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Growing up in an Asian household, love can be expressed in very different ways. I’m sure some of you can relate that hearing the words “I love you” is almost as rare as seeing pigs fly. Love in my family was always expressed through food, ensuring that everyone had lots to eat and that meals were prepared with care. Or when your mom comes into your room without saying anything and leaves a plate of cut-up fruit.
However, I remember coming home from elementary school, and I would repeatedly beg my mom to stop packing me jajangmyeon or fried rice in my bright pink thermostat for lunch. All I ever wanted in the world was a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread for lunch. Was that an unreasonable request? I didn’t want to be the kid nobody sat with because their lunch smelt or looked weird. Now that I have moved across the country, all I crave is a home-cooked Asian meal made by my parents. Ironic, isn’t it?
As a university student, I do not have the budget to continuously satisfy my cravings for Asian take-out food from the few authentic restaurants that we have, and attempting recipes is time-consuming for someone that is not a good cook. However, this year I did stumble across a local Korean grocery store in my area. I came across shelves of Asian snacks, some that I grew up eating and others that I had never seen before. Now, this post is something more lighthearted, as I will be reviewing eight different Asian snacks that I found in hopes of satisfying my craving for Asian food.
There are again eight different snacks I selected that I will review and rank based on three main categories. The first category is based on the packaging of the product. More specifically, does it look appealing and is it easy to open? Nothing more frustrating than trying to open a snack, and you have to get scissors to open it up. The second category is based on the flavour of the snack, both the initial taste and the aftertaste. The initial taste is one thing, but if it leaves a weird taste in my mouth, that ain’t it. The last category is “on the go,” focusing on can the snack be taken with you and eaten on the go? As a university student, everyone has a busy life, whether studying, working, extra-curricular, and more. These snacks need to be easy to take with you and support your active lifestyle.
Down below are the snack listings with a short description as well as the results of the ranking. If instead, you prefer to watch a video than reading, I mean don’t we all? Feel free to click the YouTube video linked above to watch my review!
Snack #1 - Choco Pie
Packaging: 5/5
Flavour: 3.5/5
On The Go: 5/5
The Choco Pie is a soft cupcake-like dessert snake that will satisfy your sweet tooth. It's chocolate flavour is not overpowering and has a marshmallow filling that reminds me of a wagon wheel. Very delicious and easy to take on the go with you.However, the inside is a bit dry, so if you are eating it you definitely want a drink nearby. This is one of those snacks that elementary school kids have and everyone would want to trade with you!
Snack #2 - Pocky
Packaging: 5/5
Flavour: 5/5
On The Go: 5/5
Pocky is a classic child-hood snack I ate, especially after my Taekwondo lessons. My mom would take me to the local Korean grocery store and I would run straight to the snack aisle to pick up this snack. It has a crunchy pretzel texture with a light and sweet strawberry icing on the outside. Super easy to take with you wherever you go and not a messy snack.
Snack #3 - Milkis
Packaging: 4/5
Flavour: 4.5/5
On The Go: 4/5
Many people would stay away from a drink that advertises itself as milk and yogurt flavoured carbonated drink. However, this was one of the snacks that surprised me the most! It was a subtle sweet that again was not overpowering and the perfect amount of carbonation (slightly bubbly). It tastes similar to what a creamsicle would taste like in drink form. Highly recommend and it comes in different sizes at the store. Tastes much better when it is served cold!
Snack #4 - Shrimp Flavoured Chips
Packaging: 3.5/5
Flavour: 5/5
On The Go: 4/5
Another classic chip snack I ate growing up. Although the pictures of shrimp may scare some people away from buying the snack, I highly recommend trying it! As soon as you bite into the chip, this powerful and flavourful taste hits you. It is not overly-fishy and does not taste like bad seafood. The chip texture is crispy and light almost like a cloud.
Snack #5 - Onion Flavoured Chip Rings
Packaging: 4.75/5
Flavour: 5/5
On The Go: 4/5
Now the onion rings also surprised me as the flavour tastes exactly like what the picture shows you. The smokey and onion and leek taste hit you as soon as you take a bite. I thought it would be similar to sour cream and onion, but it is definitely a different experience. I feel like it would taste good with Korean bbq. I do recommend this snack, however I highly recommend you have mints or gum to eat after. Some people might not appreciate your breath afterwards.
Snack #6 - Honey Butter Chips
Packaging: 5/5
Flavour: 4/5
On The Go: 2.5/5
Wow, this snack made me realize the intricate flavours that asian snacks have. I honestly could not picture what this was going to taste like. The chip itself is very crispy and light which makes me feel like I could eat the whole bag in 30 seconds. The flavour profile was subtly sweet, like it had a hint of honey but I would still call it a savoury snack. Although, I cannot seem to describe the flavour that well, it's one of those snacks that is so addictive and I kept wanting to go back for more.
Snack #7 - Hot and Spicy Chips
Packaging: 2.5/5
Flavour: 4/5
On The Go: 2.5/5
For this snack, picture a bag of BBQ chips and a jalapeño pepper had a baby, this is what you would get. The spiciness didn't hit me at first and I thought it tasted just like plain BQQ chips. However, it had that spice that hits you in the back of the throat. It's thickness is similar to Pringles, light and crispy. I noticed that most asian chips are on the thinner side, and don't make you feel heavy after eating them. The chip dust on this snack is prominent so I don't recommend eating this on the go.
Snack #8 - Hot Chicken Flavour Snack
Packaging: 5/5
Flavour: 4.5/5
On The Go: 4/5
The last snack I tried took me on a wild adventure. I love spicy foods and snacks and this brand is known for their spicy instant noodles. It was hot chicken flavoured so I was definitely expecting a savoury salty spicy experience. The actual snack itself was in the shape of a macaroni tube and as soon as I took a bite I was very confused. It tastes like hard mini churros with a slight subtle sweetness. However two seconds later, the spiciness hits you in the back of the throat. It was such a wild journey eating this snack but it was very delicious.
My Choice
My overall choice will definitely be the pocky snack if I had to recommend just one. Ultimately every snack was delicious but Pocky will be a forever favourite that I can never get sick of. It might be because it's reminiscent of my childhood, but overall it is a top tier snack. Not overly salty or sweet, but satisfies all your cravings without making a mess. Perfect before, during, and after class and can easily be shared without worrying about spreading germs.
I hope this post opened your eyes to all the amazing Asian snacks you have not tried yet. These were only some of the ones I recommend buying when you crave the Asian flavours but are on a tight budget and have time constraints.
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