In case you missed it, a new candy craze has been hitting store shelves across the nation. Consumers can’t get enough of the freeze-dried candy trend, so, of course, producers continue to churn out new, tantalizing treats to keep up with the sweet demand. Even the biggest of the big names are hopping on the bandwagon. Skittles recently introduced its Pop’d freeze-dried candy, and Jolly Rancher released a freeze-dried format of its famous, bursting flavors, as well.
If you haven’t tried any of these freeze-dried favorites yet, you might be feeling some FOMO. But fear not. We highly doubt they’ll go anywhere anytime soon, especially with new iterations popping up all over the place from our favorite private-label brands. In fact, if you haven’t spotted Trader Joe’s new watermelon freeze-dried candy in your local store yet, just keep your eyes peeled for its whimsical, pastel-swirl-laden bag.
Budget-conscious shoppers need not worry, either. Everyone’s favorite budget grocer is now offering its own take on the freeze-dried trend, and customers are already saying they’ve “slept on these for far too long.”
Shoppers Love Aldi’s Dark Chocolate-Covered Freeze-Dried Fruit—a Hidden Gem
An overlooked treat from Aldi’s Simply Nature brand has recently been spotted at local grocers, and it would seem that consumers can’t get enough of it. The brand released dark chocolate-covered freeze-dried fruits to wide acclaim, offering a choice between banana and strawberry bags, and providing a surefire way to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Better still, the trendy fruit is made with simple, natural ingredients—fruit and dark chocolate—that make it a great snack for when you’re on the go or simply want a little sweet indulgence. The result is a lightly crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth treat that seriously delivers in the flavor department.
Fads come and go, but Aldi shoppers hope this poppable snack sticks around for the long haul. One customer took to Reddit to call the snack an “unexpected favorite.” Though the strawberry bag seems to be the go-to, the banana still gets ample credit for being a similarly tasty snack. If you’re on the fence, Reddit users still say it’s worth grabbing a bag—they’re pretty inexpensive, and you may just end up with a new favorite treat. Don’t skip the snack if you have particular taste buds, either. One commenter said, “I can easily take out most of a bag in one sitting if I don’t watch out, and I’m picky about chocolate.”
While we certainly never think it’s too late to dip your toes into the waters of new food trends, we can’t guarantee retailers would say the same. After all, the market is ever-changing, and we’re all a little subject to the whimsy of what’s “in” or “out”—which is to say, you should probably try these while they’re still available.