So why were these sweet candies called Nerds? Just like the colorful mascots that represent all varieties of Nerds candies, they were meant to signify weird characters. While Nerds are still available today, they were a child of the ’80s. These colorful small pebbles are essentially made of crystallized sugar, that is then coated with additional layers of sugar.
It’s difficult to say what was so appealing about pouring these little beads of sugar from the box into our mouths, but something about it is satisfying.
Candy Cigarettes
It's hard for us to imagine this in today's world, but there was a time when these chalky sugar sticks that look like cigarettes were sold to children. For those who grew up in the '70s, '80s, and even the '90s will likely remember these strange sugary snacks. The United States considered banning candy cigarettes, both in 1970 and 1991, but neither passed.
The chalky, hard candy cigs and the paper-wrapped bubble gum smokes that puff out that white powder stuff, are shockingly still made and sold despite having fallen out of favor.
Pixy Stix
Our sweet list continues with Pixy Stix, it came as n alternative to regular candy and was basically just mainly sugar. The allure of Pixy Stix was in its pure simplicity: all you had to do was pour the sweet and sour powder straight into your mouth.
They definitely were not the healthiest of snacks; Pixy Stix doesn't contain protein, fat, vitamins, or minerals -- only sugar carbohydrate and one small straw contain approximately 2.14 grams of sugar.
Fruit Gushers
The '90s were indeed a gummy golden era. Perhaps the strangest—but the most memorable—were these Fruit Gushers, a gummy jewel full of concentrated, fruity gooeyness that oozes out when you bite down. They are made from real fruit juice but also have sugar and lots of corn syrup.
Despite persistence rumors of their discontinuation, if you want to revisit your youth, you can still grab a box.
Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars
Nostalgia is usually triggered by a reminder of a happier time, and these snack bars definitely make us feel nostalgic. Basically, a single wrapped strawberry cheesecake in bar-form, Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars were beloved. Philadelphia discontinued their Cheesecake Snack Bars some time ago.
There's even an online petition to bring them back, which is filled with comments from fans who remember not only how they taste, but how they made them feel.