Proud to Love Nerds!

by Laurnie Wilson

Are You a Nerd Nerd?

Let’s face it; being called a nerd was never really cool. Sure, maybe it meant that deep down inside, whoever referred to you in such a way had perhaps an ounce of respect for your dedication to your studies. But let’s be real, being a nerd? Never fun. But, eating a nerd? Now that’s a whole lot sweeter! Think you’re the nerdiest of all nerd lovers? Well, read on to see if you really know the hard facts about one of America’s favorite sweets.

Birth of a Nerd

Invented in 1983 by Angelo Fraggos, Nerds found a niche in what was a culture already familiar with the term. But was the candy actually named after the bookish folk you made fun of, or the bookish person you were, during your schooldays? The verdict is still out.

Some say that the candy was named after a reference in the Dr. Seuss Book, If I Ran the Zoo, where a “nerd” is mentioned as one of the creatures the narrator would collect for his zoo. However, most people today assume the candy has something to do with those of us who devoted our lives to our homework. (Yep, I’m looking at you! But relax, it takes one to know one, right?) Regardless of where the candy’s name actually originated, it’s safe to say that it struck a chord with someone and has been around ever since!

A Nerd A Day

Originally, these sweet and sour little treats came in two flavors, Cherry/Orange and Strawberry/Grape. The fun two-toned packaging and separated flavor compartments are all a part of the Nerds charm, and one of the best reasons to eat them! After all, who wants to pick one flavor, when you can have two?

Nowadays, there are plenty of flavors to choose from. Maybe you want Sour-Lightning Lemon/ Amped Apple, Wildberry/ Peach or Wild Cherry/ Watermelon. The list goes on! With all of the Nerds innovation, there’s bound to be a flavor (or two!) you can call your own.

Nerds For All!

So although you can no longer munch on Nerds Breakfast Cereal—it was discontinued a while back—you can eat Nerds pretty much any other time of the day. We won’t judge! After all, it was voted Candy of the Year in 1985, so you know you can’t go wrong with that!

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerds_(candy)
https://wonkacandyhistorymuhh.wordpress.com
https://www.wonka.com
https://www.candyblog.net/blog/item/wonka_sour_nerds
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerd
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060822141154AAyTnxA