A Definitive Ranking of the Best Gummy Candies
If your favorite childhood memory is going to a candy store and scooping out a dozen different gummy candies to be weighed at the front counter, well, congratulations, you are our kind of person.
There's little chance that you lost your taste for those sometimes sweet, sometimes sour, sometimes both, treats. Gummy candies may not be a part of a balanced meal, but they're delicious, colorful and—sometimes—the pick-me-up you need after a hard day. Or, heck, the pick-me-up you want after a pretty chill day when your only responsibility was rewatching Outer Banks for the third time this year.
Basically, gummies equal awesome. But as with everything, there are varying degrees of awesome out there. While candy boutiques like Sugarfina (love) have creative flavors and gorgeous packaging, there are still some delicious candies you can snatch up during a regular shopping trip along with your almond milk and peanut butter. Here is the scientifically proven (okay, not quite scientifically proven) definitive ranking of the best gummy candy you can score at your local supermarket.
8. Trader Joe's Mango Mango Gummy Candies
(via Trader Joe's)
Trader Joe's doesn't have a ton of candy options, but these are somewhere between a fruit snack and a mango-flavored gummy bear. We love the elevated creamsicle vibes, but they don't exactly have the nostalgic, ultra-sweet taste you may crave in a more classic candy. Still worth buying next time you're restocking on frozen cauliflower pizza and Joe-Joe's, though!
7. Haribo Frogs
(via Haribo)
Aw, they're so cute! And pretty tasty, too. Though the frogs are green (as frogs are in gummy candy and all fairytales) the flavor is actually…peach?!? Which explains why these frogs are pretty darn delectable. Still, when was the last time you heard someone say, "I could really go for a bag of Haribo Frogs?" Never. These are definitely a variety worth tossing in a candy mix when you're making a Dylan's Candy Bar run, but are not the star attraction.
6. Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers
(via Trolli)
These worms are delicious. They're just the right amount of sour. The sugar coating, however, makes these the kind of candy you want to have only a handful of before your teeth become completely coated. They're great in the moment, though.
5. AirHeads Xtreme Bites
(via Airheads)
These are basically like rainbow ribbon candy, cut down to bite-sized portions. They're a little sourer than they need to be, but overall, much easier to eat than an entire belt of gummy candy. What do you do if you're eating a belt and get tired of doing so midway through?! At least with these, you can put them right back in the cabinet, no harm done.
4. Sour Patch Kids
(via Sour Patch Kids)
Sour, sweet, gone. There's little not to like about these classic treats, but for years, we thought they were shaped like feet, and that really freaked us out. Also, blue is definitely the best flavor, but there are never enough in the box.
3. Haribo Gold-Bears
(via Haribo)
These are the only gummy bears that matter. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. They're classic and are great for throwing into everything from popcorn to frozen yogurt—be careful, as they will crack your teeth when they get too cold—to melted chocolate. We highly recommend making your own chocolate covered gummy bears, FYI. They're not the most exciting gummy in the world, but they remain a classic for a reason. Also, the pineapple flavor is the best.
2. Swedish Fish
(via Swedish Fish)
Can you definitively tell us what flavor a Swedish Fish is? It doesn't quite taste like cherry, despite the candy's bright red color. It's perhaps the most unique flavor in all gummy history, and would probably be number one on this list, if not for the fact that they are notorious for getting stuck in your teeth. Boo.
1. Trolli Peachie O's
(via Trolli)
Does anyone not like peach rings? This candy is virtually flawless. The flavor is bright and weirdly refreshing, given that it's all sugar. They also taste weirdly good with vanilla frosting. (Don't ask us how we know that.) We are convinced that anyone who doesn't like peach rings has simply never tried peach rings.
Want to read more about candy? Click HERE to find the best Instagram captions for when you're in a candy store!