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Candy by decade

Candy from the 1980s

9 candies that came out in the 1980s, from Big League Chew (1980) to PB Max (1989), and which ones you can still buy.

Find your birth year How many have you tried?

1980Big League Chew Still made 1982Nerds Still made 1982Runts Still made mid-1980sBonkers Discontinued 1986Nestle Alpine White Discontinued 1986Push Pop Still made 1987Bar None Back on sale 1988Bubble Tape Still made 1989PB Max Discontinued

New in the 1980s

  • 1980: Big League Chew. Shredded bubble gum in a pouch, made to look like chewing tobacco. Still made.
  • 1982: Nerds. Tiny, crunchy, tangy pebbles of candy, usually two flavors in one box with two lids. Still made.
  • 1982: Runts. Fruit-shaped hard-shell candies with a tangy, chalky center, a lot like SweeTarts. Still made.
  • mid-1980s: Bonkers. Chewy rectangles with a tangy fruit filling. Discontinued.
  • 1986: Nestle Alpine White. A white chocolate bar dotted with almonds. Discontinued.
  • 1986: Push Pop. A long, round lollipop in a plastic tube with a cap. Still made.
  • 1987: Bar None. Chocolate wafers with chocolate cream and crushed peanuts in milk chocolate. Back on sale.
  • 1988: Bubble Tape. Six feet of bubble gum rolled up in a round plastic case about the size of a hockey puck. Still made.
  • 1989: PB Max. Creamy peanut butter on a square whole grain cookie, coated in milk chocolate. Discontinued.

Still made today

Of the candies that came out in the 1980s, 6 are still on sale: Big League Chew, Nerds, Runts, Push Pop, Bar None and Bubble Tape.

Gone now

Bonkers, Nestle Alpine White and PB Max were discontinued. See all discontinued candy.

Already around in the 1980s

These were first made earlier, so kids in the 1980s could have found them too: Necco Wafers (1847), Circus Peanuts (1800s), Black Jack gum (1884), Candy corn (1888), Candy cigarettes (late 1800s), Beemans gum (1890), Good & Plenty (1893), Clark's Teaberry gum (1900), Sweethearts (1901), Nik-L-Nip wax bottles (early 1900s), Tootsie Roll (1907), Goo Goo Cluster (1912), Bonomo Turkish Taffy (1912), Mary Jane (1914), Clove gum (around 1914), Clark Bar (1917), Idaho Spud (1918), Cherry Mash (1918), Baby Ruth (1920), Mounds (1920), Oh Henry! (1920), Jujyfruits (1920), Jujubes (1920) and Chuckles (1921), and 72 more.

Born around then? Try the Candy Time Machine to see the candy of your childhood.

Frequently asked questions

What candy came out in the 1980s?

9 of the candies we cover came out in the 1980s, including Big League Chew, Nerds, Runts, Bonkers, Nestle Alpine White and Push Pop.

Which candy from the 1980s can you still buy?

Big League Chew, Nerds, Runts, Push Pop, Bar None and Bubble Tape are still made.