Candy corn – that iconic tri-colored Halloween treat – has a fascinating backstory that many people are unaware of. Believe it or not, this candy was not originally called candy corn at all. In fact, it went by the rather unappealing nickname of “chicken feed” when it was first introduced in the late 19th century.
A Treat Inspired by Agriculture
We need to look at the history of how candy corn came to be in order to understand why it had such a strange name. In the 1880s, America was still mostly a farming country. Most people lived and worked on farms. Agriculture dominated the cultural landscape.
Capitalizing on this the Goelitz Confectionery Company (now known as Jelly Belly) debuted candy corn in 1898. But they didn’t call it candy corn – they marketed it as “chicken feed.” This marketing tactic appealed directly to rural communities as cracked corn was a common food for poultry at the time.
By making the treat look like chicken feed, it used common agricultural images that farming families could relate to. The name drew attention to how cheap the candy was, making it sound like a cheap treat like real chicken feed.
From “Chicken Feed” to Halloween Staple
Even though it started out not very exciting, candy corn’s popularity kept growing in the early 1900s. As Halloween became more commercialized in the 1950s, after WWII, candy companies saw a chance to market it as a unique holiday treat.
It was perfect for Halloween because of its bright three-color design and harvest-themed themes. The name “chicken feed” had mostly gone away by this point, and the now-familiar “candy corn” name had taken its place.
Interestingly, the actual recipe for candy corn has stayed relatively the same over the decades. It still contains a simple blend of sugar, corn syrup, marshmallow creme, fondant and food coloring. However, the production process has modernized from handmade to fully automated.
A Halloween Icon, Controversial or Not
Regardless of whether you love it or hate it, candy corn has cemented itself as a Halloween staple. Though some may dislike its waxy texture and ultra-sweet flavor, it’s hard to deny this candy’s iconic status.
In fact, the famous yellow-orange-white kernels spur more Halloween candy sales than any other confection, with over 35 million pounds produced annually. For a treat that was once considered mere “chicken feed”, that’s pretty impressive!
So this October, when you see bags of candy corn alongside chocolate bars and gummy worms, remember this candy’s unusual history. It may not have the most glamorous origins, but candy corn has certainly come a long way from its agrarian roots. For many, it just wouldn’t be Halloween without this iconic tri-colored treat!
Bones and bugs in candy corn?
The ingredients in candy corn might surprise some candy lovers. Candy corn has gelatin and confectioner’s glaze in it along with sugar, corn syrup, salt, sesame oil, honey, artificial flavor, and food colorings.
Those last two items have led some candy corn detractors to note that candy corn is made of animal hides and bones, like Jell-O gelatin. And confectionerâs glaze, also known as shellac, is made from lac-resin, which â are you ready for this? â is a bug secretion. The lac bug â a parasite found in tropical and subtropical regions, according to news site Science Daily â secretes a waxy, waterproof coating to protect itself.
Workers scrape those secretions from plants and, as education site ThoughtCo.com notes, some of the bugs are gathered in the process. The shellac is also used in paints, cosmetics and plenty of other products, according to The Vegetarian Resource Group.
Wait, bug secretions in my candy? Yes. âItâs not unusual at all,â said Paul Adams, a senior editor at Cookâs Illustrated Magazine, which is published by Americaâs Test Kitchen. âThe lac insect produces a shiny, durable resin thatâs used as the basis for all kinds of coatings: the words âshellacâ and âlacquerâ both come from the name of the bug.â
According to Adams, lac coating is often called “confectioner’s glaze” or “pure food glaze.” It is used to make gum and on many shiny candies, such as Whoppers, Milk Duds, and jelly beans. âItâs also responsible for the glossy coating on many pharmaceutical pills, as well as citrus fruits and cosmetics. â.
Good news for chocolate lovers: M&Mâs do not use the substance.
The caloric breakdown: Each piece of candy corn has 4 calories, according to Jelly Belly. However, Brach’s says that it has about 7 calories because 15 pieces of Classic Candy Corn have 110 calories. That serving has 22 grams of sugar â experts recommend no more than 25 grams per day.
Candy corn: Why is it so divisive?
Candy corn traditionally ranks high has a Halloween candy, with it grabbing came in third behind chocolate and gummy candy in a survey last year by National Confectioners Association. This year, the NCA estimated consumers will buy 5% more chocolate and candy than in 2021.
As for candy corn, not everyone loves, or even likes, the candy. Many despise it.
âRun away. Gross. Weird consistency. Corn isnât candy and even kids donât like it,â tweeted public relations executive Patrick Seybold. âSo ⦠why does it still exist?â
About 22% said, âCandy corn is the best!â in an unscientific survey I conducted on Twitter (it got 550 votes). But 49% disagree (âNope. Iâll pass.â). For about 29%, âCandy corn is just OK.â
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Perhaps those who dislike it do so because of its texture and humdrum flavor. âFrom a sensory perspective, the hatred of candy corn can be explained because, unlike many candies, its flavor profile doesnât incorporate contrast,â Adams told USA TODAY. âItâs just intensely sweet-tasting, which can produce palate fatigue, like eating spoonfuls of honey or sugar.â
Those who despise candy corn can cherish that it earned the title of Worst Halloween Candy last year for the second consecutive time, ahead of circus peanuts, those orange peanut-shaped marshmallow spongy candies, according to CandyStore.com. Favorite Halloween candy? Reeseâs Peanut Butter Cups. Candy corn still ranked as No. 10 among overall favorite candies.
Yet, for those who love candy corn, the treat can be transportive, says Adams, who recalls his mother eating just the white tips of each piece. âWhy is it loved as much as hated? If you grew up eating it, it probably has delightful associations in your mind,â he said.
Which Halloween candy was originally called Chicken Feed?
FAQ
Was Halloween candy originally called chicken feed?
Candy corn was not the original name of the sweet. It was called “Chicken Feed” as corn was primarily fed to chickens and pigs before World War I. Candy corn wasn’t advertised as a Halloween candy until the 1950s, when it became more important to eat candy on Halloween.
What was the original name of chicken feed?
Chicken Feed” was the original name of candy corn. It was first invented in the 1880s by a Wunderle Candy Company employee, George Renninger. Wunderle Candy Company was the first to produce the candy in 1888.
What candy was originally called chicken feet?
Do you know what candy corn was originally called? . Chicken Feed – Though many would argue that candy corn tastes like chicken feed, that’s not how it got its original name.
What is the candy called chicken?
Chick-O-Sticks are a peanut candy covered in coconut. They’ve been around since the 1950s…and they were originally called Chicken Bones!.
When did candy corn become a popular Halloween Treat?
Despite its humble beginnings, candy corn gradually made its way from general stores to become a timeless candy favorite. Candy corn, a popular treat during Halloween, dates back to the 1880s. It was made by the Wunderle Candy Company and was first sold as “Chicken Feed” because it looked like corn kernels.
Why is candy corn called ‘chicken feed’?
Instead, it was known by a rather peculiar moniker: “Chicken Feed. The strange name is still a mystery, but some think it might have come from the fact that it looks like the small, yellow corn kernels that chickens are often fed. The Shocking Truth Behind How Candy Corn Originated!.
What was Candy Corn originally called?
Though, at the time, it was called “chicken feed.” Candy corn was then a newly-invented kind of confection called “buttercream.” It took the place of marzipan candies, made from almond paste, which can be molded into shapes, and often was sold in the shape of cute little vegetables.
What is the worst Halloween candy?
The sweet tri-colored kernels continue to top lists of the worst Halloween candy. Actor and comedian Lewis Black has a whole rant about how much he dislikes the bite-sized candies. Not to mention, Moose A. Moose, from Nick Jr.’s Moose and Zee, has a whole anthem dedicated to the candy, called, “I Don’t Like Candy Corn.”
Why is Goelitz candy called chicken feed?
Because of that, Goelitz Candy Company named its candy corn “Chicken Feed” and packaged it in a box with a rooster on the front. It was marketed this way in hopes that it would appeal to the country’s agricultural roots. At the time, almost half of the nation’s workforce lived on farms.
When did Candy Corn come out?
In 1898, the Goelitz Candy Company (now known as the Jelly Belly Candy Company) started producing the tiny treat, and it was a big success. As written on the company site, ” [Candy corn] was so successful it carried the company through two world wars and the Depression.”