My Must-Buy Taiwanese Snacks Haul

Every time I come back from my Taiwan trips, my luggage is PACKED full of Taiwanese snacks and goodies. Sometimes, I even bring an extra empty suitcase. A lot of you asked me what I even pack in those extra luggage space. So, I wanted to show you all the different snacks I bring back to Vancouver whenever I visit Taiwan! If you see any of these at your local super market, or if you’re traveling, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you buy some of these to take home!

I Mei Milk Puff

These I Mei Milk Puffs are my favorite childhood snacks. I brought back my favorites, milk and strawberry flavor, but they also have coffee and chocolate. They’re bite-sized cream puffs with flavored cream on the inside. These milk puffs are on the flakier side, and crumble as you bite into them. You can also freeze them, and they come out like ice cream!

You can usually buy these at any supermarkets or convenient stores in Taiwan. These can sometimes be found in Asian supermarkets in North America, but the milk one is really really hard to find. The price difference is super high too, so I stock up every time I go back to Taiwan.

Lai Yi Ke Seafood Instant Noodles 

Taiwan has tons of different instant noodles, but the OG Taiwanese cup-sized instant noodles is Lai Yi Ke 來一客. They come in many flavors from kimchi to beef, and are available in all Taiwanese convenience stores and supermarkets. Everyone’s got their own favorite flavor!

I always stock up on their seafood flavor, the most popular AND my personal favorite. The sizing is perfect for a late night snack, or a quick pick-me-up between meetings.

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Muji Cold Brew Japanese Tea

Muji is a Japanese brand that has expanded to be more widely available in Taiwan. They have shops in department stores as well as products in convenience stores. Muji in Taiwan has similar product releases to Japan, and have similar pricing, so I can stock up on my favorites in either country.

I love the Japanese tea at Muji, especially their black soybean herb tea and buckwheat brown rice tea. The teas are formulated for a cold brewing, which saves a lot of time and is really perfect for summer! The black soybean tea is great for digestion or bloating. When I have a very heavy meal, this is the perfect thing to drink. 

Perilla Leaf Tea

Another tea I love to bring back is Perilla Leaf teas. This is also an amazingly refreshing drink for debloating in the summer. Perilla Leaf is often used as a garnish for sashimi, but it’s actually got great health benefits. Part of the mint family, perilla decreases inflammation and improves digestive health. This perilla leaf tea is grown locally in a Taiwanese farm that specializes in various herbal teas.

Science Noodles Ke Xue Mian

Science Noodles 科學麵 is for sure my weakness. They are crunchy, pre-cooked instant noodle that you can eat as is or cooked. This is the perfect size for a purse snack, especially when I was on road trips in Taiwan. You also see these a lot at hot pot restaurants as instant noodles.

These Science Noodles are very convenient, really affordable, and super easy to find in Taiwan. The original flavor is still the most popular, but they have 2-3 other flavors you can try. They’re less than 25 cents each bag, and if you buy them in bulk like this they’re around 10-15 cents per bag. They’re definitely my favorites!

Eclipse Mints – Original and Honey Lemon Ginger

If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I always have mints in my pocket or in my bag. I know that they have Eclipse mints in Canada and in North America, but I swear it tastes different. The original mint ones are so strong and they make your breath instantly fresh.

I also really like their Taiwan-only flavor, like this honey lemon and ginger. It’s delicious and perfect for soothing your throat. It’s not too sweet, not too strong. and really helps refresh your breath. These tins make it so easy to carry them around – and reuse after you’ve finished the mints! These are available all over Taiwan in convenience stores!

Taiwan Red Quinoa

You all know how I love my Multigrain Rice! When I saw Taiwanese Red Quinoa, I knew I had to add this to my rice. This quinoa is so beautiful, it makes your rice pink and gives it a really nice texture. It’s not just pretty – it’s packed full of fiber and proteins.

I definitely love adding this quinoa to my Multigrain Rice. Sometimes, I combine this quinoa with just white rice, or cook it plain to add to a shredded chicken salad. It’s a great add for my pantry!

Roasted Rice Puffs

While in Daxi having some puffed rice soft serve, I also got to grab some loose puffed rice at 正豐食品行. These rice puffs not deep fried, they’re actually roasted, similar to Rice Krispies. They have a nice toasted, nutty flavor to them, and are great on top of yogurt, ice cream, or salads. It’s a super healthy way to add some crunch into your dishes.

Meiji Juicy Gummy Grape

I think we’ve all seen these Meiji Juicy Gummy Grape candies from Tiktok – and they’re right! They taste and look like real grapes – AND you can peel it! They are so delicious and fun! I got both the red and green grape versions, but there’s also more flavors like strawberry, orange, and more.

These are more than half of the price when you’re in Asia, so I get tons when I’m in Taiwan. They’re available at supermarkets, Japanese drug stores, and sometimes the convenience store.

Chocolate Peanut Wafers

We also got chocolate and peanut butter wafers 新貴派, another nostalgic childhood snack for me. I love these wafers so much! They also have a strawberry flavor. These, to me, are more like nostalgic childhood memory snacks I used to eat these all the time, because my grandpa loved anything peanut related. From his influence, I am really a sucker for anything chocolate plus peanut butter!

These wafers are also available everywhere in Taiwan – supermarkets and convenient stores. You won’t miss them! If you’re in Taiwan, definitely try them out and bring some back.

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