From beans on toast to crumpets and Scotch eggs, British snacks are something you definitely need to pay attention to. Whether you are a tourist in Great Britain or just an adventurous person, we recommend you try the delicious range of treats that the UK has to offer.
People are often misled by a big stereotype that Great Britain does not have a lot of must-try snacks and traditional food. However, we can easily dispel this misguided notion once they try some of the tasty treats.
If you have yet to try, we invite you to discover the uniqueness of flavours of the snacks in Britain. Thankfully some of these treats are available online!
Jump to:
- British Candies and Snacks
- Beans On Toast
- Chip Butty
- Galaxy Minstrels
- Bourbon Biscuits
- Crumpets
- Pot Noodle
- Pork Pies
- Scotch Eggs
- Walkers Crisps
- Flapjacks
- Fudge
- Fruit Winders
- Sausage rolls
- Ice lollies
- Jaffa Cakes
- Marmite Sandwich
- Penguin Biscuits
- Viennese Whirls
- McVitie’s Ginger Nuts
- Scones
- Crawford’s custard creams
- Twiglets
- Hobnobs
- Lancashire Eccles Cakes
- Guinness Crisps
- Jelly Babies
- Tunnock's Tea Cakes
- Best British Snacks To Try
British Candies and Snacks
There is a big snack culture in the UK - they actually eat more snacks there than in any other country in Europe - which is why there are so many sweet and savoury delicacies to choose from. If you read on, you will learn quite a bit about some of these popular British snacks.
But first: grab yourself a little snack: this post will likely make you hungry!
Beans On Toast
Heinz baked beans on toast (mostly abbreviated as beans on toast), is not only one of the most iconic British snacks, but also one of the easiest to prepare. You simply take a slice of toast, heat up a few baked beans, and then pour the latter onto the former.
Add a little bit of grated cheese to the finished meal for a real taste explosion. If you make a few more slices, you can turn this snack into a real meal.
Heinz Baked Beans
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Chip Butty
The Brits love their bread and, especially after a night of partying, they love to eat fries.
Because of these two things, some wise man in the north of the country decided to combine these two and make one of the tastiest sandwiches of all time: the Chip Butty.
It's definitely not a healthy British snack that you can eat, but it is a lovely snack to treat yourself a little from time to time. We recommend you try it soaked in vinegar, ketchup, or mayonnaise.
Galaxy Minstrels
Are you a chocolate fan, or you just like to have a snack or two during movie night with friends and family? Whatever option you choose, we trust that this tasty Galaxy chocolate is the right British snack choice for you.
This tasty button-like chocolate with the hard glazed shell is also vegetarian friendly. The popular slogan following these little chocolate buddies is “they melt in your mouth, not in your hands”.
Galaxy Minstrels
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Bourbon Biscuits
If you are planning to go to the UK, or you’ve been there already, there is no way you didn’t see or hear about these tasty chocolate sandwich biscuits.
Despite their catchy name, we highlight that there are no alcohol is involved in their recipe. They simply have a chocolate cream filling, which doesn’t make this British snack less tasty.
Crawford's Bourbon Biscuits
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Crumpets
When it's rainy and cold outside, there's no better way to rewarm your stomach than with a good old crumpet.
These crumbly, bread-like cakes are mostly toasted and served with melted butter.
However, you can add a ton of other sweet and savoury flavours to spice things up a little. Some of the most popular are jam, honey, peanut butter, and marmite.
Duffys Crumpets
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Pot Noodle
The favourable student meal, followed by the low price but making you full really fast, we present you – British pot noodles.
Pot noodles help support the saying that life is too short to be stuck behind the stove!
This easy-to-make treat is a perfect British snack for every moment, whether you are late for work or you just want to eat something light.
Pot Noodle Original Curry
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Pork Pies
If you've read at least some of the blogs or articles about Britain or the old British snacks, you'll know that British people love pies! That's why pies are something they not only like to eat with meals but also in between them.
Pork pies are probably the most popular when it comes to pies: they're usually about the size of a cupcake and filled with pork.
We suggest that you eat a few cold pork pies on a hot summer's day. Do that you will be well looked after until your next meal.
Scotch Eggs
Scotch Eggs are the one snack that should not be missing at any British children's birthday party. You really never get enough of these delicacies: you bite your way through the different layers and first enjoy breadcrumbs, then meat, and finally a hard or soft-boiled egg.
Like sausage rolls, scotch eggs can also be served gourmet style. So keep an eye out for them at grocery markets as well.
We would like to note that the ones sold at Borough Market in London are especially tasty, but you can also buy this British snack online!
Walkers Crisps
Every country has its famous brand of chips. In the US it's Lay’s; in Italy San Carlo; and in the UK it's Walkers.
From the plain salted flavour to the fancier Worcester sauce flavour, this brand has enough variations to please the pickiest and most adventurous customers.
Grab a few bags in any supermarket and see if Walkers can keep up with the chips from your home country.
If you’re not sure which flavour to pick, then go for the Salt and Vinegar flavour! We love it and highly recommend it.
Walkers Crisps Variety Pack
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Flapjacks
Flapjacks - oat bars held together by butter and sticky syrup. These treats are so delicious that all we want to do is write about them and go and buy some.
This tasty British snack can be found in the supermarkets but also online.
They are usually eaten plain, but if you are a little adventurous, you can buy them covered with chocolate or with dried fruit-filled such dates, raisins, cranberries, etc.
Kodiak Cakes Variety Flavours
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Fudge
If you're looking for an edible souvenir for family and friends, fudge is a fantastic option. This delicacy melts in your mouth.
It is made from sugar, milk and butter and is available in every British candy and snack shop in the country in many different flavours.
If you eat too much at once it can get a little too sweet, so try to break it down or at least grab a glass of water first!
Betsy's Fancy Chocolate Walnut Fudge
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Fruit Winders
This candy is another classic from the British snack box! Fruit Winders are fruity rubber ribbons that stick to comic strips and are rolled into spirals.
They're actually not as healthy as they sound, but they're definitely tasty, and kids always have fun swapping them off. Classic flavours are, for example, strawberry and blackcurrant, and strawberry and apple.
Kellogg's Fruit Winders Strawberry
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Sausage rolls
Sausage rolls - sausages wrapped in puff pastry - are a snack that can be both usually simple and chef-made.
The ones you find in the supermarket are actually mostly pretty plain (but still tasty), but the ones you get in cafes or restaurants have mostly been spruced up with ingredients like caramelised apples and tomato sauce.
Decide for yourself which one you like best, but make sure to put a napkin in your lap before you eat: it really crumbles!
Ice lollies
Whenever it's really warm in the UK – and believe us, British people have low expectations when it comes to temperatures! - you can hear the ice cream truck ringing in the streets as it drives through the residential areas.
Each of them comes with the most popular lollipops in the country. Among the best of this British snack include Twisters, Flake 99s, Fabs, Calippo Ice Lollies, Solero Ice Lollies. These are also gluten-free!
Ice Lollies Make-At-Home Mould
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Jaffa Cakes
The Jaffa Cake is a delicacy that the British spirits differ on. We all love to eat these little sponge cakes - topped with orange jam and chocolate - of course, but the British just can't agree whether they are cakes or biscuits.
Personally, we think they're biscuits - they're just too shallow to count as cakes - but we are sure some UK readers will think we’re insane by now. Buy a pack and make a decision by yourself!
McVitie's Original Jaffa Cakes
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Marmite Sandwich
These sandwiches made with Marmite are something that any first-time traveller to the UK must try.
They say everyone either loves or hates this snack. We are actually somewhere in between - so find out which category you belong to!
If you do find out that you are indeed a Marmite fan, you can put your love to the test by trying some Marmite-flavoured snacks, like chips or candy bars.
Marmite Yeast Extract Jar
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Penguin Biscuits
There are some rumours that McVitie’s Penguin Biscuits had an influence on Australia’s TimTams, but the last-mentioned sweet is definitely a new and improved version.
Whatever the background is, these milk chocolate-coated rectangular cookies are tasty and delicious.
This British snack comes individually wrapped, which makes them perfect for snacking.
McVitie's Penguin
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Viennese Whirls
Crumbly, light, soft and buttery – this is what makes Viennese Whirls amazing, addictive as well.
If you are on holiday and not looking for healthy British snacks to munch on, then this snack is perfect for you.
Mr Kipling Viennese Whirls
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McVitie’s Ginger Nuts
The McVitie’s biscuit is a popular ginger-flavoured snack, that can easily be made at home – using only a little bit of molasses, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Or, if you are not that crafty in the kitchen, you can buy this British snack online, and whatever you decide, you won’t make a mistake.
McVitie's Ginger Nuts
Buy here
Scones
If you plan on indulging in afternoon tea in the UK, first check to see if scones are on the menu.
These small cakes can be sweet or savoury. However, we note that fans usually enjoy them with plenty of the whipped cream clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Do you want to try the very best scones? Visit a tea room in Devon or Cornwall or buy this British snack online!
Crawford’s custard creams
Ideal as an addition to any type of tea, small, sickly sweet but in a good way, these small cookies will leave you speechless when it comes to their strong taste, following the classic cookie sugar and flour formula.
We highly recommend you to enjoy this treat with a cup of tea or milk tea. Dip it in the hot beverage long enough that the essence of the tea is soaked into the snack, but not too long that it crumbles!
Crawford's Custard Creams
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Twiglets
This British snack is the ideal presenter of the unusual and unique type of thing you can eat. This tasty British treasure is in fact whole wheat baked stick with a Marmite-yeast based coating.
If you love this type of dry snack, we advise you to try and eat them with some dip – hummus or cheese.
Jacob's Twiglets
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Hobnobs
A famous British sentence that goes together with this biscuit is “dunk them in your cuppa”, meaning that you should also eat them with your tea.
When you look at them from outside, they are just typically-looking biscuits, with sugar, flour, butter and oats as their main ingredients, with just a little bit more crunchiness.
McVitie's Milk Chocolate Hobnobs
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Lancashire Eccles Cakes
The mystic cakes, with the unknown inventor, came to Britain in the late 1700s. Served warm with jam or butter, soft, round and tasty.
As one of the old British snacks that is still popular today, we recommend you have it as a light treat with your afternoon tea. Make sure you grab some from the market or try making it yourself at home.
Lancashire Eccles Cake
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Guinness Crisps
At first glance, this popular everyday snack looks like the usual potato chip we often eat while watching a game or having a drink or two with our friends.
But we assure you, this is an even better version of what you are eating every day – a little bit crunchier and oily than the usual ones.
Internationally, it contends head-to-head in terms of taste with the popular Honey Butter Chip from Korea!
It is definitely something you should put on your must-try list.
Guinness Crisps Combo Pack
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Jelly Babies
Be prepared to change your sweet habits, because there is no going back now! One of the most popular British sweets to try is definitely Jelly Babies.
They are jammy candy in the shape of gingerbread men and coated with powdered sugar. A must-have when it comes to being a part of a British snack box.
Bassetts Jelly Babies
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Tunnock's Tea Cakes
Last but not least, we present to you the Tunnock’s Tea Cakes. They are small round biscuits with marshmallow cream and coated in crispy milk chocolate.
You can buy these posh British snacks in six-packs in any UK supermarket. If you're like us, you'll eat the entire pack in one day and have to buy more immediately! Super tasty and very popular among the Brits!
Tunnock's Tea Cakes
Buy here
Best British Snacks To Try
The best snacks are the ones you can’t stop eating. They are also the ones that make you ask yourself, “Why did I buy this? I came for something else”.
Whether you like to eat salty, dry and mild-tasting snacks with some dip, or sweet, soft and creamy biscuits, you can definitely pick something from these famous British treasures.
Here is a summary list of the best British snacks:
- Beans On Toast
- Chip Butty
- Galaxy Minstrels
- Bourbon Biscuits
- Crumpets
- Pot Noodle
- Pork Pies
- Scotch Egg
- Walker Crisps
- Flapjacks
- Fudge
- Fruit Winders
- Sausage Rolls
- Ice Lollies
- Jaffa Cakes
- Marmite Sandwich
- Penguin Biscuits
- Viennese Whirls
- McVitie’s Ginger Nuts
- Scones
- Crawford’s Custard Creams
- Twiglets
- Hobnobs
- Lancashire Eccles Cakes
- Guinness Crisps
- Jelly Babies
- Tunnock Tea Cakes
Think we missed your favourite treat from the UK? Let us know by dropping an email to contact@honestfoodtalks.com.