specific one, though I’m reasonably sure that we’re one of the few places where the Suriamese soft drink Fernandes is popular so maybe that counts

  2. In Italy –

    Crisp: Fonzies

    Chocolate: Baci Perugina, Pocket Coffee

    Sweet: Galatine

    (Non-alcoholic) Drink: Sanbitter, Chinotto

  3. Slovakia

    Salty – Arašidové chrumky (MIVA brand. Don’t settle for any other)

    Sweet – Horalky (Sedita)

    Soft drink – Kofola

    There are many other great ones, maybe other redditors will add something, but in my eyes, these are the most iconic ones.

  4. Serbia – Smoki

    It’s like a crunchy nut shaped snack, I do t really know how to explain it. 😅

  5. Australia

    shapes (crackers in different shapes)

    tim tams (chocolate wafer thing)

    best crisp: red rock deli

    best soft drink: Bundaberg ginger beer

  6. Crisps: “sukhariki” – basically dried bits of rye bread with various flavours. They became popular in the 90s as a cheap alternative to potato chips.

    Candy/chocolate: so many options! Any candy by “Krasnyj Oktyabr” or “Rotfront” but especially”Mishka kosolapyj”, “Krasnaya shapochka” and “Batonchik”. As for chocolate, I personally like “Alyonka” and “Rossiya scshedraya dusha”.

    Soft drinks: kvass, dyushess, tarkhun, buratino.

    There’s also a whole range or market candy (usually cookies, waffles or crackers) that is cheap and very sweet.

  7. In Austria:

    Crisp – Kelly’s – We don’t really have our own taste. But if you want to try something salty as a snack: Soletti (also a product of Kelly’s) is your choice.

    Candy – Manner

    Soft drink – Almdudler

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