When you hear the word “snack,” you typically think chips, candy, chocolate bought from the convenience store. They’re merely a source of cheap calories to propel you through the day. Buying snacks typically wouldn’t break your bank, but these companies have taken common everyday snacks and elevated it to a level worthy of a gourmand. So if you have a few extra bucks (or 20), you can spoil yourself with these luxury junk foods.
1. St. Erik’s potato chips
If you were annoyed before about how a bag of chips is comprised of 75% air, you’ll definitely be vexed when you see what this Swedish microbrewery is selling. For just $95 you get a box of five (you heard me) potato chips made “with some of the most exclusive ingredients available in the Nordics.”
They’re talking about hand-picked matsutake mushrooms, truffle seaweed only found in the waters of the Faroe Islands, and potatoes harvested from the slopes of Ammarnäs. Apparently, the chips go great with their India Pale Ale. Sure, you can pair aged wine with fancy cheese, but beer and chips are taking over as the new OTP.
2. To’ak’s chocolate bar
This chocolate bar will put even Godiva to shame. At the grand price of $359, you can get 1.76 ounces of the finest chocolate in the world. To’ak prides themselves in using fine grade cacao beans harvested from Ecuador.
After a meticulous 36 step process that involves hand-moulding liquid chocolate and measuring out the perfect cacao bean to place in the center, the chocolate bar is presented in a decorative wooden box. The chocolate is supposed to be eaten with wooden tongs in order to fully appreciate the aroma. Now if that isn’t dedication to perfection, I don’t know what is.
3. Berco’s popcorn
Aptly named Berco’s “billion dollar popcorn“, a single kernel of this gold-flecked caramel corn will cost you $6.65. Of course, anyone can shave gold on anything and slap a hefty price tag on it, but Berco’s uses quality ingredients to justify their price.
Organic sugar, butter from Vermont Creamery, Neilsen Massey Bourbon Vanilla? You bet. And naturally they have to use the world’s most expensive Laeso salt. Top it off with 23-karate edible gold flakes and I present to you “The Most Expensive Popcorn in the World.”
4. DeLafée’s lollipop
All that glitters is not gold? Well, in the case of DeLafée’s sparkly lollipop, it is. This Swiss company has outdone themselves by creating a heart-shaped strawberry flavoured lollipop covered in edible gold flakes. When your significant other is no longer satisfied with receiving chocolate on Valentine’s Day, this $118 lollipop should do the trick. Bonus: it even comes in a wooden luxury gift box covered in silk.
5. David Klein’s jelly beans
David Klein, the inventor of Jelly Belly, is bringing back the jelly bean craze with his line of “Beyond Gourmet” mixes. At $22 per pound, the product promises to take consumers on “an exotic trip around the world though the sense of taste via never-before-tasted jelly bean flavors.” And they’re not wrong. It truly takes a man with a vision to be able to come up with wasabi-flavoured and bacon-flavoured jelly beans.
While these snacks are slightly out of the price range for college students, you can still admire the innovation and creativity of the food industry to be able to take cheap confectioneries and turn them into luxury indulgences. And maybe one day you’ll find out what $95 chips taste like. For now though, I suggest sticking with Doritos.
*prices are based on Canadian dollars