9 Nostalgic Candies Every 1970s Kid Ate in Florida
Before Floridian kids had iPads and TikTok, they had wax bottles, Pixy Stix, and a sugar high that could power a whole afternoon of riding bikes and jumping fences.
The 1970s were a golden time for candy lovers. Whether you were sneaking sweets into class or swapping treats on the school bus, certain candies were just part of growing up.
If you remember unwrapping a treat while watching The Brady Bunch, this one’s for you.
Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip
Lik-M-Aid was basically sugar dipped in more sugar, and kids absolutely loved it. You’d tear open the packet, pull out the chalky candy stick, and dip it into the flavored powder—usually cherry, grape, or lime.
As you licked the stick and dipped it again and again, it got stickier and more delicious each time. And yes, a lot of kids just ate the powder straight from the pouch when the stick broke.
Fun Dip wasn’t just candy—it was an experience. The act of dipping and licking made it feel like an activity, not just a snack.
It also made a mess, which made it even more fun. Red tongues were like badges of honor for kids who got their hands on this stuff.
The candy first came out in the ’40s as Lik-M-Aid, but it got a fun little upgrade in the ’70s when they added the edible stick and rebranded it as Lik-A-Stick.
That’s when it really took off, and by the time Saturday morning cartoons rolled around, you could bet kids had a pack in their lap.
Wax Bottles
These tiny wax soda bottles were odd but amazing. You’d bite the top off, suck out the little bit of sweet liquid inside, and then chew the wax like gum.
It was like drinking soda from a toy, and even though the wax didn’t taste like anything, it was still fun to chew.
The liquid inside had a super sweet, syrupy flavor—kind of like melted popsicles. The bottles came in tiny cardboard trays with bright colors, making them look like mini six-packs.
And even if the juice only lasted two seconds, that didn’t stop kids from loving them.
These candies go all the way back to the early 20th century, but in the 1970s, they were super popular at candy counters and five-and-dimes.
They didn’t cost much, and that little squirt of sugar was enough to make any kid’s day.
Bottle Caps
These fizzy candies came shaped like little soda bottle tops and tasted like different types of soda—root beer, cola, orange, cherry, and grape.
They were crunchy at first, but if you let them sit on your tongue, they’d fizz a bit and kind of melt.
Kids would often sort Bottle Caps by flavor, trade the ones they didn’t like, or even crush them up to make their own fizzy powder. The root beer ones were a favorite, though grape had a serious fanbase too.
Bottle Caps were super fun because they mixed two great things—soda and candy. They weren’t too sweet, and they gave you that bubbly feeling without having to pop open a can.
Plus, the little cardboard roll they came in made them perfect for sharing or hiding in your desk at school.
Pixy Stix
Nothing says “sugar rush” like a Pixy Stix. These colorful paper straws were filled with tangy flavored sugar, and the moment you tore one open, you knew things were about to get wild.
Cherry, grape, orange, and blue raspberry were the classic flavors, and each one hit your tongue with a zing.
You didn’t eat a Pixy Stix slowly—you dumped it straight into your mouth.
Some kids even mixed flavors together or poured the powder onto their lunch tray for fun. It was the kind of candy that made teachers groan and kids bounce off the walls.
Pixy Stix had been around since the 1950s, but they were all the rage in the 1970s. Cheap, colorful, and packed with pure sugar, they were a top pick for kids who wanted maximum sweetness with minimum effort.
Charleston Chew
Charleston Chews were a chewy, chocolate-covered candy that came in three main flavors—vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. Each bar was long and stretchy, and it took some serious jaw work to finish one.
But that was part of the fun.
One of the best tricks with a Charleston Chew was freezing it. If you stuck it in the freezer overnight, the candy would become brittle. Then you could smack it on a table and crack it into bite-sized pieces.
It was like a science experiment and a snack all in one.
These chewy bars had been around since the 1920s, but by the ’70s, they were still going strong.
Their mix of nougat and chocolate made them a lunchtime favorite and a solid choice when you wanted something that would last a while.
Sugar Babies
If you had a Charleston Chew in one hand, you probably had Sugar Babies in your pocket too. These caramel nuggets were small, chewy, and super sweet.
They came in a little yellow box that you could shake like a rattle before pouring a few into your mouth.
The caramel would stick to your teeth, your braces (if you had them), and pretty much anything else. But no one cared because they tasted so good.
Plus, a box of Sugar Babies lasted a long time if you paced yourself.
Sugar Babies had been around since the 1930s, but the 1970s were full of candy nostalgia, so kids still loved them. They were great for movies, great for sharing, and great for pretending you weren’t sneaking them during math class.
Pop Rocks
When Pop Rocks hit the shelves in the mid-1970s, kids couldn’t believe what was happening in their mouths. These tiny sugar crystals literally popped and crackled on your tongue, like mini fireworks.
Some people said it felt like soda fizzing, while others just liked the noise.
The little foil packet held a few spoonfuls of magic. Once you poured them in, there was no going back. You had to wait until the popping stopped—and sometimes it didn’t for a long time.
Mixing them with soda was the ultimate dare among kids, even though the whole “your stomach will explode” rumor wasn’t true.
Pop Rocks were one of the most fun candies ever made. They turned candy-eating into a full-blown sound and feeling experience.
You didn’t just taste them—you felt them—and that made them unforgettable for any kid lucky enough to get a pack.
Necco Wafers
Necco Wafers were a bit old-fashioned even in the 1970s, but they still had a loyal following.
These thin, chalky discs came in a roll with lots of pastel colors and flavors like clove, wintergreen, cinnamon, and lemon. Some flavors were better than others, but part of the fun was guessing what each one would be.
You could suck on Neccos or crunch them up. They were the kind of candy your grandparents probably had in a dish on the table, but kids liked them too—especially if they got a good flavor run.
Necco Wafers had been around since before the Civil War, but in the 1970s, they were still a part of candy aisles across the country.
They weren’t flashy, but they had staying power, and sometimes that’s all a good candy needs.
Now and Later
Now and Laters were the ultimate test of jaw strength. These little square candies were hard at first—sometimes rock-hard—but once they softened up, they became super chewy and packed with fruity flavor.
Cherry, grape, apple, and banana were just a few of kids’ favorites.
Each one came wrapped individually in waxy paper, which made it easy to stick a few in your pocket for later.
And yes, the name “Now and Later” was perfect—you could eat one now, and save the rest for, well, later. If they didn’t get stuck in your pocket first.
Now and Laters started in the 1960s, but they really took off in the ’70s, especially with kids who wanted a candy that lasted a while.
Sure, they stuck to your teeth and sometimes your fingers, but that was all part of the fun.
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