Celebrated on May 23rd annually, National Taffy Day is a holiday during which participants can enjoy a sweet confection that has been around for at least 190 years, if not longer. It’s a traditional treat that comes in a variety of colors and plenty of different flavors. There is even saltwater taffy—although we have to say that it doesn’t actually contain ocean water, but it may contain sea salt. Regardless of how you enjoy your taffy, this is a day that taffy lovers will want to keep on their calendar.

The History of Taffy

Since the history of National Taffy Day eluded us, we decided to research the history of taffy. However, our search didn’t bring us any closer to this candy’s origins. We do know that this candy predates the 19th century. By that time, taffy pull parties were already extremely popular, and an Oxford Dictionary entry for toffee in 1825 listed toffee as a form of taffy, so needless to say, it’s been around for quite a while.

Saltwater taffy, on the other hand, was invented a little more recently. At least the term was coined more recently. It was coined in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the mid-1880s. According to taffy lore, when a candy store owner’s shop was flooded, he decided to sell it as saltwater taffy. What’s the difference between regular taffy and saltwater taffy? Nothing really; they’re basically the same product, and there are no legal definitions that differentiate regular taffy from saltwater taffy.

Sweet Facts About Taffy

As we researched this holiday, we found some great nuggets of information about it, so we decided to share those fun facts below. We hope the following facts satisfy the sweet tooth of everyone who celebrates National Taffy Day.

• David Bradley was the candy maker who coined the term “saltwater taffy.”
• Modern technology allows confectioners to produce over 1,000 pieces of taffy per minute.
• The most popular taffy flavors are chocolate, peppermint, and cinnamon.
• Other popular taffy flavors include cotton candy, vanilla, and banana.
• There are over 100 different taffy flavors available to consumers.

Observing National Taffy Day

National Taffy Day can be observed by enjoying some of your favorite taffy flavors or by buying taffy for someone else. Or, if you’re a bit more adventurous, you can try to make your own taffy. After all, making your own taffy isn’t as hard as you might think, and it’s a lot of fun, too. It’s also worth mentioning that many taffy factories offer guided tours, so it might be fun to schedule a tour on this day. Watching taffy being made is almost as much fun as eating it. While you’re enjoying taffy in its various forms, don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalTaffyDay to let everyone else know you’re enjoying this sweet, chewy holiday.