With the Halloween spooky season just around the corner, it’s hard not to get nostalgic about the sugary treats we’ve loved over the years (as has our dentist!). As time has passed, Halloween candy and people’s preferences have evolved. Trick-or-Treating has been a sweet tradition for kids all over the world since the 1920’s. So, let’s take a taste of the most popular candies through the last 100 years.
1920s: Baby Ruth
Baby Ruth debuted in 1921 and quickly soared, reaching over a million dollars in sales each month by 1926. People fell in love with the hints of peanut, caramel, and milk chocolate flavored nougat. Fun Fact: This candy bar was named after President Grover Cleveland’s daughter, although some may believe it was named for the famous baseball player, Babe Ruth.
1930s: 3 Musketeers
As the 1930’s dawned, and the Great Depression, the 3 Musketeers had its time to shine. Fun Fact: This candy bar used to actually have three different flavors – chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, where the name stemmed from. But because of rations during World War II, the vanilla and strawberry flavors were dropped, leaving just the yummy chocolate mousse filling that’s still popular today.
1940s: M&Ms
M&Ms are next up for the most popular candy of the forties. They offer that smooth chocolate center flavor sealed with a crunch of its colorful candy shell that ‘melts in your mouth, not in your hand’. Fun Fact: Within the first few years, M&Ms had become so popular that the “M” started to be stamped onto the candies themselves to differentiate them from the numerous imposters.
1950s: Atomic Fireballs
Throughout the fifties, the ‘atomic age’, Atomic Fireballs became America’s most popular candy. This unique flavor filled with cinnamon and spice quickly became a sensation after their release in 1954. Fun Fact: It takes two weeks to create this concoction, including a process of over one hundred layers of cinnamon-flavored coating.
1960s: SweeTarts
Next up, the swingin’ 60’s brought us SweeTarts! These were originally just a round, sweet, and slightly sour candy. Fun Fact: Not long after the success of Pixy Stix and Fun Dip, SweeTarts were created, using the same basic flavor recipes but avoided the messiness of powder that the previous options served up.
1970s: Laffy Taffy
Laffy Taffy quickly became a favorite, originally marketed for its “long-lasting flavor”. However, what truly captured everyone’s taste buds was the candy’s vibrant and delicious taste that left you feeling completely satisfied. Fun Fact: Each wrapper has a short joke printed on it – didn’t notice? Be sure to take a closer look next time to get a kick out of your sweet treat of the day.
1980s: Sour Patch Kids
Now in the 1980’s, Sour Patch Kids were born. These candies originally only came in lemon, lime, orange, and cherry but have since added a few additional flavors and variations. Fun Fact: They were originally called “Mars Men” and shaped as Martians to captivate everyone’s attention during the space craze that took place a few years earlier.
1990s: Airheads
With the dawn of the last decade of the 20th century came the explosion of Airheads, a flavorful thin type of taffy candy. Their slogan was “A new high on fruity flavors”…an attempt to appeal to the consumers invested in the hipster generation. Fun Fact: Inventor Steve Burner picked this candy’s name from a question he asked his son, “What would you call someone who does something silly?”
2000s: Nerds Rope
Nerds candy was popular right from the start, featuring the two flavors (pink and purple) shown on either side of the box. In the 2000’s, Nerds Rope made its debut. Fun Fact: Nerds Rope was created by accident when an employee accidentally spilled a gummy candy mixture on a bowl of Nerds. This led to the insanely delicious creation we have today.
2010s: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Lastly, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were invented by Harry Burnett Reese in the 1920’s. He found his inspiration to create this candy masterpiece after working at The Hershey Company factory. Originally this candy was called “penny cups” because it only cost one cent when originally made. And who can forget the ‘You got your peanut butter in my chocolate’ commercials from the 70’s? Fun Fact: a Facebook Petition in 2010 declared that May 18th be “I Love Reese’s Day”.
Time to see what the favorite may be from 2020-2023!! Snickers? Kit Kats? Almond Joy? Nestle’s Crunch? Mr. Goodbar? What has been your favorite candy treat over the years? And what will you be handing out to Trick-or-Treaters this year?
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