Full of Beans - Jelly Beans from Online Sweets

I jumped at the chance to review some deliciously chewy jelly beans from Online Sweets.  I have a bit of a history with jelly beans. You see, more years ago than I care to mention, one of the first competitions I ever won secured me my very own jelly bean machine.  It was my pride and joy.  I lovingly fed it with coins, turned the little handle and out would roll a small handful of rainbow coloured beans.  To begin with I thought it would act as a money box - rewarding me with a little treat each time I saved some pennies.  However I soon discovered that a 2p coin would undo the base and allow me to re-use the same coin over and over.

So, not much use as a piggy bank, but still a beautiful object, a retro icon and a talking piece.  I carefully wrapped it and packed it through successive house moves, until it reached it's final resting place atop my fridge freezer in the kitchen.  Until that is, in typical bull-in-a-china shop style, my old man had to move the fridge to paint the kitchen walls.  Not realising it would be a sensible precaution to remove items from the top of the fridge freezer before moving it, inevitably it wobbled and teetered and finally toppled to the floor with an almighty crash, smashing to smithereens.  Quickly shooing the dog (nicknamed Dyson) out of the room before she cut her paws or tried to eat the sweeties mingled with glass shards, depressingly I had to sweep the whole lot up into a dustpan and throw it in the bin.  I was livid.  I'd had this bean machine for years. It only ever seems to be my things that he clumsily trashes.  Still now I like to think he's wracked with guilt and self-loathing for this mishap (I suspect not!).  In fact, writing this now has made me realise that I haven't yet forgiven him.  I still have an issue with this.  Maybe some kind of counselling is in order?  I suspect I may have post-jelly-bean-trauma.

Periodically I will point out jelly bean machines in shop windows, nudging him hard in the ribs and reminding him he owes me one.  In fact, Online Sweets sell the very one that he so heartlessly smashed, so I may well email him this link.  Christmas is not far off, even he should pick up this not-so-subtle hint...



Jelly Belly Bean Machine - available from Online Sweets £23.99 small or £41.99 large


If you are reading this, dear-heart it was the LARGE one you smashed. A large one filled with beans...

Anyhow, now I've got that off my chest, on to the review.  The beans I am sampling are from the Jelly Bean Factory.  They are gourmet jelly beans, free from artificial colours or flavours (which is quite staggering when you see the spectrum of colours and the 36 different flavours).  All products from the Jelly Bean Factory are GMO, gelatine, gluten and nut free.  They are suitable for vegetarians AND they are fat-free!


You can purchase these either in mixed jars (once devoured the canisters would make great storage for pasta, ground coffee or...more jelly beans!)




900g jar - £12.99


or, if you have a particular favourite, you can buy the flavours individually.



Butterscotch Flavour - individual flavours £3.75 for 250g tube




There are different approaches to eating these sweeties.  You can either eat them separately, savouring the flavour of each one, discovering your personal favourites (mine happen to be Caramel Popcorn and Butterscotch), or you can do what I do and throw caution to the wind, chuck a handful in and discover what weird and wonderful cocktail you've come up with!  I'm often pleasantly surprised, but sometimes you get an oddball mix (Caribbean Coconut, Mint Sorbet and Cafe Latte together was pretty strange!)

Visit Online Sweets to purchase these and many, many other sweetie delights.  Which will be your favourite flavour?

A product was received free of charge for the purposes of writing this review, however I have received no financial reward and the views are my honest opinions.