The Top 13 Best Retro Sweets of All Time

Retro Sweets offer something for everyone – from keeping the kids quiet on a long journey or as a nostalgic gift for a friend, retro sweets are perfect for every occasion. But just which retro sweets should you choose? Here are 13 of some of the best retro sweets of all time to help you decide!

1.       One of the most popular retro sweets that are devoured by children and adults alike are jelly sweets. From Jelly Phones to Jelly Snails, they are available in a huge variety of different shapes, colours and flavours and are some of the most fun to eat. The first known jelly sweets were Jelly Teddy Bears - these soft and juicy fruit flavoured teddy shaped sweets are some of the cutest and tastiest sweets and are an iconic childhood classic. What better way to remember those carefree school days than with these delicious retro sweets? Or why not ‘propose’ with a Jelly Ring? Or surprise your friends with a Jelly Snake?

2.       Debatably, retro sweets are even more popular now than they have ever been! For example, Flying Saucers are one of the most iconic sweets of all time and were first produced in the 1960s. These fizzy, zingy, sherbet-filled, melt-on-your-tongue treats are simply out of this world and are truly irresistible! Along with these tongue-tingling favourites are mouth-watering Fizzy Blue Bottles, explosive Fizz Wiz Popping Candy and the traditional Dip Dab - impossible to eat without covering yourself head to toe in sherbet! Or if you’re feeling really brave, why not challenge you and your friends to a Toxic Waste - the sourest of all sour sweets.

3.       Traditional sweets are what most of us remember from the old sweet shop when we were a child and the good old times of ‘penny sweets’. Individually wrapped sweets such as (love them or hate them) Turkish Delight or rich, chewy Caramel Cups were often bought for only a few pence each and part of the joy involved picking out which sweets to have. Individual sweets are great for throwing a few in your bag to snack on whilst out and about or for sharing amongst friends. Other popular choices include Vanilla Fudge, Strawberry Cremes and zingy Refresher Chews, all the perfect bite-sized treats to satisfy a sweet craving!

4.       One old retro sweet favourite unique to the 90s is beer flavoured sweets! These soft jelly pint pots taste very realistic and also don’t contain alcohol - so the perfect snack for a long drive. Perfect to share amongst your friends at a footie match or to sweeten dad up so he’ll give you that tenner you’ve been after!

5.       One of the most love it or hate it retro sweets flavours is Aniseed. Whether it be in tightly twirled Aniseed Twists or classic red Aniseed Balls, Aniseed’s unique and distinctive flavour comes from Anise, one of the world’s oldest seeds. The Aniseed plant has been grown in Egypt for over 4,000 years and was originally hung by the Ancient Romans next to their pillows to fend off any bad dreams. Although we cannot guarantee Aniseed sweets will have the same affect, we can be sure that these retro sweets taste truly delicious!

6.       One of our ultimate favourite retro sweets here at Keep It Sweet are Candy Necklaces. This iconic delight just never gets old and we are positive that there are to be, even sweeter loving fashionistas rocking these for years to come!

7.       Mini Love hearts are our most popular sweets for weddings and make cute, bite-sized wedding favours that won’t break the bank. Love Heart sweets are some of the most iconic and popular retro sweets ever and it’s not hard to see why once you’ve tasted one of these delicious fruity delights! First created in 1954, Love hearts were first put in Christmas Crackers over the festive period. Do you remember turning over each sweet to see what message was written on each one?

8.       One of the most well-known retro sweets around and arguably the most loved sweet of all time is Cola Bottles. These cola flavoured jelly sweets, shaped like a cola bottle, are impossible to share and even more difficult not to eat all at once! Why not please your inner child with Giant Cola Bottles? Even more juicy cola in every sweet!

9.       Flying Saucers are another fantastically retro treat that not only taste oh-so-amazing but also look fantastic as well! Why not display these in one of our glass sweet jars for the ultimate office addition or fun way to brighten up a party or event?

10.   Similar to the tongue-tingling delights of Flying Saucers is the even more taste-bud awakening Fizz Wiz Popping Candy! This is a true sensational experience that is not to be missed! Not only is it great to eat on its own, but it’s also a wonderful addition to cakes and baking for a fun spin that is sure to surprise people!

11.   There was nothing better than racing to the corner shop after school to spend your pocket money on sugary treats with your friends and all of us can remember begging our mum to let us have some Cola Cubes or Sherbet Pips on the weekend. Although no longer available and, sadly, no longer a penny, we have a huge range full of all your favourite old school penny sweets to re-ignite your taste buds and take you back to those carefree days once again.

12.   Drumstick Lollies are another firm favourite here at Keep It Sweet. Available in a few different flavours, these are oh so chewy and simply oh so delicious! Don’t miss out – buy yours today!

13.   Last but not least on our selection of top retro sweets are Black Jacks. Turn your tongue a fantastic shade of black and scare your friends or take a nostalgic trip down memory lane back to your childhood with these old school delights.

View our full range of retro sweets here and don’t hesitate to get in contact and let us know what your favourite retro sweets are!