QUINN: Candy – A sweet history

My friend Debi asks, “Why do they call the little candy ‘fun sizes?’ Wouldn’t it be more fun to eat a big one?”

Wow, Debi, what a flavorful question. Let me chew on that a little with my sweet tooth.

Candy has been around throughout recorded history. Actually, ancient civilizations prized it even before they made recordings.

The earliest sweets were likely those made of candied nuts and fruits in honey. Centuries ago, explorers discovered the cocoa bean and cacao trees. I’ll be forever grateful to these pioneers of chocolate.

And don’t forget chewing gum. In the late 1860s, the flavor was added to the chicle, creating the first modern gum. I chewed so much when I was a kid, I considered gum one of the primary food groups.

Hard candies also became popular in the 1800s. Chocolate bars were invented around 1850. I don’t know exactly when “fun sizes” began, but here’s my theory.

Fun sizes allow friends to share candy. That’s a very great idea. But here’s my problem.

I wouldn’t say I like to share candy. If I buy the candy, I want it all…no matter what the quantity. I personally love the fun size, because it gives me more sugar to gobble.

So, in the future when I’m with a friend, I’ll buy myself a fun size. And – if I’m feeling generous – I’ll buy him one too.

I hope his friendship is worth the extra investment.

Got a story idea for Rix? E-mail him at [email protected].

Rix Quinn

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Rix Quinn is a former magazine publisher who works as an independent biographer and broadcaster.

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