Best lollies over the years: What’s still around and what’s gone for good

The campaign to bring back the Polly Waffle is still going strong but there are other chocolates and lollies which Aussies fondly remember from when they were kids. See the list.

Kelly Pigram

2 min read

March 6, 2023 - 5:38PM

Food can bring back a lot of memories and when it comes to chocolates and lollies from your childhood, it can be bittersweet.

Depending on how old you are, certain sweet treats from when you were a kid could be off the shelves — and if you’ve been lucky, some have made it back.

Here’s a list of some of the nostalgic treats from your childhood from some of our taste.com.au readers.

Cobbers

Discontinued years ago, Allen’s Cobbers used to be a staple at every corner shop (and a great way to lose a filling).

The delicious chewy caramel squares coated in chocolate have been reborn by Allen’s in the shape of Mates and Fantales … But they don’t compare to the original.

Choo Choo Bars

Printed with a cute image of a train, the Choo Choo was a “soothing” (according to the packet) brittle licorice toffee bar.

A favourite at corner shops, you could break it up into pieces, suck on it or chew on it. Just don’t break a tooth (anyone sensing a theme here?).

Some of the lollies from over the years.

Licorice Allsorts

These still exist, thankfully! The colourful licorice lolly is a must-have in the taste kitchen. Have you tried taste’s Licorice Allsorts condensed milk slice yet …?

Polly Waffle

This crowd-favourite chocolate bar (a wafer tube filled with marshmallow and coated in chocolate) was discontinued a few years back and was set for a return in 2020 … until coronavirus hit.

Its return has been pushed back until 2021 and then 2022 — but then they had yet to hit the production line in 2023. We’ll be waiting patiently.
In the meantime, there’s always taste’s giant Polly Waffle recipe.

White Knights

Sadly discontinued as well, the White Knight was a chocolate-coated, chewy, mint-flavoured confectionery bar. They were the perfect size for an afternoon snack. R.I.P.

Spearmint Leaves

Finally, one that’s actually made a return! Allen’s Spearmint Leaves quietly disappeared from shelves a few years back, but the lolly company brought them back in 2020 due to popular demand.

Spearmint Leaves.

Shaped like a leaf and flavoured with spearmint, the gummy green lolly is not only a delicious snack but is also used in lots of cakes and desserts as decorations.

FADS

Candy cigarettes produced in Australia since the 1930s, this controversial lolly changed its name from FAGS to FADS in 1995 (apparently a study proved that children who ate candy cigarettes were more likely to take up smoking than children who didn’t).

They were white, musk-flavoured lollies with a pink tip, sold in a pack that resembled a cigarette pack.

Safe to say that kind of marketing would NOT fly these days.

Fruity Sherbet Bombs

An iconic Australian lolly, these fizzy lollies are still available from specialty lolly shops, but you’ll be hard pressed to find them at your local corner shop (do they even exist anymore?) or supermarket.

With a sweet texture on the outside and a fizzy centre on the inside, they came in flavours like blackberry, banana, raspberry and orange.

WHAT DID WE MISS? SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD LOLLIES IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW

Originally published as Ranked: the best lollies from your childhood