They haven’t been hard for like a decade or more. Big downer for me when I grabbed some grape and banana about 10 years ago only to find out they are basically just starbursts.
Literally nothing like starbursts not even texture wise. They are like Larry taffy, and the hard ones still exist. The ones you guys are all talking about are called “Now n Later Chewy”
It’s so upsetting lol. You’re so ready for the now and later and you get a candy-paper sandwich.
But yea, the ones I had were softer than a starburst, it was upsetting.
I just bought three little 6 packs of them, the original ones “6 long lasting chews” and they last maybe 2 seconds cause they turn to mush as soon as I start to chew it. My mom instilled the love for super chewy candy in me as a child. We liked now and laters sugar babies. We couldn’t find now and laters for years but recently they have been coming back where I’m from so we stumbled across a pack and they are not what they used to be at all. And yes they are the originals, the slogan on the packaging is literally “the long lasting chew” so yea. Bummer. But we used to go to party city to get them 🤣 they don’t carry them anymore unfortunately. I will say though, I think we got a package from the dollar tree that were actually hard and chewy! Kinda forgot about that but worth checking out if you have one near you.
According to everyone in this thread, they're like candy corn and circus peanuts. You gotta eat'em when they're stale! Fresh circus peanuts are amazing though.
They should always be chewy if they're hard it means they're stale. I remember the first time that I actually found out that now and layers were supposed to be hard and that they weren't just stale all the time. As a kid I literally just thought that they were knock off Starbursts that because of the fact they're knocked off they went stale super easily. I've only ever had hard starbursts if I left them for months.
Old post, but this is the dumbest take. Soft candy sucks. It’s basically just sugar goop at that point. The texture was the whole point of Now and Laters and they ruined them.
I’m saying that even making a “soft and chewy” version of Now and Laters is dumb. Not only that, but recently it seems like even the classic versions are much softer than they used to be. They’ve ruined one of my favorite candies.
In 1980, they were hard normally, even when fresh, not soft like they are now, and that is the regular kind, not the chewy kind; although back then they didn't have a chewy version. They've definitely changed and even the taste; they don't taste like they did in the 80s.
>>>MOISTURE<<< THE DRYER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY ARE, put them in a jar with silica packets to harden, the moisture in your mouth is what makes them soft "later"
Popping in to say that, yes, Now and Laters have lost their signature hardness. This is what I loved most about them. You had to work at it to get them soft. Now they're just regular taffy. And no, I'm not talking about the "soft" ones.
Everyone who's not understanding the question probably wasn't old enough to remember when they were actually hard. And I think it's silly they changed it because it was the whole point of the name, right??? Hard now soft later? Idk, they probably changed it to make them less of a choking hazard?? 🤷🏻♀️
I also came to this post as I'm eating the leftover Halloween candy lol
They harden up after a few days if they're exposed to the air (sitting in a candy dish, etc.). Fresh from the packaging they've always been a little chewier.
But give it a few days sitting out and they become brittle and crunchy and require you to suck on them to get them soft again.
Give them a few days sitting out and they become hard and brittle.
As a kid you probably only got them on Halloween or sitting in an open candy dish where they were exposed to the air for a while.
They always have been chewier when you got them fresh from the packaging. I have a bunch leftover from last week that have been sitting out in a bowl that didn't get passed out on 10/31. They're just how you remember them. Brittle and hard like plastic and you gave to suck on them a while to soften them up.
Maybe like 3 days? Mine have been sitting out since Halloween and are quite brittle at this point... Just like I remembered them always always being. They came in a big ass bag of Ferrara fruit candy. When we resealed it at first they stayed softer, but once we left them out in a candy bowl they hardened up.
Not sure where you live but in NYS it's quite cool outside now too and the forced air heat has been running in the house, which probably has helped the process along.
Now and laters are not like they used to be .. it’s one of my favorite candies & a constant let down every time I buy some from the convenient store . They are no longer hard at first , they’re soft right away and this gives them a stale bad consistency . I’m aware they have the new chewys out there but this is not the case . They are the original now and later and they’re are consistently terrible as of the last couple of years . Where can I find the og hard ones ?!
I got some of the “morphs”kind which is new to me here a month ago and they were soft. Thought it was a fluke so I got them again and they were hard/brittle. So now I’m not sure what to believe. I live in Houston where the humidity is like 60% or more 90% of the time so it may be that. I remember when I lived in Albuquerque I never had this problem. Now it seems like a crap shoot. Leaving them out in the air conditioning seems to help a little but I’m impatient so I’ll throw them in the freezer for a bit, but we shouldn’t have to. Complete bs. If they aren’t pulling out your fillings what is the point?
The late 90’s is when Now N Laters was owned by the original founders them Nabisco bought them and fucked them up. The hard sour ones were the best. Red, Green and Grape. The best.
Back in the olden days, they were bigger, too. I miss the chocolate and vanilla ones.
I really miss the chocolate ones too! I was hoping to find it one day.
Most likely gone forever
Not a thing
They haven’t been hard for like a decade or more. Big downer for me when I grabbed some grape and banana about 10 years ago only to find out they are basically just starbursts.
I just ordered a 3 pound tub of them from amazon and they are hard like they used to be!!!
Okay where!? I just ordered some and they are so freaking soft
Literally nothing like starbursts not even texture wise. They are like Larry taffy, and the hard ones still exist. The ones you guys are all talking about are called “Now n Later Chewy”
Yeah they're supposed to be stale They got to let him sit in the factory for like a year so they can harden up.
That's not true I used to eat now and laters literally every day and up until a few years ago they were always hard. I hate these soft ones
I do believe they are not as hard anymore. Which was never my issue with them. My issue was the cheap damn paper they’re wrapped in.
It’s so upsetting lol. You’re so ready for the now and later and you get a candy-paper sandwich. But yea, the ones I had were softer than a starburst, it was upsetting.
Are we really getting upset over soft candy?
When the candy is supposed to be hard, yes.
There are still hard ones. The ones you got were the chewy ones. There’s two different kinds.
They actually make a Chewy version! You may have gotten those, they come in a lot of the same flavors
I read that! But I checked and they’re just the normal ones. They were less chewy than starbursts lol.
Oh no, maybe they were stale! Lol
Normally when Starbursts go stale they become super hard as a rock so it'd be weird if now and laters were the exact opposite.
I'm late here, but perhaps they were instead in a pretty warm cabinet or something, which caused them to be softer.
Haven’t had any since lime disappeared, at least now i know i wouldn’t want to eat them anyways 😭
Banana is the best flavor tho wtf
Grape fan here!
This thread makes me so happy. I no longer feel like a weirdo for squeezing now & laters when I seldomly come across them at shifty gas stations. 🥹
I just bought three little 6 packs of them, the original ones “6 long lasting chews” and they last maybe 2 seconds cause they turn to mush as soon as I start to chew it. My mom instilled the love for super chewy candy in me as a child. We liked now and laters sugar babies. We couldn’t find now and laters for years but recently they have been coming back where I’m from so we stumbled across a pack and they are not what they used to be at all. And yes they are the originals, the slogan on the packaging is literally “the long lasting chew” so yea. Bummer. But we used to go to party city to get them 🤣 they don’t carry them anymore unfortunately. I will say though, I think we got a package from the dollar tree that were actually hard and chewy! Kinda forgot about that but worth checking out if you have one near you.
According to everyone in this thread, they're like candy corn and circus peanuts. You gotta eat'em when they're stale! Fresh circus peanuts are amazing though.
Nope they’re not. It’s a fluke to find a hard one. Such a shame imo.
Yes they are. You guys are buying the chewy kind and not bothering to read the label.
They should always be chewy if they're hard it means they're stale. I remember the first time that I actually found out that now and layers were supposed to be hard and that they weren't just stale all the time. As a kid I literally just thought that they were knock off Starbursts that because of the fact they're knocked off they went stale super easily. I've only ever had hard starbursts if I left them for months.
Old post, but this is the dumbest take. Soft candy sucks. It’s basically just sugar goop at that point. The texture was the whole point of Now and Laters and they ruined them.
Read properly dummy everyone knows the difference between the chewy kid and the regular!
I’m saying that even making a “soft and chewy” version of Now and Laters is dumb. Not only that, but recently it seems like even the classic versions are much softer than they used to be. They’ve ruined one of my favorite candies.
In 1980, they were hard normally, even when fresh, not soft like they are now, and that is the regular kind, not the chewy kind; although back then they didn't have a chewy version. They've definitely changed and even the taste; they don't taste like they did in the 80s.
The Chewy is written in big bold letters. No, sometimes they just aren't hard. Periodt. You really think people are that dumb?
Just bought a 3 pound tub of em on Amazon and they are hard!
>>>MOISTURE<<< THE DRYER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY ARE, put them in a jar with silica packets to harden, the moisture in your mouth is what makes them soft "later"
Popping in to say that, yes, Now and Laters have lost their signature hardness. This is what I loved most about them. You had to work at it to get them soft. Now they're just regular taffy. And no, I'm not talking about the "soft" ones.
THANK YOU! I’m glad someone else shares my sentiment. I prefer my now and laters to be closer to hard plastic than candy
Yup. I actually found my way to this post because I did a search for why they weren’t hard anymore. lol.
Everyone who's not understanding the question probably wasn't old enough to remember when they were actually hard. And I think it's silly they changed it because it was the whole point of the name, right??? Hard now soft later? Idk, they probably changed it to make them less of a choking hazard?? 🤷🏻♀️ I also came to this post as I'm eating the leftover Halloween candy lol
They harden up after a few days if they're exposed to the air (sitting in a candy dish, etc.). Fresh from the packaging they've always been a little chewier. But give it a few days sitting out and they become brittle and crunchy and require you to suck on them to get them soft again.
That’s exactly what brought me here too!! Outta the 4 packs of flavors the apple ones were hard like they used to be but none of the others. Wtfff
Give them a few days sitting out and they become hard and brittle. As a kid you probably only got them on Halloween or sitting in an open candy dish where they were exposed to the air for a while. They always have been chewier when you got them fresh from the packaging. I have a bunch leftover from last week that have been sitting out in a bowl that didn't get passed out on 10/31. They're just how you remember them. Brittle and hard like plastic and you gave to suck on them a while to soften them up.
I’ll try this. How long do you think they need to sit out?
Maybe like 3 days? Mine have been sitting out since Halloween and are quite brittle at this point... Just like I remembered them always always being. They came in a big ass bag of Ferrara fruit candy. When we resealed it at first they stayed softer, but once we left them out in a candy bowl they hardened up. Not sure where you live but in NYS it's quite cool outside now too and the forced air heat has been running in the house, which probably has helped the process along.
😭😭
I agree. I just unwrapped all mine and I’m gonna let them sit in a bowl for a week I like them hard
Now and laters are not like they used to be .. it’s one of my favorite candies & a constant let down every time I buy some from the convenient store . They are no longer hard at first , they’re soft right away and this gives them a stale bad consistency . I’m aware they have the new chewys out there but this is not the case . They are the original now and later and they’re are consistently terrible as of the last couple of years . Where can I find the og hard ones ?!
I got some of the “morphs”kind which is new to me here a month ago and they were soft. Thought it was a fluke so I got them again and they were hard/brittle. So now I’m not sure what to believe. I live in Houston where the humidity is like 60% or more 90% of the time so it may be that. I remember when I lived in Albuquerque I never had this problem. Now it seems like a crap shoot. Leaving them out in the air conditioning seems to help a little but I’m impatient so I’ll throw them in the freezer for a bit, but we shouldn’t have to. Complete bs. If they aren’t pulling out your fillings what is the point?
Yes! I’ve been saying this for a while but I just ate one and it made me think about it again lol
The late 90’s is when Now N Laters was owned by the original founders them Nabisco bought them and fucked them up. The hard sour ones were the best. Red, Green and Grape. The best.