The Definitive Ranking Of Pick 'N' Mix Sweets, From Worst To Best

If you think you can make it through this post without heading to the shops, you're wrong.

31. Spogs.

grumpyssweetshop.com

No, we didn't know they were called that either. All we did know is that they're not nice. Not nice at all.

30. Strawberry pencils.

sb-sweet-things.co.uk

Overly chewy to the point where you start to think you're eating an actual pencil. We've seen them in the pick 'n' mix stand all our lives, but we've never seen anyone actually choose them.

29. Jelly beans.

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Unlike a certain well known brand of jelly beans, these are disappointingly tasteless, and there's a good chance you'll lose a tooth or three.

28. Fudge.

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No one is denying the fact the fudge can be delicious, but when it comes to pick 'n' mix it's far too heavy. The lighter your selections, the more bang you get for your buck, so fudge is a definite no-no.

27. Gobstoppers.

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They taste of nothing, and are seemingly never ending. No on wants you, gobstoppers. Go home.

26. Lovehearts.

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Never a good call if you're on a first date at the cinema. You offer your date a sweet, she picks one that says "I love you", she thinks you gave it to her on purpose and runs home.

25. Black Jacks.

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No good ever came from licorice.

24. Cola bottles.

Flickr: dannynic

They're OK, but they're nobody's favourite. Essentially they're the Liam Payne of the pick 'n' mix world.

23. Dolly Mixtures.

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The original 'mixed bag'. The jellies are treasures hidden in a world of disgusting little brown foam things.

22. Foam shrimps.

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Just, why?!

21. Fruit pastilles.

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They're classics, but in a world of sourness and crazy shapes, they were never going to compete.

20. Jelly snakes.

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Tasty, yes, but like fudge they're a bit on the weighty side. Best to wait until pay day before slipping a couple of these into your bag.

19. Foam mushrooms.

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They count as one of your 5-a-day, right?

18. Drumsticks.

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Having to hold your sweets kind of defeats the object.

17. Sour belts.

sweetieworld.co.uk

Delicious, but believe us when we tell you there is no graceful way to eat them.

16. Sour dummies.

keepitsweet.co.uk

Anything that is so sour that you feel a sense of achievement when you're done is fine by us.

15. Flying saucers.

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To quote a collegue, "think of them less as disappointing sweets, and more as exciting communion wafers".

14. Jelly babies.

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The original baby-shaped confectionary would be higher if it wasn't for the fact that you get covered head to toe in sugar after just a couple of these bad boys.

13. Kola kubes.

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When you come across a gooey centre, there are few better sweets on the planet. Sadly, this is all too rare an occurrence.

12. Milkshake bottles.

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They're good, but when it comes to bottle-shaped goodness there is just too much competition (see below).

11. Fruit Salads.

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Just missing out on the top 10 is this chewy rectangle of joy. We must have made at least a fiver from the tooth fairy thank to these guys.

10. Foam bananas.

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Yeah, that's right. Foam bananas at number 10. What you gonna do about it?

9. Jelly crocodiles.

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The deadliest of all the pick 'n' mix, also one of the most underrated options.

8. Jelly rings.

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Shove a gummy bear or jelly baby through the hole for added amusement.

7. White chocolate mice.

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They're like no other chocolate you've ever eaten, but they blow your mind in their own unique way.

6. Fried eggs.

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Eggs-tremely unlucky to miss out on the top 5, but undoubtedly an icon of the pick 'n' mix world.

5. Sour cherries.

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If you weren't so busy screwing your face up thanks to the life-threatening sourness, it would be impossible not to smiles with one of these in your mouth.

4. Fizzy cola bottles.

Flickr: njsouthall

Take a boring sweet, make it sour, marvel at the wondrous thing you've created.

3. Gummy bears.

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Panda, polar, grizzly or black. Whatever kind of bear you are, you're at best our second favourite. No bears beat gummy bears.

2. Jazzles.

shearsweets.co.uk

The name is pretty damned exciting, but it still doesn't prepare you for the joy that is about to hit your tastebuds. They're at their best when sourness from neighbouring sweets has jazzed them up even more.

1. Fizzy cherry cola bottles.

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Cola bottles are fine. Fizzy cola bottles are a thing of wonder. But make said bottles cherry flavoured and you have the undisputed king of pick 'n' mix.