We all like candy. It is sweet and tastes good when we eat it. Likewise, we love to eat our favorite candies. Hershey’s is an amazing chocolate bar to devour. Also, biting into that Reese’s chocolate cup is like no other feeling. M&M’s are classic candies that we love to enjoy, especially during the holidays.

All of these candies are delicious and some of the best and sweetest snacks to eat. Yet, there are also bad candy brands out there. You likely have seen these brands in your local 7-11. Some of these candies are also really bad for you, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Here are 10 candy brands to avoid, with a little bit of fun history added to the mix to explore your curiosity. We will give you some information on why you should stay away from them. Additionally, we explore their origin stories. Some of the candies on this list are compiled from surveys compiled by CandyStore.

Air Heads

You can find Air Heads anywhere. But they are still one of the least favorite candy brands in America.

Air Heads are not an old brand. No, they did not come to America until 1985. Steve Bruner invented the concept of Air Heads and modeled it after an Italian taffy candy company. Despite all the multiple flavors Air Heads comes in, the candy never really took off. Instead, people usually walk right past it when they are in the convenience store, looking for a perfect candy snack. It is among the worst candy brands to avoid and one you will not miss.

Almond Joy

There is no joy in eating Almond Joy as it ranks as one of the most disappointing candies in America.

Let’s discuss an old candy that people often ignore. Yes, we are talking about Almond Joy. You have probably passed this candy bar in your local liquor store. While you were looking for something else, anything else, you did not even look at the Almond Joy. The Hershey Company introduced Almond Joy to the populace. Since then, the crowd has gone mild.

It is supposed to be a nut. Yes, that is what Almond Joy promises you when you bite into it. But for some reason, people dislike the combination of coconut and almonds. You feel disappointed. Almond Joy has that effect on people. Unfortunately, people do not seek it out. It is one of the worst candy brands to avoid, and you are better off for it.

Candy Corn

Candy corn is usually given out during Halloween and is one of the least-favorite candy brands in the country due to its taste and texture.

George Renninger created one of the most unpopular candies in the world back in the 1880s. Yes, we are talking about candy corn. You remember Halloween night. It was time to go trick-or-treating. You went with your parents to the neighborhood houses. Then, someone gave you candy corn. You get home and tear it open to eat. Sadly, something did not feel right after eating it. It turns out that people don’t like tasting butter and honey together. Unfortunately, it does not blend well in the taste buds. Candy corn is one of the candy brands to avoid and one you never think about on any day other than Halloween.

Circus Peanuts

Many people do not know about circus peanuts or where they came from and it seems to stay that way based on its current popularity.

Imagine someone giving you a peanut and calling it candy. Well, that is the concept of circus peanuts. They are orange and look like the typical peanut you would eat at a baseball game. Despite this, they taste like a banana. It is a weird flavor that you would not predict if someone were to give it to you without telling you what it was. Then again, that is likely a reason why it is a candy brand to avoid and one that not many people seek out.

The origin story is a little muddy. Some think they came from the 1800s. Others believe they possibly came sooner. But there is a unified belief that it started in the Circus.

Junior Mints

This is probably the mock-mocked candy on this list, as made famous on an episode of ‘Seinfeld’.

The concept of Junior Mints originated in 1949. James O. Welch wanted a candy that was easy to eat and tasted like chocolate and mint. Then, the company hired Charles Vaughan and asked him to create this candy. Vaughan agreed to do it. Then, he created the ultimate hybrid candy.

But it is still wildly unpopular and often mocked. The show ‘Seinfeld’ even made fun of it in an episode titled “The Junior Mint” where the characters Kramer and Jerry Seinfeld accidentally drop one into the body of a man undergoing surgery. It is one of the worst candy brands to avoid and has been at the bottom of the popularity list for years.

Lemonheads

Lemonheads are not the greatest in terms of taste and are one of the least popular candy brands in the country.

You have probably passed these candies in your local Circle-K. They sit there on the rack, with no one touching them. Yes, we are talking about Lemonheads. The Ferrera Candy Company created this candy in 1962. But that does not mean people like them. No, this brand has been so bad that there have been lawsuits and rebranding. Customers stated that the company tricked them into thinking there was more candy in the box than advertised. The Ferrera Candy Company settled the lawsuit, paying the plaintiff $2.5 million. That is wild. Also, it is another reason why Lemonheads is a candy brand to avoid.

Milk Duds

Milk Duds are exactly what the name implies, a dud. It is generally one of the least favorite candy brands out there.

No one considers Milk Duds when looking for the perfect chocolate. You want a Hershey Bar or Reeses. Maybe you even want a Kit-Kat. But Milk Duds are at the bottom of the pole. Believe it or not, Milk Duds are 95 years old. Despite their relative age, they are wildly unpopular.

The name of the brand was even chosen by accident. Originally, they wanted the word ‘milk’ in the name. But they called it ‘dud’ because they originally wanted the candy to look like a sphere. Not surprisingly, it is still a dud 95 years later, as it is definitely one of the candy brands to avoid.

Smarties

Smarties are not a good brand and have been voted as one of the worst in the country due to its undesirable taste.

Another old candy brand is also unpopular. We are talking about Smarties. Edward Dee came up with the idea in 1949. First, he started producing the candy in a small factory in New Jersey. Little by little, he would take the candy he produced to stores in the area. Dee’s company eventually became big, and he produced a candy that everybody knew about.

But Smarties taste like chalk. It’s supposed to be flavorful. Instead, the taste is usually bland. This is one of the main reasons Smarties are one of the candy brands to avoid.

Tootsie Rolls

Tootsie Rolls are one of the worst brands in the country because of how difficult it is to chew them.

You probably see them in someone’s candy dish. Ultimately, you have probably eaten one. Everyone has. Tootsie Rolls are a candy that everyone has likely eaten. Yet, they are not great for you and are also not popular. People don’t like them because it is hard to chew. Also, the flavors don’t blend well with the tastebuds.

It is also the oldest candy on our list, with its origin possibly going back to 1896. Leo Hirshfield officially created Tootsie Rolls in 1907. Most people have seen them or even eaten them. Yet, they remain unpopular.

Twizzlers

Twizzlers are sticky and hard to eat. They are also are one of the worst brands in America and people would rather use them as decoration sets.

They come in several colors and flavors. Many people have tried them. Despite all that, Twizzers are one of the least popular candy brands in the country. Some say they taste like wax. Others say they are difficult to chew. Furthermore, many believe they make a better decoration centerpiece than actual food to eat.

Twizzlers became a candy in 1929. Originally, it had just one flavor: licorice. But Young and Smylie, the creators of the candy, introduced more flavors over the years. Regardless, it did not prevent Twizzlers from ending up on our list as one of the least popular candies out there.

 

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