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SpongeBob snacks are fruity fun

By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published February 2, 2005

It didn't take long for the dietitian on our panel to proclaim that fruit snacks "are all more like candy than fruit."

Taster's Choice set out to determine whether the claims on those child-friendly snacks have merit.

They do come in great packages, ones easy enough for a 6-year-old to tear apart. And they have no fat.

On the flip side, they don't contain fiber.

Mostly, fruit snacks are a variation of gummy bears, with each package containing from 70 to 100 calories and 12 to 14 grams of sugar.

Taster's Choice sampled six brands found on grocery store shelves, usually in the same aisle as potato chips and raisins.

The choices are overwhelming. It seems every brand has a cartoon character to promote. We selected fruit snacks shaped like SpongeBob SquarePants, Cinderella and the animated stars of the Cartoon Network. SpongeBob, from Nabisco ($2), got the high-five from our tasters. The pieces had the favored gummy texture.

Nabisco's fruit snacks had a gummy texture and "reasonably good" flavor, according to panelists, although the unnatural colors were described by one judge as scary.

Another panelist said the snacks reminded him of "sweetened Play-Doh."

"These are odd," he said, "but children won't care."

The Nabisco snacks scored 40 out of a possible 80 points. Two of the four panelists said they would buy SpongeBob packets.

Sunkist took second place with its Mixed Fruit snacks ($2). Although these were shaped like fruit, the jellylike samples didn't have much fruit flavor.

One panelist said he liked their color and even detected a bit of tang.

Another described these "Gummy Bobs" as "sneaky" because of their shape.

Sunkist's snacks received 35 points and nods from two judges who said they would pick this brand.

Kellogg's Cartoon Network Fruit Snacks ($2.59) scored 33 points.

One judge said he would buy them. He said the cartoon snacks "exploded like flavor pops."

He also liked the "tough outside and soft inside."

Also tasted were Betty Crocker Cinderella Fruit Snacks ($2.49), Brach's Minute Maid All Natural Fruit Snacks ($3.49) and Albertson's Curious George Adventures Fruit Snacks ($1.89).

Panelists were Marc Easterman, personal chef; Nan Jensen, registered and licensed dietitian with Pinellas County Extension; Bob Devin Jones, actor, director and playwright; and Jim Yockey, aesthetician, Tierra Verde Salon and Day Spa. All products were tasted blind.

No. 1: Nabisco SpongeBob.

No. 2: Sunkist Mixed Fruit.

No. 3: Kellogg's Cartoon Network.

[Last modified February 1, 2005, 10:37:04]