It’s almost Easter, and 77% of Americans will be buying candy. It’s one of those subjective things that is fun to debate the best and even more fun to argue the worst.
But as everyone’s taste buds are different there’s no truly right or wrong answer. Yet some candies are so polarizing you would think so.
Take Marshmallow Peeps. While not my favorite candy, I’ve said for years it has a place in the Easter basket whereas my broadcast partner Bill Doyle has often proclaimed, “No one likes Peeps!”
Now comes what may be shocking news. According to a recent Harris Poll, not only do enough people like them, guess who likes them more than any other state?
Yep. New Jersey.
The Garden State ranks number 1 in their love of the marshmallow treat dunked in extra sugar (because apparently marshmallows aren’t sugary enough) and dressed up with carnauba wax eyes.
Who is behind us in their aPeepsciation? (That was my lame portmanteau for appreciation of Peeps)
Pennsylvania is number 2, which is interesting when you consider that is where Peeps are made. They’re made by a candy company called Just Born in a factory in Bethlehem, Pa.. Number 3 is Rhode Island, number 4 West Virginia and number 5 New York.
To throw a bone to the Peeps haters out there, yes, not everyone sees their value. 33% say Peeps are among their least favorite candy. Yet 25% say they eat them out of Easter tradition.
Go figure.
But clearly they have enough fans that they aren’t going away anytime soon. 1.5 billion are consumed each spring.
And yes, the eyes really are made of carnauba wax, just as found in Turtle Wax for your car. But yes, it’s in many other candies too. No, it’s not going to kill you as it is in such a minuscule amount. Yes, the FDA does approve it fit for human consumption.
Yet it still freaks some people out. Those eyes.
Lifeless eyes. Black-eyed. Like a doll’s eyes.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.
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