Halloween season is upon us and there’s candy on the brain. Whether you are stocking up on candy to pass out. Or in preparation to rummage through full buckets of candy once your kiddos go to bed. We’re seeing it all over the stores, and we know that night is rapidly approaching.
So in the spirit of candy talk, this week I have gotten a little help from my parents. They’ve recently shared with me a few memorable candies and classic sweets from their childhood. And I now plan to share them with you, along with the ones that were still around when I was a kid and that I remember my parents’ stories of these candies and classic sweets from “when they were my age.”
Bosco Chocolate Syrup
Bosco Chocolate Syrup, also known as “milk amplifier.” Just the sound of that sounds cringe worthy, but I suppose we each have our thing. Regardless of what you choose to call it, anything chocolatey and malty made to mix with milk gets an A+ in my book.
Every time I hear “Bosco,” I immediately think of the episode of Seinfeld where George refuses to give away his secret code:
Come to think of it, I don’t think I have ever enjoyed Bosco. But it is still available to purchase in stores today, so maybe I’ll give it a try.
Bosco was also used in several movies to portray blood, which is an awesome yet creepy fact. Perfect for Halloween though!
Horehound
A candy my mom has a fun memory of. Her grandma would give it to her and her brother. They would always laugh at the name. And it didn’t taste very good, but worked great as a sore throat lozenge!
Can’t say I remember trying this classic candy either. It’s known to have flavors of root beer (yes!), black licorice (bleh!), and mint (yes! although not mixed with root beer.)
I think I’ll pass on this one; however, Horehound candies are still sold today.
Ovaltine
Whether or not you’ve enjoyed a cold glass of Ovaltine, it quickly got notoriety with my generation and beyond in this classic scene from A Christmas Story:
I have enjoyed Ovaltine, thanks to my dad sharing some with me when I was a kid. Not to embarrass either of my parents here, but I can still remember my dad’s excitement when he came across a jar of it at the grocery store for the first time since maybe his childhood?
It’s definitely a tasty treat!
Bazooka Bubble Gum
Another multi-generational childhood staple: Bazooka Bubble Gum.
Blocks of gum found by the handfuls in kids’ Halloween buckets everywhere. I remember as a kid collecting the comic strips and my neighbor friends and I sitting around comparing which comics we had, and of course, who had the tallest stack.
Better be sure kids everywhere will be enjoying some Bazooka Bubble Gum this Halloween.
Circus Peanuts
There’s a love-hate relationship with Circus Peanuts out there. For the longest time, I always thought it was my dad who enjoyed these marshmallow candies. But just today I learned that, no. No one in my immediate family enjoys these. We are a part of the “hate” group.
But as you can see, the Internet either loves ’em, or hates ’em. But they’ll never stop showing up in Halloween buckets after the big night. NEVER.
Coffee Nips
A classic sweet that has been enjoyed by my family for generations.
I remember as a kid my grandma always having boxes of Nips around her house. And what a treat it was to get to enjoy one (or two) with her before bed. Many years later, my mom was the one who enjoyed Nips at home, and would have them out whenever I would come over to the house.
And then one day, they were no longer sold at the store. Grocery store, drug store, nowhere to be found! Come to find out recently after speaking with a cashier at CVS, they stopped production. Sure, you can enjoy the Brach’s version, but it just isn’t the same.
Some other memorable sweets my parents still consume today when the mood strikes: Nonpareils (those rainbow sprinkled chocolate candies), and Good & Plenty (grab yourself a box at the movie theater)!
All this candy talk, I might need to go make a cold glass of Bosco! Which classic sweets were your favorite?
