Candy is not only a guilty pleasure but one that evokes clear memories from our youth. Whether it is riding your bike to the local stationary store to spend your allowance on sweet treats or relishing in the abundance of your Halloween trick or treating bounty, certain candies bring back waves of nostalgia with just one glance at the wrapper.
One classic old school candy that is sure to bring back memories are Nik L Nips. Now as an adult you are probably wondering just what the heck these are, but once you see these tiny wax bottles filled with fruit flavored water you will know in an instant. How many times did you bite the tiny neck off of these to suck down a mere teaspoon of sweetened liquid? It seems like you could go through dozens before you satisfied your sugar need. And when you got down to the last few in the pack you would start chewing the wax, hoping to squeeze out any remaining iota of sweetness. Ah…good times!
Another candy that will bring back similarly frustrating waves of nostalgia is candy buttons. Everyone remembers these strips of sweet dots that as kids we ate like robots even though they were not necessarily anyone’s favorite. Something about pulling them off the paper strips and the bright colors just made them fun to eat and that is why we loved them. Sure, they were not as good as a chocolate bar but they did the trick.
Back in the glory days of our politically incorrect youth, kids imitated their chain-smoking parents by indulging in a fix of candy cigarettes. These white, minty, chalky sticks with their fake red tips resembled the real thing but without the harmful toxins. Hard to believe these vintage props are still available today but they are. While you may want to keep them away from your kids so you do not put any ideas in their head, you are old enough to enjoy your own pack of 24 any time the mood strikes. In addition, they are much safer than a real pack of Camels.
Though candy cigarettes are certainly nostalgic, folks who favor old school candy that isn’t quite as controversial will love rekindling their love of Charleston Chews. A longstanding favorite for dentists everywhere for their supreme filling extracting capabilities, these chewy treats are a wondrous combination of milk chocolate smothered nougaty goodness. Charleston Chews come in with either strawberry or vanilla flavored nougat.
Another “rip your teeth out” kind of candy from our youth is the good old-fashioned Sugar Daddy pop. Made of sticky sweet caramel, these pops are the stuff tooth fairy dreams are made of. Your dentist should send you a thank you note for his brand new BMW.
For a walk down memory lane that does not involve your pearly whites there are a number of nostalgic candies that are still wildly popular today among both adults and kids. Tootsie Rolls, Chuckles, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Good & Plentys are just a few sweet treats that have stood the test of time, accompanying us from childhood to adulthood.
Tootsie Rolls are true classics of American candy. These tasty chocolate chews have just the right texture, as they are soft yet sturdy and won’t pull your teeth out in the chewing process. What makes them classic is their understated brown, white, and red wax paper wrappers. So simple, yet so perfect!
Speaking of perfection, the combination of chocolate and peanut butter in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is definitely on the list of things that make this world a better place. Creamy peanut butter covered by a pillow of milk chocolaty goodness is truly a treat fit for kings.
For those who prefer that their chocolate flies solo, the classic Hershey’s Kiss with its elegant silver foil wrapper and paper “kiss” tab is always a favorite of people of all ages. So tiny, yet so tasty, pop one in your mouth anytime for a tasty treat that is sure to bring back memories. Do you remember your first kiss?
For non-chocolate nostalgic candy two movie theater staples that fit the bill as classics of everyone’s double-feature youth are Good & Plentys and Chuckles. Good & Plentys licorice nibs have hard candy coatings for a long lasting candy experience. For an easier on the teeth experience, Chuckles sugar coated jell candies will have you smiling at their squishy sweetness. Chuckles come in cherry, lemon, lime, licorice, and orange for a rainbow of fun on your tongue.
No matter what type of candy you prefer there are certain iconic types and brands that bring memories flooding back. All you need to do is see a wrapper and you are immediately transported to your childhood. From scarfing down miniature Reeses Peanut Butter cups and Hershey’s Kisses at Halloween to guzzling Good & Plentys and Chuckles at the movies, candy holds a special place in our hearts, bringing us back to a time of innocence when everything was new. So when the pressures of adulthood get you down, grab a handful of Tootsie Rolls and go back to a time when a little candy made everything a little brighter.