Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Head-to-Head: Smarties vs. M&Ms

Yes, in the continuing quest to not only bring you the best and worst candies in the world, I’m going to educate you on the subtleties between our seemingly identical candy choices.

Today I’m tackling the UK product, Smarties, which is made my Nestle and the American product M&Ms which are made by Mars.

 

First, a little background (some of this I only know vaguely so feel free to correct me). M&Ms were originally developed as a candy for soldiers to give them quick energy in combat situations and be easy to carry. Some people wonder what M&M stands for, and many think it’s for the Mars brothers, but in reality it’s Forrest Mars, Sr. and Bruce Murrie. Murrie’s father was one of Hershey’s trusted partners at the company and provided the chocolate inside M&Ms until the 70s.

As with most UK treats under the Nestle name, they were originally made by Rowntree which was later swallowed up by the growing Nestle corporation. Developed several years before the M&M, Smarties are still one of the most popular candies in the UK. The UK version are purported to have orange chocolate flavored orange Smarties (and back when there was a brown Smartie it was mocha flavored) but I am using Canadian Smarties for this head to head.

 

First, Smarties are slightly bigger than M&Ms. An M&M is approximately 1 cm in diameter while the Smartie is 1.5 cms.

 

However, the Smartie is slightly flatter than the M&M. I didn’t weigh them.

 

The most noticeable difference between the two is the candy shell. The Smartie shell is much thicker and has a very pronounced crunch to it. It also seems to have a flavor. When I looked at the ingredients for the Smarties, I saw that there is wheat flour (and cornstarch & sugar) in the shell whereas the M&M shell is made only of sugar, cornstarch and color. The Smartie has a slightly graham cracker taste to it. It’s pleasant and perhaps a little cinnamonny (I know there’s no cinnamon in it). The M&M provides more chocolate punch. I guess geometry would tell me that even if the mass of the Smartie is the same as an M&M it still has more shell by virtue of being less spherical.

As appearances go, they’re both exceptionally pretty candies. Given a choice between the two, I prefer less shell and more chocolate. In reality I usually buy Almond M&Ms more often than the plain ones, but if someone puts a bowl in front of me, I can hardly resist. But I can see that there would be times that I’d crave the cookie-like taste of the Smarties.

POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:16 am Tracker Pixel for Entry     CandyReviewMarsNestleChocolateM&MsUnited KingdomUnited StatesHead to Head

Comments
  1. I luv m&ms; thay r soo yummy

    Comment by fluffball26 on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  2. I always thought Smarties were those kinder sour tabs I get at Halloween, the ones that make your brain bigger.

    M&Ms; are, maybe, the most addictive candy, ever.

    Comment by russ on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  3. Yeah, that’s what I know Smarties as….

    But hey, different type of M&M-ish candy.  I’m up for it!

    Think I can get these in PA?

    Comment by Tindy on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  4. What a fantastic post—I’ve often challenged people to describe these differences, but all that most people can do is to say that Smarties are a little bigger and flatter than M&Ms;. Good to know there’s more to it than that!

    Comment by Nosher on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  5. Those Smarties sound pretty good.  Hey, have you ever had caramel M&Ms;?  I don’t think they exist anymore, but a friend of mine gave me a bag about three years ago.  Oh, they were good, albeit a little too sweet.

    Comment by Marvo on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  6. They used to have dulce de leche M&Ms;. Allegedly it was to appeal to the Hispanic market in the US.

    They also had white chocolate Smarties in the UK with pastel colored shells. They were exceptionally pretty.

    Comment by Jamie on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  7. ive seen pastel type smarties here in canada in the bulk food store.  the smarties i know( since im american) are the sweet tart kind.  Have you done a wonderbar yet?  Great candybar from canada.

    Comment by Randi on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  8. Being in Canada, I have easy access to both Smarties and M&M’s, and I don’t have a clear preference.  They’re very different candies, and sometimes I would feel like having one and somtimes I would feel like having the other.  By the way, I hope you’re okay with me putting a link to your site on my foodie blog (http://nancyland.blogspot.com).  I love your blog!

    Comment by Dumpling_Girl on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  9. Cybele's avatar

    Randi - I’ve never had a wonderbar, but you may now consider it on my list!

    Dumpling_girl - glad you’re reading! I’ve been browsing your site for a couple of weeks now and even sent my husband there to look around before his recent trip to Vancouver so he’d know where to eat (or where not to, as the case may be).

    I agree that most candies may seem similar to outside observers, but many of us not only can tell the difference but are able to like them both the same.

    Comment by Cybele on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  10. Hi, just found your yummy blog and will be linking to it. I must say the dark chocolate M&Ms; are amazing. I had them in Ohio back in May. Alas, I haven’t been able to get any since and have been settling for dark chocolate Hershey Kisses for a quick dark chocolate fix. But I do love regular M&Ms;.

    Comment by Shelly on 12/31/69 at 4:00 pm #
  11. Wow-people like me who LOVE candy and are passionate about it! 

    When I lived in Michigan, I’d travel to Canada just to buy Smarties!  The BIGGEST difference is the chocolate—Smarties (Nestle) is very milky, much more creamy whereas M& Ms are more semi-sweet chocolate.  I used to prefer Smarties, but I find that it all depends what kind of choclate taste you feel like having.  Now, I know of local places that sell Smarties, plus of course the web, and getting friends to buy it for me when they travel overseas! 

    Have a yummy year—has anyone heard of Dulce de Leche M&Ms; ever coming back?  I’ve repeatedly contacted M&M/Mars and have gotten nowhere. 

    Thanks!

    Comment by Makai on 12/31/05 at 8:54 pm #
  12. Does anyone know where I can buy white chocolate Smarties (not the bar)?

    Comment by Makai on 12/31/05 at 9:39 pm #
  13. Don’t forget the big difference: orange-shelled Smarties actually have an orange flavour.

    Comment by nick s on 1/11/06 at 5:12 am #
  14. Smarties vs. M&M’s ... what a challenge!

    I guess I will just have to go out and buy both and spend the day testing them ...... BRB.

    Comment by Maddy on 5/23/06 at 2:03 pm #
  15. Excellent review.  I think you may have missed out a little by using Canadian Smarties, though; the orange-flavored chocolate in the orange Smarties adds a mysterious delight to the occasion.  Especially if you’re munching quasi-mindlessly, it’s a sporadic jolt of pleasure.

    Comment by Kat on 7/21/06 at 1:05 pm #
  16. I think that this is amazing having a web with the differences. I talked my English teahver into letting us do a project on this and i am most definately using this site. My mom didnt think there was a difference but i guess i proved her wrong.

    Comment by Janie on 1/10/07 at 7:47 pm #
  17. CANT YOU GIVE ME M& M’S

    Comment by alma on 3/16/07 at 1:04 pm #
  18. I was looking for ingredients in nestle easter eggs and found this article on S’s and m’s , I read that the smarties had wheat in them and the m and ms did not… I was looking because my dad nearly died this past xmas because of eating wheat for 60 years and it almost killed him, its called celiac disease and the wheat intolerance gradually rips away all the little hairs in the intestines that help to pass the food thru. he basicallly was starving to death,from the food not getting thru his system,it was just building up and then bleeding out the intestines into other surounding tissue causing his to puff up from the feet up…thank gooodness some doctor recognized this very rarely known disease that causes much distress. So gluten free candy is good,cause he was not happy yo have to give up choclate cake and bread and all that.hope fully companies will be more carefull with what they put in the things we love so much…

    Comment by chere b on 4/07/07 at 3:13 pm #
  19. I LOVE SMARTIES more than M&M.  They don’t sell smarties in the states.. bummmer…

    Comment by Derek on 6/25/07 at 4:31 pm #
  20. Hi Derek,

    Actually, you can find Smarties in the States. I’d check out your gourmet food stores and sometimes the mall bulk candy stores have them.  If not, you can buy Smarties online.

    Comment by Makai on 6/27/07 at 5:07 pm #
  21. hi ithink m&m’s are better

    Comment by sanam on 6/29/07 at 7:20 am #
  22. Hi,
    A query on the original Mars product.  I’ve heard the Mars bar was first, as a high-energy food for soldiers.  An unsubstantiated observation is that the modern warrior can look measurably more butch while eating a chocolate bar rather than a handful of candies.  Also the bar is easier to hold in one hand whilst firing a machine gun with the other.  The bar’s wrapper can be bitten through in the same manner as pulling the pin on a Hollywood grenade with the teeth, although in the heat of the moment one has to be careful not to throw the opened candy at the enemy.
    Penny

    Comment by Penny on 9/06/07 at 3:46 pm #
  23. I love both of them M&Ms; and smarties. I’m also into this healthy product Rice and Shine.

    Comment by Catherine on 9/17/07 at 8:55 am #
  24. Might I add that Smarties come in pink and purple; M&Ms; don’t.

    Comment by Grace on 11/18/07 at 11:11 am #
  25. I was born in Bermuda and used to eat Smartie’s as a kid but when I moved to the States I fell in love with M&Ms;.  But I missed my Smarties and whenever I visited Bermuda I always bought a “tube” of Smarties.  Whenever my relatives from Bermuda visit me in the US they’ll bring me a bag, tube or tubes of Smarties of I won’t allow them in the country.  My folks visited Bermuda this past Christmas and they brought back some Smarties for me, which were gone in a few days.  Too bad they don’t sell Smarties in the US and I’d have to visit Canada to get my favorite candy.  Anyway, I’ll have to settle for M&Ms;, which are great candies also.

    Comment by Sydney on 1/16/08 at 8:36 am #
  26. mmm….luv em’ so good smile

    Comment by janie on 1/17/08 at 6:14 pm #
  27. I have a major peanut allergy and can’t eat m&m’s because they may contain peanuts, but smarties don’t. T had them first and Canada when I was like five and never forgot about them. However, I could never find them here in America and always craved them. I finally found them at an imported food store abd almost buy them out of them everytime I go. I LOVE SMARTIES!!!!

    Comment by Jessica on 1/25/08 at 10:16 am #
  28. M&Ms; have nothing on Smarties! Smarties are fantastic and will always be the best. The only place I’ve been able to find them in the US is on the Internet which is probably why there are any people here who are voting for the m’s - They’ve never tried Smarties!

    Comment by Carley on 2/03/08 at 11:48 am #
  29. M&Ms; is my favourite drug. It really give huge amount of enery. I experienced it.

    Comment by murat on 2/16/08 at 9:59 am #
  30. Well I was introduced to Smarties when I went on a business trip to Toronto and I fell in love! I guess it is the different taste in the shell that gives them a flavor that I enjoy more than M&M’s. 

    It is possible that because they are new to me I am just enjoying the change of pace.  I have not tried the orange flavored Smarties but I do look forward to the day when I will!

    Comment by Michael J on 2/21/08 at 6:56 am #
  31. I just got back from Canada and came home with a new treasure - Peanut Smarties!  I’ve never seen them before.  I thought they were very different then the regular smarties and popped on here to see if there was a post done comparing Peanut M&Ms; with Peanut Smarties.  There was not.  If you haven’t tried them you should, I’d be interested to see what you have to say.

    Comment by Jen on 3/26/08 at 6:22 am #
  32. I live in Australia and am currently doing year 11 at school. My English class is focusing on persuasive arguments and as a matter of fact a friend and I have chosen our topic to be M&Ms;are better than Smarties. I have actually used some of your information and am greatly appreciative of this particular site, do not worry I have referenced your page, so that others may also be influenced to like M&Ms;more than Smarties. Thanks heaps!

    Comment by Seals on 4/07/08 at 10:58 pm #
  33. There is a running joke b/t all my friends and family that whoever is in a part of the world where there are smarties, they have to bring some back for me (I live in Los Angeles).  I love smarties so much, and I can’t wait to go to Canada later this summer to stock up!  I did find it really interesting that the smarties from the UK had flavors, but the ones from Canada don’t…  something to think about.  Thanks for the article!

    Comment by Julie on 6/27/08 at 11:59 am #
  34. Have you ever come across the original packaging, a tube of Smarties? The little plastic lids have a letter on them, presumably designed to tempt kids into munching their way through an entire alphabet. wink

    I’ve also heard that the letters are to encourage smartness, but I couldn’t swear to that.

    Hence the old joke—what do you call a London Underground train full of Oxford graduates? A tube of Smarties. wink

    Comment by Linda R. Moore on 6/29/08 at 4:49 pm #
  35. I LOVE SMARTIES. First had them in Bermuda in 67.  I was 12 at the time. Every time we were in Bermuda, Canada or in UK I got them. I have now found shops in NYC British of course that carry them.

    I would take Smarties any day over M&M;

    Comment by joanne on 8/14/08 at 3:30 am #
  36. I love Smarties! Whenever I go to Canada I buy them. First had them back in the ‘70s when I was a kid (in Canada). It is a preference thing, and I prefer the thicker, flavored shell and sweeter, milkier taste of Smarties to the more semi-sweet, stronger flavor of M&M;‘s.

    Comment by Jon on 8/14/08 at 9:40 am #
  37. Where can you buy the Canadain WonderBar Candy Bar?

    Comment by Sarah on 10/11/08 at 5:25 pm #
  38. I’m a total Smartie fan, love them.  I have to have friends stock up for me when they visit Canada.  M&Ms;get too sweet for me, i can eat a whole box of smarties and not get that sick feeling.

    Comment by MOLLY on 10/31/08 at 8:28 am #
  39. When I was young I lived in England for 3 years. 1967 - 1970.  I ate Smarties in place of M&M;‘s and I loved them.  I only wish we could purchase Smarties here.  When I get a package from a friend in Australia she includes a small tube of Smarties and I devour them.  Smarties RULE.  They are SO much better than M&M;‘s.

    Comment by Carmen on 1/23/09 at 8:03 am #
  40. I love Smarties they taste much better than M&M;. The difference is clear. I use to eat smarties as a kid back home in Nigeria, but when I moved to the US I could not find any. Recently, we went to visit some family members in Canada and I realized they have Smarties. I bought a 48 pack back to the US. I finished it all by myself within 2 days. My seven years old Daughter is allergic to milk so she cannot have any, but she keeps telling me that I would get a stomach pain, but It did not.

    Comment by Sayeedah Fagbo on 2/28/09 at 12:06 pm #
  41. IM FROM THE STATES, AND EVERYTIME I GO TO CANADA I HAVE TO GET SMARTIES, THEY ARE THE BEST THING TO HAPPENED TO THE WORLD. smile

    Comment by Electra on 4/25/09 at 9:11 am #
  42. Smarties and M&M’s are two different candies.  Just b/c they are both circular with a hard shell does not make them comparable!
    I get Smarties whenever I go to Bermuda, which is not often enough!  Smarties are definitely better than M&M’s.  The shell has a nice flavor, and the chocolate is milky.  I wish I had some right now!
    Is there a site to order them for a reasonable price?

    Comment by missmarie on 6/08/09 at 12:02 pm #
  43. I love, love, love, love, love Smarties, but sadly, I live in the middle of the States, so I couldn’t even go close to the border just to get some. I looked it up, and from where I live, it’s like a 12 hour drive to the border. I don’t know if I would do that just for Smarties. Oh well. Just have to wait til Christmas, I guess. I get some every year for Christmas from my grandparents who still live in Canada. Yum!

    Comment by Matt on 10/05/09 at 6:36 am #
  44. SMARTIES ARE THE BEST.jUST HAD SUM LAST NIGHT.HAVENT HAD SUM IN 2 YEARS.N IM THINKING BOUT ORDERING 50 CASES OF EM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Katherine on 11/16/09 at 2:34 am #
  45. i am english and i live in the USA but smarties are way better than M&m’s

    Comment by Danielle on 12/09/09 at 9:06 am #
  46. Here in Ozstraylia, we are rucky enough to have bof. 

    I does eat them all the time, so i am wat you call an expert. 

    Smarties are my fav, hence why i spells so goode. M&Ms; are for peoples that don’t spells to goode. 

    in ozstraylia smarties are carried in kangaroo pouches, and m&ms; are carried in Koala pouches.  so sometimes its tough to get them, because kangaroos are fast and hoppys, and koala live far up the trees.

    perf here, is the worst place to get smarties. because everybody eats kangaroos!  and when i go to the straylia shopp to buy me smarties all that is left over are M&Ms; hence why smarties are clearly the best.

    Comment by Tianna on 12/26/09 at 10:14 pm #
  47. i always liked the smarties better than m&m’s because i was a Nestle consumer,and anything chocolate they made was always better.  today, with the benefits of dark chocolate, i am afraid that i converted to hershey’s.

    Comment by janet on 2/02/10 at 10:43 am #
  48. Thanks for this info. My kids are always asking me what the difference is between the two. My only answer was, one has an M on it the other doesn’t.

    I too prefer the m&m’s with Almonds, but my kids will take either one that they can get.

    Comment by Connie on 2/17/10 at 12:08 pm #
  49. Plain M and M’s always do weird things to my throat. It always makes me feel like my throat is closing up so, I avoid them. I’m glad I tried Smarties as they do not do this.
    I get mine at a Irish imports store or online at a British import place. I’m a couple hours from Canada so I won’t be making that trek anytime soon.

    Comment by Emily on 7/19/10 at 7:04 pm #
  50. hi i hate mms

    Comment by elenaryaez on 10/24/10 at 5:08 pm #
  51. i want so many pounds of m&ms; all over my body i want to eat them off my man

    Comment by amanda on 10/25/10 at 5:29 pm #
  52. Love your site, interesting indeed. Thanks for doing this =) Learned new stuff. And I am like you - prefer the more chocolatey M&Ms; =) With almonds even better, but any nutty, plain etc will do! Hahaa!

    Comment by Metamor4sis on 1/17/11 at 2:46 pm #
  53. EVERYBODY KNOWS SMARTIES POWNS MnMS ASS. I JUST CANT GET ENOUGH OF SMARTIES

    Comment by robokopt on 2/27/11 at 7:03 am #
  54. I have always loved Smarties, but they are definitely a different candy than the M and M. I always thought of them more like a sour cream chocolate (if you have ever had sour cream chocolate cake, you know whereof I speak…).
    I love the new natural colors!
    For the first time I had UK Smarties today instead of Canadian ones…I finally got to taste the orange chocolate ones! Canada should do that, too. I would be all for the light brown coffee ones coming back, too. Mmmmm

    Comment by Jenn on 4/01/11 at 1:33 pm #
  55. I have to avoid Smarties because of the gluten in them (damn!), but I used to love eating them. I would get lots of small boxes in my trick or treat bag at Hallowe’en. For years I assumed that the U.S. had them too.

    I have never understood the appeal of M&Ms;. They have always tasted very chemically to me.

    Comment by Lillea on 6/22/11 at 9:03 pm #
  56. In Canada we get both but I honestly prefer M&M’s over Smarties.  I found a store near me that carries American chocolate bars…Twix BP, Dark Chocolate Mind 3 Muskateers, and 3 Muskateers Truffle Crisp.  My last trip there, I came over with almost $30 in chocolate!!!!!!  Yup, just from those 3 kinds.  I always buy bags of the red and green M&M’s at Christmas to put out on the table, the last time I bought Smarties, they didn’t really get eaten.  Put out the M&M’s and I have to open another bag quick!

    Comment by Sandy on 8/11/11 at 2:15 pm #
  57. I prefer smarties personally, and smarties are of course easier to package and resell in my store as the candy is not branded.

    Comment by Sandra on 10/02/11 at 12:44 pm #
  58. Smarties rule, simple.

    Comment by JP on 10/18/11 at 10:43 am #
  59. lols, I didnt know that smarties were from UK. It was my childhood candy when I used to live in the Philippines, and i thought it was only made over there. I remembered those cylinder-carton casings with plastic caps and I used to poke the bottom of the carton casings smile
    I always wondered why I haven’t seen it here in U.S though, but i think i know why. They were definitely the best candies though,I hope they have it in every store here in California specially when its almost Halloween.

    Comment by Philippe on 10/24/11 at 9:07 pm #
  60. I would rather have M&M’s than Smarties!

    Comment by ElmoAttack on 11/12/11 at 10:39 am #
  61. Smarties taste more like candy. M&ms; taste more like chocolate. I’d have to go with the m&ms; smile

    Comment by Alex on 11/20/11 at 10:26 am #
  62. M&M are the best smarties cant beet that

    Comment by Eric on 1/16/12 at 6:17 am #
  63. Maybe smarties are good but they can’t beat M&M’s
    Smarties copied M&M’s.Mars invented it before NESTLE invented Samrties

    Comment by Tatille on 4/02/12 at 5:34 pm #
  64. GUYS SMARTIES HAS PURPLE AND PINK!!
    But m&ms; have yum flavors .... They are both pretty awesome

    Comment by Milo on 7/17/12 at 4:33 am #
  65. Wow, so glad to stumble onto your site.  I have a severe peanut allergy, yet I can eat tree nuts.  I could never eat more than a handful of M & Ms… the plain ones, without getting an itchy throat. So as a nut allergy girl… I LOVE SMARTIES!!

    You cannot readily get them in the states! But I was born in Canada, so when we visited or Grandma came, we stocked up.  I was lucky to often visit her in late October, so I would score the mini (Halloween) versions of our favorite candy!  Years back, before allergy warnings like “trace amount"s and “may contain”, etc… Plain M&Ms; had peanuts listed in the ingredients, it was the 2nd or third to last, in the chocolate.  My father knows this is true because I would bet people when they would argue that there are no nuts in Plain M&Ms;.  I swear it’s true, yet have never been able to confirm this.  I remember snidely winning bets by pointing it out, when I was much younger.  So much has changed about labeling and allergies. 

    My 6 year old daughter also has nut allergies.  M&Ms; are the most popular treat for kids.  In my day.. there was no such thing as “peanut free” classrooms. School starts tomorrow. I have to make sure the teacher has Swedish Fish, Skittels, or something like that when they do a candy-type of snack.  Many parents still don’t understand peanut allergy kids cannot even eat the plain M&Ms;.  In Florida most grocery stores have a Canadian food section; also in the Ethnic food section they sell Kosher M& M - type candies, that more resemble Smarties. Both are pricey.

    I went online to see about ordering some SMARTIES for my allergic kid - she’s never had them!! . And this is when I saw the argument between Smarties and M&Ms;.  How I would love to be able to buy a big bag at Target or Publix, or some industrial size at Costco.  SMARTIES have prettier colors!

    I’m guessing most Nut Allergy people vote SMARTIES!!

    Comment by Maureen on 8/19/12 at 10:16 pm #
  66. No smarties in the USA?  How bout this, anyone want
    Some, I will ship them to ya. Free of charge. No one should go
    Without smarties. Lol

    Comment by Craig on 8/25/12 at 8:38 pm #
  67. Smarties are superior. =) Especially the oramge ones! There is an imports section in one of the stores where I live (California) so we buy them there. I have never liked M&Ms;, but I do like Smarties.

    Comment by Deirdre on 10/05/12 at 1:48 pm #
  68. smarties are sooo good omg.

    Comment by kate on 11/26/12 at 6:48 am #
  69. M&Ms; are full of artificial colours (which is probably why one user noted that they taste more chemical) including E133 in the blue ones, which I am highly allergic to. Even for people not allergic, there have been links to cancer, rashes, ADHD in adults as well as kids, and a range of other illnesses.

    Lucky for me, Nestle (the producer of Smarties) got rid of all artificial colourings in its confectionary a couple of years back.

    So to all you Smarties lovers out there, you’re in luck!!! Munch away smile

    Comment by lara on 4/28/13 at 9:02 pm #
  70. I hadn’t had Smarties in 3 years. When my friend sent me them, they looked bigger than M&M’s.

    Comment by Molly on 6/06/13 at 12:49 pm #
  71. The chocolate inside of M&Ms; tastes like garbage… same is true for all Mars products. Smarties are infinitely better!! I love Smarties, but hate M&Ms;. I buy Smarties in bulk at Bulk Barn, and sometimes there is a random M&M mixed in. It is a nasty surprise if I’m not paying attention and eat it by accident!!

    Comment by quigli on 6/23/13 at 11:24 pm #
  72. For everyone who knows Smarties as the sour tart candies, they are called Rockets in Canada, and Smarties in the US. Same candy, different names.

    Comment by Heidi on 6/26/13 at 4:39 pm #
  73. I know, and everyone else knows, that smarties are way better than M&Ms;. Don’t fuck around.

    Comment by Sam on 8/09/13 at 3:34 pm #
  74. Also, it is highly inappropriate to peruse pornography websites at work. Just saying.

    Comment by Sam on 8/09/13 at 3:35 pm #
  75. I’m from Australia and we have both Smarties and M&Ms;. I prefer M&Ms;! I mostly ate Smarties as a child but I think M&Ms; have better chocolate in them. I don’t understand why people think Smarties are sweeter and M&Ms; are semi-sweet. I don’t like semi-sweet chocolate and I prefer M&Ms;. Maybe it depends where the M&Ms; are manufactured. I know Cadbury chocolate in Australia is different to Cadbury chocolate in the UK so maybe Nestle chocolate is different depending where it’s manufactured too.

    Chere B - celiac disease is not rare. I know more people with celiac (Coeliac, in Australia) disease than any other disease, except perhaps diabetes. I’m horrified no doctor diagnosed your father sooner.

    Comment by Leah on 8/20/13 at 5:08 am #
  76. UK smarties are different than Canadian ones, they have a sweet fruity-tasting shell.
    I prefer Canadian smarties to M & Ms and UK smarties!

    Comment by Nikki on 9/17/13 at 6:25 pm #
  77. I just bought a UK Smarties in Bermuda - the package states No artificial clolours, flavours or preservatives, which I do not believe is the case for M&Ms;.  Regardless, both are iconic snacks because they are so good… I am still after all these years distressed that Smarties abandoned their round tube package with the colourful plastic insert tops which were great to play and fiddle with.

    Comment by Victor on 9/27/13 at 9:17 am #
  78. In Australia they no longer have the letters on Smarties and m&m’s are more common as Smarties they only come in small boxes and while m&m’s come in buckets that are close to a KG

    Comment by Peta on 12/30/13 at 3:56 am #
  79. As an American with a Canadian Mum, I was introduced to Smarties VERY early on, then found out there was some nasty powdery thing here that were called by the same name - so much disappointment. Nestle chocolate, even from the USA to the UK/Canada has a different flavour.  The UK/Canada is definitely more milky chocolate (just as non US Cadbury is far richer & creamier). I’m not sure why, but it just is. Smarties are SO much better than M&Ms;, but I don’t like 99.9% of ANY chocolate from Hershey’s, quite frankly because I think it tastes vile.  It’s not “milk” chocolate at all, it’s closer to semi-sweet (yuck!).  If you prefer the milk chocolate or even white chocolate, then you’ll probably be more of a fan of the Smarties too.  After I found out that I had a gluten allergy, and that they have wheat, I did shed a couple of tears.

    Comment by Heather on 1/17/14 at 10:39 am #
  80. Smarties are soooooooooooo much better than mnm’s

    Comment by Isabelle all lard on 4/25/14 at 5:56 pm #
  81. Sorry I ment allard not all lard!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Isabelle all lard on 4/25/14 at 5:58 pm #
  82. I have seen on Face Book, a picture of a bag of bacon flavored M n M’s.  Is this for real or is it a joke?

    Comment by Ayn-Martha Joyce on 5/10/14 at 2:44 pm #
  83. Born in Vancouver BC, Canada, raised in California since age 3…...Smarties are far superior to M&Ms;.  Smarties in US are the chalky-powder tablets, so most Americans have no idea of the taste difference and Nestle’s version.

    Agree with prior posts, that Smarties (Canada) are much smoother and milky…...have a great taste and nobody who has tried them here in Calif (brought several bags back this summer from visit to Vancouver) had anything but praise for them….Nestles should definitely market them in the US….just for clarity….I do like M&Ms; with peanuts or almonds (but not as much as Smarties), as well as Hershey Kisses….so not adverse to that type of chocolate.  Gonna order the Smarties via internet, they are worth the extra cost.

    Comment by Tyrone on 6/01/14 at 3:18 pm #
  84. Popular Canadian jingle: “When you eat your Smarties, do you eat the red ones last? Do you suck them very slowly, or crunch them very fast? Eat those candy-coated chocolates, but tell me when I ask, when you eat your Smarties, do you eat the red ones last?” Here’s the thing: I like to suck them very slowly and you can crack the outer shell of Smarties into two little bowls and lick out the melted chocolate. Works better than with M&Ms; ...

    Comment by Kevin on 8/12/14 at 5:59 pm #
  85. Thanks so much for posting this. It helped me so much with my essay I had to do about them.

    Comment by Lilly on 10/14/14 at 4:49 pm #
  86. Speaking of advertising… smarties (or saint martys) as I was teased for calling them as a little boy… they melt quite quickly in your hand.

    M&Ms; had an ad running for a long time saying “melts in your mouth… not in your hand”

    Comment by eric on 11/03/14 at 9:52 am #
  87. Hi Derek, thanks for a well researched and informative post.  I was just discussing with friends if a smarties is bigger than an M&m, both in thickness and diameter, and which has the most chocolate inside? Perhaps you could let me know? Thanks

    Comment by Chloe on 1/18/15 at 1:19 pm #
  88. Real Canadian Smarties are what are called Rockets THERE and called Smarties in the US (I consider US and Canada two seperate American cities.)


    Found the Canadian/elsewhere candy known as Smarties in Vegas over last week, in It’s Sugar.

    They have some other imports, as well including Smarties (US slightly sour candies. Maybe the Canadian name for US Smarties, Rockets, should be sued for US version of foregin/Canadian Smarties..)

    Other candies sold at It’s Sugar stores (Universal Hollywood has a California store on Citywalk):
    Regular and (in the Vegas one at least) Chocolate Neccos
    Four-flavor/color Spangler Circus Peanuts.

    Comment by SteveCarras on 8/02/15 at 7:06 pm #
  89. I think m and ms will be the winner beacause you can smoke with smarties

    Comment by Fadi on 8/15/15 at 1:01 am #
  90. My wife and I find your description of Smarties being Graham cracker tasting, and M&M’s having a more chocolate punch, a little puzzling. We think that taste is milk chocolate. As some of the other comments have said, Smarties are more milky… as in milk chocolate. Our perception is that M&M’s have less flavor, and are just sweet. By the way I read on Wikipedia that after copying the design of Smarties, which one of the M&M founders saw in Spain in the 1930’s, M&M successfully sued Smarties to keep them out of the US, claiming they were too similar to M&M’s! However, this entry has been removed, whatever that means.

    Comment by Alan Poropat on 10/21/15 at 6:08 pm #
  91. THis is super helpful for a science project!

    Comment by Hailey on 12/22/15 at 10:51 am #
  92. The reason that UK Smarties have flavor is be aside their candy she’ll is naturally flavored.  No Red Lake 40.  This makes them great for people with dye sensitivities.  I wish more companies in the US would do that.  There are way to many chemicals in our foods that aren’t in food ms from other countries.

    Comment by T L Nichols on 1/30/16 at 9:29 pm #
  93. Being from the UK, smarties are my favourite out of the two, however if you gave me a choice of Smarties or ‘Peanut’ M&M’s then I’d have to have them both! haha

    Comment by Icariin on 3/06/16 at 4:17 am #
  94. Forgot to ask also, has does anyone know where to get the ‘Almond’ M&M’s in the UK (not at an extortionate price), cheers

    Comment by icariin on 3/06/16 at 4:20 am #
  95. I have had SMARTIES since I was 2 years old, and able to walk to the corner market and buy a tube of them for just a couple pence….


    Years later, while on the ferryboat going from Reykjavik to whale bay, I saw the tubes, bought a bunch to take with me…..

    I believe they have a better taste..

    Comment by Michael ONeill on 5/15/16 at 5:14 am #
  96. SMARTIES ARE BETTER THAN MNMS LOLZ XD

    Comment by Brooklyn on 1/16/17 at 10:09 am #
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