Comments on: Back in My Day

By: Ralph Siegler

Ralph Siegler — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:45:13 +0000

Great blog entry, Carl. That was my first encounter with inflation and taxes, when candy bars went from a dime to twelve cents, and at that price point incurred a penny tax to boot for a total of thirteen cents! oh noes!

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:55:34 +0000

Freshen’ Up gum. I LOVED it, but my mother almost never let me have it (since there is nothing inherently evil about it, I assume it was because SHE didn’t like it). Also, Goetze’s caramel creams in the multi-pack from vending machines. I perceived the number of pieces as a real value for my money. That’s a phenomenon we see in kids to this day – it’s referred to as “times to mouth”. In fact, I may write a blog post about it.

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:04:22 +0000

Libby, I remember Rally bars although I don’t remember what they taste like. I don’t remember the other two you mentioned. Maybe I am the negative reciprocal of normal people. That would make sense.

Denise – It seems like now and then I see a Zero bar but rarely. I think they are still produced. Hershey acquired the Zero bar in 1996 and I think is still producing them. I bet you can order them online somewhere if you want a case of them.

By: Libby

Libby — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:37:06 +0000

The Snickers are definitely smaller. I used to love Smoothies, and Buns. Also Rally bars, which whenever I mention this now defunct candy bar people look at me like I’m crazy. They remember my beloved Smoothies and Buns, but not Rally.

By: Denise

Denise — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:25:32 +0000

Ha, ha, ha!!! Carl, you crack me up!! Walking stick – ha, ha! Have you seen the lastest giant Three Musketeers? I saw one this weekend and it was enormous!! I too loved Snickers and it REALLY does seem smaller to me. I also liked Zero bars – I can’t find them anymore. But the hardest thing for me was making a choice!! (Some things never change.)

By: Elise Weaver

Elise Weaver — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:51:54 +0000

Cybele,

Can you tell me where to find the chocolate bar index?
Does it account for how much a dollar (or dime) was worth at the time?

Elise

By: Carl

Carl — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:25:16 +0000

Cybele, you are a rebel. That makes you cool, even if you don’t do it to look cool.

By: cybele

cybele — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:20:42 +0000

People have been tracking chocolate bars as an “index” for a hundred years now. I graphed them last year and it looks like at least Hershey bars are pretty big compared to the past.

Now, other candy bars, yeah, I think some of those got smaller. Sometimes I wish Snickers were just a little smaller, I really can’t finish one.

To answer your question though – I loved Heath bars & Mounds as a kid. I know it was probably the least cool candy bars to like but I wasn’t much for peer pressure.