Remember when a Butterfinger actually fought back when you bit into it? Or when popping a handful of Nerds into your mouth made your face scrunch up in delicious agony? Something about old candy wrappers and half-faded commercials can bring memories flooding back, but if you’ve ever tried one of your childhood favorites recently, you might’ve noticed: it’s not just your taste buds that changed.
Over the years, a surprising number of candies have been quietly reformulated. Corporate buyouts, ingredient bans, cost-cutting measures, and the endless pursuit of “broader appeal” have systematically neutered some of our most beloved childhood treats. What were once bold, distinctive flavors have been smoothed into safe, focus-grouped shadows of their former selves.
While some of these changes are subtle, others feel like a gut punch to your inner child. The result? A generation of adults reaching for comfort foods that no longer comfort, wondering why nothing tastes quite right anymore.
But there’s a small, satisfying justice in knowing you weren’t just imagining it. This list is for everyone who has felt that pang of disappointment—it’s the validation you’ve been looking for. Here are 10 candies that have changed, and the real reasons why they’ll never taste the same.
Tootsie Rolls
Tootsie Rolls used to be richer and chewier, with a slight cocoa kick that felt oddly satisfying. Today, many find them softer and waxier. This textural change likely stems from an industry-wide ingredient shift in the late 2010s. The FDA banned the use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs), the primary source of artificial trans fats, forcing manufacturers to find a substitute. In response, Tootsie Roll appears to have switched to palm oil.
While the company maintains its recipe is unchanged, for long-time fans, the result is a flavor that feels more chemical than classic, with some saying it has flattened from a chocolate-taffy hybrid into something more like sweetened rubber.
Now and Later
Once known for their jaw-testing chewiness, Now and Laters have noticeably softened in recent years. The candy that once made your dentist nervous has been reformulated to be easier on your teeth, but according to many long-time fans, it has also become less flavorful. Many argue the old-school intensity of grape, cherry, and apple has been toned down in the process.
The recipe has likely evolved through the brand’s multiple changes in ownership. This history has led to the development of various products on the market, including the classic “Original” and the newer “Chewy” versions, which probably added to the confusion. As a pro-tip, some fans claim that leaving the candies exposed to air for a few days helps restore some of their signature hardness.
Starburst
If you swear the Starburst you eat today doesn’t taste as good as the one from your childhood, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common complaints about candy. Many people report a “waxy” or “chemical” aftertaste that wasn’t present before.
Here’s the twist, though: while the core US recipe has stayed consistent, the candy itself is very different overseas. In 2016, Mars pledged to remove artificial dyes from its products, but this change never happened for US Starburst. So what’s going on? A popular theory is that American palates are getting exposed to the superior UK version. In the UK, Starburst (originally known as Opal Fruits) is made with natural fruit juices, no artificial colors, and no gelatin, creating what many describe as a tangier, softer chew.
Butterfinger
This one’s not up for debate. In 2019, Ferrero reformulated Butterfinger with the promise of a “better” recipe. Fans revolted. The iconic flaky, peanut-buttery crunch was replaced with a smoother, sweeter bar that felt like a knockoff of itself. Butterfinger loyalists still haven’t forgiven the change.
Ferrara (the Ferrero-owned company that manages Butterfinger) has stated that the brand was suffering from “double-digit sales declines” prior to the reformulation. Despite the backlash from longtime fans, the company reported a 17.7% sales increase in the weeks following its debut, suggesting that the change was a successful, if controversial, business strategy to revitalize the brand.
Nerds
Nerds used to be tangy little explosions of sour-sweet intensity. While they’re still crunchy and colorful, many longtime fans report that the flavor spectrum has narrowed, and the tartness isn’t as punchy as it once was. The coating feels more polished now, less raw, and somehow… safer.
This perception aligns with a documented 1991 reformulation that made the candy “more flavorful and less grainy,” though whether this actually reduced the sourness or if it’s simply the way our adult taste buds remember childhood treats remains a matter of debate among candy enthusiasts.
Skittles
The biggest change here was quiet but dramatic: the removal of the original lime flavor in favor of green apple in 2013. Fans hated it, sparking a nearly decade-long campaign for its return. The company finally relented in 2021, first with a limited-edition “All-Lime” pack. Later that year, Skittles officially announced the permanent return of lime, with the updated original packs rolling out to shelves through 2022.
But for many, the victory was bittersweet. Even with lime back in the mix, some fans argue the candy isn’t the same. The common critique is that Skittles today taste sweeter, less sharp, and more synthetic overall.
Runts
Remember the original Runts lineup of banana, strawberry, orange, cherry, and lime? The brand eventually swapped cherry and lime for grape and green apple, and many fans feel the flavor nuance of the entire mix has diminished significantly.
Banana, once a polarizing but iconic piece, doesn’t pack the same punch it used to—with some noting it now has a more lemony taste. According to the candy historian site Snack History, the updated version is smoother and “less chewy.” While that source also describes the new flavor as “even more tart,” longtime fans argue it’s become less fun and less flavorful than the Runts of decades past.
SweetTarts
Old-school SweetTarts had a dry, powdery, tart profile that nearly made your lips pucker. These days, they’re smoother, less abrasive, and often sold in chewier variations. Even the original version feels dulled down, as if someone turned the volume down on the tang.
While the company has not issued a formal statement, this perceived change is widely linked to the brand’s sale from Nestlé to the Ferrara Candy Company in 2018. The consensus among fans is that the new version is less “chalky” and, most importantly, a shadow of its former tart self.
Jolly Ranchers
Many folks online claim that the formula has changed in recent years, often speculating that it’s due to cost adjustments and the sourcing of flavoring agents. Watermelon and cherry, in particular, feel less sharp, noting that watermelon now “tastes like sugar with no flavor” and cherry has lost its signature tartness.
What was once a dangerously sticky, long-lasting blast of flavor now feels shorter and slightly more syrupy. While the company has never confirmed a change—and nostalgia can certainly affect taste memory—for many fans, it simply isn’t the same.
Laffy Taffy
If you’ve wondered why Laffy Taffy doesn’t stretch quite like it used to, you’re not alone. Following the brand’s acquisition by Ferrara from Nestlé in 2018, consumers began reporting a significant shift in the formula.
The signature, dense chew that required “warming up” has been replaced by a much softer, more malleable texture right out of the wrapper. While Ferrara never formally announced a Laffy Taffy reformulation, the company was very public about overhauling other former Nestlé brands, most famously changing the Butterfinger recipe. This has led to the strong conclusion that Laffy Taffy underwent a similar, albeit unannounced, recipe adjustment to streamline production.
Many consumers also note a sweeter, less distinct flavor profile. Although Banana and Grape still dominate, the candy has undeniably lost the satisfying, long-lasting resistance that once made it unique.