All The Candies That Start With N
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The N list of candies is an outstanding one. Not only does it feature one of America’s oldest candy, Necco Wafers, but it also highlights some other nostalgic favorites too. Whether you’re here for a chocolate fix or something on the fruity side, the N candies have it all. Take a look!
Necco Wafers
Necco Wafers are a product of Spangler Candy Company that came out in 1847 making this treat the oldest on the list. Necco Wafers are chalky, bite-sized candy that is packaged in rolls of 24 tablets. This candy is named Necco for this treat’s oldest manufacturer: New England Confectionery Company. Necco Wafers come in eight colors and flavors including lemon, lime, orange, clove, cinnamon, wintergreen, licorice, and chocolate. Necco Wafers are steeped in history; one example of this is that during World War II, the US government requisitioned these candies to send to troops on active duty.
Though there was a two-year discontinuation of Necco Wafers in 2018, they’ve been back in production since 2020. There’s only one variation from the original multi-flavor roll and that’s an all-chocolate roll. Similar in consistency to Smarties, Necco Wafers are made with sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, and both natural and artificial flavors. Though Necco Wafers are gluten-free, they are not certified kosher and they may contain soy. Finally, a serving or whole roll of Necco Wafers contains 220 calories and 51 grams of sugar; that’s a lot of sugar!
Nerds
Invented by the Willy Wonka Candy Factory back in 1983, Nerds are now manufactured by Ferrara Candy Company. Nerds are tiny, pebble-shaped candies that come in an array of bright colors and flavors. Nerds come in small boxes that fit in the palm of your hand and flavors such as orange, cherry, watermelon, grape, and strawberry. Though you can buy packs with singular flavors, the original packaging contained a divider that separated two flavors per box.
Besides original Nerds, popular spinoff products include Big Chewy Nerds, Nerds Gummy Clusters, and Nerds Ropes. Nerds are a popular Halloween and goody bag treat that is made by layering a sugar mixture atop a single sugar crystal over and over again. The primary ingredients in Nerds include dextrose, sugar, malic acid, and corn syrup. Lastly, a one-tablespoon serving of Nerds has 60 calories and 14 grams of sugar.
Nibs
Introduced by the Y Candy Company in the 1940s, Nibs are a spinoff of the popular Twizzler licorice candy. Essentially Nibs, are bite-sized portions of Twizzler that are bagged and perfectly shareable. Today, Nibs are manufactured by Hersheyland in Pennsylvania. Nibs are a waxy, chewy confection that come in black licorice and cherry flavors; both flavors are described as subtle and delicious.
Though Nibs are fundamentally the same as their parent candy Twizzlers, Nibs modify the eating experience. The primary ingredients in Nibs are corn syrup, sugar, corn starch, licorice extract, and both natural and artificial flavors. Best of all, these low-fat candies contain just 130 calories, one gram of fat, 17 grams of sugar, and one gram of protein per serving.
Nik-L-Nip
This old-timey, Prohibition Era candy was first introduced in the early 1900s. Nik-L-Nips are a fruit-flavored, candy juice that fills a chewable bottle-shaped wax. Essentially, they look like mini shooters but are marketed for children. Much of the joy derived from Nik-L-Nips is the fun process of biting off the wax bottle top and throwing back the sweet juice. Nik-L-Nip got its name for the five-cent price point they were originally sold at. Today, Nik-L-Nips are manufactured by Tootsie Roll Industries in Chicago, Illinois.
Though historically Nik-L-Nip could be purchased by the bottle, they’re now packaged in mixed varieties of four or eight bottles. Speaking of a mixed variety, Nik-L-Nips come in four fruity flavors, namely orange, cherry, lemon, and lime. Of note, Nik-L-Nips are made of food-grade refined wax, water, corn syrup, and artificial flavors. One bottle of Nik-L-Nips has just 15 calories and four grams of sugar.
Nips
Created by the Pearson Candy Company in the 60s, these tasty treats were originally called Pearson Nips. Nips were originally developed as a coffee-break treat for the workplace. Though they’re still a popular candy dish treat, they’re now manufactured by Ferrara Candy Company. The original Nips candy is a caramel-flavored hard candy that’s twist-tied in a cellophane wrapper. Today, however, other Nips flavors include coffee and chocolate parfait.
Notably, Nips are rich and satisfying sweets meant to be sucked on; they’re long-lasting and worth enjoying. The main ingredients in Nips are corn syrup, sugar, milk, and coconut oil. If allergens are a concern, beware that Nips are processed in a facility alongside soy and peanut products. Lastly, Nips contain 60 calories, one-and-a-half grams of fat, and eight grams of sugar for every two candies.
Now and Later
Invented in Brooklyn, New York in the 1960s, Now and Laters are a fruit-flavored, taffy-like candy. Originally packaged in individual, buy-by-the-pound pieces, Now and Laters have withstood the test of time. Now and Later are individually wrapped in colorful wax papers and are now available in sleeves, buckets, and bags. Now and Laters were given this quirky name to suggest that not only will you enjoy one now, but you’ll surely want another later.
Today, Now and Laters are manufactured by The Ferrara Candy Company. They come in many delightful flavors including strawberry, tropical punch, pineapple, apple, and banana to name a few. Furthermore, Now and Laters have some fun spinoff varieties including Tropic Rush, Sours, and Morphs, each of which is multi-flavored. The primary ingredients in Now and Laters are corn syrup, sugar, palm oil, and citric acid; it’s also worth noting that they do contain soy. Finally, Now and Laters have 120 calories, one gram of fat, and 18 grams of sugar per serving.
NutRageous
Created as a candy bar to mirror the flavor profile of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, NutRageous first hit the streets in 1994. Manufactured by The Hershey Company since its invention, NutRageous, which was originally named Acclaim, is a chocolate bar that’s filled with peanut butter, caramel, and peanuts and is covered with a heavy layer of milk chocolate. NutRageous has one spinoff flavor where the crunchy peanuts are replaced with Reese’s Pieces; that bar is called Reese’s Outrageous.
The NutRageous bar is both gluten-free and kosher though they do contain peanuts, soy, and milk. The main ingredients in a NutRageous bar are peanuts, milk chocolate, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and vegetable oil. Ultimately, a single NutRageous bar contains 240 calories, 14 grams of fat, six grams of protein, two grams of dietary fiber, and 21 grams of sugar, so eat these rich treats sparingly.
The Final Letter
From the nuttiest confections on the candy spectrum to the fruitiest taffy-like candies and sophisticated coffee-flavored candies to questionable liquor bottle-shaped treats, this short list is not short on variety. The N candies feature nostalgic delights and rich chocolates making it a well-rounded candy list.
