Buying Fruit Snacks? Avoid This Brand At All Costs

Some snacks that come and go. A trendy treat may fall out of fashion or public favor, or heartbreakingly, it may be discontinued altogether. But there are others that we may have enjoyed as kids — the ones that were popped into our lunchbox next to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or eaten as an after-school treat — that stand the test of time.

Fruit snacks are that treat for a lot of people, and many of us continue to enjoy them as adults. But grown-ups sometimes have to make tough decisions, even when partaking in the most nostalgic and whimsical delicacies. That's why we're here to help make that choice a little easier. Daily Meal did the work of ranking 13 fruit snack brands, worst to first, and while there are dozens of options on your grocer's shelves, there's one brand that we feel you can rule out right away. If you're in the market for fruit snacks, steer clear of Walmart's Great Value-brand Fruit Smiles. When it comes to quality ingredients, flavor, and texture, these fall short on the fruity-favorite scale by a long shot.

Naturally, there's a clear distinction between eating real-deal fresh fruit and any of these chewy treats, but when you choose the snack-ified version, why not opt for a brand that features some quality ingredients? On that front, unfortunately, Great Value doesn't make the cut. The ingredient list for these fruit snacks includes chemical food colorings like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1. And if allergies, gluten-intolerance, or vegan preferences are a concern, the gummies' packaging displays the disclaimer that the snacks could have traces of everything from milk and eggs to nuts, wheat, and soy. That means they're not going to be welcome in classrooms that have policies protecting kids from certain food-related sensitivities, and they may be unsuitable for many snackers, regardless of age.

Flavor-wise, although each bag promises strawberry, orange, lemon, and grape (in the original pack), we found these smile-shaped treats to taste a bit off-putting and synthetic, with a less-than-ideal powder-like texture. Even though the price point may indeed be on the low end (you can snag a 10-pack for about $2.48), with all of these cons in mind, the value of Fruit Smiles isn't so great.

When searching for fruit snacks, you should keep an eye out for a few qualities that will help ensure a sweet experience that you can feel good about. For one thing, hunt for brands that focus on ingredients you can easily identify. We all know that sweeteners are part of the package in these treats, but some have a major dose of added sugar. When you see authentic fruit and veggie juices on the list, that means you're getting some of that real-deal sweetness. Naturally derived sources of color are also a good sign, and some fruit snack brands even rely on fruit- and vegetable-based dyes like blackcurrant, pumpkin, and carrot.

In our findings, the options that ranked highest were those that were free of synthetic flavors and colors. In fact, the one fruit snack brand we'll never stop buying is Mott's, which features strawberry puree, apple juice, carrot juice, and pear juice. These snacks are also gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Walmart's Great Value Fruit Smiles do offer a nearly comparable amount of Vitamin C (52 milligrams for Fruit Smiles and 54 milligrams for Mott's), but all other factors considered, that minor upside is not enough to sway us. There are lots of options out there for comparison when it comes to these gummy, chewy, nostalgic treats, so do yourself a favor and cross Great Value's version off the list.