As we're stocking up on all the best Halloween candy this year, we can't help but feel nostalgic for a time when candy reigned supreme: the '80s. You might not know it, but some of your favorite candies ever — Nerds and Sour Patch Kids, to name a couple — were invented in the 1980s and are still ultrapopular today. Take a trip down memory lane to discover which candies you can thank the '80s for, and then continue the sweet journey with all the best '90s candy.
Runts debuted in 1982 with the original flavors of banana, orange, cherry, strawberry, and lime. Who can forget crunching away on these sugary candies while in a dark movie theater, squinting closely at the candies to find your favorite flavors?
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2Bananarama (Banana Runts)
The banana flavor of Runts is extremely polarizing — people either love it or hate it. Because of its fandom, the flavor was soon sold on its own under the name of Bananarama. For those who couldn't get enough, you can remember the agony of going to the mall and scraping at the dusty remains of the Bananarama dispenser to fill up your bag.
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3Sour Patch Kids
Sour Patch Kids were originally manufactured in Canada in the shape of martians because of the space enthusiasm of the '70s. The sour candies made their debut in the US in 1985 in the shape of children to feed into the Cabbage Patch Kids craze of the '80s (how many Cabbage Patch dolls did you have?!). Kids may remember daring one another to eat an entire king-size package of Sour Patch Kids without their tongue bleeding — it's an impossible feat.
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4AirHeads
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry
America's favorite chewy candy — at least, Alabama's favorite candy — was invented in 1986. You might not realize that AirHeads are considered a taffy candy and are made in a machine similar to the toys used to create long strips of Play-Doh. The only way to eat these as a kid was molding them into a dense ball to pop into your mouth all at once.
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5Big League Chew
Although baseball players invented Big League Chew, they aren't the only ones who get nostalgic thinking about the popular shredded bubble gum. Kids and adults alike will remember this juicy gum, which was initially intended as a healthier alternative for baseball players addicted to chewing tobacco and for kids so they could mimic their favorite baseball players (minus the tobacco).
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6Cow Tales
We have to admit Cow Tales don't look quite like real cow tails, but we sure are thankful for the chewy, cream-filled caramel treat. Cow Tales were invented in 1984 as a longer, more snackable version of Caramel Creams.
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7Nerds
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry
Yes, you can thank the 1980s for Nerds! This Wonka classic debuted in 1983, and the late '80s even blessed the world with a Nerds cereal. Back in the day (way before Nerds Ropes in the '90s), Nerds came in just two flavors: cherry/orange and strawberry/grape. It was revolutionary to have a candy package that divided two flavors in one, wasn't it?
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8Bubble Tape
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry
Going through an entire container of Hubba Hubba Bubble Tape was almost too easy because of its easy-to-use dispenser (and because everyone knows the initial burst of sweetness only lasts for a few chews). This childhood favorite began distribution in the late 1980s.
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9Fortune Bubble Gum
Who could forget Fortune Bubble Gum, the fruity gum with fun packaging that was an '80s favorite that disappeared in the '90s? The added bonus to this long-lasting gum was the joke printed on each piece of wrapping. Knowing that you got to read your fortune was half the fun of ripping into a piece of this gum.
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10Push Pops
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry
Sour, sweet, sticky, fun to eat, and fashionable to clip onto jean pockets, Push Pops were a serious '80s gem. When you think about it, Push Pops were really just lollipops packaged in a convenient container so you could save leftovers for later. A bit of a gimmick, but it undoubtedly worked.
