Beloved Boomer Candies That Have Faded From Memory

Candy enthusiasts each have their go-to favorites, whether it’s Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Kit Kats, or classic M&Ms. While many of today’s most popular candies trace their origins back to the early 20th century, a whole category of sweets that once delighted the Boomer generation has since faded from the spotlight. Here, we take a nostalgic look back at some of the beloved candies Boomers enjoyed during their childhood.

Chuckles

• Invented in 1921 by a marshmallow maker
• It was the first jelly candy
• Available in 5 flavors

Bit-o-Honey

• Invented in 1924 by the Schutter-Johnson Company
• First toffee candy to contain honey
• Cost a penny per piece

Candy Cigarettes

• Made in the late 1800s
• Designed to look like real cigarettes
• Made of sugar, chocolate or bubblegum

Necco Wafers

• Invented in 1847 by Oliver Chase
• Chalky candy discs
• Originally called hub wafers

Good & Plenty

• Invented in 1893
• Licorice candy
• The oldest branded candy in American history

Sugar Daddy

• Invented in 1925
• Originally called a “papa sucker”
• Name was changed to Sugar Daddy in 1932

Atomic Fireball

• Invented in 1954 by Nello Ferrara
• 3,500 Scoville units
• Made using a hot pan method

Slo Poke

• Invented in 1926 by the Holloway Candy Co.
• Started as a sucker
• Evolved to a caramel bar

Jujubes

• First sold in 1890
• Named after the jujube fruit, a native Chinese fruit
• Discontinued by manufacturer and no longer available

Clark Bar

• Invented in 1917 by David L. Clark
• Peanut butter and taffy inside, chocolate coating outside
• First “combination candy” to succeed with consumers

Pixy Stix

• Invented in 1942 in St. Louis, MO
• Was originally a powdered drink called Fruzola
• Succeeded by Lik-M-Aid, which evolved into Fun Dip

Tootsie Rolls

• A hand-rolled candy invented in 1907 by Leo Hirschfeld
• Named after Leo’s daughter Clara, who he affectionately called “Tootsie”
• Commercially marketed in 1908

Candy Buttons

• Invented in the 1930s
• Tiny dots of sugar on a paper sheet
• Made of sugar, flavoring and coloring