# Candy Question for Brits **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 12, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483 "2004-08-12T03:10:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/21 "2004-08-12T21:04:16Z")
Do the Brits have BlowPops and Tootsie Pops, or equivalent? They’re two of my favorites. As for the comparison between Brit & US candy - I really don’t care for Cadbury or Nestle chocolate, which seem to make up a large portion of the Brit candy market. It is totally about individual taste and to some extent what you grew up with. I prefer Hershey chocolate, which for me has a good lead on M&M-Mars chocolate in second place, with Nestle & Cadbury chocolate barely visible on the horizon in 3rd place. The absolute worst chocolate ever, though, has to be those nasty chocolate footballs that always show up in Christmas stockings. Ick! And Brit cookies (biscuits) are, IMO, not sweet enough! 🙂 Note that none of this prevents me from heartily consuming all the interesting candy bars that can be found in the UK, Canada, Australia, etc. I just love to try the local snackfoods. Many are quite good, but if everyday I had to choose between a Whatchamacallit and an Aero bar, I’d go with the Whatchamacallit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/22 "2004-08-12T22:38:35Z")
Lemonheads (very tart) Red-Hots (very hot cinnamon taste, for the benefit of the Brits) Jaw Breakers and Atomic Fireballs chocolate-covered malt balls – they’re not just for Easter anymore! After Eight (thin chocolate mints) dunno the name – those puffy white mints, sometimes filled with fruity jellies, you sometimes find in restaurants by the cash register any root beer flavored candy Gummy anything Candy Corn/Pumpkins Snickers, Milky Way bars ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/23 "2004-08-13T06:28:53Z")
Snickers are quite easily available on this side of the pond. I’d suggest Three Musketeers bars, which aren’t, but I was the only person I ever knew in America who liked them, so I doubt someone in Britain would. ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/24 "2004-08-13T07:11:41Z")
Pez, along with a collectible (Star Wars? 🙂 ) dispenser. Candy necklace Wax lips Those wax bottles with liquid in them Blo-pops (bubblegum lollipop) Raspberry jelly candies (look like raspberries and blackberries) I’d also buy boxes of Capn’ Crunch (with Crunchberries!), Count Chocula and Lucky Charms and use them as packing materials, because that’s all anyone in their right minds (read: not high) would use them for. i wish i had some right now. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/25 "2004-08-13T09:39:29Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > chocolate-covered malt balls – they’re not just for Easter anymore! Are these 1cm honeycomb malt balls covered with chocolate? - if so, we have them already (they are called Maltesers here) > [@](#): > > After Eight (thin chocolate mints) We have these (I think they originated in the UK). > [@](#): > > Snickers, Milky Way bars We have Snickers (many people in the UK still mourn the change of name from ‘Marathon’). We also have something called Milky Way, but I have a suspicion that this is one of those that is different on either side of the Atlantic - the UK version is light, soft, whipped nougat covered with chocolate - am I remembering correctly that the USA version includes caramel? It’s either Milky Way or Mars or both that are different. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/26 "2004-08-13T10:44:41Z")
> [@](#): > > We also have something called Milky Way, but I have a suspicion that this is one of those that is different on either side of the Atlantic - the UK version is light, soft, whipped nougat covered with chocolate - am I remembering correctly that the USA version includes caramel? It’s either Milky Way or Mars or both that are different. It’s been ages since i’ve eaten either candy, but there’s one kind that has just the chocolate fluff inside a chocolate shell, and there’s another kind that has a caramel layer on the chocolate fluff. One is called Milky Way, and the other is called Three Musketeers. I’m diabetic, so I can only have very small amounts of chocolate at a time. These days I only eat very high quality dark chocolate, in order to get the maximum chocolate taste for my sugar expenditure. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/27 "2004-08-13T10:52:01Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > I’m diabetic, so I can only have very small amounts of chocolate at a time. These days I only eat very high quality dark chocolate, in order to get the maximum chocolate taste for my sugar expenditure. Sounds like a variant of [Fuzzy Pink Niven’s Law](http://seanb.livejournal.com/2002/09/17/) (a principle to which I generally subscribe) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/28 "2004-08-13T11:14:02Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > We also have something called Milky Way, but I have a suspicion that this is one of those that is different on either side of the Atlantic - the UK version is light, soft, whipped nougat covered with chocolate - am I remembering correctly that the USA version includes caramel? It’s either Milky Way or Mars or both that are different. I didn’t conduct as extensive research as I would have liked when I was in America 🙂 but I think this is how it works: **Milky Way:** UK: light fluffy nougat, covered in chocolate. Similar, if not identical, to US Three Musketeers. US: fluffy nougat, topped with caramel and covered in chocolate. Similar to UK Mars bar. **Mars:** UK: nougat, not as fluffy as UK Milky Way, topped with caramel and covered in chocolate. See US Milky Way. US: similar to UK Mars bar but with the addition of almonds. Was (but is no longer?) available in the UK as “Almond Mars”. **Three Musketeers:** UK: not available. Or at least it is, but we call it Milky Way. US: light fluffy nougat covered in chocolate. See UK Milky Way. Confusing, isn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/29 "2004-08-13T12:06:51Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Pop Rocks Search these out! Lik-m-Aid too. I mean really, who wouldn’t want three bags of colored sugar with two sugar sticks that you suck to get wet, stick in the sugar to get the stick covered and then lick it clean. It’s like a super pixie stick. There are places on the internet where you can buy these one packet at a time. That’ll keep the cost down. Ooh, they have candy cigarettes too. I can’t believe my parents bought those for me when I was little. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/30 "2004-08-13T12:22:17Z")
There’s not many (or maybe not any) peanut butter based sweets here, so Reeses and ButterFinger would be a good bet. ---
**Author:** ![\_Tallulah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/ac8455/32.png) [@\_Tallulah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Tallulah)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/31 "2004-08-13T12:36:41Z")
someone earlier mentioned SPREE and I second that. Spree are absolutely delicious and whenever i go to the USA I bring back loads and loads of them. They are long thin tubes of little round candys. DIVINE. You gotta get your friend some Spree. ---
**Author:** ![Aries28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Aries28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aries28)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/32 "2004-08-13T13:47:56Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > Actually none of the above are sold in Ireland either - wanna send me a care package? 😉 If you are still interested, send me an email at [Aries28kp@hotmail.com](mailto:Aries28kp@hotmail.com) with your address and I’ll hook you up with some SweetTarts and/or any other candy you desire in exchange for some postcards or something from your area to share with my 4th graders. 🙂 In fact, anybody overseas wanting to make such an exchange shoot me an email. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Guy\_of\_Gisbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sir\_Guy\_of\_Gisbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Guy_of_Gisbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/33 "2004-08-13T14:36:10Z")
I can’t believe that nobody has mentioned Tootsie rolls yet. ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/34 "2004-08-13T15:08:58Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Some good red string licorice? 'scuse the hijack, but… **THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS RED LICORICE!!!** If it’s red, it’s probably cherry or strawberry! \end hijack ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/35 "2004-08-13T23:00:28Z")
Okay, I think I have a good list of candy to send to her but can someone ( **Mangetout**?) read it and make sure it’s all American and/or hard to find in Britain? I’d appreciate it. > [@](#): > > Nerds > Starbursts > Bit O’ Honey > Cookies and Cream bar > Twizzlers > PB M&Ms > Sweet Tarts > Smarties > Pixie Sticks > Almond Joy > Mounds > Skittles > Jolly Ranchers > Lemonheads > Red Hots > Jaw Breakers > Atomic Fireballs > Gummy Bears > Candy Corn > Root beer candy > Pez > Candy Necklace > Wax lips > Wax bottles with liquid in them > Tootsie Pops > Blow Pops > Pop Rocks > Lik-M-Aid > Reese’s Cups > Reese’s Pieces > Butterfinger > Spree. > Tootsie rolls. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/36 "2004-08-13T23:33:22Z")
Don’t forget about Reeses’s **Nutrageous** candy bar. It’s full of peanuts, peanut butter, caramel and chocolate. Whenever I get one, I inhale the aroma just like a fine cigar. I guess that is taking things just a little too far but I don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483/37 "2004-08-14T00:25:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It is certainly _different_, but I don’t think we should throw stones from our glasshouse; UK Cadbury’s products seem to be something that everybody raves about (and I must confess that I like some of them), but they aren’t really very good chocolate - compared to many European chocolates, they contain disappointingly small proportions of cocoa and milk solids. We do have some excellent chocolate here though (I like Green & Blacks). > > My experience of US confectionery has been that the chocolate (esp Hershey brand) is a little _grainy_ on the tongue and has a sort of _toasted_ flavour to it; neither of these features are intrinsically good or bad. Peanuts seem to feature very prominently in American confectionery too, much more so than here. I have heard that the reason many find the UK’s (and, in general, all of Europe’s) chocolate better than the US and Canada’s is because over on this side of the pond we put some wax in it to up the melting point and keep it more solid. I don’t have any chocolate on hand (hate the stuff) but I do seem to recall ‘carnuba wax’ being an ingriedient in SOMETHING, though whether or not chocolate is that something I can’t say for certain. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candy-question-for-brits/259483.md?page=1)