A quick snack on a camping trip might seem appealing, but Skittles Pop’d turn that experience into a mouthful of crunchy powder and disappointment. Despite the online hype surrounding freeze-dried candy, the snack feels more like a gimmick than something worth buying again.

Freeze-dried Skittles are just regular Skittles that have had almost all moisture removed using a process called freeze-drying (or lyophilization). The process freezes the candy and then turns the ice inside directly into vapor.

Freeze-dried Skittles went viral on TikTok around 2022, with interest exploding as small businesses and creators showcased the candy’s crunchy, airy texture. Skittles Pop’d were first released on Oct. 21, 2024, in the TikTok Shop before expanding nationally in early 2025.

Despite the online hype, Skittles Pop’d are more gimmick than snack. The candy hurts your mouth, leaves powder and crushed Skittle dust at the bottom of the bag, and creates an aftertaste similar to Pop Rocks. The pieces look like they would have the texture of Styrofoam, which only adds to the strange experience. The snack feels like something found in the clearance aisle at Five Below rather than a candy worth buying again.

The texture is one of the biggest problems. The candy tastes grainy, almost like sand, with a texture closer to stale cereal than actual candy. The closest comparison would be “Cap’n Crunch Oops! All Berries” or “Trix” left outside until they became hard and stale. While they still somewhat taste like normal Skittles, the flavor is weaker and replaced by an overwhelming crunch.

The candy is also excessively crispy, to the point where swallowing the pieces the wrong way can feel uncomfortable. Regular Skittles already have a crunchy shell, but Skittles Pop’d remove nearly all chewiness and replace it with a dry crunch that feels more likely to chip a tooth than satisfy a craving.

The only people who might enjoy Skittles Pop’d are those who already love regular Skittles and want to try a different version of them. The freeze-dried food trend has become popular on TikTok largely because of curiosity, so people interested in freeze-dried candy may want to try them once just to understand the trend. Their lightweight texture could also appeal to campers or hikers trying to carry less weight in a backpack.

Another small positive is the price. At around $1.40, Skittles Pop’d cost about the same as regular Skittles. Even so, regular Skittles remain the far better option.

Skittles Pop’d are ultimately a disappointing candy built more around internet trends than actual flavor or texture. Their sand-like crunch, weak flavor, and uncomfortable texture make them difficult to recommend. Outside of novelty value or lightweight convenience for camping, there is little reason to choose Skittles Pop’d over almost any other candy on the shelf.