From savory peanut puffs and falafel-flavored crunchies to chocolate filled with pink cream and nostalgia in a bar, they’re all amazing.
It’s no secret that Israel is the Start-Up Nation, amazing weather nation and all-the-best-sites-you-can-see nation.
But it may have escaped your attention that it is also best-snacks-in-the-world nation, with its dizzying array of delicious chocolates, savory delights and even hybrid sweet-and-salty offerings.
Want to know what’s best? Scroll down below, but not on an empty stomach.
1. Bamba
The undisputed king of Israeli snacks, and the main reason Israeli kids are relatively peanut-allergy free. The little, fluffy yet crunchy peanut clouds are shoved down our throats from the moment we learn how to eat, so it’s no surprise that most Israelis consider it to be an absolute staple.
Recent years have seen variations on the perennial favorite, for example Bamba filled with halva, chocolate or nougat, but in our opinion the original is still the best.
There are also various ways to consume your Bamba – some keep it in the freezer, others open it and let it dry out before snacking – but what never changes is the way you should open the packet: horizontally, for easy, wide access for you and your friends.
2. Bissli
A close second in terms of popularity is Bissli, crunchy wheat snack bits that are not dissimilar to dry pasta. They come in a wide array of flavors – grill, falafel, even onion – each characterized by their own special shape.
They’re very salty, very scrumptious and too easy to consume. They also go really great with Bamba, to the point that Osem, the manufacturer, even has a ready-made Bissli and Bamba combo mix. Not to be missed.
3. Klik
Klik, or Klikim in the plural, are little pieces of happiness. They’re all chocolate-coated, and come in cornflake, pretzel or wafer fillings. They come in a cute little rustling bag that you really shouldn’t share with anyone, or in a chocolate-bar format (less fun, to be honest) and are the go-to-chocolate for many Israelis, young and old.
4. Strawberry-filled chocolate
While this is a very controversial item here in Israel, it is actually my personal favorite. Think of a delicious milk chocolate bar filled with a bright pink gooey strawberry-flavored cream, and you’ve got it.
If that sounds horrible to you, I don’t blame you. In fact, that’s great – more for me.
5. Wafers
Beloved in Israel by everyone but me, wafers can be found in virtually every household in the country. Often with coffee in the morning or tea or yet some more coffee in the afternoon.
There are regular chocolate-flavored ones, as well as a more eccentric lemon version. They come in all sorts of price points and quality levels, and you can really lose yourself in the selection devoted to wafers on supermarket shelves.
6. Petit Beurre
Alongside Bamba, petit beurre biscuits are one of the first things to enter an Israeli infant’s mouth. Derived from the French biscuit of the same name, the local version is butter-free and not terribly wholesome, but still pretty great.
These flaky, melt-in-the mouth biscuits can be eaten one after the other or transformed into two favorite Israeli desserts: chocolate balls and no-bake “biscuit cake” – layers of petit beurre biscuits, cream and chocolate.
7. Apropo
Apropo might look familiar to some readers, and that’s because it’s the Israeli version of Bugles. Having never tasted Bugles myself, I can assure you that it is a standalone and most excellent snack and, unfortunately, can be consumed in enormous quantities quite easily.
Israelis often pair Apropo corn chips with cottage cheese or plain old creamy “white cheese” for a quick bite or lunch on the go.
8. Pretzels
Pretzels, or beigaleh in Hebrew, are considered one of the healthier snack options. They come in stick figures, in traditional bagel shape or in figure eights, and in recent years also in a flat, cracker-like form. They’re great as a vehicle for dips of all kinds, and have ridiculously good salt flakes on top.
9. Taami
One of the most veteran Israeli chocolate bars, Taami (My Taste) was first produced back in the early 60s, and as such many Israelis over a certain age still have a very soft spot for it in their hearts. It’s made out of chocolate, puffed rice, nougat and caramel – a little too sweet for some, but definitely a taste of home for others.
10. Nuts and seeds
When we say nuts, we mean pitzuchim – the shell-on, roasted and salted types that require you to break them open with your teeth and spit out the harder case (a true Israeli art form, by the way).
Popular options include sunflower seeds and pistachios, which often make an appearance in stadiums and on many people’s couches in front of the TV. But please don’t do like Israelis, and throw the shells in the trash rather than on the floor. Thanks.
Originally posted at israel21c.org
