You’re about to read “How Candy Took Over America” and “Candy for Dinner?” In these articles, you’ll learn about the surprising history of your favorite treats. But first, take this quick quiz. It will help you uncover a few fun facts—and make you hungry for more!
Test Your Candy Knowledge
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1.
The average American eats about ___ pounds of candy a year.
D. If 8 pounds sounds like a lot, that's because it is! But that number tells a bigger story: Candy is an important part of American culture. People eat it most during holidays like Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas.
2.
What’s the most popular Halloween candy?
B. Every Halloween, Americans buy more than 3 million pounds of this colorful candy. (Fun fact: The least popular Skittles color is yellow!)
3.
Which of the following candies has been around the longest?
B. Candy corn was created in the 1880s. It was originally designed to look like chicken feed. That’s because nearly half of Americans worked on farms at the time. As a result, farm-themed candies were popular among many children. Today nearly 35 million pounds of candy corn are sold every year.
4.
True or False: Chewed-up Tootsie Rolls were once used to patch up holes in vehicles and hoses.
True! In the 1950s, thousands of American soldiers survived the Korean War thanks to these chewy candies. How? During freezing temperatures, soldiers sucked on frozen Tootsie Rolls for a boost of energy. When temperatures got hot, chewed up Tootsie Rolls made for a great putty-like material. This putty was then used to patch up holes in vehicles and equipment. Talk about a sweet idea!
5.
Who invented candy?
C. You might think there’s a chef to thank for your favorite sugary treats. However, it was a pharmacist—someone who sells medicine—who first invented candy. His name was Oliver Chase. You’ll read more about how Oliver’s sweet invention changed the world in “How Candy Took Over America.”
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