The Snack Shelf: Sweet, Salty, Sour and Everything Between

Walking into a shop and finding exactly the snack you came for is a small, real pleasure. Finding three you didn't know you needed is better.

A good snack shelf doesn't have to be complicated. Variety does most of the work. Sweet, salty, sour and savoury each do something different, and a decent mix means there's something for whatever mood you walked in with.

Chocolate, cookies and gummies are the familiar starting point. Imported and limited-run candy is where browsing gets interesting: the same idea, made a little differently.

Trying something new? Check the flavour, pack size and ingredient information before you buy. Recipes can differ between manufacturers and between countries, even for a brand you know.

Chips, crackers, nuts and their relatives are the answer when sweet isn't.

Flavours run from the reliable (salted, barbecue) to the spicy, tangy and regional. Whatever you pick, the pack is the easiest place to compare:

• ingredients
• allergens
• serving sizes

For anyone who likes their snacks to fight back, sour candy and spicy snacks come in plenty of strengths.

Heat and sourness vary a lot from one product to the next, so the label and the manufacturer's description are worth a read before you commit to a full bag of something unfamiliar.

A snack shelf pairs naturally with something cold. Soft drinks, sparkling beverages, juices and other non-alcoholic options mean you can sort the whole run in one stop.

As with the food, check ingredients, caffeine content and nutrition information on the packaging itself.

Part of the fun of a shelf that keeps changing is finding things you won't see at every convenience store.

Stock rotates, so check the shop for current flavours, sizes and availability. Whether you know what you want or just want to be surprised, browse all exotic snacks and see what's there.