The Golden Age of Chewing Gum

Do you realize we have let the golden age of chewing gum slip away right under our noses? On your and my watch too! How did this happen?

I remember as a kid, gum was sold in packs five sticks for 5 cents. That was it. Easy package and the pack fit right in your pocket.

The flavors were good like spearmint, peppermint, juicy fruit, and my dad chewed Dentine which was cinnamon. Once in a while I'd step out and get Tberry. It made me feel like a bad boy.

Gum was a simple, cheap and tasty treat. It all came with sugar sweetener.

Then gum actually got better. It was softer, sugarless and the flavor lasted a long time. Then they introduced the 15 stick pack and this was good. New flavors like Polar Ice and gum with liquid centers were introduced.

The gum was softer, full of flavor and honestly I could chew a piece for hours and recognize the flavor.

Then something happened a few years ago. Gum's flavor changed universally for the worse. The flavor could be chewed out in minutes. The portions were smaller and the packaging became a nightmare.

Lately I have been drifting from brand to brand, flavor to flavor and yet I get no satisfaction.

A few weeks ago I found an old pack of gum from the golden age in my RV. It was sticky and breaking down but I chewed it and it was good. It was as I remembered.

5 comments:

AmyK said...

I am really not a gum chewer, unless it is Blackjack Gum. Really..It's hard to find. I usually get some in my Christmas stocking. (Yes, my husband still fills my stocking and I do his.) He brought me 2 packs just last week. I was thrilled.

mr zig said...

I agree with you! I used to chew gum a lot - especially as a kid - now nothing has that same effect! :(

Rock Chef said...

I have never been a gum chewer - makes me feel hungry, like my stomach is thinking "hey, you up there, you have been chewing for hours, now damn well swallow something before I start digesting myself!"

Chris said...

Check under the table the next time you're in a restaurant.
They have a good selection of the finest in vintage gums.

terri said...

I miss Juicy Fruit. Now I chew Stride Sweet Mint. The flavor lasts but the package is a bitch to open.