I hate bananas, I can’t dance, and I have no idea how to unicycle, but I would gladly dance upon a unicycle across the country in a giant banana costume if it meant the return of my beloved Wacky Wafers.
Wacky Wafers were a delicious candy once manufactured by the Willy Wonka Candy Company, which is now owned by Nestle. Upon acquiring the company, Nestle decided to keep the Wonka staples: Nerds and Everlasting Gobstoppers were both spared. It was curtains for Wacky Wafers, however; a tragic event for Candy Addicts everywhere.
What made Wacky Wafers so great was their composition. They were a beautiful amalgamation of the best elements of other candies: the chalky wafer feel of a Necco, the sugary snap of SweetTarts, and the creative flavoring that is best represented in Wacky Wafers’ surviving sister candy, Bottle Caps.
Each Wacky Wafer had a distinct flavor: you didn’t eat a “yellow” wafer, you ate a banana one. Some argue that Giant Chewy SweetTarts are a decent replacement for Wacky Wafers, but I have to disagree. With a Wacky Wafer, I knew what I was tasting, unlike the “I think it’s cherry, no wait, it’s lime, no… it’s orange?” reaction that I often get from SweetTarts. As I mentioned earlier, I hate bananas, but for some reason, the banana Wacky Wafer was one of my very favorite candies. It had a lovely flavor: sweet but not overwhelmingly so, a bit like a giant banana Runt that had been crushed by a magical, wacky, delicious steamroller.
Perhaps this is all nostalgia: if Wacky Wafers had made it to 2007, would I still love them as much? It’s hard to say. But I’m willing to get on that unicycle to find out, if that’s what it takes. You hear me, Mr. Wonka? My costume is in the mail and I’ve got my dancin’ shoes on.
To see a great picture of various Wacky Wafer packages, take a look at this picture of three different Wacky Wafers packages taken by Dan Goodsell, the author of A Sampler Of Things.
More candy articles about: Wonka, banana, discontinued
I LOVED Wacky Wafers! They remain #1 on my “Most Missed Candy” list, followed closely by the two-pack of Dinosaur Eggs. I remember Wacky Wafers in the clear package, we’d always get them from the corner store in my neighborhood. And yes, banana was the best and most coveted flavor. Always saved it for last.
August 29th, 2007 at 9:24 amDinosaur Eggs! A favorite of mine as well. Sometimes I buy the Quaker Dinosaur Eggs oatmeal, which is great for breakfast, but not quite the same, know what I mean?
I miss those things!
August 29th, 2007 at 9:43 amOh, JoAnn, you said everything I was going to say. I remember first getting them on a family trip to TN, and fighting with my brothers over them. Banana was the best!
August 29th, 2007 at 12:09 pmOMG I loved these when I was little….. I had forgotten about them until this…. Man I wish I could get some right now… yummy
August 29th, 2007 at 9:16 pmI LOVED Wacky Wafers. Oh how i crave them now
Brian
August 29th, 2007 at 11:21 pmI just spent hours on nostalgic candy websites trying to find Wacky Wafers and came across your article. Now I know why I haven’t been able to find them in stores or on the web. Your description couldn’t have been anymore perfect. Banana was the best. I also saved it for last. Last week I actually tried the Chewy SweetTarts. They can’t even compete with Wacky Wafers…a poor replacement for this classic candy.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:10 pmI WANT WACKY WAFERS, I WANT WACKY WAFERS…There have to be more of us out there. I was trying to describe my favorite candy to my daughter, I was reminded of just how great they were. Bring ‘em back Wonka (Nestle).
October 17th, 2007 at 10:13 pmOH MY, I thought I was the only one!!!! I have searched long and hard to find the best candy ever made!!! Now I know why I can not find it anywhere. Me and a few of my friends have been on every website there is looking for WACKY WAFERS. What is wrong with Mr. Wonka, please, please, please bring them back!!!! Yes banana was also my favorite - but I loved them all. I also try to desribe them to my two children but you can’t because there is nothing out there like them. I did find on one site a chewy rendition of a Wacky Wafer but it was not the same and they no longer have them. Give us back our Wacky Wafers!!!!
October 25th, 2007 at 10:22 amI’m with you on the banana ones. I could have eaten those and nothing else three meals a day. How dare Nestle steal them from me?
Dinosaur Eggs were the best, because you didn’t know what color you’d get. I also loved the watermelon jawbreakers; green on the outside, pink on the inside. Can’t find anything as good.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:05 pmBring them back please! Bottlecaps are not the same. I always love the green apple taste.
November 12th, 2007 at 1:02 amBring back the Wacky, I loved this candy. I look on line all year long, hopeing for a miracle. Please Nestle bring it back.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:37 pmWow, unbelievable, have been searching the web for Wacky Wafers & came across this site. Cannot believe they’ve been discontinued. I bought them in the clear plastic package & how I loved them all, yes I do agree the banana was really great but also loved the watermelon! That was the best candy ever!! PLEASE, PLEASE bring back my childhood candy!! I would love for my kids to have the chance to try them too!!
December 29th, 2007 at 9:14 pmI remember they where sold on an Icecream truck here in NYC for $25 cents you would get a long clear package with about five or six coin size flat wafers. I can remember there was Watermelon mmm Greenapple, Bananna and Grape for sure . I miss these and have searched high and low for them– Someone needs to bring these candies back ASAP
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 amMy husband and I were just talking about these! We both remembered them and LOVED them!! We went looking for them and alas could find none. What I wouldn’t give to have those again!! I know our son would love them too. He loves Bottlecaps and I know Wacky Wafers would be a hit with him too! PLEASE BRING THEM BACK!!!
February 19th, 2008 at 8:16 amOh gosh how I loved Wackey Wafers too, my bro and I use to buy them from the ice cream man who came down our street in So. Calif. Of course the banana was my all time fav. but the watermelon was divine too. I can taste them right now! And what happen to the good ol Ice Cream man !
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 pmWAAAAAAAAAAA… Bring them back to me please! Gina
I loved these, too! I remember the white package. I hate that everything I love always gets discontinued. It is reallly a bummer. Nothing is more frustrating than finding out something you loved as a kid is just a memory, now:(
March 7th, 2008 at 8:41 amIs there somewhere we can start a petition to get Nestle to bring back Wacky Wafers? I have mourned their loss for years, and runts is really an inadequate substitute. Thanks for bringing them back to the forefront of the late baby boom, early Gen X minds.
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:09 amI loved this candy as a kid. My absolute favorite. Please bring that candy back. I really miss it. Watermelon and Bannana tasted wonderful.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:51 pmWOW…I thought I was the president of the ‘what have you done with my Wacky Wafers?!’ club. But I see there are a multitude of us. You know we are stronger in numbers. If we all email Nestle Corp, who knows….they just might listen. Imagine- a comeback greater than Michael Jordan’s!!
May 5th, 2008 at 3:58 pmI loved Wacky Wafers. I remember them in the clear package too. They were my favorite candy of all. I have been looking for them for years. All the flavors were my favorite! Let’s all write to Nestle and have them bring back the Wacky Wafer! My husband has been looking for these too for me because he knows how much I love them.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:05 pm