I have fond memories of all of the sweet (and some salty) treats that I enjoyed as a boy during the 1970's. Candy and comic books were two of the essentials for a kid back then. So I'd spend my lazy summer afternoons thumbing through my Captain Marvel and Spiderman comics, chain-eating a pack of Popeye candy cigarettes. Isn't that what childhood is all about?
Once or twice a week, I'd pop open my Superman savings bank and scoop out a handful of coins for some treats. Pockets jingling, I'd walk or ride my bike down the street to the corner store. The colourful displays were enticing, always an adventure. What would my choices be today? Candies, chips, or pop? Or all of the above?
Here in Canada, we didn't have the same selection of candies and other junk food snacks as the United States. Some of the big names that were readily available in the States, like Mounds and Baby Ruth bars, Yorkie, and Clark bars.... these were nowhere to be found in my town. Probably a lot more than just those, too.
My lists here will obviously exclude many products. The selection available, my personal preferences, and even my memory, determined my lists. For instance, I was never much of a fan of toffee, though I remember having that Macintosh stuff a few times. That was enough for me. Ech. Too much chewing, too.
As I sifted through the ideas in my head and the Google searches, I came upon a lot of instantly memorable goodies from my past. The most famous and my favourites will dominate my notes below. Nothing is ranked in order, though often my faves may appear uppermost in the listings.
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| Sorry teach, I didn't know the gum was... loaded! |
Bazooka bubble gum.... the gum wasn't really very tasty, losing its so-so flavour fast, but I loved collecting those little Bazooka Joe comics inside each wrapper. I can't remember if I ever sent in my hoarded comics in exchange for a prize.
Dubble Bubble.... these had mini-comics, too, but I remember Bazooka Joe much better
Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum... big bubbles, no troubles. I loved that gunfighter TV ad.
Bubble Yum
Bubblicious
Big Red cinnamon-flavoured gum... remember that old lumberjack TV commercial?
Gold Nuggets Bubble Gum... not very tasty or bubbly but I loved that cloth drawstring bag!
Wrigley's spearmint... white and green packs
Chicklets
Freshen Up.... I didn't know the gum was loaded! A memorable catch-phrase from the past.
Trident Sugarless Gum
Juicy Fruit
Dentyne
Gold Nuggets came in a cool little drawstring bag, like what an old,
grizzled prospector would carry his panned gold dust and nuggets in
Rockets... all the way from England to Canada back in '63... one of my faves back then
Pep Peppermint Patty... no York patties here... yet. One of my favourites!
Pop Rocks
Bottlecaps, by Wonka
Blow Pops
Cracker Jack.... candied popcorn and nuts in a cardboard box, with a neat little prize (a toy) inside, unlike today's cheap little junky trinkets
Nibs Black Licorice
Cherry Twizzlers... still a movie theatre habit for me today
Popeye Candy Sticks
Sour Patch
Starburst
Cinnamon Toothpicks.... one of the weirdest concoctions ever, but I bought 'em anyway.
Pixy Stix
Razzles... and Razzles Fizzles
Sweetarts
Candy Charm Bracelet.... only for girls? Nope, boys would buy and eat them, too.
Jelly Belly
Rock Candy
Root Beer Floats
Tootsie Pop
Lifesavers
I also recall some weird stuff like wax lips, which you were supposed to chew on for flavour, but I never liked those. What was the point if you couldn't even eat it?
Back in the 70's, there were few potato chip flavours, but the new ones were such a treat. Humpty Dumpty and Hostess were the big brands back then, and in my earliest years, I only recall plain or BBQ chips in our kitchen cupboards. During the 70's, salt and vinegar and sour cream & onion flavours were introduced... probably later in Canada than the States. My folks weren't hip to those tastes so it was up to me to experiment on my own.
I don't recall Doritos in my neighbourhood store when I was a youngster. That brand has been around since 1964, yet I never got around to trying my first Dorito until I was much older. All those lost years! Well, I've certainly made up for it the past two decades.... Doritos, especially the Zesty Cheese flavour, have become my go-to chip.
Pringles - what a novelty! In a tube! I am pretty sure these were in my local store during my impressionable years. But I don't think I got around to eating them.... I can't remember, so I'm not sure. My folks never brought them home, and I guess I just wasn't willing to depart from the familiar bagged chips of other brands.
I seem to recall flavoured popcorn hitting the snack racks at some point in the late 70's. I can't remember the brand, but I do know there were flavours like salt and vinegar, and sour cream and onion... maybe some others. Delicious and oh, so gorge-able.
Jiffy Pop popcorn was the snack food you'd make at home over your stove's hot element. When I got a bit older, I was allowed to make that stuff myself. It was a fun part of "movie night" with the family. Soft drinks and popcorn and James Bond... or something like that.
CHOCOLATE
I don't think I bought chocolate bars all that often back then, perhaps because of the higher cost. I could get more for my money by instead buying a pile of smaller candies. I remember the many funny Reese's Peanut Butter Cup TV commercials on U.S. networks, but I do not recall Reese being available in Canada during my youth. Maybe in the 80s? Regardless, Reese cups have for many years been my absolute favourite chocolate (and peanut butter) treat... even today.
Cherry Blossom... my absolute favourite junk food back in the day. Still a guilty pleasure.
Sweet Marie... also a fave during my younger years
Chunky.... and yet another... those massive mouthwatering hunks of chocolate... gaaaaaa....
3 Musketeers
Rolo
Smarties
Marathon Bar
After Eight.... only a Christmas-time treat, for some reason, but hey, they were cool sweets
Turtles... also a seasonal goodie, but man, they were so good, I could eat them every day
Goodies Licorice
Glossette Raisins
Maltesers
My best soft drink experiences revolved around The Pop Shoppe. Hot 70's
summer days... guzzling one pop after another. Boy, did mom ever get mad!
SOFT DRINKS
I was never a huge fan of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. It was the more adventurous flavours that satisfied my young taste buds, Some favourites at the time were:
The Pop Shoppe was a popular spot in my hometown back in the 70's. You'd get a case of assorted pop flavours - in returnable bottles! Orange, Cream Soda, & root beer were best.
Fanta... grape and orange
Orange Crush
C-Plus
Fresca.... I still love it!
Cream Soda
Root beer was my favourite soft drink for many years, especially as a kid, and maybe once in a long while - just as a treat - these days. I'm not sure what brands were available in my area in the 70's, but possibilities are Hires and maybe Mug? I know my fave was A&W Root Beer.... only at the restaurants back then, I think. And I loved the drive-in concept way back, when you could park your car under an awning and servers would come out, take your order, bring you your food on a tray, and collect payment... all while you sat in your car. A cool service that seemed an extension of the 50's and 60's, but sadly disappeared over time.
Okay, enough of all this food talk... er, junk food talk. This is making me hungry. More later!
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