This list covers 38 junk foods, starting with “Candy Cane” and ending with “Custard Donuts”. These treats range from candies and snacks to fast food, pastries, and sugary drinks. Most people reach for them as quick snacks, party treats, or indulgent sides that satisfy a craving rather than a nutritional need.
Junk food are foods and drinks that are high in sugar, salt, or fat but offer little nutritional value. The term dates back to the 1970s, when nutritionist Michael Jacobson coined it to describe the growing wave of processed snacks flooding American grocery stores. Today, junk food shows up everywhere, from stadium concession stands to school vending machines.
Below you’ll find the table with the Junk Food, Category, Main Ingredients, Calories, and Description for each item.
Junk Food: the name of the snack, candy, or dish so you can quickly find the one you’re looking for.
Category: the general type of food, like candy, snack, or fast food, so you can group similar items together.
Main Ingredients: the key components used to make the item, giving you a quick sense of what’s inside it.
Calories: the approximate calorie count per typical serving, helping you compare how filling or indulgent each item is.
Description: a short explanation of what the item is and why people enjoy it, so you know what to expect before you try it.
Junk food
| Junk Food | Category | Main Ingredients | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candy Cane | Candy | Sugar, peppermint flavoring | 60 |
| Candy Corn | Candy | Sugar, corn syrup, wax | 150 |
| Caramel Apples | Snack | Apples, caramel, wooden stick | 300 |
| Caramel Popcorn | Snack | Popcorn, caramel, butter | 150 |
| Cheese Balls | Snack | Cornmeal, cheese powder, vegetable oil | 160 |
| Cheese Puffs | Snack | Cornmeal, cheese powder, vegetable oil | 160 |
| Cheeseburger | Fast Food | Beef patty, cheese, bun | 300 |
| Cheesecake | Dessert | Cream cheese, sugar, graham cracker crust | 400 |
| Chex Mix | Snack | Cereal, pretzels, seasoning, oil | 140 |
| Chicharrones | Snack | Fried pork skin, salt | 150 |
| Chicken Nuggets | Fast Food | Chicken, breading, vegetable oil | 300 |
| Chicken Tenders | Fast Food | Chicken breast, breading, vegetable oil | 350 |
| Chili Cheese Fries | Fast Food | Fries, chili, melted cheese | 600 |
| Chili Dog | Fast Food | Hot dog, chili, bun | 350 |
| Chips | Snack | Potatoes, vegetable oil, salt | 150 |
| Chocolate Bar | Candy | Cocoa, sugar, milk | 220 |
| Chocolate Chip Cookies | Dessert | Flour, sugar, chocolate chips, butter | 150 |
| Chocolate Donut | Pastry | Flour, sugar, chocolate glaze | 300 |
| Chocolate Milkshake | Beverage | Milk, ice cream, chocolate syrup | 500 |
| Chocolate Pudding | Dessert | Milk, sugar, cocoa | 150 |
| Churros | Fried Pastry | Flour, sugar, cinnamon, oil | 250 |
| Cinnamon Rolls | Pastry | Flour, sugar, cinnamon, icing | 350 |
| Cinnamon Toast Crunch | Cereal | Wheat, sugar, cinnamon | 130 |
| Cocoa Puffs | Cereal | Corn, sugar, cocoa | 120 |
| Cola | Beverage | Carbonated water, sugar, caramel color | 140 |
| Cookie Dough | Snack | Flour, sugar, butter, chocolate chips | 130 |
| Corn Chips | Snack | Corn, vegetable oil, salt | 150 |
| Corn Dogs | Fast Food | Hot dog, cornmeal batter | 250 |
| Corn Nuts | Snack | Corn kernels, vegetable oil, salt | 130 |
| Cotton Candy | Candy | Sugar, food coloring | 100 |
| Cracker Jack | Snack | Popcorn, peanuts, caramel coating | 120 |
| Cream Puffs | Pastry | Choux pastry, cream filling | 200 |
| Crispy Rice Treats | Dessert | Rice cereal, marshmallow, butter | 100 |
| Croquettes | Snack | Mashed potato or meat, breadcrumbs, oil | 200 |
| Crunch Bar | Candy | Chocolate, crisped rice | 200 |
| Cupcakes | Dessert | Flour, sugar, frosting | 250 |
| Curly Fries | Fast Food | Potatoes, seasoning, vegetable oil | 300 |
| Custard Donuts | Pastry | Flour, custard filling, sugar | 300 |
Descriptions
Candy Cane
A hard, striped peppermint candy shaped like a cane, popular around the holidays. It’s pure sugar with a minty kick and no nutritional value to speak of.
Candy Corn
A tri-colored, cone-shaped candy that’s essentially flavored sugar and corn syrup. It’s a Halloween staple that people either love or love to hate.
Caramel Apples
A whole apple dipped in warm caramel and often rolled in nuts or sprinkles. The fruit gives it a healthy veneer, but the caramel coating makes it a sugary treat.
Caramel Popcorn
Popcorn coated in a sweet, buttery caramel glaze and baked until crunchy. It’s a fairground and movie-night favorite that’s more candy than popcorn.
Cheese Balls
Puffy, bite-sized snacks made from cornmeal and coated in bright orange cheese powder. They’re light, crunchy, and leave an unmistakable cheesy dust on your fingers.
Cheese Puffs
An airy, extruded corn snack dusted with tangy cheese flavoring. Best known through brands like Cheetos, they melt almost instantly in your mouth.
Cheeseburger
A grilled or fried beef patty topped with melted cheese and served in a bun. It’s the quintessential fast-food staple, often loaded with sauces and toppings.
Cheesecake
A rich, dense dessert made from a sweetened cream cheese filling set on a crumbly crust. It’s indulgent and calorie-heavy, especially with fruit or chocolate toppings.
Chex Mix
A savory blend of cereal squares, pretzels, and crackers tossed in a buttery seasoned coating. It’s a salty, crunchy snack mix popular at parties.
Chicharrones
Deep-fried pork skins that puff up into light, crackly, salty snacks. They’re a popular street food and bar snack across many cultures.
Chicken Nuggets
Bite-sized pieces of chicken coated in breading and deep-fried until crispy. They’re a fast-food menu staple, often dipped in sweet or tangy sauces.
Chicken Tenders
Strips of breaded, fried chicken breast, similar to nuggets but larger. They’re a common fast-food and kids’-menu item served with dipping sauces.
Chili Cheese Fries
Crispy fries smothered in meaty chili and melted cheese. It’s a heavy, indulgent snack found at diners, food trucks, and stadiums.
Chili Dog
A grilled hot dog topped with a scoop of meaty chili, often finished with cheese and onions. It’s a messy, hearty American classic.
Chips
Thin slices of potato fried or baked until crispy and salted. Potato chips are one of the most popular salty snacks worldwide.
Chocolate Bar
A solid bar of sweetened chocolate, sometimes with nuts, caramel, or wafer layers mixed in. It’s the classic candy-aisle indulgence.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft or crispy baked cookies studded with melted chocolate chips. They’re a beloved homemade and store-bought sweet treat.
Chocolate Donut
A fried, ring-shaped pastry coated in a shiny chocolate glaze. It’s a breakfast-shop favorite known for its sugary sweetness.
Chocolate Milkshake
A thick, blended drink made from ice cream, milk, and chocolate syrup. It’s a rich, dessert-like beverage often topped with whipped cream.
Chocolate Pudding
A smooth, creamy dessert thickened and flavored with cocoa. It’s a soft, spoonable sweet often served chilled in small cups.
Churros
Fried dough pastries dusted in cinnamon sugar, often served with chocolate dipping sauce. They originated in Spain and are now a popular street food globally.
Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, spiraled dough swirled with cinnamon sugar and topped with sweet icing. They’re a rich, gooey breakfast pastry.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
A crunchy breakfast cereal made of cinnamon-sugar-coated squares. It’s a kid-favorite known for turning milk sweet and spiced.
Cocoa Puffs
A chocolate-flavored puffed corn cereal that turns milk chocolatey. It’s a sugary breakfast option marketed heavily to kids.
Cola
A carbonated soft drink flavored with a proprietary blend of spices and caramel color, sweetened heavily with sugar or syrup. It’s one of the most consumed soft drinks worldwide.
Cookie Dough
Raw or edible-safe cookie batter eaten straight, without baking. It’s become a popular standalone treat and ice cream mix-in.
Corn Chips
Crunchy, salted chips made from ground corn, often fried. They’re a staple snack on their own or paired with dips.
Corn Dogs
A hot dog coated in sweet cornmeal batter and deep-fried on a stick. It’s a fairground and carnival food classic.
Corn Nuts
Roasted or fried corn kernels seasoned with salt, prized for their hard, crunchy texture. They’re a long-lasting, salty snack.
Cotton Candy
Spun sugar that melts into a fluffy, cloud-like treat. It’s a fairground favorite known for dissolving instantly on the tongue.
Cracker Jack
Caramel-coated popcorn mixed with peanuts, sold in small boxes with a prize inside. It’s a longtime American ballpark snack.
Cream Puffs
Light, hollow pastry shells filled with sweetened whipped cream or custard. They’re a delicate, indulgent bakery dessert.
Crispy Rice Treats
A chewy, no-bake treat made by binding puffed rice cereal with melted marshmallow. They’re a quick, sugary snack loved by kids and adults alike.
Croquettes
Small, breaded rolls of mashed potato, meat, or cheese that are deep-fried until golden. They’re a popular fried appetizer in many cuisines.
Crunch Bar
A milk chocolate bar filled with crisped rice for a light, crunchy texture. It’s a well-known candy-aisle staple.
Cupcakes
Individual-sized cakes topped with a swirl of sweet frosting. They’re a portable, decorative dessert popular at parties and bakeries.
Curly Fries
Spiral-cut, seasoned fries that are deep-fried until crispy. They’re a popular fast-food side known for their extra seasoning and crunch.
Custard Donuts
A fried, sugar-dusted pastry filled with sweet vanilla custard. It’s a bakery favorite prized for its creamy center.