National Candy Corn Day 2021

National Candy Corn Day on October 30 is an Autumn treat for everyone. They are commonplace in store windows and at parties. We eat them like popcorn, by the handful, and so it seems only natural that we celebrate them for a day. Would you believe that technically they are a vegetable? Well, they are. Whether you grab some from your kitchen table or eat small packets, candy corn returns every year and it’s not going anywhere. So, grab a handful and join us for National Candy Corn Day.

George Renninger, who worked at Wunderlee Candy Company, created candy corn in the 1800s. Working out of Philadelphia he invented it to celebrate what he believed to be the beauty of corn juxtaposed with autumnal colors. Winter was cold, dark, and long and the bright colors of candy would last for a long time, bringing optimism and joy as well as a burst of sugar.

Specialized candy for Halloween turned out to be a winning idea with different Halloween candies becoming increasingly popular over time. Wunderlee was credited for being the first to sell candy corn commercially even though Goelitz, also known as Jelly Belly, is the most linked to commercial candy corn sales.

Candy corn began its life as food for chickens and used to be available between March and November only. It was originally a type of mellow cream known as ‘‘Butter Cream Candies.” The name was changed in the 1950s due to false advertising as it had no butter inside it.

The original method of making candy corn was to pour each color into molds separately but this was a very time-consuming process. The recipe was sugar, corn syrup, and water. Later on, marshmallows and fondants started being added, and then so was carnauba wax. Today, the recipe is pretty similar and gives us plenty of energy for trick or treating.