I Bought Edible Fruit Slime for My Kid, but I’m Keeping It for Myself

Once you become a parent, your snack habits totally change—or at least mine did. I have limited cabinet space, so once my kiddo was old enough for school, suddenly the shelves held more Goldfish crackers and Veggie Straws than hearty seeded flatbreads. But like everything with raising children, it was temporary. We mostly eat the same things now, minus a few snacks for school we still keep on hand—like GoGo Squeez fruit pouches.

Applesauce in a slurpable pouch doesn’t sound that revolutionary. But between its soft texture (perfect for picky eaters and wiggly-toothed kiddos) and the fact that it’s a shelf-stable serving of fruit that doesn’t require a utensil, it has been a game-changer. And I fully admit to enjoying them myself, especially on days when I’m chasing my tail just to keep up.

I’m always on the lookout for new fruit pouch flavors, because while plain applesauce is great, it becomes a little ho-hum after a while. So when I saw GoGo Squeez Slymez, I was intrigued by both the name and the concept. It’s labeled as a sweet-and-sour fruit gel, made from fruit with no added sugar. I decided to try the blue raspberry variety (made from apple, blueberry and raspberry), and I was blown away by its unique texture and slightly tart taste. Once my kid declared it the GOAT of all fruit pouches, I knew I needed to give it a Taste of Home Award.

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GoGo Squeez Slymez Are Oh-So-Smooth

At the risk of sounding too old-school, eating fruit never involved much innovation or excitement when I was a kid. My lunchbox usually held an apple, an orange, or a banana that looked worse for wear by the time I got to the cafeteria. Occasionally a wildcard cup of fruit cocktail would turn up, with a single bright red cherry floating within. But now it’s easy to find all kinds of portable fruit blends with mango, berries and even guava. So I love that GoGo Squeez Slymez take it one step further by offering a unique texture as well.

Before opening the new Slymez, I shook the blue raspberry pouch and could hear liquid sloshing around. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a gel, and frankly “slimy” isn’t usually appealing when it comes to food. But my hesitation faded after the first sip. The consistency was similar to a puree, with a lovely slippery feel on my tongue that made it super smooth—like liquid satin. I was so surprised by the texture that my taste buds took a second to react to the initial puckering sour flavor, which faded into sweet berries.

A quick look at the ingredients held the secret to the silky texture: konjac flour. Truthfully, I had no idea what this ingredient was, but I suspected that it was the source of the gel texture. After looking it up, I can confirm that it is. Konjac flour is a gluten-free, plant-based flour that’s often used as a vegan alternative to gelatin. It’s almost totally flavorless, and you’d never know it was there with the snack’s sour, fruity flavors.

I love that these pouches still focus on natural fruit flavors and aren’t trying to taste like sour candy. That does mean you have to take the “blue raspberry” descriptor with a grain of salt. It may taste like blueberry and raspberry with a bright, lemony-sour kick, but it doesn’t taste like a bright blue hard candy. And that’s fine with me. There’s a time for fruit and a time for candy.

Where to Find GoGo Squeez Slymez

With so many other GoGo Squeez varieties already on shelves, I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t see Slymez at my usual grocery store—especially since it’s a new product. I went to the store locator, and confirmed that it’s widely available at Target and Walmart. It can also be ordered on Amazon for days when you can’t get to a store. There are four flavors: blue raspberry, strawberry lemonade, green apple and cherry. The flavors are sold individually and in larger mixed-variety boxes, which is good news for my household considering how quickly we go through them.

Now, I just need to figure out where I can stash of few of these GoGo Squeez Slymez so they don’t all end up in my son’s lunchbox!

More Taste of Home Awards:

• Sour Fruit Ice Pops Are Here for Summer, and They’re Cooler Than AC
• Dole Whip’s New Tropical Flavor Is Better than the Classic
• These Granola Bars Will Make You a Morning Workout Person