A New Fruit Chew- Sharkies

With the recent announcement that the General Mills brands Fruit by the Foot, Gushers, and all the misc. fruit snack shapes are gluten free, it definitely creates a larger competition for companies like Sharkies to exist. A local company in Auburn, CA created Sharkies back in 2003. Their products were meant to be a portable, healthy snack for athletes and people on the go, as they are "packed with real fruit juice, whole grains, and carbohydrates for an energy boost that lasts." With 100% Vitamin C and a source of electrolytes, these gluten free, wheat free, nut free treats sound like a good choice, but how do they compare to others?

They are very similar to Annie's Homegrown Fruit Snacks. Both products have 100% of your daily vitamin C intake, and their ingredient lists look quite similar. Sharkies makes a kids pack, as shown in the picture, (available in tropical Splash or Berry Blasters) which is a box of fruit snacks that sell 6 to a box, as well as individual bags for adults (available in citrus squeeze, fruit splash, berry blast, and watermelon scream). I have tried both, and find the kid's treats to be slightly softer in texture, while the adult formula wanted to stick more to my teeth.

Overall, I feel that this is not a unique product, however it is a great snack choice to add into the mix. Both Annie's and Sharkies are based in Northern California, and since I do like to buy local, I'd probably go back and forth between the two brands. For those busy parents who have kids nagging them for a snack, sometimes price wins over nutrition, but my vote goes to any product that is free of high fructose corn syrup.