Let me tell you, getting my 4-year-old to take vitamins used to be a daily battle—until we discovered MaryRuth's gummies. That moment when she actually asked for 'the strawberry bear' instead of hiding it in her napkin? Parenting win.

The texture surprised me at first—they're firmer than typical gummy bears, more like a soft jelly candy. But that actually works in our favor because they don't stick to teeth or leave that weird filmy feeling some vitamins do. My kid chews them slowly like they're treats (shh, don't tell her they're healthy).

As someone who reads every label, I appreciate that these aren't just 'sugar-free' but genuinely clean. No sneaky sugar alcohols either—just real fruit flavors that don't taste medicinal. The papaya one smells tropical enough that I've been tempted to try one myself (don't worry, I resisted).

Here's the real test: During cold season when three classmates were out sick, my little one stayed healthy. Could be coincidence, but I'll take it! The zinc and vitamin D combo seems to be doing its job.

Pro tip from our experience: Store them upside down in the pantry. We learned the hard way after leaving the bottle near the stove once—they do get sticky if they get warm (but still tasted fine!).

Are they pricier than drugstore brands? Yes. But considering how many half-eaten bottles of chalky vitamins we've thrown away before finding these, they've actually saved us money in the long run.