How to be a Smartie Pants

It's about time someone got the record straight. Now you may have read some things on this site that just didn't, well make any sense to you. In fact, this was something that until I started this site didn't even know. Now your probably saying to yourself, get to the point buddy, I have other candy related things to read about. Well it's this, what is a "Smartie". Oh you think you know, your sitting in your chair saying everybody knows what a "Smartie" is, don't they. Well, your partially right. Many people do know what a "Smartie" is, but depending on where your from, they can be a completely different treat. So I've decided to make it clear for everybody, so strap on your... well what ever you eat "Smarties" with, you just might learn something.

I think the best way to start this is to explain it as simply as I can. In this great blue marble we live on there are two types of "Smarties". There are those that are chocolate with a candy coated shell and ones that look like little sugar pill things that are all stacked up and rolled together. Now some of you are confused, and that some are the people that don't live in Canada because unlike many other countries Canada is blessed with both. Although if you were to ask a Canadian what a "Smartie" is, they would say the chocolate with a candy shell.

So now that I've completely confused you, here is a little profile of each treat:

The chocolate with the candy shell

Now for all you Americans out in the world, yes these are similar to "M&M's". They are similar in that they are little chocolate disks with a candy shell. But, if you look a little closer you can really find a lot of differences between these treats. The different varieties are the first major difference between these two treats, each with their own merit and interestingly for the most part each company goes a different direction on the variations.

"M&M" tends to go with filling their treat with something special, like peanuts or almonds or whatever is in those crunchy ones. "Smarties" are more about going with the flavoured chocolate. They've just introduced a new flavour called, "Sundae" and when you get the giant "Smarties" the orange ones are orange flavoured. Speaking of "Giant Smarties", size is something that they interestingly went on opposite ends. For "M&M's" went tiny, while "Smarties" went giant. Each are great and each are worth trying. Other than that the colours do vary a little although nowadays they each offer specialty colours all the time, particularly "M&M's".

So this is how it goes, "Smarties" are a lot like "M&M's"; small, round disks of chocolate covered in colourful candy shells. They generally come in either a tube or a box and are great for decorating cakes. From what I know you can generally find them in Canada and the UK mostly where you buy standard chocolate bars.

The sugar pills wrapped in cellophane all lined up.

Some people know these treats as "Rockets" as well, but to many if you say "Smartie" this is what they expect. These are the staple of every Halloween diet, as I've said in the past "you will get a roll of these if you go out for Halloween". Not that its a bad thing. These tangy little treats are great, then have a small zip and leave a powdery feeling in your mouth. As far as variety goes these things don't really have much to offer, the only variation I've ever seen is really long rolls and really short rolls.

I guess if you have to compare these with another snack I might look in the direction of the "Sweet Tart", but really they are something of a unique treat not match by much. Having said that so many companies make a version of these that you do see them around a lot.

So there you go, if you ask for a "Smartie" and you don't get what you expected this just might be why. I hope you've learned something because learning about candy is almost as fun as eating it.

If you really want to be a smartie pants, how about a pair of baggy costume pants?  Need a santa suit?  We have kids costumes and adult costumes galore!  Do the intelligent thing this season, get a Christmas costume and makes some people happy!