Americans have a few snacks that rarely show up any time of year other than winter. Sometimes it’s because our favorite winter snacks come in holiday tins or only appear at Christmas markets, other times they’re limited-edition grocery releases. Whatever the reason, here are nine snacks Americans say they can’t go without once the cold settles in.
Peppermint bark from holiday tins
Most Americans stock up on those metal holiday tins as soon as they hit the store shelves. These tins contain a mix of chocolate and crushed candy canes that we tend to save for cold nights, even when we swear that we’ll only have a single piece.
You’ll find quite a few families putting their tins out when they’re wrapping gifts, or simply watching a movie. But outside of November to December, most stores stop carrying peppermint bark. It forces people to rush and grab a tin while they still can, since they don’t want to have to wait a whole year to eat some.
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes seem to be everywhere between late fall and Christmas. But then they disappear as quickly as they arrived. Several American families buy multiple boxes of these snacks because they remember how much they loved eating them when they were growing up. Nothing quite compares to the taste of a Little Debbie.
There are even those who freeze their Tree Cakes, hoping to stretch the season a bit longer. These cakes are in lunchboxes and office corners throughout the festive season. But they’re nearly impossible to find once January hits.
Candy cane sandwich cookies
You just can’t beat peppermint sandwich cookies with candy cane bits in the filling. Chains like Trader Joe’s and Target sell them during the festive season, and people buy them in bulk for cookie swaps or late-night snacking. Sometimes, they get a few boxes simply because the boxes look festive.
It’s the texture that’s truly irresistible. It’s a mix of crunchy cookie and minty cream that makes you feel so festive in a way that regular flavors don’t. But after the holidays, the stores move them off the shelves, and they go right back to plain chocolate or vanilla versions. They don’t compare.
Gingerbread house kit candy
Sure, people claim they buy gingerbread house kits for decorating. But the truth is that they’ll probably have eaten the candy that comes inside long before the gingerbread house is even finished. Those gumdrops and striped peppermints are something special.
Unfortunately, these kits aren’t sold the same way outside of December, meaning that anyone who wants to eat them will need to wait for the right season. They’re delicious for adults and kids alike. It doesn’t take long for the kit to look half-empty, thanks to everyone picking off a piece when they’re walking past.
Giant holiday popcorn tins
The arrival of the festive period means the arrival of big decorative tins filled with caramel, cheddar, and butter, in supermarkets and hardware stores. So many families keep a tin next to couches or under coffee tables. They’ll dip into them during long evenings because there’s something about them that’s so comforting.
Popcorn tins often come as gifts, sometimes from people you barely know, yet they somehow always get finished anyway. It’s quite difficult to find the exact three-section kind of popcorn tin outside of winter, and that’s why people treat the tins as cold-season regulars.
Cinnamon-roasted nuts in paper cones
Anyone who has ever wandered through a winter market or outdoor tree lighting will have seen these before. You can usually smell the warm cinnamon nuts before you even see the cart because the scent is that strong. Whether it’s roasted almonds or pecans, they taste absolutely delicious.
Most people usually snack on them while they’re walking around, and then they’ll finish whatever’s left once they’re warming up at home. But you won’t see these carts outside of winter in most towns. It keeps this treat tied to winter nights.
Eggnog-flavored ice cream
Even people who usually avoid regular eggnog can’t resist the ice cream version once winter arrives. Several brands put out limited-edition cartons that have nutmeg and custard-style flavors, which are usually meant to go next to the pies during holiday dinners.
It’s easy to forget how rich eggnog-flavored ice cream is until you take that first spoonful. Sadly, the flavor almost entirely disappears from freezer cases as soon as the New Year has passed. The stores often switch to spring releases that don’t quite taste as good as this special variety.
Cranberry white chocolate snack bars
You can’t beat these bars. They’re packed with dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle on a soft base that tastes like cookies. No wonder they’re on office tables practically all winter. Starbucks is responsible for making the flavor combo familiar, and people nowadays bring their homemade versions to every festive event.
They’ll usually cut them into little squares and eat them with coffee when it’s cold outside. They’re the perfect winter warm-up. The majority of home bakers stop making them once the holidays wrap up, and that means people associate the flavor only with winter gatherings.
Hot cocoa bombs with marshmallows
Hot cocoa bombs didn’t really exist a few years ago. But they’ve managed to become an essential part of our winter menus relatively quickly. The chocolate shells contain cocoa mix and marshmallows, sometimes crushed peppermint, and kids tend to drop them in warm milk for the melt. Adults hand them out as easy gifts.
They’re the kind of snack you’ll see at holiday markets and on craft tables alike. But they disappear once temperatures rise, and most families only buy or make them during the cold stretch.
7 Holiday Decorations People Judge the Moment They Walk Into Your Home
There are some decorations that practically everyone judges once they see them. Here are seven of them. Just a heads up, this isn’t meant to be a criticism of anyone who has them. Feel free to keep these decorations if you wish.
7 Holiday Decorations People Judge the Moment They Walk Into Your Home