Sunbursts

My first run-in with chocolate-covered sunflower seeds was when my mother brought home several little logo-ed packs that she’d gotten at some booth at a job fair. The two of us polished them off lickety-split and then didn’t know where to find more.

This was several years ago, when chocolate-covered sunflower seeds were a rarity. These days, they’re not exactly ubiquitous, but they are far easier to find. I picked up my 1.3 oz. bag for $0.79 (I think; it was definitely under a dollar) at a local Wegman’s (which, by the way, has turned out to be an awesome candy source. They sell some full-sized Vosges bars for around $2!).

As the front of the bag says, these are candy-coated, cocoa-covered sunflower kernels. Each kernal is bright and covered in a colorful candy shell, M&Ms-style. Most are nicely tear-drop shaped, like sunflower kernels, but a few here and there look a little wonkier. They all taste divine, though!

I really can’t say too much about the flavor notes on these. They taste like chocolate and sunflower seeds. The combination is pure synergy. I don’t like sunflower seeds, but I LOVE these. The sweet cocoa balances so well with the seeds’ nuttiness, and the textural tiny crunch is marvelous.

They’re great for snacking. Each ounce has 110 calories, 5 g of fat, 1 g of saturated fat, and 2 g of fiber. The tiny size of the individual seeds is enough to slow you down, so one bag can last a long time. I managed to make mine last three whole days, over the course of at least half a dozen sessions.

These are definitely making it into my regular snacking rotation. A ZOMG!

And in case you want a second opinion, Candy Addict reviewed the Sunbursts brand, while Cybele from Candy Blog found a similar and cheaper version at Trader Joes. I dunno if buying these in a giant tub is a good idea though, as I’d power through that tub so quickly…