What's one thing you can eat that instantly makes you feel happy, safe, and comfortable? Pfft, it's not what you're thinking - it's candy!
That first bite of our favourite 90s Indian toffee, the EXPLOSION of flavour, that satisfied clicking of tongue... you're tasting it, aren't you? That's the taste of your childhood.
And while many of the 90s candies we loved aren't sold anymore (😞😞😞), the good news is, many of them still exist! Check out these 7 Indian candies from your childhood that still exist:
1. The beloved Kismi toffee
Okay, Kismi goes way back beyond the 90s. Our parents' generation is crazy about this one from their childhood. And it's a quintessentially Indian toffee, mixing caramel with elaichi (seriously, who would've thought of that?)
2. The Defining 90s Candy: Poppins
Bright and colourful, we had Poppins! This hardboiled candy was a rainbow of fruity flavours - orange, kaccha aam, strawberry - you name it. We’d go through the whole packet to find our favourite little disk of this childhood defining candy.
3. Mango bite, our childhood buddy
Summer or not, Mango Bite could always satisfy our golden mangoey cravings. This candy is a true child of the 90s, and it showed up on all our birthdays. While we loved the sweet ripe mango version, the zesty kaccha aam variant brought out the mischief in us.
4. The candy that became Indian with love - Alpenliebe Gold.
Oh, the sweet memories of Alpenliebe, our classic caramel candy. You probably didn't even know this little toffee was called Alpenliebe "Gold". For us, Alpenliebe was either the classic toffee or its much-coveted strawberry variant. And though it wasn't Indian in origin, it lives so deeply in our hearts that it's become our own.
5. Zingy, zesty, Hajmola Candy
Hajmola candy was a funny one, from its taste to its packaging. Remember the dancing imli and guitar playing aam? This zingy candy was a surprise in the mouth, way before the 00s brought in Zour Bombs.
6. Sabka favourite, Swad
Speaking of digestive candies, we have to talk about the legendary "Swad". Who knew something for your health could be so frickin' delicious? This 90s candy was the love of not just kids, but parents and grandparents as well.
7. The 90s toffee that everyone loves - Coffy Bite
Coffee was forbidden to kids, but Coffy Bite came to the rescue. That's why it was "bacchon ki coffee", pride of place in birthday sweets distribution...but adults loved it just as much (if not more). So it became "badon ki toffee."
Here’s a bonus candy you weren’t expecting - Imly Candy!
I know, right? That’s a major throwback. We didn’t grow up just eating branded candy, we also had a huge variety of homemade Indian candies. And one of our most cherished ones was the tangy and sweet imli candy. These chewy tamarind candies lived on our dinner table as the perfect post-meal dessert, full of khata-meetha yumminess. One candy was never enough.
Wondering where to find some of that age-old tamarind candy? We’ve got your back. At GODESi, tamarind candy met jaggery and spice, and got a makeover!
Satisfy your candy cravings with GODESi’s Imli POP, handmade with all-natural ingredients straight from rural kitchens. Try the classic version for the signature khatta-meetha taste, tone it down with the no-spice kid-friendly version, or relish the taste of our extra khatta and garlic variants.
