Love It or Hate It: The Most Polarizing Snack Foods of All Time

Black Licorice

• Ingredients: Varies but often include tapioca syrup, sugar, modified food starch, caramel color, licorice root extract, salt, and carnauba wax
• Manufacturer: Twizzlers and Red Vines
• Type of Food: Candy

Not many foods cause a divide quite like black licorice. Black licorice makes it to the top of the list as one of the most polarizing snack foods around.

Why people love it: Pungent is the word that comes to mind when it comes to black licorice. Some people love the very strong sweetness of this candy. This sweetness can be credited to the black licorice root, glycyrrhizin, which is a natural sweetener many people enjoy.

Why people don’t love it: On the other hand, quite a few people cannot stand this candy because of the glycyrrhizin. It’s this very same root that may leave a bitter aftertaste that many can’t wait to get rid of. Additionally, others have described black licorice as smelling like Nyquil, which can by association make the black licorice very unappealing.

Candy Corn

• Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, confectioner’s glaze (shellac), salt, dextrose, gelatin, artificial flavor, honey, yellow 6, sesame oil, yellow 5, and red 3.
• Manufacturer: Brach’s Confections and Jelly Belly Candy Company
• Type of Food: Candy

Why people love it: For some, candy corn comes with nostalgia, bringing back memories of autumn as a child and warm, fuzzy feelings. Additionally, the sweetness hits just right for some, making grabbing a handful of candy corn enough to satisfy those taste buds.

Why people don’t love it: Those who hate candy corn typically describe the taste and texture as the biggest culprit. For many, candy corn tastes like plastic and produces a very sweet flavor that’s almost too much; imagine eating spoonfuls of sugar.

Twinkies

• Ingredients: Sugar, water, enriched flour, bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, high fructose corn syrup, and more
• Manufacturer: Hostess
• Type of Food: Snack food

Why people love it: Twinkies are some of the most polarizing snack foods. Those who love Twinkies love it for its sweet flavor, spongy texture, and creamy middle.

Why people don’t love it: Many describe the taste of Twinkies as similar to eating chemicals. The cream-filled substitute in the middle may be the most exciting thing about a Twinkie, yet even then, the flavor is a bit bland.

Ding-Dongs

• Ingredients: Sugar, water, enriched flour, palm oil, high fructose corn syrup, palm kernel oil, cocoa processed with Alkali, corn syrup, soybean oil, and more
• Manufacturer: Hostess
• Type of Food: Snack cake

Why people love it: Ding-Dongs are a popular snack from Hostess that has been around for years. The chocolatey flavor and cream-filled middle make a perfect treat for those looking for a sugar hit.

Why people don’t love it: Many consumers are unhappy with the size shrinkage over the last several years. Additionally, the flavor seems “off” to some.

Powdered Donuts

• Ingredients: Enriched flour, water, sugar, cornstarch, palm oil, soybean oil, and more
• Manufacturer: Hostess
• Type of Food: Donettes

People love it: Powdered donuts are easy to grab and go and make a quick breakfast. These treats are sweet enough for your taste buds but not too sweet to feel like a sugar overload.

Why people don’t love it: The taste of Hostess powdered donuts does not mirror that of a donut from a donut shop. Instead, many say that eating Hostess powdered donuts is likened to downing chemicals doused in artificial coloring. This isn’t far from the truth if you look at the ingredients more closely.

Peeps

• Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, potassium sorbate, red 40, yellow 5, and more
• Manufacturer: Just Born Quality Confections
• Type of Food: Holiday snack

Why people love it: Come springtime, Peeps of all colors seem to fly right off the shelves. For those who love Peeps, it’s easy to understand why. For starters, they are cute and appealing to the eye. Who doesn’t love a bright pink or yellow bunny? Since Peeps are marshmallows covered in sugar, people who love them may have difficulty understanding why others wouldn’t dare eat a peep.

Why people don’t love it: Eating a Peep for some is like taking a giant bite into a ball of sugar. The sugar overload is simply too much. Sometimes, the taste for peeps is outgrown, like a kid who loves Kool-Aid Jammers, growing into an adult who would rather never drink one again. Sometimes, too sweet is not preferable, making Peeps some of the most polarizing snack foods around.

Blue Cheese

• Manufacturer: Varies
• Type of Food: Dairy

Why people love it: Those who love strong cheeses with distinctive flavors enjoy snacking on blue cheese. Some also prefer the creamy texture and beneficial nutrients.

Why people don’t love it: Blue cheese has a distinct smell that is hard for some to look past. The smell isn’t the only reason some people hate this polarizing snack food. Blue cheese has a particular appearance, with apparent blue mold and a crumbly texture. Others say the flavor of blue cheese is strong and acidic.

Coffee Cake

• Ingredients: Sugar, enriched flour, water, soybean oil, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and more
• Manufacturer: Hostess
• Type of Food: Snack cake

Why people love it: Coffee cake can be a delicious treat after dinner or as a side with your morning coffee. If you do not have time to make fresh coffee cake, the ease of hostess coffee cake is appealing. Also, the cinnamon flavor is sweet, and the texture is pleasing.

Why people don’t love it: Today, it seems as though Hostess has adjusted their size and ingredients to make the coffee cake no longer appealing to some. Instead of a crumply streusel and sweet cinnamon flavor, consumers describe the treat as the opposite. It has a fake flavor, is small, spongy, and has too much sugar.

Strawberry Shortcake Rolls

• Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, water, enriched bleached flour, Palm and soybean oils with TBHQ, citric acid, dextrose, dried eggs, and more
• Manufacturer: Little Debbie
• Type of Food: Snack Cake

Why people love it: Another polarizing snack food from Little Debbie is the Strawberry Shortcake Rolls. They are sweet and decadent, with a cream and strawberry filling wrapped in a shortcake.

Why people don’t love it: The shortcake is less soft and fluffy than one might imagine. The cream and strawberry filling often tastes more artificial than the sweet treat you expect.

Cosmic Brownies

• Ingredients: Enriched bleached flour, corn syrup, and Palm and soybean oils with TBHQ and citric acid, sugar, dextrose, cocoa, water, and more.
• Manufacturer: Little Debbie
• Type of Food: Snack cake

Why people love it: Cosmic Brownies can be a close second for those who love homemade brownies. The little candies on top are fun (especially for kids). Moreover, if you love a lot of chocolate, the density of these snacks may not bother you.

Why people don’t love it: Cosmic brownies are very dense, making the first bite of chocolate feel almost like too much. At the same time, it’s supposed to copycat the real brownie, but Cosmic Brownies fall sort. The texture is chewy and made even more dense by the amount of fudge present.

Pickles

• Ingredients: Vinegar, water, salt, and spices
• Manufacturer: Varies
• Type of Food: Snack

Why people love it: Some love intense flavors, which pickles provide, whether you choose dill or sweet pickles. Pickles also come with significant health perks, such as antioxidants and vitamins.

Why people don’t love it: Sometimes appearance is everything, and pickles just aren’t it. Their green, warty look immediately turns people away. When it comes to personal preference, buying different flavors, like dill or sweet pickles is possible, but even then, the strong flavor can be too much. The vinegar flavor can also be pretty salty with a slimy texture.

Raisins

• Manufacturer: Varies
• Type of Food: Snack

People love it: Raisins provide plenty of nutrients like fiber and antioxidants. Additionally, they are easy snacks for adults and children alike. While raisins are chewy and sweet, many people find the sweetness is enough not to be overpowering.

Why people don’t love it: Raisins aren’t loved by all. Some think their resemblance to small bugs is too canny, making the desire to eat this portable snack disappear. Other people can’t stand how chewy raisins are and how sometimes they get stuck in one’s teeth.

Sweetheart “Conversation” Hearts

• Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, corn starch, dextrose, glycerin, gelatin, natural and artificial flavors, vegetable gums, FD&C colors
• Manufacturer: The Spangler Candy Company
• Type of Food: Holiday candy

Why people love it: If you think back to your childhood, chances are you received a tiny box of sweethearts, otherwise known as candy conversation hearts, at some point in your life. The little messages on these little hearts can be sweet and evoke feelings of nostalgia and fondness. Some people enjoy the messages on these little hearts and say the sweet flavor is just enough for a piece of candy.

Why people don’t love it: Conversation hearts have a hard, chalky texture that makes these little candies difficult to chew and eat. While each color is supposed to have its own flavor, to some they taste artificial.

Cherry Cordials

• Ingredients: Sugar, milk chocolate, vanillin, maraschino cherries, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural and artificial flavor, and more
• Manufacturer: Queen Anne Collection
• Type of Food: Candy

Why people love it: The flavor of cherry cordials delights some, especially those who love the taste of chocolate and cherries. It’s a win-win. Not to mention, the little treats can be fun to use while making desserts.

Why people don’t love it: The flavor of cherry itself is polarizing, and when you add a strange liquid and chocolate over the top, it’s no wonder many people dislike this treat. Some can’t stand the texture and flavor of cherry cordials because they are a bit confusing with the hard chocolate and the liquid inside.

Christmas Tree Cakes

• Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, enriched bleached flour, wheat flour, water, Palm and palm kernel oil, partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed oil with TBHQ, dextrose, and more
• Manufacturer: Little Debbie
• Type of Food: Snack cake

Why people love it: Little Debbie’s Christmas Tree Cakes’ holiday tradition creates nostalgia in the best of us. With the creamy filling, sprinkles, and cute designs, it’s hard not to conjure up a few sweet memories when biting into one of these snacks.

Why people don’t love it: Like many Little Debbie snacks, Christmas Tree Cakes not be everyone’s cup of tea. Sometimes, these snacks need an acquired taste for someone to truly enjoy them. Between the crumbly texture and the artificial flavor, these Christmas Tree Cakes may be too much for some.

Honey Buns

• Ingredients: Enriched bleached flour, riboflavin, water, sugar, palm oil, dextrose, yeast, Palm and soybean oils with TBHQ, and more
• Manufacturer: Little Debbie
• Type of Food: Snack

Why people love it: Little Debbie’s Honey Buns have a honey and cinnamon flavor that drips with sweetness. Additionally, the glaze makes this satisfying snack perfect for a quick sugar fix.

Why people don’t love it: Little Debbie’s Honey Buns can be almost too sweet for many. The artificial flavor is apparent, and the sweetness is sometimes described as “too heavy.”

Zebra Cakes

• Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, enriched bleached flour, water, Palm and palm kernel oil, Palm and soybean oils with TBHQ and citric acid, dextrose, and more
• Manufacturer: Little Debbie
• Type of Food: Snack cake

Why people love it: Of the Little Debbie Snacks, Zebra Cakes rank up there with Oatmeal Creme Pies for some. For some reason, the lightness and creaminess of this cake hit just right. For this reason, it makes the list as one of the most polarizing snack foods of all time.

Why people don’t love it: Of all the Little Debbie Snacks, Zebra Cakes are often branded the “most boring.” Even more, many say that the Zebra Cakes no longer taste like they used to; instead, the artificial flavor is becoming more and more apparent