🍫 My Top 5 Favorite Candies from the ‘70s and ‘80s: Sweet Memories That Still Melt in My Mouth

There was nothing quite like being a kid in the ‘70s and ‘80s and walking into a corner convenience store with a pocketful of change. The smell of bubble gum, the faint hum of a soda cooler, and the sound of the door chime — it was pure magic. You could spend 50 cents and walk out feeling like a king with a treasure trove of sugar.

Here are my top five favorite candies from back in the day — the ones that made every trip to the store worth it.

🍫 1. Ice Cubes

Every trip to the store wasn’t complete without grabbing a handful of Ice Cubes — those little foil-wrapped squares of creamy chocolate bliss. They came in those shiny silver or gold wrappers, and once you unwrapped one, it was game over. The texture was unbelievably smooth, almost buttery, and they melted the instant they hit your tongue.

You didn’t chew Ice Cubes. You savored them. Recently, I stumbled across them again at a German market — the same brand, the same foil, the same melt-in-your-mouth magic. It was like time traveling straight back to 1978.

🍬 2. Nerds

When Nerds hit the candy aisles in the early ‘80s, everything changed. Tiny, tangy, colorful crystals of pure sugar — and we couldn’t get enough of them. Half the fun was the box itself, with two separate chambers so you could pour a little of one flavor or mix them together like a candy scientist.

Whether it was Strawberry vs. Grape or Cherry vs. Watermelon, every handful felt like a flavor explosion. You’d tilt that little cardboard spout right into your mouth, and before you knew it, the box was empty and your tongue was neon-colored.

Nerds weren’t just candy — they were a full-blown experience.

🍭 3. Bottle Caps

If there was ever a candy that felt like a fizzy science experiment, it was Bottle Caps. They looked like little soda bottle tops and came in flavors like root beer, cola, and orange soda. Somehow, those chalky little disks captured the essence of a fizzy drink without being liquid.

My friends and I used to sort them out, trade our least favorites, and pretend we were “drinking” our candy. Root beer was always my favorite — and still is.

🍫 4. Razzles

“First it’s candy, then it’s gum!” That slogan was burned into our brains thanks to Razzles. They started out like tiny fruit-flavored candies, but after a few seconds of chewing, they transformed into gum — a magic trick that never got old.

Every kid in the neighborhood had a favorite flavor (mine was the original red). You’d pour the whole pack into your mouth, wait for the transformation, and suddenly you were the coolest kid on your block — blowing bubbles and smirking like you’d just discovered alchemy.

🍫 5. Reese’s Pieces

Before E.T. made them world-famous, Reese’s Pieces were a secret weapon for peanut butter lovers. The crunchy candy shell and creamy peanut butter center were an instant classic. After that movie came out, they became impossible to find — stores couldn’t keep them in stock.

Even now, opening a pack gives me that same sense of excitement. They were the perfect road trip snack, movie treat, or after-school pick-me-up.

🏁 The Sweet End

These weren’t just candies — they were moments. Each one reminds me of simpler times: riding my bike to the store with friends, counting out change on the counter, and walking home with pockets full of chocolate and possibilities.

The ‘70s and ‘80s were full of wild flavors and even wilder packaging, but more than that, they were full of joy — the kind you can still taste when you find one of these classics today.

What was your favorite candy from the good old days? Drop it in the comments — let’s see which ones still make our inner kids light up.