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AIBU?

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Jelly Belly beans

37 replies

LilyCanna · 14/04/2026 22:41

Off the back of another thread which turned out NOT to be about Jelly Belly beans. AIBU to think that the only proper way to consume these is to pick these out without looking and then guess what the flavour is?

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AccordingToWhom · 18/04/2026 08:16

EffervescenceSmallUmbrella · 15/04/2026 16:16

Jelly Babies are disgusting.
Sickly, squishy, powdery and they look weird.
Jelly Belly Beans have interesting flavours and are nicely chewy.

Agreed!

EffervescenceSmallUmbrella · 15/04/2026 16:16

likelysuspect · 15/04/2026 07:59

No they're too hard and full of rubbish

You need actual Jelly Babies.

The end.

Jelly Babies are disgusting.
Sickly, squishy, powdery and they look weird.
Jelly Belly Beans have interesting flavours and are nicely chewy.

XenaBallerina · 15/04/2026 16:09

Nourishinghandcream · 15/04/2026 08:55

They have them on-line now.
Jelly Bean Factory 36-flavour 1.4kg £13.39.
Haven't checked in-store availability or price.

Definately not them. They aren’t half as nice and they’re a lot cheaper. Real Jelly Bellies from America used to be sold in Costco.

NellyNoMates · 15/04/2026 09:07

Nourishinghandcream · 15/04/2026 08:55

They have them on-line now.
Jelly Bean Factory 36-flavour 1.4kg £13.39.
Haven't checked in-store availability or price.

Jelly Bean Factory (made in Ireland) and Jelly Belly (made in USA) are not the same. IMHO Jelly Bean Factory are a poor imitation of the original Jelly Bellies. The flavours are nowhere near as strong, I think that they are drier somehow - less juicy, and the shell isn’t the same as Jelly Belly shells.

Nourishinghandcream · 15/04/2026 08:55

XenaBallerina · 15/04/2026 07:10

I haven’t seen them in Costco for a long time. I used to buy them from there years ago.

They have them on-line now.
Jelly Bean Factory 36-flavour 1.4kg £13.39.
Haven't checked in-store availability or price.

Idontjetwashthefucker · 15/04/2026 08:22

likelysuspect · 15/04/2026 07:59

No they're too hard and full of rubbish

You need actual Jelly Babies.

The end.

They are 2 completely different things though, I love jelly beans but find jelly babies far too sweet, especially the dusted with icing sugar ones

PinkNailPolish2026 · 15/04/2026 08:08

I have a massive tub of jelly belly beans I got for Christmas. I’ve eaten all the flavours I like, it’s the rotten ones that are left. This is what happens when your children leave for Uni and there’s no-one here to eat the weird flavour ones.

Katemax82 · 15/04/2026 08:07

Does anyone remember when they first came to the UK? I first discovered them in a delicatessen in Southsea in 1991. You got them weighed out and given a little menu of the flavours. Honestly I was so mad about them I could have ate a bin bag full (I was 9). I still miss the peanut butter ones

AngryHerring · 15/04/2026 08:00

NellyNoMates · 14/04/2026 22:54

Actually, the best way to eat them is to buy them pick n mix style, making your own perfect mix, THEN eat them without looking at what you’re choosing because you KNOW all the flavours in the bag work together.

not at all dreaming of my weekly grocery store trips when living in USA to store which had pick n mix jelly bellies

about 25 years ago a friend brought me a huge assorted box of these (all flavours labelled) and the best thing was trying the "recipies" pina colada with a coconut and pineapple one at the same time, sort of thing.

Excellent.

likelysuspect · 15/04/2026 07:59

No they're too hard and full of rubbish

You need actual Jelly Babies.

The end.

mazedasamarchhare · 15/04/2026 07:59

Cinnamon was like eating deep heat urgh!
Wilko used to do the pick n’ mix ones.

MamaBobo · 15/04/2026 07:58

Noooo! I like to buy them pick and mix style thus avoiding the possibility of watermelon, root beer and that very sweet tasteless white one that seemed to dominate the mixed bags. Then I like to savour them, knowing what each one is. I’m the same with all sweets though. I do remember the little menu cards and the recipes. I haven’t had Jelly Belly’s for years….hhmmm.

BrendaSmall · 15/04/2026 07:50

Not had these for years, only tried them a few times and didn’t really think they had much flavour to them so didn’t bother after that

JennyWrenSeven · 15/04/2026 07:50

The best way (imho) is to pick two of the same flavour and eat at the same time, for a taste explosion. No mixing of flavours in this house.

Spaghettea · 15/04/2026 07:49

We used to go to the Harrods jelly belly pick n mix in the 90's.
Banana
Lime
Bubblegum

DreamingOfGeneHunt · 15/04/2026 07:49

bridgetreilly · 14/04/2026 23:35

I like to make little cocktail mix combos of two or three to eat together.

That's what I do. It's the only way.

AgnesX · 15/04/2026 07:48

I used to hunt through them for the flavours I liked, cinnamon, sour cherry and apple amongst others.

HangryBrickShark · 15/04/2026 07:46

I like guessing but feel very sick if I get bubblegum or grape flavour as I can't stand either.

I like the popcorn and cotton candy flavours best.

JonathanGirl · 15/04/2026 07:42

We used to buy pick n mix jelly belly as teens.
I remember they came with a little card that gave suggestions of “recipes” of flavours to combine together. Can’t remember any of the recipes now, I feel there was an apple pie one combining two green apple and a cinnamon, and maybe one suggesting banana and chocolate pudding or something.
Wish I still had the card!

Latenightreader · 15/04/2026 07:35

I used to buy pick and mix Jelly Belly in a shop in Covent Garden, and more recently in a sweet shop in Hunstanton - Liverpool too a few years back. My favourites are root beer, anything cinnamon, watermelon, grape jelly, toasted marshmallow, buttered popcorn - actually quite a lot!

44PumpLane · 15/04/2026 07:26

I took was severely disappointed when that other thread was not about Jelly Belly jelly beans! 🤣

Barcodescanner22 · 15/04/2026 07:24

Oceangrey · 14/04/2026 23:36

Yes, they have pick n mix jelly belly in Selfridges.
I like the slightly weirder flavours like liquorice, popcorn, cinnamon. Mmmm.
The fruit ones are good too but I wish they did a bag of the non-fruit flavours.

Plus they don't contain pork gelatine which is a win if you are vegan/veggie/halal/kosher, and used to be pretty rare for jelly sweets.

We sell bags of hot cinnamon ones where I work. They do a liquorice bag but we don’t stock that

XenaBallerina · 15/04/2026 07:10

Nourishinghandcream · 14/04/2026 23:20

Yes, picking them out at random and then identifying the flavours is the best way.👍
We usually buy them in the big tubs from Costco (smaller now of course☹️) and can easily get through the tub inside of a week.😁

I haven’t seen them in Costco for a long time. I used to buy them from there years ago.

YessicaHaircut · 15/04/2026 07:03

Our local Woolworths had pick & mix Jelly Belly beans and my sister and I were obsessed! My favourites were toasted marshmallow, popcorn and juicy pear.

LilyCanna · 15/04/2026 06:54

Thanks all, I’ll be planning a trip to Selfridges next time I’m in the neighbourhood then!

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