Your Canadian Junk Food Shopping List

I went to Canada and came back with....a craving for All Dressed Chips.

Seriously.

Good thing there's a border between me and those chips!


But first, the backstory.

Jeremy, Rebecca, and I had a layover at the airport in Victoria. They're both Canadian so I got the lay of the land, probing them about important stuff. No, not about their sexy President who, when asked why his Cabinet was 50 percent female, responded, "Because it's 2015." DUH! And no, we did not go into detail about Canada's universal health care, or the fact that women get A YEAR for maternity leave. I needed to know about important stuff....like, "What's up with ketchup-flavored potato chips????"

At that very moment, another traveler chimed in, "They're addictive! And you can't get them in the States."

This is a man who knows things!

Meet Rob Scoundrel, who gave me the lowdown on Canadian junk food. "You gotta try Coffee Crisps." I made a note, and he scoffed,  "The Smarties you get in the States aren't the same--at all!"

Clearly we bonded. And by the time he left for his flight, we were Facebook friends, and snapping pictures. Junk food unites people. World peace, and Smarties.

A few minutes later, Rob came back and offered this Gift from the Gods. Cheers to the nearby airport kiosk! Sparkies are like M&Ms, with better chocolate. The Coffee Crisps are delicious with a nice hit of coffee flavor, and not overly sweet. When my buddy Lance comes to Canada, he confessed, they buy them by the case at Costco.

But wait, it gets better. 

I posted the photo on Facebook, and a flurry of responses came back. The love for Canadian junk food runs deep, y'all! The only problem? I didn't have a car. My trip was jam-packed and there wasn't a moment to spare, or so I thought. 

That night I was laughing about this entire exchange...meeting Rob at the airport, and the laundry list of Canadian junk food recommendations that followed. Well, let's just say, the Prince George Tourism folks did me a solid. After dinner one night, we pulled over at a 7-11. The neighborhood might have been questionable, but the goods inside were spot on! I grabbed nearly $30 worth of stuff, all in the name of 'research'. 

So, if you're headed over the border, first thing to look for is Old Dutch brand All Dressed Chips. Accept no substitutes. (Ruffles, WTF? No. No. No. Not even close.) Old Dutch? Hello, my lovelies! 

What makes these chips so great? First, they don't skimp on the seasoning. Each chip is amply covered, and licking it off your fingers merely extends the joy.... Second, the chip itself is the perfect ratio--not too thick, not too thin, not too crispy (looking at you Kettle Cooked), and definitely not wavy. Pure potato flavor and ideally executed. What flavor is "All Dressed"? Well, there we have a bit of a mystery. It's like an everything bagel, in chip form, blending salt, vinegar, BBQ, sour cream and onion. In other words, utterly crave-worthy. Thanks for the tip Miss 604 and Chris Hoffman!

Homesick Canadians can even order a carepage with all the goods! 

After we left the store, my buddy Lance came through with his must have Canadian junk food list. Clearly another trip to Canada is in order, right? Well, in case you're headed to Canada, spread the love, and grab some junk food. Specialties to look for:

- Dare Fudge Cookies
- Smartie McFlurry (at McDonalds)
- Aero Bars
- Crispy Crunch
- Mr. Yorkie
- Crunchie Bar
- Mak Toffee
- Ketchup Chips