Satisfy my salty-sweet tooth!

May 21, 2009 12:40 PM

What are your favorite salty/sweet food combinations?

While I generally crave salty things like chips, pretzels and crackers and rarely crave sugary snacks, I sometimes like to aim for a salty/sweet happy medium.

I love the taste of kettle corn, and I have recently begun to explore the deliciousness of sprinkling sea salt on baked goods. [Sea salt on homemade caramels? YUM.]

What else works? I'm looking for any food, not just snacks.

posted by rachaelfaith to food & drink (118 comments total)

Dark chocolate-covered almonds... Hhmmm...
posted by ddaavviidd at 12:43 PM on May 21

Chocolate pretzels. NOMNOMNOM.
posted by Jilder at 12:43 PM on May 21 [3 favorites has favorites]

chocolate covered pretzels

McDonalds french fries dipped in their soft serve ice cream (some people do this with Wendy's and frosties)

trail mix

salads that have lettuce/veggies + fruit (grapes, strawberrry slices, chunks of pears or apples, dried cranberries)

salt on margarita glasses (also, salt mixed with hot sauce on margarita glasses, mmmm)

I've heard of people making little appetizer sandwiches of baguette+brie+fig in a broiler, though I haven't tried it

Unsweetened (natural) peanut butter + chocolate combination is better to me that sweet peanut butter + chocolate, because the latter is too sweet, and the former is slightly salty and nuttier and delicious

I'm hungry now.
posted by KateHasQuestions at 12:45 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Seconding Jilder, but making it better - Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Pretzel Slims. Amaaaaaaazing. And cheap. And not too bad for you.
posted by banannafish at 12:46 PM on May 21 [2 favorites has favorites]

I've also made delicious rice dishes that have nuts and raisins in them, and all kinds of braised chicken dishes that have dried prunes or raisins or apricots... I don't have recipes, but those are some ideas to look up.
posted by KateHasQuestions at 12:48 PM on May 21

(some people do this with Wendy's and frosties)

A Wendy's Frosty and large order of fries is by far the best PMS cure ever invented ... However, for an additonal dose of decadence, chocolate gelato with kettle-cooked potato chips is even better.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 12:48 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't know if it's the type of combination you are seeking, but I love a glass of black cherry kool-aid with salty popcorn.
posted by bolognius maximus at 12:48 PM on May 21

What I'm eating right now: apple and peanut butter.
Chocolate and saltines.
posted by HotToddy at 12:49 PM on May 21

Snyder's of Hanover Sourdough Hard Pretzels (the best pretzels in your supermarket, bar none) and your favorite ice cream. They go well with Oreos, too.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:50 PM on May 21

My teenaged answer to this is potato chip crumbs on chocolate ice-cream.
That is still my answer. Fruit + melted cheese sandwiches, on maybe a salty baguette sort of bread, are a more 'mature' answer to that.
posted by cobaltnine at 12:51 PM on May 21

hot tamales and popcorn. sweet, salty and HOT.
posted by domino at 12:52 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Peanut butter with honey.

Coke and beef jerky.

Peanut butter cups and movie popcorn.
posted by Sassyfras at 12:52 PM on May 21

My husband loves watermelon with lots of salt sprinkled on it. He also frequently indulges in pretzels with ice cream.

The most multi-orgasmic salt/sweet combo is one that you touched upon...here's the recipe so you can make it from scratch! Fleur de Sel Caramels. It's sex on a stick, but without the stick. Or the sex.
posted by iconomy at 12:53 PM on May 21 [2 favorites has favorites]

sliced baguette topped with chorizo and melted dark chocolate
peanut butter and banana sandwiches
and my version of bolognius maximus' snack is salty popcorn and a glass of pulpy OJ
posted by twoporedomain at 12:53 PM on May 21

I saw Michael Smith make a salad out of watermelon, salt, pepper and olive oil, and I've wanted to try it ever since, since I can hardly imagine what it would taste like.
posted by Dr. Send at 12:55 PM on May 21

I know it's wrong, but Hershey's chocolate and Cheddar Sour Cream Ruffles.
posted by esmerelda_jenkins at 12:55 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Salted fudge brownies.
posted by paduasoy at 12:58 PM on May 21

M&Ms in popcorn. The heat from the popcorn should the M's into little molten chocolate bombs that explode in your mouth.

Brie & apple crostata.

When I was a kid, my tia taught my to sprinkle salt on slices of Granny Smith. People do this with Lucas candy as well.

Barbecue sauce on a burger. Pretty traditional, but man, barbecue sauce has a lot of sugar in it for a savory condiment.

Homemade buttermilk biscuits with melted butter and good preserves.

Those Take 5 candy bars with the pretzels in them. Oh god.
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:59 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Strawberries, balsamic vinegar, cracked black pepper.
posted by nitsuj at 12:59 PM on May 21

Salty salty buttered popcorn with M & Ms mixed in while it's hot.
posted by artychoke at 12:59 PM on May 21

Former roomate was a big fan of chocolate-enrobed bacon (homemade). I was too scared to try it.

I frequently eat grilled cheese with apples.
posted by lonefrontranger at 1:01 PM on May 21

fries and a chocolate shake

Watermelon and feta salad
posted by Sophie1 at 1:03 PM on May 21

Cheese and jam on bread. For which my fiancee is certain I am going to burn in whatever an atheists' version of hell is.
posted by LN at 1:03 PM on May 21

Take a look at the comments on this post from Serious Eats. They're not all sweet/salty, but the majority of them are, and some of the combinations are pretty wild (and many quite tempting).
posted by ilana at 1:06 PM on May 21

so everyone doesn't salt their watermelon? I thought that was normal.

Strawberries dipped in sour cream and then brown sugar - excellent.
posted by domino at 1:07 PM on May 21

Original Chex Mix and Swedish Fish.
posted by spec80 at 1:08 PM on May 21

Unsweetened (natural) peanut butter + chocolate combination is better to me that sweet peanut butter + chocolate, because the latter is too sweet, and the former is slightly salty and nuttier and delicious

In a similar vein - a Milky Way bar with roasted salted peanuts. "Why not just have a Snickers?" you may ask. Because the peanuts in the Snickers aren't salted; that's why not!
posted by owtytrof at 1:08 PM on May 21

Candy corn mixed with salty peanuts. Tastes exactly like a Baby Ruth except you can eat it by the fistful. So Good!
posted by boulder20something at 1:09 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Salted caramels are fantastic. Here's a longish article / comparative review of various brands thereof.
posted by Perplexity at 1:09 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Trader Joe's makes dark chocolate covered almonds that have sea salt on them. They are terrifyingly delicious.
posted by rtha at 1:10 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Bacon brittle.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 1:11 PM on May 21

Damn, I forgot about this:

Bacon Candy

Dredge slices of bacon in brown sugar, place on rack on cookie sheet. Bake in hot(350F or so) oven until bacon is done and brown sugar is caramelized. Enjoy a warm slice and allow the rest to cool into a sticky sweet salty treat.

Make sure you've lined the cookie sheet with something easy to remove and toss, otherwise cleanup can be hell. This would probably also be good with something spicy mixed into the brown sugar.
posted by owtytrof at 1:12 PM on May 21 [3 favorites has favorites]

Junior Mints + popcorn. OMG. I don't like my food to touch but I cannot put the two of those things together hard enough.

Also, pretzel sticks + Nutella. Actually, damn near anything in Nutella.
posted by sephira at 1:14 PM on May 21

Sweet potatoes + feta or goat cheese sprinkled on top.

Grilled slices of granny smith apples with thin slices of onion on them and cinnamon sprinkled on them. Grill on both sides to get both the apple and the onion. Weird, but delicious.

I've made a side dish out of those little tiny onions (what the heck are they called?! I'm blanking out), sauteed in butter + maybe a bit of vinegar? Salt + pepper? Overall it was a savory dish, but the onions made it pretty sweet.

My mom eats white chicken breast (unseasoned, maybe just a bit of salt and pepper) with strawberry or other fruit jams. It's kind of like turkey + cranberry sauce but sweeter. Don't say ew, just try it.
posted by KateHasQuestions at 1:15 PM on May 21

Any kind of salted ice cream--Haagen Dazs makes a salted caramel ice cream, and I've also had salty chocolate, vanilla, and olive oil flavors at Scoops in LA. I've never tried fixing it up myself, but I imagine some finely-ground fancy sea salt on a bowl of ice cream would do the trick. Maybe mix the salt into some chocolate syrup and use that as a topping. Mmmm. I know of a local ice cream shop that does a sundae with dark chocolate ice cream, bergamot-infused olive oil, and sea salt, so there's another thing to try.
posted by fermion at 1:18 PM on May 21

Apple and cheddar, especially in crepes.

Prosciutto-wrapped melon wedges with lime juice.

Candied bacon is terrifyingly delicious.
posted by cheesegrater at 1:19 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

A banana with Ritz crackers. Seriously, DO NOT knock this until you try it. I watched my husband eat this combo for years before trying it, and now I mourn the years I lost!

Buttered toast with white sugar sprinkled on it.
Toasted almonds or peanuts on vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce.
Apple pie and cheddar cheese.
Chocolate-covered and yogurt-covered pretzels.
Good old peanut butter and strawberry jam. On a well-toasted English muffin.
posted by yawper at 1:24 PM on May 21

Bacon cupcakes (check your nearest cupcake boutiques!)
Chocolate covered potato chips (I find mine at a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory location)
Chocolate bars with bacon. (Vosges makes good ones.)
Vanilla cupcakes with Sea Salt. (This is an awesome recipe.)
Mangoes with salt. I have relatives that eat any sour fruits with salt.

Oh! And try this:
Crush pretzles, mix with butter, press into a baking pan, bake
Make strawberry jello, add strawberries, pour over pretzles, refridgerate until set
top with whipped topping. Delicious!
posted by simplethings at 1:25 PM on May 21

Ginger-fried beef or chicken. Sweet, salty, and spicy, too.
posted by angiep at 1:27 PM on May 21

Samosas with tamarind sauce are my favorite salty/sweet food.

I put cranberry sauce on most of my food during the winter--on potatoes, pork chops, chicken, turkey, um... bread?

I always double the salt in the Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe. You can sprinkle the extra salt on top instead, but I find that too fussy and can't really tell the difference.
posted by Meg_Murry at 1:29 PM on May 21

Candy corn and pretzels. I eat gobs of this stuff every October. Some people eat candy corn with peanuts, but that doesn't give you the same salt-crystally hit that pretzels do.

Seconding Take 5 bars - these are the best mass-market candy bar ever.
posted by jeoc at 1:29 PM on May 21

I am resisting the urge to run to the store to buy apples/cheese.bacon/chocolate/crackers/watermelon/popcorn.

Awesome suggestions!
posted by rachaelfaith at 1:31 PM on May 21

Haven't skimmed it all to make sure this wasn't mentioned (though if it was, more evidence to support the claim!) but: in the morning, sausage (or bacon, or ham, or any breakfast meat) with syrup all over it is the fucking BEST. Hoo boy.

Trader Joe's makes some delicious honey pretzel sticks, also.
posted by ORthey at 1:35 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

This salad. (Variation: kiwis instead of cantaloupe.)
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:36 PM on May 21

Bacon wrapped cherries. Simple yet delicious.
posted by Meagan at 1:37 PM on May 21

A salt bagel with cream cheese and jam.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:40 PM on May 21

Take 5 bars really are the greatest thing in the candy aisle these days.

Melted brie with brown sugar does the trick for me, too. I knew a girl who dunked cheddar slices into white sugar and ate them straight up, and it's actually not bad.

Healthy and weird, but delicious: apple slices sprinkled with chipotle Tabasco sauce.
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:44 PM on May 21

Lay mini pretzels out on a baking sheet, top each one with a Rolo candy, and pop in the oven until the Rolo has melted (doesn't take long). Addictive salty caramely chocolatey goodness! (These also make a really easy snack to take to parties.)
posted by transporter accident amy at 1:53 PM on May 21 [4 favorites has favorites]

@Domino: We stayed with a family in TX who introduced the strawberries thing to us (after discovering it on a trip to Hawaii). Not my cup of tea, but resulted in some very humorous pictures of my reaction.

Thirding the Wendy's fries and Frosty!

My favorite treat, however, are little wieners in a mustard/grape jelly sauce. I don't even like mustard or grape jelly, but it's delicious!
posted by litterateur at 1:55 PM on May 21

Nutella and Macadamia Nuts. Oh my god, yum!
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:56 PM on May 21

Nthing McD's McFlurry+fries!

Also Nthing strawberries + sour cream + brown sugar.

Also love apples + potato chips.
posted by choochoo at 2:01 PM on May 21

For some reason, Trader Joe's is salty/sweet heaven. They not only have these crazy-good peanut butter-filled pretzel nuggets, they had a version (just for Christmas?) that was then covered in chocolate.
posted by JoanArkham at 2:08 PM on May 21

Cheez-Its and dark chocolate M&Ms
posted by onell at 2:10 PM on May 21

Going kind of a different direction, a lot of Chinese restaurant sauces are sweet and salty, and often spicy to boot. Depending on who makes it, mandarin beef/chicken/shrimp and General Tso's chicken might fit the bill.
posted by lore at 2:13 PM on May 21

Pretzels dipped in creamy peanut butter.

Mini PayDay bars.

Zero bars used to have salted almonds, but I haven't seen them in ages.

Green salad (think spinach or romaine, not iceberg lettuce) with cranberries and almonds. Serve with Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing.

Dairy Queen's Peanut Buster Parfait.

This thread makes me happy. In our house, we are always complaining that pretzels don't have enough salt on them any more. Now I know some of you are even adding salt to caramels, something I had never heard of before today.
posted by misha at 2:16 PM on May 21

Accidentally on purpose spill some real maple syrup onto your bacon and (salted and peppered eggs). We call this ooopsing the syrup.
posted by Rumple at 2:21 PM on May 21

Corn tamale with black mole top layer. MMM.
posted by effluvia at 2:22 PM on May 21

Kettle chips dipped in nutella. A new classic at the office. I should win an award for them.
posted by rmless at 2:25 PM on May 21 [2 favorites has favorites]

Crushed up barbeque potato chips sprinkled over ice cream.
posted by sherlockt at 2:28 PM on May 21

Fresh figs, quartered so they open like a flower, a bit of gorgonzola inside, then wrap the whole lot with thick English bacon and bake.
posted by itsjustanalias at 2:28 PM on May 21

Also: apples plus sharp cheese. Double gloucester and ambrosia apples is my favorite combination, but pretty much any sweet apple and sharp cheese combo will do.
posted by owtytrof at 2:28 PM on May 21

Take 5s are good. Take 5 McFlurrys are incredible. Seconding popcorn and M&Ms - I plan to enjoy this tonight. Also try peanut butter sandwiches with cheddar & sour cream potato chips.

Graham crackers with cheddar is surprisingly good.
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 2:30 PM on May 21

How could I forget: Pear quarters wrapped in parma ham (a little parmesan cheese and black pepper is a good addition to this). For me it knocks melon and ham into a cocked hat.
posted by itsjustanalias at 2:34 PM on May 21

I already favorited it, but Candy corn mixed with salty peanuts. Tastes exactly like a Baby Ruth except you can eat it by the fistful. So Good! needs to be repeated.

It does taste like a Baby Ruth, but a better comparison is to a Pearson's Nut Roll, which are fucking awesome.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 2:40 PM on May 21

McDonalds french fries dipped in their soft serve ice cream (some people do this with Wendy's and frosties)

This. YUM!

Also potato chips with chocolate syrup.
posted by All.star at 2:43 PM on May 21

First: salty oatmeal cookies.

Also, orange slices drizzled with balsamic vinegar and ground black pepper.
posted by General Malaise at 2:44 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Oh, also, Ruffles chips in the middle of PB+J sandwiches.
posted by General Malaise at 2:45 PM on May 21

Garrett's Popcorn here in Chicago sells a mix of caramel corn and cheddar cheese corn. I think it is their biggest seller. I like both of these but not so much mixed. But it is amazing popcorn, the best I've ever had, both the caramel and the cheddar, so if you're looking for that sweet-salty combo, you will probably love this.
posted by Kangaroo at 2:55 PM on May 21

- Ben and Jerry's chubby hubby
- toast with cheese and jam
posted by mateuslee at 3:06 PM on May 21

Fresh figs cut in half, with a little bit of fresh mint and some balsamic vinegar.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:07 PM on May 21

Oh Hell Yes to the DQ Peanut Buster Parfait previously mentioned by Misha.

My favorite sandwich o' salty-sweet decadence - peanut butter and banana with golden raisins and honey. Hit up the local bakery some fresh honey wheat bread and lightly toast the whole shebang in the oven or toaster oven for like 3-4 minutes so the PB gets all melty and you will never forgive your mother for not making them for you as a child.
posted by ashabanapal at 3:14 PM on May 21

Mango Con Chile (Sweet dried Mango's covered with salty/sugary/spicy chili-powdery goodness). You can find them at Trader Joes, or in Mexican stores...or sometimes in the cafe where I work!
posted by Jenny is Crafty at 3:18 PM on May 21

I used to go to the most fascinating pub for breakfast when I lived in Dallas. Trinity Hall, I believe it was called. It was an Irish Pub with a phenomenal Mexican chef.

One morning, they gave me a sample of something they were enjoying (but not serving). It was orange marmalade with horseradish spread on soda bread. The taste was so strange that, at first, I hated it. And yet, I couldn't stop eating it. By my third slice, I was hooked!!!!

YUM!!!!
posted by 2oh1 at 3:19 PM on May 21

The best thing to eat on the beach here in Northeastern Brazil is queijo coalho, a very salty cheese, roasted over a coffee can of charcoal, with molasses poured all over it.

They serve it at churrascarias, too, minus the coffee can. Delicious.
posted by wallaby at 3:23 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't care for salty & sweet but some of the people I know who do like the weird Dutch double-salt licorice. It's got some unusual salt compound that isn't your usual sodium chloride so it's worth trying.
posted by chairface at 3:35 PM on May 21

for sure salty potato chips on pbj, and bacon dunked in syrup
oreos or untoasted strawberry poptarts and nacho cheese doritos (one in each hand of course)
low-fat (crunchier) saltines and honey
little debbie nutty bars and popcorn

<-- exorcising my high school diet. now i've at least graduated to non-vendingmachine combos, like warm polenta, gorgonzola, and honey. not sure if you can get it here but in norway they sell a processed "brown cheese", which is like salty, sliceable caramel. to which you can add nutella or warm apple butter. mm.
posted by hereticfig at 3:38 PM on May 21

I recently discovered some Maple-n-Bacon lollipops - MMmmmm...
I need to try the candied bacon cited above.
posted by crenquis at 3:40 PM on May 21

A friend once brought this snack to a party, to be grilled in the oven before serving: pitted fresh dates wrapped in bacon. They were so good I fear making it myself.
posted by zadcat at 3:42 PM on May 21

pears roasted in butter and balsamic vinegar, over vanilla ice cream
posted by hereticfig at 3:51 PM on May 21

PB&J sandwich with Doritos is my favorite meal.

Peanut butter (the normal, sweet kind) on toast, with a slice of American cheese melted on it -- YUM.

For lighter fare: cottage cheese + fruit is awesome -- especially pear or banana, or that fruit cocktail in light syrup.

Here in Portland, Voodoo Donuts makes a bacon-topped maple bar that makes me wish I was not vegetarian.

Nthing Take 5's.

English muffin sandwich with egg, cheese, and apple slices (can also add sausage)

Apple slices dipped in hummus

Vegetable samosas with that sweet sauce (what is that stuff called?) that they sometimes give you in Indian restaurants.
(Also spring rolls with duck sauce)

Really sweet, cinnamony cinnamon raisin bagels (I like Thomas') with cream cheese, or with any kind of cheese melted on it.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:01 PM on May 21

Oh, also -- crackers and cheese with a slice of pear or apple on top
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:02 PM on May 21

A bad of Fritos washed down with Chocolate Milk (my Dad taught me that!) or those Honey-Mustard pretzels washed down with Cherry Coke.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 4:05 PM on May 21

Seconding Junior Mints & popcorn; a movie concession stand classic.
posted by lois1950 at 4:06 PM on May 21

Trader Joe's Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Incidentally, when searching for a good link, I came across the site A Mingling of Tastes, which looks like a goldmine for this and related questions.
posted by timepiece at 4:30 PM on May 21

My default sweet/salty snack is brie & honey on a triscuit. The textures and flavors blow my mind every time.
posted by slowcat at 4:38 PM on May 21

A Monte Cristo sandwich with strawberry jam. Ham, cheese, and fruit, all together with a hint of fried. So good.
posted by Schismatic at 4:46 PM on May 21

Can't read all these b/c I have PMS and might have a Pavlovian response and make/buy/eat it all.

My 3 suggestions:

1) Vosges Mo's Bacon Bar. This is an $8 milk chocolate bar with bacon in it. Haters, move on. Lovers, y'all know what I'm talkin' about.

2) A dinner salad: Dried cherries rehydrated in port over low heat, toasted rounds of goat cheese, sauteed diced pancetta, and bitter greens. No dressing needed.

3) The Dutch have a secret: Hagelslag. They're just jimmies/sprinkles, but they have dozens of flavors, and it's a breakfast food (!) as well as a whole cultural phenomenon. What you do is this: Put chocolate sprinkles (dark chocolate if you can manage it) on buttered homemade bread.

YOU'RE WELCOME.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 4:48 PM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

maple syrup and soy sauce over steamed broccoli
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:51 PM on May 21

Oh my goodness, this thread exploded.

I totally forgot about bacon dipped in maple syrup, one of my very favorites. Seems I will have to buy myself apples and some various cheeses, something I never explored.

You know that website www.thisiswhyyourefat.com? I think AskMefi just took over that for me. I will be sweet'n'salty-snackin' for weeks.
posted by rachaelfaith at 5:06 PM on May 21

Dried mango (the soft, flat kind) with cheese (I like a good brie or gouda reserve.)
posted by qvtqht at 5:14 PM on May 21

For years I've eaten my "over easy salted eggs" on top of my pancakes, with maple syrup over it all. Simply delicious!
posted by 6:1 at 5:26 PM on May 21

Monosodium Glutamate.
posted by saxamo at 5:27 PM on May 21

Peanut butter and applesauce on pancakes or waffles. We call it manna.

I also salt green apples.

Anyone mention pineapple on teriyaki chicken?
posted by cda at 5:28 PM on May 21

Pepperoni and pineapple pizza.
posted by faintly macabre at 6:26 PM on May 21

yogurt and cheez-it crackers
posted by Pocahontas at 7:18 PM on May 21

Some of the newer Chex Mix combos (Turtle, Dark Chocolate) hit this vein hard but, beware!, are extremely addictive. I've been known to improvise my own mix with Corn Chex and anything sweet I have around the house -- chocolate covered raisins are the bomb. Almost any trail mix will do it too, including Good Old Peanuts and Raisins (needs to be some M&Ms in there, for Girl Scout authenticity). Simulate kettle corn with much less work by melting a little honey in with the butter and add to popcorn with lots of salt. Lately I've been snacking on my kids' goldfish crackers with dried cranberries.

You can also make an amazing candylike concotion at home with saltines and chocolate chips (here's Smitten Kitchen's version). This has resulted in at least one semi-serious marriage proposal among my friends, so don't say you weren't warned.
posted by libraryhead at 7:27 PM on May 21

a Milky Way bar with roasted salted peanuts.

Screw that. A frozen Milky Way (Mars Bar) after swimming in the ocean. Perfect.
posted by thecaddy at 7:45 PM on May 21

I agree with the chips in a pb&j sandwich! My chip of choice is cheetos.
Other favorites:
Sour patch kids mixed in with regular (or butter) popcorn. It's such a sweet surprise every time you get a gummy.
Also, bacon wrapped water chestnuts make me miss my pre-vegetarian days :)
posted by karyotypical at 8:16 PM on May 21

Mango or peach salsa. And yes, apples + cheese.
posted by KateHasQuestions at 8:21 PM on May 21

Ruffles potato chips dipped in soda (Coke, preferably).
posted by Silly Ashles at 8:55 PM on May 21

Pretzels dipped in vanilla icing.
posted by EmilyClimbs at 9:22 PM on May 21

Baked sugared bacon is also called pig candy. I had some at an election party last year, and maybe it was the whole Obama magic can transform the world thing, or maybe it was the bacon rules on high thing, but I can reliably report that pig candy is mankind's greatest achievement. I weep for vegetarians.
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:46 PM on May 21

Cheese omelet or crepe with maple syrup. Actually any savory breakfast food is improved with the addition of syrup.

Chick-fil-a chicken nuggets dipped in honey.


They sell these little bags of sliced almonds with a honey glaze on them for putting on salads, but I like them by themselves.
posted by MadamM at 9:50 PM on May 21

Dark chocolate truffles rolled sparsely in sea salt.

M&M's scattered into warm popcorn (with the fake butter salt, so they don't become unspeakably slippery & unfetchable).

Anchovy & pineapple pizza.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:56 PM on May 21

Arnott's Lemon Crisp are a bizarre combination of salty cracker and sweet lemon filling.

I also recently ate Kefalograviera Saganaki with Figs at a Greek restaurant and it was a taste sensation!
posted by sconbie at 10:55 PM on May 21

I love Payday bars for a salty/sweet fix, but if you don't like the candy bar route:

chocolate-coconut covered Cheez Its
Candy Corn and Peanuts mixed together like a sort of trail mix
Banana with a slice of cheese wrapped around it

That last one may sound horrid to you, but it's actually delicious. Learned it from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood when I was about 5 years old.
posted by katyggls at 11:42 PM on May 21

I am so hungry now.
posted by smartyboots at 12:10 AM on May 22

bacon & maple syrup
bacon & cranberry sandwiches (with brie)
posted by primer_dimer at 3:10 AM on May 22

Everyone mentioned bacon and very obviously sweet things, like syrup.

They missed the world's best, most underrated breakfast combo.

Make peanut butter toast. Put bacon on it. 8 AM will never, ever be the same again.
posted by talldean at 5:51 AM on May 22

not sure if you can get it here but in norway they sell a processed "brown cheese", which is like salty, sliceable caramel. to which you can add nutella or warm apple butter. -heretic fig

GJETOST! A.k.a. brunost, but you're more likely to see it sold as gjetost. It's like caramelized goat's milk cheese. Cajeta/dulce de leche is goat's milk caramel (it can also be made with other milks but the goat version wins). I'm thinking a panini with both of them would be pretty interesting.
posted by Juliet Banana at 6:46 AM on May 22

Banana and cheese, or a salted banana.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 8:03 AM on May 22

Yogurt-covered pretzels and a banana.
posted by olaguera at 11:40 AM on May 22

Banana dipped in marinara sauce. Seriously. Sounds weird, but is DELICIOUS. (You can thank an episode of "Doug" for this delightful treat).
posted by nonmerci at 2:59 PM on May 22

Bacon and strawberry jelly sammiches on buttered white toast.
posted by elizardbits at 3:10 PM on May 22

Peanut Butter and Butter sandwiches.
posted by litterateur at 3:20 PM on May 22 [1 favorite has favorites]

Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff on Wonder bread = fluffernutter. THE best.
posted by orangemiles at 6:19 PM on May 22

Another vote for Payday candy bars. I usually buy a handful when I'm in the States because Canada doesn't have them. Bastards.
posted by deborah at 9:16 PM on May 22

Another apple cheese combo that I posted awhile ago in another askme thread.
posted by marsha56 at 11:41 AM on May 26