{"id":116529,"date":"2026-01-10T10:00:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T15:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/americans-split-over-grandma-candies-as-caramels-and-circus-peanuts-spark-debate-116529"},"modified":"2026-01-10T10:00:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T15:00:34","slug":"americans-split-over-grandma-candies-as-caramels-and-circus-peanuts-spark-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/americans-split-over-grandma-candies-as-caramels-and-circus-peanuts-spark-debate-116529","title":{"rendered":"Americans split over ‘grandma candies’ as caramels and circus peanuts spark debate"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

From strawberry bonbons wrapped in crinkly red foil to neon-orange circus peanuts and Werther’s Originals pulled from a purse, “grandma candy”<\/a> is sparking nostalgia and debate online.<\/p>\n

Thousands of people have shared memories, jokes and strong opinions about their grandmothers’ go-to sweets across social media and Reddit, including a Facebook post from Southern Living<\/a> that triggered recollections of red-and-white Starlight mints and ribbon candy “all stuck together.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

One that nearly everyone says they recognize instantly is the strawberry bonbon, a hard candy wrapped like a strawberry and filled with sticky syrup.<\/p>\n

FROM RETRO TO REFINED: JELL-O SALAD AND SAVORY GELATIN DISHES MAKE UNEXPECTED RETURN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“It’s all about the goo,” many people agreed in a recent thread on Reddit.<\/p>\n

Not everyone is convinced the candy holds up today, including Brian Francis, a Canadian novelist and food writer who once tried and ranked 20 different granny candies,<\/a> even logging how long it took to suck on them. (Sour Lemon Drops took the longest, clocking in at 10 minutes and 13 seconds of “suckability.”)<\/p>\n

The strawberry sweets “tasted like lip gloss” to him, while other people remembered them as “tooth breakers.”<\/p>\n

“For me, the worst are the chewy candies, the kind that stick to your teeth for days afterward like epoxy,” Francis told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

7 RETRO SALAD DRESSINGS THAT ONCE RULED AMERICA’S FRIDGES ARE MAKING A COMEBACK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The strawberry bonbons were hardly the most polarizing candy<\/a> discussed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Circus peanuts \u2014 the banana-flavored, neon-orange marshmallow treats \u2014 sparked just as much passion and mockery.<\/p>\n

“[I don’t care] what [anybody] says, circus peanuts are the best,” one Redditor wrote.<\/p>\n

Another joked, “My wife and kids make fun of me for liking circus peanuts and black licorice \u2026 More for me.”<\/p>\n

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO OLIVE LOAF, THE NOSTALGIC 1970S DELI MEAT THAT AMERICA ABANDONED?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Some people even argued the squishy orange candy,<\/a> which still graces some supermarket aisles, improves with age. “First thing I do is tear a hole open and let them sit a few days,” one commenter said. “That’s the way.”<\/p>\n

Among the few candies that drew near-universal approval were Werther’s Originals \u2014 the caramel hard candies commonly found in purses and coat pockets.<\/p>\n

“I scrolled until I found Werther’s!!! So good,” one Reddit user wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another added, “There’s always a Werther’s in the pocketbook or dish.”<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Francis agreed that classic caramels<\/a> are among the sweets that still hold up. He recommends warming the cubes up slightly before eating.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fox News Digital reached out to Werther’s Original for comment.<\/p>\n

Butter mints also inspired strong affection, with many admitting the candies are difficult to stop eating once opened.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“This is one of those things that’s not safe for me to buy because I will just mindlessly and compulsively eat them all,” one user wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another recalled, “At one point I ate so many I couldn’t taste anything for a week.”<\/p>\n

Francis argued in his blog post that the butter mints created a “sticky mess,” while wintergreen mints just tasted “old” to him, “like dusty curtains and yellowed bedsheets.”<\/p>\n

“I’d say licorice toffee is at the bottom, but sugared spearmint leaves are close behind,” he added. “They should only ever be used as gingerbread house decorations.”<\/p>\n

Jelly orange slices, meanwhile, emerged as another favorite. They were frequently mentioned without controversy.<\/p>\n

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“Ooooh!! Orange slices!!! YASS!!” one Reddit user wrote.<\/p>\n

Another person admitted, “I could easily finish off a bag in one sitting. Now my stomach hurts<\/a> just thinking about it.”<\/p>\n

Beyond bellyaches, the old-fashioned candies are also linked to childhood mischief for many.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“One of my earliest memories was going upstairs into my grandma’s bedroom to steal one of these,” one user recalled.<\/p>\n

“Many of us have fond memories of visiting a grandparent or an elderly relative<\/a> and seeing that elaborate crystal candy dish filled to the brim,” Francis agreed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I was always sticking in my hand to grab a fistful when backs were turned.”<\/p>\n

For others, the candies symbolize a bygone era.<\/p>\n

“Grandma candies also seem to evoke simpler times \u2014 when people popped a butterscotch candy into their mouths while sitting on porches and waving at neighbors,” Francis said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source – https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/food-drink\/americans-split-grandma-candies-caramels-circus-peanuts-spark-online-debate <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From strawberry bonbons wrapped in crinkly red foil to neon-orange circus peanuts and Werther’s Originals pulled from a purse, “grandma candy” is sparking nostalgia and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_2902945987_2902945987":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[16563],"tags":[],"stock_ticker":[],"class_list":["post-116529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-market-news","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAmericans split over 'grandma candies' as caramels and circus peanuts spark debate - Wall Street PR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/americans-split-over-grandma-candies-as-caramels-and-circus-peanuts-spark-debate-116529\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Americans split over 'grandma candies' as caramels and circus peanuts spark debate - 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