October 19, 2022

Canada is well known for many things. Hockey, snow, maple syrup, and a few other stereotypical but somewhat accurate concepts may immediately come to mind. What you may not know, though, is how invested we are in the snacks that we consume. Compared to the U.S., sure, we are no match for the quantity and variety offered in the land of the free, home of the snacks. However, what we know in our hearts is that Canada has a long-standing, tried-and-true, flawed, yet beloved top-notch snack game. I’m talking about comfort foods that have become so integrated and so established that they are classified as cult-favourites—and no, I did not spell favourites incorrectly. You are about to see a lot more of the letter “U” in this article. Sorry!

The great Canadian snack game is easy enough to understand. You think of a flavour and either slap it on a potato or pair it with chocolate. Snacking has always been a huge part of Canadian food culture, but it is only going up from here. To put it lightly, the past few years have been tough on everyone around the world, and Canadians have chosen to increase their spending on snacks by 67% as an indulgence or, personally, as a coping mechanism. In no way, shape, or form am I claiming to be a culinary expert somehow employed in the field of Finance, but I have eaten a lot in my life and right now, I’m the best and/or only Canadian guide you’ve got. Let’s get into the details:

The salty:

Ketchup Chips

This is likely the most widely known and controversial flavour to come out of Canada. We have been teased for decades over ketchup chips, but we take it because, well, they’re good. Lay’s has dominated the flavour, but a newcomer entered the market this year; Canadian-made Miss Vickie’s introduced a Sweet & Spicy Ketchup kettle chip that has disrupted the classic with divided opinions. Honestly, I’ll take both.

Image: cheesemaker.ca

The sweets: 

Coffee Crisp

How on earth haven’t other countries tapped into this one yet? Another well-known snack to come out of the great white north is beloved by the Timmies (see: Tim Hortons) and the Starbucks communities alike. If you love coffee, you love Coffee Crisp. The chocolate bar is not the bougie bigshot gourmet coffee chocolate you see wrapped in foil and bows; it’s your everyday Joe. Cup of Joe. Cup of Joe in a chocolate bar. Hopefully you’ve arrived at the point. Ironically, I’m not a coffee fan myself, but I would be remiss to deny the cultural impact and popularity of this chocolate bar.

Image: candyfunhouse.ca

Nanaimo Bar

You may have heard of beautiful Nanaimo, British Colombia on the coast of Victoria Island directly across from Vancouver. It’s famous for its natural splendor, temperate climate, and the small chocolatey squares with an unexpected twist. Not a flavour you’d expect to come out of Canada and recipes do vary, but you add some coconut in the bottom layer of crust, top it with that sweet cream and a layer of chocolate, and you’ve got yourself a good ol’ fashioned Nanaimo Bar. Besides being a lovely treat to go with a hot cup of tea or coffee, it’s also a popular dessert or breakfast if you’re feeling spicy. It’s even on a stamp!

Image: cbc.ca

Timbits

Rounding out the list in the best way possible is the snack so integrated into Canadian culture that Justin Bieber himself did a brand collaboration with them. Not that the campaign was needed since Timbits are very likely the most well-known snack to exist in Canada—made by the most well-known Canadian company, Tim Hortons. The small “donut holes” come in cult-classic flavours like the chocolate glazed and honey dip, as well as more divisive flavours such as sour cream glazed (my personal favourite) and the one always fed to dogs in the drive thru, old-fashioned plain. The company continues to expand its horizons with the super popular birthday cake Timbit and promotional flavours like Timbiebs chocolate white fudge. Iconic, to say the least.

Avie Stevenson
Manager, Finance & Operations