10 Candy Favorites From Your Youth That Have Stood the Test of Time

Candy is popular for a reason. It’s sweet, delicious, and suits every palate. While some sugary treats have gone the way of the dodo bird, other time-honored classics continue to be enjoyed by millions of customers every year. Here are 10 candy favorites from your youth that have stood the test of time.

Baby Ruth

Neither baseball nor candy fans will be surprised to learn that these chocolate-coated bars take their name from Yankees slugger Babe Ruth. They first hit shelves in 1920, the same year that Babe Ruth hit a record-breaking 54 home runs. They’re still popular today, with fans enjoying the impeccable blend of caramel, peanuts, and chocolate. 

Goetze’s Candy Caramel Creams 

Goetze’s Candy Caramel Creams boasts a rich history dating back to 1918. Also known as “Bull’s Eyes”, these creamy candies have offered customers mouth-watering goodness for over 100 years. We guarantee you’ve probably savored a Caramel Cream or two in your time. A certified classic!

Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar

Any article about classic candy favorites would be incomplete without a mention of Hershey’s! Milton Hershey practically predicted his product’s success, declaring caramel a fad but chocolate “permanent.” Considering that Hersey’s makes over six billion dollars in sales per year, we can’t help but agree with its founder’s assessment! 

Lemonhead

While some might consider Lemonheads an acquired taste, these citrusy sweets have been around since 1962! Their distinctive yellow color and aptly designed mascot are hard to forget. For those whose taste buds lean more sweet than sour, there are also grape and watermelon flavors! 

M&M’s

Did you know that M&M’s were inspired by rations eaten by soldiers during the Spanish-American War? These candies were designed to “melt in your mouth and not in your hands” and deliver on that promise tenfold! Considering that M&M’s have been flying off shelves since 1941, the majority of fans probably can’t remember when this candy juggernaut wasn’t around.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Did you know that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups might not exist if it weren’t for the Hershey Company? H.B. Reese worked for Hershey before he began creating candy in his own home. He invented Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928, combining peanut butter with candy chocolate coating graciously supplied by his former employer, Hershey. Nearly forty years later, Hershey bought Reese’s company, catapulting the famous peanut butter cups to even greater heights. Today, they’re the number one-selling candy brand in the United States and Hershey’s bestseller.

Snickers

Named for the Mars family’s favorite horse, these nougat-filled bars are a perennial favorite of candy fans everywhere! Every bar has exactly 16 peanuts and enough chocolatey goodness to satisfy even the most ardent sweet tooth. They’ve been a staple of candy culture since 1930 and even come in mini sizes for the more sugar-conscious.

Starburst

Although Starburst came onto the candy scene a little later than some other entries on our list, they’re one of the most popular candies around—and for many good reasons! These chewy, fruit-flavored snacks debuted as Opal Fruits in the U.K. in 1960 but became known as Starburst in the United States seven years later. They’re one of the most popular non-chocolate candies on the market, a favorite of both the young and the young at heart!

Twizzlers

While licorice is somewhat of a divisive candy, there’s no denying the popularity of Twizzlers! These rope-like treats have been on the market since 1929, created by the same Pennsylvania-based company that brought us Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars. Twizzler fans may be interested to learn that the strawberry and cherry flavors don’t contain any licorice extract. Perhaps this is why Strawberry Twizzlers continue to be the most popular flavor!

York Peppermint Patty

What do you get when you blend cool peppermint and dark chocolate? York Peppermint Patties, of course! Invented in 1940, these palate-cleansing candies have an interesting connection to Charles Scultz’s Peanuts comic strip. While Schultz’s Peppermint Patty wasn’t named after the mint-chocolate candy, York still capitalized on the name and became a sponsor of the CBS television specials in the 1970s. We can’t think of a sweeter combination than Peanuts and candy!

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