Adults Love These 4 Classic Candies More Than Children Do

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Our tastebuds change as we age, which becomes particularly obvious in our candy preferences. Interested in the different candy preferences between children and adults, we spoke to Beth Kimmerle — the author of "Chocolate: The Sweet History" and "Candy: The Sweet History," as well as founder and CEO of Attribute Analytics.

"The hardest sells for children tend to be the bitter, botanical, spicy, or highly aromatic flavors of true 'granny candy': black licorice, coffee, dark chocolate, clove, and florals," she says. Anything sharp, herbal, or too old-fashioned would be the worst candies to give out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Kids generally have simple requirements for their candy, favoring "sweetness and those bold, bright colors and instantly recognizable artificial fruit flavors."

Adult preferences, however, are more complex. "As our palates develop, many of us start enjoying flavor contrast," Kimmerle says. "We want bitter plus sweet, or the floral, herbal and spicy notes that make a simple flavor more lasting, dynamic, and complex." Coffee-flavored and boozy candies are prime examples.

Kimmerle noted four specific candies that grown-ups love more than the kids. These candies are not favored only because of the flavor, though. "They also come with loads of memories," she adds. "Stealing one from grandmother's candy dish or grabbing a handful while trick 'o treating on Halloween." Funnily enough, our grown-up candy choices are often a way to revive our inner child. As Kimmerle says, "Candy may be one of our cheapest and most effective forms of time travel!"

"This may be the ultimate grown-up nostalgia candy that I crave," Kimmerle says of Necco Wafers. "The pastel-colored, coin-shaped, wafers have a dry, brittle and somewhat slow-dissolving texture, with oddball flavors like clove, wintergreen and licorice that seem to belong to [an] earlier American flavor vocabulary." Indeed, Necco Wafers have been around since 1847, and although the youth of today might pass on them, they were once all the rage.

Today we consider Necco Wafers to be one of the best retro candies you can still buy at Cracker Barrel, but they've also been a source of comfort to several generations of Americans during war times. These hard, difficult times were contrasted by the Wafers' fun colors and bright flavors, which brought a much-needed note of optimism and enjoyment. They were often included in soldier's ration packets, as they could be easily transported around without spoiling.

Necco Wafers therefore carry an immense amount of cultural significance and personal nostalgia. "A child may say aloud, 'Mom, why does this candy taste like the medicine cabinet?'" Kimmerle says. "But, me? The Mom? I taste memories." 

Good & Plenty candy was first made in 1893 in Pennsylvania, and well over a century later, it's still made in the United States (now in Memphis, Tennessee). Although licorice is somewhat divisive in the U.S., this iconic candy has persevered. "Black licorice is the confectionery definition of an acquired taste," Kimmerle notes. "That strong, spicy, anise-like quality can be challenging for younger palates, while adults often enjoy its intensity." You may need to try it a few times before it grows on you — if you didn't like it as a child, it's worth giving it another go as an adult. 

As one of the classic movie theater candies, Good & Plenty carries a sentimental note for many once-teenagers-now-adults. Kimmerle specifically points out "the nostalgia that comes with the maracas-like quality when shaking that pink-and-white box." The sweet memories can definitely mask some of the bitter flavor notes. And speaking of flavor, Good & Plenty uses real licorice extract, sourced from the root of the licorice plant. "Hershey says it's one of the oldest candy 'brands' in the United States," she adds, "and I believe it's succeeded because it has stayed true to its roots (pun intended!)."

Bit-O-Honey is one of those vintage candies no one seems to eat anymore. "Okay, it doesn't scream for your attention," Kimmerle admits, describing the candy simply as "honeyed, nutty, and very chewy." These features are not really something you'll see the kids asking for very often (if at all). 

It appears that the brand knows kids aren't its immediate consumer base, as even the promotional text on its website talks of mundane elevator chats and a mid-day sweet reset when your patience starts wearing thin. "Bit-O-Honey makes you work through its taffy texture to get to the very subtle and sublime flavor," Kimmerle points out, so the candy is less of a flavorful indulgence and more of a quick pick-me-up.

Another aspect that children don't care about but adults are mindful of is the ingredients. Bit-O-Honey is made with real honey and straightforward ingredients — something that's important to our expert as well: "I appreciate its basic best: a slower melt, and a real, honest ingredient experience, 'greige' color but alas, no garish food colors!" 

There's something irresistible about the combo of chocolate and coconut, but unfortunately most of us don't discover this magic until adulthood. "Coconut is another ingredient that brings that 'love or hate' divide," Kimmerle says when discussing Mounds. "Its chew and tropical flavor can be polarizing when you're young. Adults tend to have a much broader appreciation for coconut." 

It's not just the coconut, though. Kimmerle noted another aspect of Mounds that might make children reluctant to enjoy it: "Mounds also have a bit of a bitterness from using a dark chocolate." Kids normally gravitate towards sweet milk chocolate, but grown-ups have an appreciation for the bitter cocoa notes found in dark chocolate. As the expert already mentioned, we tend to seek contrast and complexity in our adult candy, which is why the sweet-and-bitter combination works so well in Mounds.

"I have always liked it because it is so unique from the candy counter top-sellers," Kimmerle says. "However, it's typically and decidedly not a fav of the younger set." But perhaps it's better this way. As the kiddos run towards the sickly-sweet stuff, we don't have to compete with them for the complex vintage classics.