Halloween Candies From the ’70s You Won’t Find Anywhere Today
Halloween candy in the 1970s had a distinct feel. Kids used pillowcases instead of plastic buckets and came home with chewy, nutty, and often odd treats. Many of those brands have disappeared, remembered by anyone who bit into something questionable under a porch light. It was a different kind of sweet, and a different kind of Halloween night.
Marathon Bar
Credit: Reddit
The Marathon bar came in a red wrapper with a ruler printed on the front, proudly advertising its full eight inches of braided caramel coated in chocolate. Introduced by Mars in 1973, it disappeared by 1981, possibly because it stuck to everything, including dental work.
Choc-O-Lite
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Choc-O-Lite was Nestlé’s answer to aerated chocolate, filled with tiny air bubbles that gave it a lighter crunch. It looked a bit like a lumpy chocolate bar and melted faster than most, which didn’t help its chances in warmer climates.
PB Max
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PB Max hit stores in the late 1980s under Mars but followed the same trends that defined candy in the 1970s, with plenty of peanut butter, crunch, and a thick chocolate shell. It sold well for a while before Mars pulled it from shelves, leaving fans puzzled over why it disappeared.
Wacky Wafers
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Wacky Wafers were oversized, hard fruit discs sold by the Willy Wonka brand and known for tasting vaguely like chalk and sugar. Grape, green apple, and watermelon were common flavors, though few could agree on whether they actually tasted like fruit. They were discontinued for a time, briefly brought back, and then disappeared again.
7 Up Bar
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The 7 Up Bar, not to be confused with the soda, came as seven small chocolate squares, each with its own filling such as coconut, nougat, or butterscotch. The mix kept every bite unpredictable. It vanished from stores long ago, though collectors still hunt for its vintage wrappers.
Reggie! Bar
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Named after baseball legend Reggie Jackson, this circular candy bar combined caramel, peanuts, and chocolate in a compact disc. It launched in 1978 when Jackson joined the Yankees and was even handed out to fans at games. Despite solid sales, the candy faded along with Jackson’s peak popularity.
Space Dust
Credit: ebay
Born from the same technology behind Pop Rocks, Space Dust took the concept further by grinding the candy into a fine, carbonated powder. That turned out to be a mistake. Concerned parents linked the name to angel dust (PCP), causing widespread panic and bad press.
Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews
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Though originally developed in 1917, Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews saw a big revival in the ‘70s as a Halloween handout. The chewy mix of peanuts and molasses-flavored taffy coated in chocolate had a reputation for being a bit too tough on the teeth.
Tart ‘n’ Tinys
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This candy was shaped like miniature pellets and packed a sour punch. Tart ‘n’ Tinys were brightly colored and came in small boxes, perfect for tossing into trick-or-treat bags. They eventually lost popularity in the late ’80s, possibly due to competition from louder, flashier sour candies.
Bit-O-Honey
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The chewy almond-honey taffy had been around since the 1920s but maintained a strong presence into the ’70s. Kids either loved it or immediately handed it to their parents. It’s still technically available today, but far less common in the Halloween rotation.
Chick-O-Stick
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This bright orange, crumbly stick of peanut butter and toasted coconut looked like it had been engineered in a science lab. Made by Atkinson Candy Company, Chick-O-Stick came wrapped in clear plastic and resembled a Butterfinger without the chocolate. Mass production has slowed, and it no longer appears in the typical Halloween mix.
Wax Lips
Credit: Wikipedia
These novelty candies weren’t about flavor. Wax Lips were large, red, and wearable, letting kids talk through plastic-like lips before eventually chewing them like gum, an experience few described as pleasant. They were always more fun than tasty.
Big Hunk
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Big Hunk bars were chewy slabs of honey nougat filled with roasted peanuts, and they weren’t easy to get through. They were especially tough in colder climates, sometimes requiring serious effort to bite. Originating in the 1950s, they stuck around through the ‘70s, often splitting opinion among candy lovers.
Milkshake Bar
Credit: WorthPoint
Produced by Hollywood Brands, the Milkshake Bar offered a mild chocolate flavor with a malted undertone, aiming to mimic an old-fashioned milkshake. It was best eaten frozen, a trick many kids discovered by accident. The bar disappeared in the early ‘80s after several ownership changes and brand consolidations.
Sky Bar
Credit: Reddit
This candy bar was divided into four sections, each with a different filling—caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge. A small company in New England bought the rights and brought it back in 2020, but in the 1970s, it was a fairly common find in Halloween stashes across the U.S.