The 9 Best Fruit Snacks Are a Taste of Childhood

The best fruit snacks are chewy, sweet, and fruity. If they come in a fun shape, that’s a nice added bonus!

Gummy fruit snacks aren’t just for kids, but holding a tiny, child-sized bag might make you feel like a kid again.  Up until you notice how large your adult-sized hand looks next to it. (Seriously, why do they make fruit snack bags so tiny?) Then you might experience a small existential crisis about the passage of time and the death of your inner child or something. Don’t worry: as soon as you bite into that chewy, fruity corn syrup, all your woes are forgotten. That’s the power that the best fruit snacks brands have over us, no matter how old you are! (Or will inevitably become.) 

Anyways, back to the topic at hand: the best fruit snacks. Across two separate taste tests, we spent quite a bit of time assessing the chewiness, fruitiness, and shapes of all the best gummy fruit snacks we could get our hands on. From the best fruit snacks for kids to the best healthy fruit snacks (which do actually exist!), here are the brands that are ripe for the picking.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Reduced Sugar Fruit Snacks

Welch’s Mixed Fruit Reduced Sugar Fruit Snacks

Target

Walmart

If you’re surprised to find Welch’s on this list of the best fruit snacks (three times), you shouldn’t be. Welch’s just gets fruit snacks. No, these aren’t as insanely flavorful as the full-sugar version, but you really can’t beat that Welch’s chew. Their soft, matte exterior combined with satisfying, not-too-sticky but not-too-dry chewiness makes Welch’s the gold standard fruit snack. If you never told me these were reduced sugar, I wouldn’t guess. While I can’t say these are the best “healthy” fruit snacks you can buy, these contain vitamins A, C, and E and, presumably, are less likely to give your kids a severe sugar high—and that should count for something! —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Most Fun

Betty Crocker Scoob! Fruit Snacks

Walmart

It’s hard to not feel a childlike excitement when you see these Scooby-Doo fruit snacks. The shapes are so fun and nostalgic. Scooby, Shaggy, and the rest of the Mystery Inc. gang greet you when you tear open the package. These definitely fall into the category of things that taste better because they’re a fun shape, like Spongebob Kraft Mac & Cheese and dino nuggets. Unfortunately, these lose two sporks because the green Mystery Machine gummies could use some work in the flavor department. Don’t worry: The other five flavors are scrumptious and totally make up for it. And the cartoon theme makes them some of the best fruit snacks for kids. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Budget

Great Value Original Fruit Smiles

Walmart

These Walmart brand Fruit Smiles have a cult-like following. Fans insist these are the elite individually packaged gummy fruit snacks. Now that I’ve tried them, I certainly get their appeal. Their texture and shape are what stand out to me. They remind me more of Dots gumdrops than a classic fruit snack, but they aren’t quite like straight-up candy either. They’re fruit snacks! Fruit!!! But I suppose they are the best fruit snacks for kids (or adults) who wish they were eating candy. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Fruit Snacks for Kids

Funables Paw Patrol Fruit Snacks

Walmart

As devoted mother and rockstar editor-in-chief Justine Sterling told me before I tasted these, “If those Funables are any good, I gotta take them home.” Like the rest of Gen Alpha, her kids are obsessed with Paw Patrol. Unfortunately, these were actually quite delicious, and she did have to take them home. (I imagine, to her horror, they immediately demanded to watch more of the show right then and there.) These character-shaped gummies have an addictive tartness that’s super punchy and a little bit sour. They don’t have the same matte texture as Welch’s, but they have a very satisfying, classic fruit snack chew. While Scooby-Doo fruit snacks might make us adults feel childlike wonder and nostalgia, Paw Patrol fruit snacks might just be the best fruit snacks for kids—this generation of kids. (Not those of us perpetually stuck in the ’90s.) —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Healthy Fruit Snacks

YumEarth Organic Fruit Snacks

Instacart

Amazon

“Healthy” is subjective, but these fruit snacks are definitely trying to be healthy. They’re organic and gluten free—and, unlike other fruit snacks, they don’t contain gelatin, which means these are among the best vegan fruit snacks on this list, too. They use natural fruit juices for flavor and color, and they’re made with cane sugar. I love the plump, chewy texture and the mild flavor. Plus, I like the simplicity and clarity of the flavors. It’s not just a mix of random artificial fruit flavoring. You get Banana Blast, Strawberry Smash, Very Very Cherry, and Perfectly Peach. They may not technically be health food, but they’re the best healthy fruit snacks we tasted. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Fruit Snacks

Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks Variety Pack

Target

Amazon

If these were not unbelievably sticky (the flaw that lost them one spork), they would be the perfect fruit gummy. They taste and smell like actual berries. The mouthfeel? Glorious. Their softness sets them apart from the other gummies on the list, especially considering that they’re gelatin free, which makes them the best vegan fruit snacks on our list. While many other fruit snacks have a quintessential firmness, these gummies are floppy. With the variety pack, you get both Summer Strawberry and Berry Patch. They’re the best fruit snacks for people who love options. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Welch’s Runner-Up

Welch’s Berries ‘N Cherries Fruit Snacks

Dollar Tree

I don’t even like cherries and I like these fruit snacks, so just imagine how you’ll feel about them if you are a cherry lover. The taste is fresh, the texture is soft and chewy, and the cherry and berry flavors go together perfectly. Welch’s has several flavors of fruit snacks, but these have earned their place near the top of our list. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Dollar Tree

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Filled Fruit Snacks

Black Forest Juicy Burst Fruit Snacks

Ralphs

Black Forest Juicy Burst fruit snacks solve my one and only gripe with fruit snacks and chewy candy in general: delayed gratification. I want flavor, and I want it now. When you bite into the middle of these, they burst in your mouth (I’m sorry, but there’s no other way to say it) with sweet, lightly tart, incredibly flavorful juicy goo. The satisfaction factor is on par with peelable candy. They come in cute little fruit shapes and pack a strong, bold punch. The green apple in particular is so flavorful—it has the perfect amount of sour tang. These are, hands down, some of the best fruit snacks I’ve ever tried—even if you don’t love fruit snacks, they’ll win you over, although I could see the gooey center being off-putting to some people. —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Welch’s Mixed Fruit Fruit Snacks

Target

If you look up “fruit snacks” in the dictionary, there is probably a picture of a package of Welch’s Fruit Snacks (don’t test me on this). They are the most classic, fruit snack-y tasting fruit snacks you can possibly imagine. I thought these would be my favorite going into our taste test, but I wasn’t sure if my bias was based on the fact that these are generally the most popular gummies on the market. Turns out, my bias was correct! Their texture is pleasantly springy without being too chewy. The fruity flavor is authentic and mostly natural with just a tinge of the artificial flavor you desire from a packaged snack.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Target

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other products we tried: Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Strawberry Snacks, Mott’s Assorted Fruit Snacks, Trader Joe’s Apple Fruit Snacks, Welch’s Summer Fruits Fruit Snacks, Great Value Tangy Fruit Smiles, Market Pantry , Welch’s Island Fruits Fruit Snacks, Market Pantry Mixed Berry