Best-Selling Classic Snacks You Forgot All About

Released: 1969
Invented by: Farley’s and Sathers
Original Price: 18 cents*

Today there are so many different varieties of gum that it’s almost impossible to choose a favorite. Root beer, blueberry, or just plain mint – there’s a flavor for everyone. But back in 1969, gum was still on the up and up, and the Farley’s and Sathers candy company saw an opportunity to corner the market. Enter Fruit Stripe. 

Fruit Stripe Gum 1963 @James Sharp / YouTube.com

Not only does Fruit Stripe taste great, but it looks great too. According to the marketing department, the gum is the only painted-on product of its kind out there, with distinctive colored zebra stripes.

You could pick up a pack in 1969 for around 18 cents. Now, a box of 12 packs will set you back $13.09 at Kroger. Fruit Stripe wasn’t a flash in the pan either. It has endured to this day, even with fierce competition from gum brands like Trident, Orbit, and Dentyne. You could pick up a pack in 1969 for around 18 cents. Now, a box of 12 packs will set you back $13.09 at Kroger.

Released: 1924
Invented by: Akron Candy Company
Original Price: 1 cent*

Every kid has memories of sucking on a lollipop after visiting the doctor, or begging their mom for one at the checkout. But out of all the different varieties of tasty suckers out there, there’s nothing quite as nostalgic as Dum Dums. Dum Dums have been around for the better part of 100 years, debuting back in 1924. 

Dum Dums @Kristi Key / Pinterest.com

It’s hard to believe that such a modern staple of the candy industry has been around for nearly a century. Dum Dums have been around for the better part of 100 years, debuting way back in 1924. No doubt the flavors have changed over the years though, as dozens of food trends like the pumpkin spice craze have developed.

The original makers, Akron Candy Company, later sold Dum Dums to the Spangler Candy Company in 1953. When they first hit the market you could buy one of these colorful candies for just 1 cent. Now, you can purchase them in massive bulk at Walmart for little over $10. 

Released: 1953
Invented by: Kellogg’s
Original Price: 15 cents*

These days we’re a little more conscious about the amount of sugar we let our kids consume at breakfast time. However, back in 1953, the cereal market was booming and Kellogg’s was on top of their game with Sugar Smacks.

Sugar Smacks @BuzzFeed / Pinterest.com

The iconic cereal is still on the market now, but it’s undergone a few changes over the years. Sugar Smacks were incredibly popular upon their release, especially because Superman himself (or rather, actor George Reeves in character) advertised them.

 They’re still available now under the name Honey Smacks for around $3.60 in most grocery stores, though their popularity has waned over the years. This could be due to the emergence of dozens of other sugary cereals, as well as other health-conscious options.

Released: 1954
Invented by: Ferrara Candy Company
Original Price: 5 cents*

Atomic Fireballs may have been invented way back in the mid-50s, but these hard-shelled cinnamon flavored jawbreakers are just as popular as ever. You can buy an entire bulk tub containing 240 pieces on Amazon for little over $16. 

Atomic Fireballs 1954 @Patty Blake / Pinterest.com

The Ferrara Candy Company really hit the nail on the head with these bitesize morsels. Even NASA controllers endorsed them, calling them their “Console Candy of Choice.” According to website Balettie, Ferrara underestimated how popular Atomic Fireballs would be as they ended up selling 50,000 cases per day instead of the 200 they had prepared for.

With a very specific flavor unlike any other candy on the market, Atomic Fireballs were able to successfully fill a niche. Decades later this flavor was adopted by a New Orleans whiskey company for their Fireball whiskey, which was an instant hit as well.

Released: 1950
Invented by: Adams & Brooks
Original Price: 3 cents* 

Back in 1950, there was only one way to go to satisfy a sweet craving – and Hershey’s is probably still jealous they didn’t come up with it first. Cup-O-Golds are similar in flavor profile to Mallowmars with their chocolate and marshmallow combo, but are lacking that cookie crunch that made Mallowmars the snacking phenomenon they once were.

Cup-O-Gold 1950 @Gina D. / Pinterest.com

While the Adams & Brooks product was a tad more popular back in the day, it’s still available to buy today. They  look similar to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, only the inside is pure, fluffy marshmallow instead of delectable peanut butter.

It won’t be quite as cheap as it was when it was unleashed upon the market 80 years ago, though. These days, Cup-o-Gold’s are available on the West Coast for $1.25. The price may have gone up, but it’s still the same mouthwatering product we’ve known and loved for decades.

Released: 1959
Invented by: Kellogg’s
Original Price: 18 cents*

Back in the 1950s, Kellogg’s was keen to come up with a product that could rival that of General Mills’ supremely popular Cheerios. As a result, they came up with OKs. Much healthier than some of the other products at the time, Kellogg’s promoted them as the “Best in Oats.” 

OKs 1959 @KelloggCompany / Twitter.com | 1962 @Stacey Watson / Pinterest.com

The gimmick certainly worked for a while, as the boxes began to sell like hotcakes. The great-tasting and cleverly-branded cereal was molded into the shapes of the letters “O” and “K”, and the boxes featured  the mascot Big Otis, a tartan-clad character looking brave, strong, and healthy.

Sadly, OKs didn’t last that long and by 1962 they had been discontinued, much to the disappointment of oat (and Otis) lovers everywhere. However, Kellogg’s was tasked with creating a cereal that could use the “O” mold machine, and found their next smash hit: Froot Loops.

Released: 1920s
Invented by: Tangerine Confectionery
Original Price: 1 cent*

The distinctive flavor of Black Jack chews first originated in England under the Tangerine Confectionery brand. While not everyone loves it, the aniseed candy made its way to America and continues to find fans to this day. 

Black Jack Taffy @remedialchaos / Twitter.com

Black licorice is a very polarizing flavor, with some people loving it and some people absolutely hating it, and very few people on the fence, but Black Jack was one of the lucky few candy companies able to find its market with licorice lovers across the USA.

Back then it cost as little as 1 cent, but these days the price is quite a lot higher thanks to inflation. Different types of Black Jack taffy can be found in multiple grocery stores like Dollar Tree for a couple of bucks a bag, so if you’re a fan, don’t worry. This slice of nostalgia isn’t going anywhere any time soon – not while it’s still making money, anyway.

Released: Unknown
Invented by: Atkinson Candy Company
Original Price: Unknown

There was a time when Long Boys Coconut was only available to the people lucky enough to live in the South as they were made in New Orleans. Over time, this changed and the delicious tubes of coconut caramel were made available elsewhere, to the delight of many. 

Long Boys Coconut @baSweetiesCandy / Twitter.com

The chewy wrapped candies look like stretched-out tootsie rolls on the exterior, wrapped in red and yellow paper, featuring the iconic logo of a little boy with very long legs. The candies are sold in either boxes or tubs of the individually wrapped pieces.

It’s not immediately clear when they hit the market, or what price Atkinson Candy used to originally sell them for. We do know that you can pick them up at Walmart in a bulk tub for $18.64. Frankly, they’re worth every penny. 

Released: 1962
Invented by: Ferrara Candy Company
Original Price: 5 cents*

What better way to get your sweet fix than by picking up a box of Lemonheads? Regardless of whether you’re a fan now or you’ve been a fan since they first hit the market in 1962, you can’t deny that the little boxes of lemon-flavored candy brighten your day. 

Lemonheads 1962 @wikicommons | @DANIEL LEVIN / Facebook.com

These viciously sour candies have been making kids and adults alike pucker since 1962, and are surely here to stay. In addition to the original flavor, the company has also come out with variations such as Grapheads, Cherryheads, and Appleheads.

If you were lucky enough to have a few extra cents in the early 1960s you could pick up a box for just 5 cents. These days, they’re a little more expensive thanks to inflation. Kroger has you covered with one box for $1, so they still won’t break the bank. 

Released: 1972
Invented by: General Mills
Original Price: 25 cents*

Cereals often have whacky and kooky concepts to try and lure younger consumers in, which is probably why General Mills went with Sir Grapefellow. The 1972 product featured grape flavored cereal with marshmallow stars and was packaged in an unforgettable purple box. 

Sir Grapefellow 1970s @Lester Kempner / Pinterest.com

Interestingly, the character of the cereal was a fictional World War I pilot who was the arch-enemy of another General Mills’ character, Baron von Redberry. The two would argue in the advertising over which one was better.

Sadly, Sir Grapefellow perished and didn’t go on to sell as many units as GM had hoped, even at 25 cents per pack with a free toy included. Sadly, Sir Grapefellow perished and didn’t go on to sell as many units as General Mills had hoped, even at 25 cents per pack with a free toy included. Perhaps it was the pressure from Kellogg’s Froot Loops that ultimately led to Sir Grapefellow’s untimely demise.

Released: 1959
Invented by: Sunline, Inc
Original Price: 2 cents*

Cute by name, delicious by design, Pixy Stix have been the backbone of childhood sugar-rushes across America since 1959. They might look like a simple drinking straw, but tucked inside their colorful packaging is sweet and sour candy that’s incredibly moreish. 

Pixy Stix 1959 | Ad 1976 @Birdhouse Books / Pinterest.com

Food powerhouse Nestle owns the copyright to Pixy Stix these days, but the product was actually invented by Sunline Inc., a company based in St. Louis, Missouri. Sunline gets all the credit, however, for making the brilliant innovation of selling what is essentially just sugar as a new candy.

Pixy Stix were and always have been pretty cheap to buy. Back in the day it was around 2 cents per pack. Now, you can buy a pack at Dollar Tree for – you guessed it – a dollar. 

Released: 1950
Invented by: Post
Original Price: 15 cents*

One look at Post’s Sugar Rice Krinkles box now might be enough to send a chill down your spine. After all, clowns aren’t quite as cute and funny as they once were. However, back in 1950, Krinkle the Clown was deemed loveable enough to be on a box. 

Sugar Rice Krinkles 1950 @Karina Higgs-Boson / Facebook.com | @Krinkles The Clown / YouTube.com

The sugar coated cereal stuck around for an admirable two decades before it ended up being discontinued altogether in 1969. Perhaps Krinkle couldn’t keep up with the changing times, or Post just found a better, less creepy way to make money. That’s not to say it wasn’t good while it lasted!

Looking back on it, perhaps Sugar Rice Krinkles never stood a chance against the stalwart Rice Krispies, which have been sold by Kellogg’s since way back in 1927. It’s possible too that Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies were the final straw, pushing Sugar Rice Krinkles out of the market when they came out in 1958.

Released: 1957
Invented by: Emerson Drug Company
Original Price: 5 cents*

In the 1950s, while soft drinks like Cooke were busy turning into gargantuan titans in the market, Emerson’s Fizzies were trying to get a piece of the action. Ruth Millard invented the fruit-flavored tablets that turned water into fizzy drinks for the Emerson Drug Company back in 1959. 

Fizzies @IRememberJFK / Twitter.com

As the years ticked by, the range of flavors grew to include grape, orange, cherry, lemon-line, cola, and roo-beer. Sales were so good throughout the decade that even competitors like Kool-Aid couldn’t keep up with demand. 

Fizzies eventually stopped production in the 1970s as artificial sweeteners were banned, but reemerged back in the 2000s as part of Amerilab Technologies. Despite the new formulation which had less sugar and was made using legal artificial sweeteners, Fizzies couldn’t find their way in the modern economy, and discontinued again in 2016.

Released: Early 1900s
Invented by: American Candy Company
Original Price: Unknown 

American Candy Company’s Wax Lips are interesting for a few reasons. For a start, whether they’re actually candy or not is quite debatable. They appeared in stores at some point in the early 1900s, going on to become a popular gag item.

Wax Lips @toysandcandyonthepark / Facebook.com

The bite plate on the back allows the wax (which is entirely edible, though not so toothsome) to sit over a person’s lips. The treat was always a fun party trick for a few minutes, but wasn’t so enjoyable for much longer than that.

American Candy initially thought that they could be used as a chewing gum after being used to make people laugh, but that idea never really took off. As different products hit the market Wax Lips became less of a novelty, but they are still made today.