From ages five to ten I was lucky enough to experience living in a different country, Canada! Now, I spend a little over a month there every summer for an international equestrian competition. So, if you are headed north or are just curious as to what kind of food selection Canada offers that is different than the States, I’m about to tell you! Here are my top 5 favorite food items that I love to eat in the great country of Canada!

1. Ketchup Chips

These are without a doubt my FAVOURITE (since we’re talking about Canada) chips of all time. The best way to describe them is if someone combined a mild salt and vinegar chip with actual ketchup. Another way to describe them is heaven, but that comes from my biased taste buds. For real though, if anyone is interested in starting up a petition for Lays to sell these in America after trying them, let me know because I’ll be your number one supporter!

2. Aero Chocolate Bars

I know that some of you may say chocolate is chocolate and you can find that anywhere, but you’re wrong. There is something so special about this extra sweet, bubbly filled chocolate bar! I mean come on guys, BUBBLES! Yes, you read that right. It makes for quite a light snack and I am sure that means it’s light on the calories too;)

3. Smarties

Different than the American Smarties we all know and love, Canadian Smarties are chocolate! Similar to an M & M, but way better! I think overall the chocolate is just sweeter in Canada but Smarties also have a larger circumference than a M & M, so it gives you more to enjoy! My earliest memories with Smarties are of my first-grade teacher giving them to us before tests to make us extra “smart”! So, they also have that extra benefit on top of being delicious;)

4. Poutine

Okay, I have to be honest, this isn’t something for everyone BUT if you are an avid potato enthusiast like myself you have to try a batch of these just once in your life! I personally am a huge fan of mash potatoes and gravy. That’s essentially what Poutine is except you trade in crispy, decadent fries and add some cheese curds on top! The cheese is what typically gets people but don’t let that stop you! It all combines to create an unreal flavor of enjoyment in your mouth!

5. Maple Syrup

Last but not least, this incredible Canadian classic is not something to missed! I'm sure many of you have heard about, and I hope have tried, this amazing delicacy in the past but it's worth another mention. I don't know what goes on in those trees up there but it's definitely something magical! In second grade, I had the opportunity to eat maple syrup poured over fresh snow and that alone was life changing! Imagining it right now on some hot pancakes makes my mouth water!

If traveling to Canada isn’t in your immediate future, I highly recommend wandering over to Amazon to get you some of this amazing food! The Poutine is obviously something to eat fresh but you could always look up some at- home recipes to make it for yourself! God has been too good to me for letting me enjoy all of these incredible things and it would one-hundred percent be wrong of me not to share it with you! I hope that all of you get to appreciate these 8^th wonder of the world Canadian food items at some point in your life!