Best American snacks: Must-try treats from across the pond for UK delivery

America has been a cultural bellwether for the rest of the West for decades.

From fashion, film and books to music and food, if it's a hit in the States, it's usually only a matter of time before it conquers the rest of the world.

Just stroll down Oxford Street if you're looking for tangible proof. From Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road, you can't go a few meters without walking past the glowing doorway of an American Candy Store - at the last count, there were 21 of them on the UK's longest high street.

Windows stuffed to the rafters with bright packets of exotic candy and crisps - or 'chips' as they insist on calling them over the pond - it is a veritable Americanophile's dream.

While the much-loved British corner shop holds stacks of variety, Americans do it on a characteristically grander, bigger, and - some might say - shoutier scale. Newness is exciting, which goes some way to explaining why many US snacks can now be found in shops beyond Oxford Street, often at marginally less pearl-clutching prices than found in Zone 1.

With family speckled across the US and friends who have made frequent visits, not to mention three months backpacking across the continent-sized country, I’ve tried my fair share of American snacks over the years. While some are perplexing - creators of Twinkies and Hershey’s chocolate, who hurt you? - there are many you can't stop thinking about. And I'm not just talking sweets: savoury snacks and condiments make my hitlist too.

There are some contrasts between the American food safety system and the UK's and EU's, but broadly speaking, ours is stricter. It's why you might notice that UK versions of American brands have slightly different packaging and ingredients. Scarcity and import taxes also mean American snacks tend to be pricier than British counterparts or alternatives. Good reasons to consume all snacks as an occasional treat rather than every day.

If you’re after a novel luxury or want American cinema snacks for movie night or a major sports event like the Superbowl, I’ve rounded up the best options from Uncle Sam to get delivered to your door.

See the selection below

Best sweet American snacks

Kellogg's Froot Loops

Cereal is to the American breakfast table what crisps are to the British snack game. There is an incredible range to choose from, but the one friends would insist I bring home by the suitcase-load was Froot Loops.

Kellogg's also markets the sweet meal in the UK, but if you're looking for the original packaging featuring the toucan mascot, be prepared to fork out a king's ransom.

Buy now £2.75, Asda

Welch's Fruit Snacks Mixed Real Fruit Pouch - 80 x 25g bags

When you're in the mood for a gummy sweet without a guilty aftertaste, Welch's is your friend.

The wholesome-looking brand makes these fruit candies in travel-sized pouches, perfect for tucking into lunchboxes or running bumbags for a delicious hit of real fruit flavour on the go.

Buy now £26.89, Amazon

Sheila G's Brownie Brittle, Salted Caramel

I first took a chance on these at an airport shop and my leap of faith paid off. The bag is full of all those crispy, edging-on-burnt parts of brownies, falling somewhere between a biscuit and a cracker. The brand drives home the low-cal element of the snack (120cal per serving), which is a feat considering how indulgent these things taste. The original is good; but the salted caramel? Even better.

Buy now £10.66, Vitamins UK

Chips Ahoy! Chocolate Chip Cookies

Get ready to marvel at the balance of crisp and chewy in these elite-tier chocolate chip cookies. Heaped with just-baked flavour, Chips Ahoy! makes these multipack boxes of 12 packs, each with four cookies for easy portion control, working out to just over a quid a go.

Buy now £14.49, Amazon

Kellogg's Pop Tarts S'mores Pastry Snacks 8 x 48g

Bringing two American snack inventions, Pop Tarts S’mores offers a campfire experience without leaving your kitchen. The pastry is filled with chocolate and marshmallow to enjoy as an occasional treat when you fancy it. Slip into the toaster and enjoy after a few minutes.

Buy now £3.00, Sainsbury's

Best savoury American snacks

Cheetos Flamin Hot Crunchy 8oz/226g (Pack of 4)

We're not exactly short of crisp flavours here in the UK, and while Walkers has filtered the Flamin' Hot flavour to its Wotsit, Doritos and ridged MAX brands, they're not a patch on the OG Cheetos.

Shaped a little like NikNaks, the corn snack is full of knobbly nooks and crannies for the punchy flavour to collect. The crisps will leave every surface, including your fingers, coated in bright orange dust, so it's not something to eat while in your Sunday best. True fans won’t be deterred: that hot cheesy flavour is worth sticking a fresh wash on for.

Price for a pack of 4 x 226g bag. Share at your peril.

Buy now £21.99, Amazon

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Baked Snack Crackers Cheddar Flavoured

My American cousins adored these as toddlers, and I developed an addiction for them when visiting too. The simple fish-shaped, cheese-flavoured baked crackers are tiny, best devoured a greedy fistful at a time, or, if you insist on being civilised, as soup or salad croutons. Made with 100 per cent cheddar, they are free from artificial flavours and preservatives.

Price below is for 3 x 187g packs.

Buy now £13.90, Amazon

JollyTime Microwave Popcorn - Butter

While microwave popcorn is a popular snack and found in many UK kitchen cupboards, JollyTime offers as close to an American theatre-style experience as you can get at home. Sinfully delicious butter flavouring is evenly distributed throughout and very few kernels are left unpopped after cooking. Save it for movie marathons with friends.

Buy now £7.89, Amazon

Snyder's of Hanover Pretzel 4- Variety Pack

Containing shards of broken pretzel pieces blanketed in different flavourings, Synder's crisp-adjacent snack is a must-try. And you can try the popular flavours in one go with this bundle, which consists of cheddar cheese, honey mustard and onion, hot buffalo wing and the best, jalapeno. Crunchy and moreish, eat them as is or dunked in a dip.

Buy now £23.99, Amazon

Frank's Redhot Buffalo Wing Sauce

As a self-described hot sauce lover, Frank's is my go-to when dressing wings. The condiment offers heat without blowing your head off, packed with the same tangy, vinegary flavour that I recall from Buffalo, New York where the sports bar-favourite snack was born (and is traditionally served with a cooling blue cheese sauce and sticks of celery).

It's delicious drizzled over slices of pizza and can liven up beans-on-toast or fish and chips. This pack of two contains 680ml bottles for a supply that won't run out soon.

Be sure to pick the 'Wings' style sauce and not the original, which is a thinner, watery brother but still packs a medium level of cayenne pepper heat.

Buy now £12.29, Amazon

Hidden Valley The Original Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix 453g

Americans pour ranch over everything, from burgers to crisps and salads. Hidden Valley makes the best version (£10), tangy and creamy with a nice balance of herbs. Use-by dates can be hit or miss, so if you're worried, this dry mix has a longer life and can be used as a seasoning, dressing or dip. Just add water.

Buy now £14.00, Amazon

Chick-fil-A Sauce 16 oz (473ml) - Limited Edition

The American chicken chain has made headlines this year after announcing its plans to expand in the UK. While we wait for our invite to the ribbon-cutting moment, get familiar with Chick-fil-A's legendary sauce.

The condiment is a blend of ketchup, BBQ sauce and mustard, smooth and delicious on anything fried. Chicken, obviously, but other meats as well as chips and in sandwiches too.

Buy now £12.99, Amazon

Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbecue Sauce

Proving you don’t have to fork out megabucks for close-your-eyes-delicious flavour, Sweet Baby Ray’s honey barbecue sauce has a cult following - and just one drop will reveal why.

Try it as a marinade, for basting or as a sauce (dipping pizza crusts into it is some kind of heaven and it works well on potato wedges too). It’s sweet with a slightly spicy kick and a lovely smoky flavour.

Brownie points for the retro diner-style packaging too.

Find Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ sauce and a Sweet ‘n Spicy version, £8 on Amazon.

Buy now £3.90, Amazon