Review: Sezme Sesame Snaps

As one of the few sweet snacks considered nutritionally acceptable in my childhood home, I grew fond of Sezme sesame snaps. They made appearances in my lunch box, and were a frequent treat picked up at the supermarket checkout. That they’re still so easy to find today is a testament to the two things that have convinced parents to drop them into grocery carts for decades: they’re yummy, and they’re cheap.

The Pitch: “Nutritious, tasty treat, in a SNAP!” “Flavoured with honey.” “Gluten free.” “Product of Poland.”

The Look: Three flat, hardened rectangles of sesame seeds, glucose syrup, sugar and honey. Each sheet of sesame candy is golden brown and shiny, with wavy ridges on one side. They’re fragile, and are easy to crack. Basic clear plastic packaging with a blue, red and white colour scheme, and yellow highlights. I think the old packages used to have more pieces in them, but I could be wrong.

The Taste: Caramel, honey sweetness with intense roasted sesame. It’s a simple, natural, earthy flavour, but it’s delicious. Given the ingredients, they taste like what you’d expect them to taste like. The texture is brittle and hard, and it snaps when you bite into it, hence the name. The seeds usually get trapped in my teeth.

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RATINGS AND DETAILS

Cost: $0.50 for a 22.5 gram pack at Safeway in Calgary.

Value for cash money: Still great, after all these years.

Availability: Easy to find. Grocery stores, corner shops, gas stations, etc.

Nutrition?: No info listed, though the pack says to call National Importers at 1-888-894-6464 if you want nutritional info. The National Importers website says each package works out to 120 calories.

The verdict: If you like sesame seeds, these are great. A nice quick snack or a mid-afternoon treat at the office.