Sometimes Foodie: Banana Laff Bites

Laffy Taffy Gone Bananas Laff Bites - Dollar Tree

I really liked Laffy Taffy as a kid, back when there used to be monsters on the wrappers and mix-ins, like candy watermelon seeds, but since they changed to a more stream-lined look with less texture, it just hasn't been the same. I still buy it from time to time, and if there is a new flavor (like apple crisp) I'll write about it, but when it comes to my normal non-blogging candy cravings, they just aren't in the rotation.

When I spotted these at Dollar Tree I thought it was interesting that another product was looking for a way to ditch the wrapper and go bite-sized. I also wondered if this really was the same as normal Laffy Taffy, just more snackable, or if it suffered the same fate as all the unwrapped Starburst products that were completely reformulated.

Let's find out. Oh! And why did the banana need medicine?

Because he wasn't peeling well!

Due to it's peg-bag design and easy snacking nature, you miss out on each piece having it's own joke, so there are three banana themed ones on the back of the bag to make up for it. They're pretty groan-worthy, but that's the norm.

Other than that, the bag design is very simple. The logo takes up the entirety of the front, while the back is filled with ingredients, nutritional info, and a few more jokes.

Why wasn't the banana promoted?

Because he was still a little green!

The outer shell is sweet and crunchy, and doesn't seem to have much banana flavoring on it's own. Once you get through it, there is a chewy taffy-like portion, but the chew isn't quite the same as normal Laffy Taffy. It's a little chalky at first, and the flavoring seems a bit creamier than usual. It's banana-y, just not the same. Then there is the center, which is a gooey yellow liquid with supposedly a stronger banana flavor, but that too seems kind of off. The flavoring leans a bit more banana Runts than banana Laffy Taffy, which isn't a terrible thing, but it's not what I was looking for.

When savored, these fall flat. Each component in it's own just doesn't have the same punch as normal Laffy Taffy. Combined, the added crunch from the candy shell is nice, but that's the only improvement.

Texture-wise, these are giving me flashbacks to the unwrapped mini Starburst and Starburst Swirlers. Both of those had a similar, bizarre, texture and didn't taste like their classic counterparts. This has that same issue, but with a banana coat of paint. Mystery solved. (Unfortunately.)

Conceptually, I love the idea. I'm always in favor of a crunchy candy shell, and having tiny bite-sized Laffy Taffy would cut down on individual wrappers, but the product just isn't the same. Whatever they do to make these candies, Starburst and Laffy Taffy, less sticky, completely changes their texture and flavor, and I'm not feeling it.

If you're a fan of the unwrapped Starburst Minis, and love banana Laffy Taffy, this is the product for you, but if you're a fan of banana Laffy Taffy just the way it is, these will leaving you craving the real-deal.