Some childhood memories come with a familiar taste. A trip to the sari-sari store, a few coins in hand and the difficult decision of choosing what to bring back to school could turn an ordinary recess into something memorable. From chocolate treats to crunchy corn snacks and chewy candies, some snacks have stayed familiar across generations. Take a trip down memory lane and revisit six childhood snacks that many Filipinos grew up enjoying.
1. Peewee Nutri Snack
The loud crunch of Peewee Nutri Snack is hard to forget, especially for kids who loved barbecue-flavored snacks. Its Sizzling BBQ flavor delivers a savory taste in small, bite-sized pieces that made it easy to finish a pack before recess was over. The snack became a familiar choice for children looking for something crunchy and flavorful. Its small packaging also made it a convenient treat to bring to school or buy from a nearby sari-sari store.
2. Curly Tops
For Filipino chocolate lovers, Curly Tops is one of those treats that can bring back memories with just one bite. Ricoa Curly Tops consists of small pieces of chocolate made under RICOA, a Philippine chocolate brand with roots in Commonwealth Foods. The chocolate is known for its rich cocoa taste and comes in bite-sized pieces that can be eaten on their own or used in baking. Curly Tops has also appeared in children’s party bags, Christmas stockings and grocery shelves, making it a familiar treat beyond the school canteen.
A chocolate brand with history
RICOA has a long history in the Philippine chocolate industry. Commonwealth Foods established the RICOA brand, which has also carried products such as cocoa powder and other chocolate treats. Curly Tops became part of a chocolate lineup that included other familiar names such as Flat Tops. For many Filipino families, these small chocolates became affordable treats that could be shared with siblings or saved for later.
3. HawHaw
HawHaw is another candy that many Filipinos associate with childhood. The milk candy has a distinct sweet and milky taste, with its round, tablet-like pieces making it easy to recognize. It became a familiar sight in sari-sari stores and candy collections, where children could pick up several pieces with just a few coins. The candy’s name and simple packaging also helped make it one of the more recognizable Filipino milk candies.
From candy to milkshake
HawHaw eventually found another way to reach fans when it was used as an ingredient in milkshakes. The drink combines the candy’s sweet milk flavor with a creamy shake, usually finished with whipped cream and a piece of HawHaw. It gives the classic candy a different form while keeping the flavor that longtime fans remember. For adults who grew up eating HawHaw, it can be an unexpected way to revisit an old favorite.
4. Regal Sweet Corn
Not every childhood favorite needed chocolate or sugar. Regal Sweet Corn offered a crunchy alternative with its signature sweet corn flavor. The snack is made from corn and seasoned with sweet corn flavoring, salt and sugar, among other ingredients. It is sold in 25-gram and 60-gram packs, making it easy to share or finish during a quick snack break.
5. Potchi
Potchi has been a familiar gummy candy in the Philippines since its launch in 1997. Manufactured by Columbia Candy Company, also known as Columbia International Food Products, the candy became recognized for its colorful appearance and chewy texture. Potchi was a common addition to children’s candy collections, party bags and school snacks. Its long presence in the local market has helped turn it into another nostalgic name for Filipino consumers.
6. Yan Yan
Yan Yan brings a slightly different childhood memory because it combines two parts into one snack. Made by Japanese confectionery company Meiji, the snack comes with biscuit sticks on one side and a flavored dip on the other. Depending on the product version, the dip can come in flavors such as chocolate, strawberry, vanilla or yogurt. The fun was not only in eating it but also in dipping each biscuit stick into the sweet coating before taking a bite.
These snacks may have been small, but they occupied a big place in many childhood routines. Some were bought after school, while others were tucked into lunch bags or passed around among classmates. Their flavors became connected to birthdays, Christmas stockings, school recess and afternoons spent playing outside. Years later, seeing the same colorful packaging or tasting a familiar flavor can bring back memories of a much simpler kind of merienda.
The snacks that stayed with us
Childhood favorites come and go, but some manage to remain part of Filipino snack culture for decades. Peewee, Curly Tops, HawHaw, Regal Sweet Corn, Potchi and Yan Yan each offer a different taste and texture, yet they share one thing: familiarity. For those who grew up with them, these treats are not simply something to eat. They are little reminders of school days, sari-sari store runs and the joy of choosing a favorite snack with only a few coins in hand.
