Buying Chinese snacks can offer a surprisingly wide range of choices. The selection includes Chinese sweets, Chinese fruit snacks, hawthorn snacks, tanghulu, dried plums, candied fruit and red dates. The differences aren't just in flavour, but also in texture, portion size, sweeteners, salt and allergens.
If you rely solely on a colourful packet or a familiar flavour name, you could end up with a product that doesn't quite suit how you plan to use it. With the points below, you can compare Chinese snacks online in a practical way.
Tanghulu traditionally refers to fruit with a sugar coating, but a modern packet may have a different composition or texture. Hawthorn snacks also come as strips, slices, sweets or filled varieties. So always check the ingredients list, not just the product name.
Pay particular attention to:
Dried fruits and candied fruit often contain naturally concentrated sugars. Sugar, glucose syrup or maltose syrup may also have been added. So compare the nutritional values per 100 grams. What's more, a small bag may contain a larger portion than you'd expect from the packaging.
A 500g jar of Chinese sweets can be handy for sharing, but it's less suitable if you want variety or only snack occasionally. Individually wrapped snacks are practical for school, the office or on the go, whereas a bulk pack is better suited to a party or a family.
Sweet-and-sour snacks made from hawthorn often have a distinctively tangy taste. Hawthorn strips are usually soft and chewy, while dried red dates are more fleshy and naturally sweet. Jellies and lollies have a softer or harder bite, depending on the product.
Choose based on the occasion:
EU regulations require that major allergens are clearly listed. Check this extra carefully for products containing sesame, gluten, milk ingredients or sulphites. For example, the Haoxiangni red date and black sesame balls list sesame as an allergen. Some products may also contain traces of soya, wheat, peanuts, nuts or milk.
The warning about sweeteners is also important. Jiajianzheng Prune contains aspartame, among other things, and states it is a source of phenylalanine. That's relevant information for anyone who needs to avoid phenylalanine.
Most of the products mentioned should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. After opening, it's important to seal them well to prevent drying out or moisture absorption. Check the best-before date on the packaging; it can vary from batch to batch.
Also pay attention to the portion size:
Why this fits the profile: A straightforward 150g pack with a simple ingredients list of white sugar and hawthorn.
The ingredients are listed concisely, so you can quickly check what you're buying. The product description does not mention allergens.
150g, ready to open and a soft, chewy texture according to the product information.
Why this fits the profile: For those seeking a classic combination of hawthorn and sugar in a compact pack.
The fruit content is stated as 67.73%, so you can compare the composition concretely.
100g, 299 kcal per 100g according to the label and suitable for eating straight away.
Why this fits the profile: A bulk pack with 70 individual portions for the office, visitors or times when you want a variety of flavours.
The five named plum varieties make the flavour choice clearer than a bag with one unspecified fruit flavour.
Why this fits the profile: The stick shape and described soft outer layer with a liquid filling give this snack a different eating experience from ordinary hawthorn strips.
The product page states a clear ratio of 51.19% hawthorn and 48.81% white sugar.
108g, ready to eat and suitable for sharing. Always check the usage instructions on the packaging for children.
We've put together a full, up-to-date list of products that fully meet these strict selection criteria and current European safety regulations.
Use this short list before you check out:
Brand names and product claims are no substitute for the ingredients list. According to a brand's own research, a product might be described as "natural" or "healthy"; so judge mainly by the verifiable information on the label.
You can order Chinese snacks online via the Chinese sweets category. There you'll find hawthorn snacks, Chinese dried fruits, red dates, jellies, lollies and dried plums, among others. Check the ingredients, nutritional values, allergens and storage instructions for each product.
Hawthorn snacks are snacks made from hawthorn, often combined with sugar. They are available as hawthorn strips, slices, rolls or tanghulu. The flavour is usually sweet-and-sour and the texture ranges from soft to firmly chewy.
The shelf life is stated on the packaging and varies by product. Store the packaging according to the instructions, usually in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Seal an opened bag or jar well and watch for changes in smell, colour or texture.