Every decade has its candy highlights, So here are the 10 Best Candy of the 70s. Apparently,
back then, not everything revolved around Disco, roller-skates and Farrah Fawcett.
Sour Patch Kids
Probably one of the most iconic candies today, Sour Patch Kids have come a long way. From the
late 1970s until today, these cute little chewy candies have been making kids happy and delighting
us with their colorful and delicious flavors. Sour Patch Kids were invented in Ontario, Canada,
and were first thought of by Frank Galatolie. The candy was based on another product of his called
"Mars Men," little gummies shaped as Martians, to capitalize on the space enthusiasm of the ’70s.
With the arrival of the Cabbage Patch Dolls craze, the candy's name was changed to "Sour
Patch Kids" to benefit as much as possible. As much as they were a big hit in Canada,
they didn't make their way to the United States until sometime after 1985, and when they did,
it was one heck of a celebration. They were originally made by the M&A Candy Company but
have since been acquired by Maynards Candy. Today, Sour Patch Kids are sold worldwide and come in an
array of different flavors and special editions. There are Xploders, X-Treme, Fruits, Berries,
and there's even Sour Patch ice cream. Sour Patch Kids have grown popular because of their
distinct sour taste, but the fact that they look so darn cute sure hasn't hurt!
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans
Gustav Goelitz started a candy company in America in 1869. Although the company
came up with a wide variety of candies, the Jelly Belly brand of mini candy beans has
only been around since 1976. In the 1970s, the mini jelly bean was quite an innovation in the
candy industry, but Goelitz's company - now Jelly Belly - didn't stop there. Anyone who is familiar
with Jelly Belly jelly beans knows that they are famous for having a long list of unique
flavors such as Orange Sherbert, Island Punch, Pina Colada, and infamously - Buttered Popcorn.
These are examples of the official flavors the candy giant offers, but there are other
collections of flavors as well. BeanBoozled is a special collection of...let's just say
exotic flavors that include Stink Bug, Dead Fish, and yes, even Barf. Kids like to gross each other
out, so you could imagine them daring each other to sample the Booger or Canned Dog Food flavors.
But for the average candy lover, the traditional Jelly Belly flavors are appealing and delicious
enough to satisfy even the most powerful sweet tooth. Jelly beans have been around a while,
but the Jelly Belly brand helped create a new appreciation for the little candy beans.
Ring Pops
If you're looking for a fancy but cheap gift for a Valentine or simply to enjoy a truly
delicious treat, Ring Pops are the perfect candy for you. Ring Pops look like fancy diamond rings
kids can actually wear on their little fingers. Even though these are technically lollipops,
the fact that they're shaped like a ring gives them an unmatched advantage.
Ring Pops originally came in only two flavors: cherry and grape. However, over the years, the
candy jewelry expanded its flavors considerably to include apple, lime, watermelon, strawberry, and
even blue raspberry. Ring Pops were invented by a man who works at Topps, the bubblegum card company
which also makes candy. They say inspiration is the mother of invention, but in this case,
his daughter did the trick. He wanted to break his daughter's thumb-sucking habit, so he came up with
this thumb candy to give her something else to suck on. Kids loved Ring Pops right away, just
as they already loved the candy necklace - another 1970's favorite candy accessory. Kids today enjoy
a lot of wearable technology like smartwatches, but back in the 1970s, high technology was this
lollipop shaped like a candy ring. This candy technology is still going strong even in our
age of smartphones and virtual reality, and hopefully, it will continue going strong.
Gobstoppers
If you've seen the original 1971 movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, then you've probably always
wanted to try the everlasting gobstopper. This magic candy described in the iconic children's
movie was purported to never dwindle no matter how long a child sucked on it. While the real
gobstoppers aren't quite everlasting, they have proved to be enduringly popular with kids since
the 1970s. In 1976, Nestle started selling its candy under the Willy Wonka candy brand,
and they have been going strong ever since. Some companies called their version of this candy
a jawbreaker, which, in a way, makes sense since you could potentially hurt yourself if you were to
directly bite into one. There was also a version of this type of candy called a dino-sour egg.
This exotic version of the jawbreaker had a brief run, but it did not have the same staying power
as Wonka's Gobstoppers. The Willy Wonka version of this candy is still being enjoyed by children
today. Made of layer upon layer of changing colors and flavors, its popularity has yet to
wear off. Willy Wonka Gobstoppers might just last forever, even if they aren't quite everlasting.
Reese's Pieces
The 1982 movie E.T. The Extraterrestrial was a bona fide sensation from director Steven
Spielberg. Spielberg and the cute alien weren't the only stars of this science fiction classic,
however. They had to share the limelight with a new candy. These relatively unknown sweets were
called Reese's Pieces candies. The colorful little candy-coated pieces of peanut butter
were introduced to America in 1978. They were seen as a not so successful competitor to the
much more famous M&Ms candies - which, funnily enough, had turned down the invitation to be
used in the movie. Reese's Pieces were seen as a way to capitalize on the success of Reese's
Peanut Butter cups, although, unlike the cups, the pieces have no chocolate. The fortunes of
Reese's Pieces changed after candy and movie fans alike were introduced to an extraterrestrial
who found himself living in a little boy's closet. This wayward alien had a sweet tooth,
and it turned out he had a penchant for Reese's Pieces. The kids used the brown, orange,
and yellow-colored candies to lure the alien into their house and into a closet where he'd be
relatively safe. But even if you don't like the movie or have never seen it, you can still love
these tasty little peanut butter flavored candies. Most people tend to pick the ever iconic M&Ms
over Reese's Pieces, but you shouldn't underestimate these little treasures.
The priceless publicity that the candy received by appearing in Spielberg's
blockbuster helped the candy to enter the consciousness of an entire generation.
Bottle Caps
Way back in the day, people used to collect things like bottle caps - although no one is really sure
why. In the 1970s, a candy company came out with a candy based on this very collectible item and
called them Bottle Caps. These little tablets of candy from the Willy Wonka candy brand are shaped
to look like bottle caps of the era and made to resemble your favorite fizzy soda drink. It comes
in flavors like orange, root beer, cola, grape, and cherry. They are a combination of a sweet and
slightly tart taste, which is similar to their cousin, SweetTarts. For a short time, the Willy
Wonka company even made a fizzy version of bottle caps that would get a little bubbly when you
chewed them, but they were discontinued. In 2009, these classic Bottle Caps underwent some changes.
First, they were shrunk down a bit, probably to save money, and second, the shape was changed,
so they do not look as much like an old bottle cap - but they still have that same delicious
taste. Even with the changes and the cancellation of the fizzy bottle caps, this candy is still very
much worth trying. And with so many more soda flavors available today, just imagine how many
new Bottle Caps Willy Wonka could make - we're thinking Strawberry Kiwi or even Vanilla Cherry.
Candy Buttons
There's a famous scene in the animated movie Shrek where a distraught gingerbread
man reacts badly to someone's intention to pluck the gumdrop buttons off of him.
Had the movie been made in the 1970s, the gumdrop buttons would've been
Candy Buttons. Candy Buttons were the brainchild of an inventor and engineer named George Dib,
who put his smarts to good use when he came up with this tasty candy. His Candy Buttons are also
called candy dots and candy pox. However, Candy pox might not be the most appetizing name ever,
so Buttons should probably stay the norm. This candy was introduced to the public in 1977
and was sold on long sheets of paper. Several different companies had rights to candy dots
until the Necco Company bought them in 1980 and became the sole manufacturer in the United States.
Necco went with three flavors lime (blue), cherry (pink), and lemon (yellow.) Sadly,
Necco filed for bankruptcy in 2018, and the rights to candy buttons were sold to another
company that brought the little treats back to stores. These candies might not be as flashy
as bottle caps or jelly beans, but they were definitely a candy that helped define the 1970s.
Fun Dip
If you like to eat anything with an over-the-top amount of sugar, then Fun Dip will definitely be
fun for you. Fun Dip are packets of colored and flavored sugar candy - so...basically just sugar.
What's not to love about that? The packets come with a candy stick to dip into the powdered candy,
sort of like a spoon. Even though it dates back to the WWII era, it was in the 1970s that Wonka
rebranded it to become the great candy that it is today. It became a huge hit, and every kid
just loved this little treat. Although kids love fun dip it, it has also been adopted by grown-ups
for use in recipes. For example, one website suggests mixing the cherry Fun Dip with whipped
cream for a pink and fun cherry cream topping. But, Fun Dip comes in all different flavors,
and not just cherry. There are lime, grape, and even cucumber watermelon. The edible stick is a
pretty genius idea, considering you never have to worry about having any type of utensils on hand.
Plus, it makes consuming the little powder even more fun. The candy stick is basically
an essential part of what makes Fun Dip fun. This candy might not be as glamorous as some others,
but it remains a kid favorite that is a lot of fun - just as the name suggests.
York Peppermint Patties
The commercials from the 1970s did not hold back when it came to convincing
people that York peppermint patties were cool and crisp. They wanted you to "feel
the sensation" of this peppermint candy, whatever that means. Commercials would show
people being carried away and feeling the sensation of the exquisitely cool mint of
a York peppermint patty. What makes these so special is their unique texture. They aren't
soft or gooey like some other mints. York's patties have a little snap when you break
them in half - a crisp little snap that promises something beyond the ordinary.
These dark chocolate covered mint patties come in different sizes, including little
individually wrapped mini patties. Mr. York didn't start out with peppermint patties back in 1920,
in those days, he was very much focused on making ice cream cones. The now-famous peppermint patties
didn't hit the market until 1940. The cool mints didn't really hit their stride until the Peter
Paul Company bought the York Cone Company, and the Patty was born. This company finally brought the
cool candy to a national scale in 1975. Whether you love chocolate or love peppermint, you'll
love the unbeatable combination of this chocolate and peppermint that snaps.
Wax Candy Lips
This is a strange entry on the list of best candy from the 1970s because,
well, what exactly was the deal with Wax Candy Lips? Was it candy? Was it a weird accessory?
It was never really clear as to what it was meant for. All we know is that it was great for comedic
effect and that it didn't taste the best. Whether it was to eat or to wear, kids tried to wear them
more than they tried to eat this paraffin wax product molded to look like big red lips. Kids
would try to wear them over their real lips, but they didn't stay on very well. So their mandate to
be used as a disguise wasn't really fulfilled. And as for the candy part, very few kids would
actually qualify these as candy at all. But, they were edible, and they were marketed and sold
alongside candy in candy aisles. Wax Lips suffered from the fact that the main ingredient was wax,
which is, well, not really an edible foodstuff. You can imagine how some people didn't even dare
to put one of these near their mouths. While the paraffin wax is technically safe to chew and eat,
it might be best to refrain from doing so. As you know, sticky foods stay on your teeth longer,
meaning more damage time. What can we say - it was the 70's. Eating even one of these so-called
candies probably felt like you were eating a bunch of scented candles - minus the wick,
of course. Wax lips might just be one of those mysteries that may never be solved.
Got a favorite from the 70s we missed? Let us know in the comments below. And tap or click
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