Valentine Candy from Surf Sweets and TruJoy Sweets (not chocolate!)

Valentine's Day is generally all about the chocolate, but did you know that some people don't like chocolate? IT'S TRUE! Thank goodness Surf Sweets and TruJoy Sweets have this situation under control, including TONS of options for vegans. Yep, you read that right: gummies* for vegans!

Two years ago I was eating Surf Sweets' Valentine's fruity hearts all day every day, but thanks to a generous sample delivery, this week I'm positively swimming in a ton of sweet (and sour) gummy options.

Behold: fruity bears, watermelon rings, peach rings, sour worms, and those yummy fruity hearts. All are VEGAN (!), non-GMO, gluten-free, all or mostly organic, and made in the USA. I still love the hearts, but the fruity bears stole mine because they taste like Chuckles candy. Chuckles are stored in my memory bank as being delicious, but are- in reality, filled with all the yucky stuff that Surf Sweets eschews. The watermelon and peach rings were evenly divided as faves amongst the esteemed tasting panel, and the sour worms were devoured once they found the right home (we're not sour people).

But, wait; there's more! In addition to these goodies from Surf Sweets, I also received a sampling of individually wrapped candy items from TruJoy Sweets (I love individually wrapped candies because I like to fill my pockets with them).

I hesitate to say that the choco chews taste like a dark chocolate version of tootsie rolls, but at least it gives you a point of reference. You can actually see a product comparison on the TruJoy Sweet site if you're interested in seeing in writing what you can already imagine. The fruit chews are absolutely reminiscent of Starburst, another comparison made on the site. And, finally, candy canes- they're not just for Christmas anymore! These pink and mildly peppermint canes certainly blended in with the Valentine aesthetic, but I've been hoarding them because I don't like strong mint flavor and these are just my speed. All are made with organic ingredients, free of corn syrup, no artificial flavors and colors, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher (phew!); you can't go wrong.

Because even I have my limits, I became the traveling candy show- astounding friends, family, and passerby with the vegan goodness I was packing in my OCD individual containers. Note: people think you're a sweetie when you share your sweets; I try to do it as often as possible and you should too!

So, if chocolate isn't necessarily your thing this time of year or any, Surf Sweets & TruJoy Sweets have you covered.


*gummy candy is usually comprised of all kinds of gross stuff that vegans wouldn't touch with 99 1/2 foot pole. Per usual, please read all labels carefully, as not ALL of Surf Sweets are suitable for vegans; those that are clearly state "vegan" on the back of the packaging.

Surf Sweets' Valentine Fruity Hearts and TruJoy Sweets' Organic Fruit Chews

It's been a bit of an odd start to February in the northeast: first, two days of mild weather; now, snow that doesn't look to be letting up any time soon.  But, no matter what's going on outside, it's candy month for sure.

I was contacted on behalf of Surf Sweets, who you may already be familiar with as a company that makes vegan gummy/jelly candies (as well as non-vegan options), with an invitation to review their organic, vegan fruity hearts.

"Surf Sweets is the country’s leading brand of fruitfully delicious, naturally good gummy candies and jelly beans made with organic and natural ingredients and without any artificial colors and flavors. Surf Sweets is also a proud member of 1% for the planet.  As a member, they donate a minimum of 1% of the sales from products to a number of environmental organizations. Surf Sweets currently offers a variety of mouth-watering candies: Fruity Bears, Gummy Swirls, Sour Berry Bears, Sour Worms, Fruity Hearts, Gummy Bears, Watermelon and Peach Rings, and Jelly Beans, that are available across North America.  Visit www.surfweets.com" 

As someone who has quite a love affair with red candies, I was anxious to give these a whirl.

"Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be the same without sharing a sweet indulgence, but that doesn’t mean they have to be treats full of artificial ingredients. Red-dyed and artificial flavor filled candies have been the conventional Valentine’s Day treats for years. Now, leading brand of naturally good gummy candies made with organic and natural ingredients, Surf Sweets, offers healthier and delicious candy swaps to spread sweet love. As consumers are becoming more aware of what goes into their food, they’re looking for healthier choices that still taste great – and have the same holiday spirit as the conventional option. Surf Sweets Fruity Hearts are certified organic watermelon and cherry heart-shaped gummies, and one of the only, all natural, vegan, and organic Valentine’s Day candy options available."

I noticed immediately that there seemed to be two flavors, as some of the hearts were pink and some a slightly deeper red.  While I couldn't discern anything specific from either beside divine, candy loveliness, I remembered that the flavors are actually watermelon and cherry…and phenomenal.  [UPDATE 2/7/14: I've bought more and can definitely taste the difference between the flavors.  I think I like the cherry better; I assume it's the redder heart.]

From the first bite I was hooked on these, so I brought them to VM to gobble as well.  She was a huge fan of gummies and jellies before we knew what gelatin was and how unethical and purely disgusting it is.  Since these are extraordinarily delicious as well as completely vegan, we scarfed them up with abandon!

In fact, everyone was vying for these candies: including 89.

not intended for dogs!

I've already been raving about them to whoever will listen, and a friend was able to pick up a bag at his local Whole Foods this weekend.  I advise you to hurry; I don't expect them to be available long once people realize how yummy they are.  Because they're as adorable as they are delicious, I had the highest hopes to make something festive with them as decoration.  Unfortunately, they all wound up in my piehole long before that was possible.  For more reasons than one, I need more stat.

In case you're wondering (and so you don't make a mistake), this vegan info is from their FAQs page:

"Are your products Vegan?
Seven of our products are Vegan (Fruity Bears, Gummy Swirls, Sour Berry Bears, Sour Worms, Fruity Hearts, Peach Rings and Watermelon Rings )."

Since their vegan products are so spectacular, I don't know why Surf Sweets still makes non-vegan items.  It would be just grand in my book if they'd ditch the pork gelatin in their other products and go completely vegan.  Just a delicious and compassionate thought!

In addition to the outstanding fruity hearts, I also received a bag of organic fruit chews from TruJoy Sweets to try.

They look kind of familiar, don't they?

FYI:

I was never a huge fan of these types of candies that require considerable chewing effort, but they looked relatively appealing.

To my surprise, the orange was my favorite- followed by the cherry.  I didn't care for the strawberry and VM stole all the lemons.

TruJoy currently has a product line of two items and they are both vegan.  These aren't necessarily my cup of tea, but if this type of candy appeals to you I bet you'd really enjoy them.

Bottom line, choose your favorite or try both; 'tis the season after all!

It's definitely not too early to think about Valentine's candy.  After all, Easter won't be far behind.