Popular Junk Food Around the World

Chips, cookies, and calories galore! While popular American junk food covers everything from the salty and crunchy (hello, potato chips) to the sweet and sour (gummy worms, anyone?), international junk food favorites bring in additional textures, flavors, and flair. Read on to learn more about some of the most popular junk foods around the world!

Bamba (Israel)

Picture your favorite cheese puff—the crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness that turns your fingers bright orange. Now envision that same puffed up snack, but instead of cheese-flavored, it tastes like peanut butter! Bamba is an incredibly popular snack in Israel, where children have a significantly lower rate of peanut allergies, and studies show that introducing Bamba at a young age may reduce the likelihood of developing an allergy.

Tim Tams (Australia)

Known as Australia’s most loved chocolate biscuit, Tim Tams are a chocolatey treat you don’t want to miss. Made of two malted cookies that are sandwiched together with chocolate cream and drenched in a layer of milk chocolate, this snack comes in additional flavors like white chocolate, chocolate mint, dark chocolate, and chewy caramel.

Takis (Mexico)

Now widely available in the U.S., Takis were invented in Mexico in 1999. This rolled corn ship is somewhat similar to a Dorito but comes in flavors like Fuego (chili pepper and lime), guacamole, Volcano Queso (habanero cheese), and more.

Biltong (South Africa)

If you’re looking to get your chew on, biltong is the junk food for you. Commonly found in South African countries, this dried, cured meat is similar to America’s beef jerky—but with a few exceptions: biltong is usually thicker than jerky; jerky is often smoked whereas biltong is not; and biltong’s curing process includes vinegar to add extra flavor.