I have never been a candy / mint / gum person. It’s just never been my thing. I mean, I love me some chocolate and all, but I’ve never really made a habit of surrounding myself with all manner of Starburst and Altoids and Extra and whathaveyou.
Brownies? Yes.
Oatmeal cookies? Sure.
Sweet Tarts? Not so much.
However.
A couple of years ago I discovered the best gum with the worst name: Stride. And while I’m never going to be somebody who chews gum all day long, I developed a fondness for the dark blue Stride. It’s not anything I carry in my purse at all times, but it’s definitely my gum of choice.
Even still, I really didn’t understand why some people would leave the grocery store with 12 packs of gum or 4 bags of gummy worms or 14 tins of Altoids. The appeal of the candy aisle was sort of lost on me.
For the record, the appeal of the potato chips aisle was never, ever lost on me. Oh no ma’am. Not for one second.
Just rest in the peace of knowing that.
But one day this past fall – when I was in an airport, I think – an impulse purchase at a newspaper stand changed my life forever.
DO YOU HEAR ME?
FOR-EV-ER.
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
I don’t know what it is. I don’t know why the Icebreakers have a hold on me in a way that Altoids never did. I don’t know why I start to feel anxious when my stash runs low and WHAT IF I RUN OUT? I don’t know why their minty freshness delights me. I don’t know what “flavor crystals” are.
But one thing I know for sure: the Icebreakers and I are in this thing for the long haul. Apparently there was a mint-sized hole in my heart that only they could fill. And now – AND NOW – my life is complete. At least as far as candy is concerned. Which, granted, is probably the least important area of personal fulfillment. But still.
So, people of the interweb – what’s your “long haul” candy? Do you have a favorite?
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Smartees…………..I can’t resist…have no restraint……..they melt in my mouth….I’m like a kid….I stack them by color…..eat them in groupings……..I did the ultimate and gave them up one year for lent…HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE….not really, but almost…….they are just my thing and everyone knows it and that makes me so happy!!!!
Twizzlers! (but only is they’re fresh.)
And those orange-shaped, jelly-fruit things covered in sugar. I like the red, cherry flavored ones, too! But not the expensive ones that have the colorful fruit rind on them- the really cheap ones where you can get a big bag for a buck at the dollar store! Oh, yeah!
Strawberry twizzlers…when I lived in England and people asked what they could bring me from the states I always asked for twizzlers. They’re especially good on a road trip if you set them in your dash and the sun warms them a little. Oh my.
lifesaver peppermints-so old fashioned but so good.
A mint-sized hole . . . Ha!!
I love those little mints, and I think it’s a texture thing. They are so soft and slippery. They remind me of the old Velamints from long, long ago. (You’re probably too young to even remember them–did I just say that?!)
Twix candy bars – I just can’t quit them.
I LOVE these too! Always have them in my purse!
Also, love sweet tarts (especially the heart ones they put out around Valentine’s day) and chocolate of course!
Extra gum in the Supermint flavor. It came out in regular stores for a while and I found it there, and now I can only find it in the Dollar Tree (which is fine, because I always stock up on a pack or two when I’m shopping.) Best. gum. ever.
Red Vines. I don’t eat them often, but if I see them – they’re mine!
Ice Tea Icebreakers are addictive. The only place I have been able to find them are the check-out at Target. They have Lemon IceTea (my fav) and Peach Ice Tea. I buy a stash when I am in the U.S. but they don’t last long because me children “find” them…
By far: Lifesavers Peppermints. I have those things everywhere…my purse, on my desk at work, in the car. LOVE THEM!
And if someone tries to toss in a wintergreen lifesavers mint–I can tell instantly. Don’t go messing with my peppermint!
I’m also a sucker for the Bob’s Red and White mints that look like a butter mint (you know, those little pastel colored mints you find at weddings next to the mixed nuts?)? Only much, much bigger–like a butter mint on steroids.
Candy? Give me a plate of nachos ANY day. Unless you’ve got a dark chocolate Dove bar.
Oh my word… Sour Patch Kids. I can power through a package in such dedication that I rarely even notice when I reach the point of no longer being able to feel the inside of my mouth due to the sugar-coated sourness.
I also may have received in my stocking this year a bag of miniature Dove dark chocolates with a layer of peppermint bark on the top of each piece that I have stretched out and made last until just this week. I’m not even a little bit embarrassed to admit that when I asked The Boy to please hand me one my last two chocolates and he asked if he could have the second… I re-asked for the last two. I love him to the stars and back, but can’t ANYTHING come between me and my Dove…
Mentos, absolute favorite!
Hot Tamales, hands down. I have no control over these and have loved these since Grad School when you could buy a handful out of the machine for 25 cents.
Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears. If you’ve never tried them, I BEG you – P.L.E.A.S.E DONT! They are wicked, evil, maliciously adicting…
LOL! You are so funny! I love strawberry twizzlers. Have to have them. M&M’s with peanuts are a close second.
Umm…I don’t know that I could pick just one. I’m pretty sure my love for candy makes up for your lack of it…I’m ok with that (my doctor may not be). If I had to narrow it down to three…I’d say Milky Way, Orange Slices and Hot Tamales. But of course I could always go for the others (just nothing waxy and no twizzlers).
Well I think we have different tastes but my favorite is also IceBreakers-but the berry flavor. They don’t do a lot to help with your breath but my mouth waters every time I see the package. Yummmmmm
I taste the rainbow every chance I get….yum!
ooo…and as far as the ice breakers go…my fiance and I make it a mission to find every kind of flavor we can! We even found iced tea and peach iced tea flavored ones! DE-lightful!
As a fairly recently diagnosed diabetic, I got REALLY religious on my sugar intake at first and gave up everything I ever loved – including Little Debbie snack cakes. I still miss nutty bars … but anyway, I was never a chocolate fiend except for M&Ms. I still miss them. And every now and then I will break down and buy a bag and ration them out for myself. What used to be gobbled down in a Mississippi minute now lasts almost a week, believe it or not. After over a year of going without sugared treats, though, they’re really not that tasty anymore. I do keep a round of Ice Breakers in my purse and in my desk drawer, though. It’s not the sweetness I enjoy, though, but I just have a thing against bad breath and I’m probably way over anal about it!! OK, enough before we all know I need some therapy!
My love affair with Chewy Sprees began at a mall in Kentucky, I would guess. Malls often have them in those old fashioned, red “bubble gum” machines for 25 cents (is there a cents symbol on a keyboard? i feel like a grandma right now). A handful of Chewy Sprees can go a long way in brightening up any child’s day, and they are still a favorite for road trips or layovers in airports.
I have a special (meaning obsessive) fondness for Cadbury Mini-Eggs. Unfortunately, they are only available around Easter.
I have been know to clean off the shelf at the grocery store with the mistaken idea that there are enough of them to last me till the next Easter. Not that I would actually admit that were true if someone accused me of such a thing.
I’m a sucker for Heath bars, or any kind of toffee.
And I do try to have mint gum on my person at all times to combat Funk Breath!
What’s hilarious is as I was reading your post I was THINKING of these mints!!! I discovered them recently too. I may or may not have them in my desk at work, in my purse, and an extra four in my pantry at home. Every time I got to buy another at the store my husband looks at me and opens his mouth to comment and I officially glare his mouth shut. Obsessed? Nope, not me. :)
Swedish fish.
Smarties…no, Runts…no, Nerds…no, Smarties! Decisions, decisions…
i have fallen in love with the “tiny” wintergreen altoids, the cinnamon bun lifesaver creme savers, and all flavors of nips…ESPECIALLY the chocolate one!
Extra peppermint gum. We have been in it together since 1996. I don’t see us breaking up anytime soon.
I love the Cadbury Mini Eggs! Thank goodness they’re only around at Easter time. I also love Mint Mojito Orbit gum, but they have discontinued that flavor everywhere except Target. There it is only in the three pack, so I have to stock up every time I go!
sour: Extreme airheads
chocolate:Milk chocolate dove
gum: Orbit sweetmint
candy: chewy spree
movie candy: milk duds
And for the record, I also can forgo the candy isle, but I MUST avoid the chip ilse for the temptation that I do not have the power to overcome.
I’m like you and can easily live without candy. Chips & cookies….not so much. However, I do enjoy the Altoids Tangerine Sours. They remind me of the Adams Sour Orange gum that they had back in the day. That stuff was great – the flavor lasted about 3 minutes, but during those 3 minutes, it was like eating a spoonful of Tang.
Love these too.. a recent find for me too.
off topic: I saw on fb about this young man ….if you have time, would you remmember him in prayer. There IS still hope. His name is Davis Hames with Compasssion.
http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=402939
If yo like those you HAVE to try the ICE CUBES. Same thing but in a cube shaped piece of gum. There’s just something about the texture. Get the blue.
Oh girl…if I knew your address I’d send you a case of them, just to thank you for brightening my day.
For me it’s M&M’s. I think there is a special place in Heaven for the creators of this most excellent candy. I hope I get to sit next to them when I get there.
That cracks me up . . . I have an addiction to the Cinnamon Ice Breakers, and girlfriend, they are hard to find!
My husband drives from customer to customer all day for work, and he graciously scours every out-of-the-place gas station and mini mart on the hunt for these babies.
As we say around here, Cinnamon Ice Breakers are my love language!
I am far more addicted to the salty crunchy stuff than the sweet, but with that said….I do love me some cinnamon bears!
For junk food, I am more of a cookie/ brownie/ potato chip/ cupcake lover… but I CANNOT say no to a peach ring! So sweet and gummy and peachy. Delish.
You are so funny! ! ! I have a Lemon Heads fever. Also, I was an Orbit Mist Peppermint Spray gum person until the old TMJ got me and I really don’t need to chew gum anymore. I really don’t need to chew Lemon Heads either so maybe your find will replace my need for candy and fresh breath! ! ! Thanks for shopping for me!
Obvs. chocolate is up there, but I lurve me any fruit-flavored candy. Right now my fave is chewy Lemonheads and Friends, which cracks me up. The cherry ones used to be called Cherry Clan, but they’re now “Cherryheads.” Anywho, I love biting into something hard to get to something chewy. I have a problem.
I am also ADDICTED to the Icebreakers. I have to keep two containers in my purse at all times…and two in my car. The Breathsavers 3 Hour Mint (in the same round container) also rock…Spearmint flavor!
Candy: NERDS! but can I just say that I feel like a 7 year old when I say that. Can’t help, I love ‘em!
Candy Bars: Twix
Chocolate: Hershey’s Treasures with Caramel. mmmmmm mmmmm mmmm
I’m like you – I’m more of a lover of chocolate or salty stuff, but I keep Peppermint Icebreakers in my purse. But I think mine is more to tame funky breath.
Also, when I go to the movies (not that often), I like to go by the store and get me some Chewy Sprees. Although they’re getting kind of hard to find, so I’ll settle for Chewy Sweethearts (the big ones in a 4 pk). It’s even better if you can balance it out with some popcorn though!
Hershey with almonds!
You have hit on my problem. The Candy Aisle. There’s no ONE favorite, but I’d have to start with….yes….Candy Corn. But ONLY Brach’s brand Candy Corn. Then we’ll try the Jelly Bellies – that’s Ronald Reagan’s fault – the Skittles. Especially the super sour ones. *sigh* excuse me while I run to the jiffy mart!
Those are my favorites too! The Altoids always reminded me of old lady peppermint…too strong!
I thought for sure everyone would be all chocolate and I’d be the wild card with my sour gummy worms, but hey, it looks like we non chocolate people are in the vast majority. Makes me wonder if companies really think they are advertising to draw in the kids!
Oh, and not the tropical flavored sour gummies and the Trolli brand is my favorite. Oh yeah! Plus I’m sure it looks appropriate for a 56 year old woman to be eating sour gummy worms. I wonder if there is a way to be the poster woman for their product? I’m thinking not…
Even as a little girl, any candy other than chocolate candy was considered sub-par!
And now my favorite is Dove dark chocolate. It’s so smooth and creamy and chocolaty! I eat a couple of bite sized pieces every day.
My hands-down, all-time favorite candy is Hershey’s Special Dark Nuggets with Almonds. My special little indulgence with a cup of straight-up black coffee.
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