Have You Got a Case of Candy Nostalgia?

Comfort food from yesteryear stays with people throughout their lives. People loved mashed potatoes and mac n’ cheese when they were kids, and growing up hasn’t changed that. There are also many desserts and pastries with the same kind of fan following – remember the public outcry when it seemed like Ring-dings, Twinkies and Ho-Hos would become victims of extinction due to the demise of Hostess Bakeries? Recently, a new market has been revived for retro candy and sparked because of the widespread feelings of candy nostalgia that many people have.


There were many sweets and candies from 1930’s through the 1960s that people loved but have a hard time finding now. These candies have a sentimental value attached to them and their ability to take people down memory lane and their unique taste is what drives the market for these retro sweets. Here are a few good old candies that people love to enjoy even now:



1. Abba Zaba
These candy bars have been a favorite since 1922, when the Annebelle Candy Company introduced them. They are chewy and white in color. The secret to getting the taffy feel and taste goes to vanilla, which is the secret ingredient of Abba Zaba. They have a creamy and delicious center of peanut butter, which is hard to resist.

2. Atomic Fireball
This was a unique candy of the 1950’s, which tasted exquisitely spicy and was loved by many. When it was introduced for the first time by Nello Ferrara, it didn’t do that well and only 200 cases could be sold every day. However, after the samples had spread around, the candy quickly became very popular and almost 50,000 cases were sent out per day, which wasn’t in Ferrara Pan’s capacity during those times.



3. Boston Baked Beans
A peanut coated with sweet molasses candy treat, which was quite a rage in the 1930’s, this candy has been a cause of many people’s candy nostalgia.



4. Candy Cigarettes
Kids pretended to be grown-ups by sticking these candies in their mouths, back in the 1950s. They now go by the name of candy sticks and have a different taste. They are white in color and are tipped with red.


5. Flipstick
While the boys had candy cigarettes, girls had Flipsticks and was pretty popular in the 1950s too. They came in a foil paper and were basically a cherry roll. The current Flipsticks are more chewable, like a taffy candy.



6. Jr. Mints
There are no other mints like Jr. Mints as their flavor is unique and memorable. They have a creamy mint flavored center and milk chocolate outer covering. They were first seen in 1949 and remain a favorite, especially for the movies.


7. Lemonheads
These are another great candy by Ferrara Pan from 1962. They were on the list of the best and most favorite candies from 1960s. Lemonheads were made with Red Hots, another candy from the same company.

All these candies can be found at retro candy stores in order to satiate a person’s candy nostalgia. They might not be the exact candy from their childhood but they are as close to them as is possible.