Tasting Europe

My Honest Take on German Snack Food (From My Own Stash)

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I lived in Berlin for half a year for work. I rode the U-Bahn, talked too fast at the bakery, and, yes, ate my feelings with snacks. Little bags, bright wrappers, train snacks, desk snacks—Germany does this part very well. You know what? I still keep a “German shelf” in my pantry.

If you want an even deeper dive, I once pulled everything out of that very shelf and wrote my honest take on German snack food from my own stash for Tasting Europe.

Here’s what I actually ate, loved, and sometimes didn’t finish.

Sweet Tooth First, Because I’m Me

  • Ritter Sport Alpine Milk
    I grabbed these square bars at REWE like clockwork. The chocolate is creamy and mellow. It melts quick, which I like on a cold tram. But the Cornflakes flavor gets soggy if you don’t eat it right away. So I stick to Alpine Milk or Marzipan when I want a sure win.

  • Milka Alpine Milk and Milka Oreo
    Milka is softer and sweeter than Ritter. The Alpine Milk bar tastes like a hug. The Oreo one is fun for a few bites, then a bit too sweet for me. I learned to break the bar in half and stash the rest, or it gets cloying fast.

  • Kinder Bueno and Kinder Riegel
    Bueno is light, crunchy, hazelnut heaven. Great with coffee. But it shatters and gets messy in a bag. Kinder Riegel is the neat choice for trains. If the car is warm, both go soft. I’ve done the pocket melt walk of shame. Not cute.

  • Knoppers
    Breakfast wafer at 10 a.m.? Don’t judge me. It’s nutty, creamy, and crisp. One square hits the spot. Two feel like lunch. The only downside is crumbs. I learned to open it over my keyboard tray, not over my keys.

  • Bahlsen Choco Leibniz
    A tidy butter biscuit with a thick chocolate hat. Snap, crunch, done. Good for guests. Not great if you want a gooey bite. It’s more clean than cozy, if that makes sense.

  • Haribo Goldbears and Haribo Pfirsich (peach)
    The goldbears are classics. Firm chew, bright fruit. The peach rings smell like summer. But some bags are stiff. If your jaw gets tired, you’re not alone. I sometimes mix them with salted peanuts. Sweet-salty is magic.

  • Nimm2 and Mamba
    Nimm2 are fruity hard candies with a soft center. I kept them in my coat pocket and made friends at meetings. Mamba is like a gentler Starburst, with wrappers that love to cling. Tasty, but sticky fingers are real.

Salty Things for Long Days (And Beer Gardens)

  • funny-frisch Chipsfrisch Ungarisch (paprika)
    This is the chip I see at every party. Thin, light, and peppery. The smell fills a room, which is either great or… not. My gripe: the red dust gets everywhere. Don’t eat these in a white shirt before a call.

  • Lorenz Crunchips Paprika
    A little thicker, a little sturdier. Better for dip. Less dust than Chipsfrisch. I grab these when I want a crunch that fights back.

  • Erdnussflips (peanut puffs)
    They look like cheese puffs but taste like roasted peanut butter air. I know that sounds odd. The first handful feels weird, then you keep going. Fresh bag? Great. Stale bag? Like packing peanuts.

  • Pom-Bär
    Light, cute bear shapes, salty and airy. Kids love them. I pack them for picnics. They do crush easy in a backpack, so carry them on top.

  • Salzbrezeln (bagged mini pretzels)
    Simple, salty, hard crunch. I ate these with mustard once at my desk. That felt right. But if you want a soft pretzel moment, go to a bakery—bagged pretzels won’t scratch that itch.

  • BiFi Original
    A small savory meat stick from gas stations and Spätis. Tastes smoky and a bit tangy. Good emergency snack. It can feel greasy, so I chase it with water or an apple.

Seasonal Treats I Wait For

  • Spekulatius (spiced cookies)
    Thin, crisp, and cozy with tea. I buy too many at Christmas and then ration them. They go stale fast if the bag stays open, so clip it tight.

  • Lebkuchen hearts
    Soft gingerbread with chocolate on top. Sometimes filled with jam. Some are amazing; some taste flat. I look for ones from Nürnberg. They have more spice and depth.

  • Mini Stollen bites
    Buttery, with marzipan centers. Heavy for a snack, but two cubes with coffee? Winter bliss. Powdered sugar gets on your scarf, so maybe skip on the train.

And if you’re pairing any of these sweeter bites with a glass of Riesling, you might wonder whether European wines really have fewer sulfites—I tested that theory over a week of sipping.

Where I Buy and What I Pay

  • Aldi and Lidl: Best for cheap multipacks. I paid around 1–1.49€ for a Ritter bar and about 1.39–1.99€ for paprika chips.
  • REWE and Edeka: More choice, more fancy flavors. Prices run a bit higher, but you find limited runs here.
  • Späti (late-night shops): Great for “Oh no, I’m hungry” moments. Prices are higher, but they save you at midnight.

If you want to plan snack-centric detours around Germany, the regional database at Tasting Europe highlights local markets and specialty shops that are perfect for stocking up.

Beyond Germany, you can check out my top 10 European foods for a snack roadmap that spans the whole continent.

Tip I learned the hard way: German stores close early on Sundays. Stock up on Saturday, or you’ll be staring at a dark snack aisle.

What I’d Skip (Most Days)

  • Milka Oreo big bar: Too sweet past the third square. Tastes fun, then loud.
  • Stale Erdnussflips: If the bag feels soft, back away. Freshness matters here.
  • Super messy chocolate on hot trains: Kinder Bueno turns to goo at 28°C. I switch to Bahlsen or gummy candy when it’s warm.

My Go-To Picks by Mood

  • Train ride: Ritter Sport Alpine Milk + Nimm2
  • Movie night: Lorenz Crunchips Paprika + Haribo peaches
  • Coffee break: Knoppers or a single Lebkuchen heart
  • Picnic with kids: Pom-Bär, mini pretzels, and Mamba

Tiny Quirks I Love

  • German paprika chips taste like a mild BBQ cousin—smoky, not hot. My American friends always expect heat. Nope. It’s friendly heat.
  • Kinder wrappers tear clean. Odd thing to praise, but when you snack on the go, it matters.
  • Bahlsen biscuits make you feel tidy. Some snacks are hugs; these are handshakes. I like both.

Final Take

German snacks are about small joy and quick breaks. Not huge, not loud. Just steady, tasty bites that fit your day. I still buy Ritter bars and Knoppers when I see them at import shops. Honestly, I miss that calm snack aisle at Aldi. Some nights in my Berlin flat I’d munch Chipsfrisch while looking for conversation beyond my four walls; if you ever want that same spontaneous drop-in social vibe, swing by Gay Chat Roulette, a free video-chat roulette for queer folks that lets you meet someone new in seconds and trade travel or snack stories without leaving your couch.

Craving an offline adventure instead? If you’re in Chicagoland and fancy turning a snack run into a spontaneous night out, the local classifieds at OneNightAffair’s Backpage Melrose Park list meet-ups and social events that can connect you with people who know all the best late-night bite spots and hidden dessert joints around town.

If you’re new to German treats, start simple: Ritter Sport Alpine Milk, Lorenz Crunchips Paprika, and a pack of Haribo Goldbears. Then add Knoppers. Then a Christmas bag of Spekulatius. See what sticks. And if your shirt has red chip dust on it later, hey, same here.

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