April 19, 2025: The Sweet Divide

They’re either loved or hated.

This time of year, I’m talking about Peeps. Yes, those neon marshmallow chicks and bunnies that dominate Easter shelves.

Growing up, they were a highlight of my holiday basket. Soft, squishy, sweet — and perfect for an 8-year-old with zero concerns about sugar intake or shelf life.

When I got older and moved away, my mom preserved the tradition by mailing me boxes of these candy grenades. All kinds. Every flavor and color.

One time, I mentioned Peeps during a talk at church, and suddenly, packages began arriving from all corners. People just kept sending them. I became an unofficial ambassador and fully embraced the honor.

Over two billion of these pastel puffs are sold each year, and they’re among the most popular non-chocolate candies in the U.S. But not everyone’s on board.

For every fan, there's someone who finds them a little terrifying. Especially when you realize they can probably survive a nuclear fallout.

I was surprised to learn how these bunny bombs are used without eating them:

• Elaborate diorama contests, recreating pop culture and historical scenes

• Classroom projects to test catapult launch distances

• Sticking toothpicks in two Peeps and watching them battle in the microwave as they puff up

• Using stale, hardened ones as doorstops

• Placing them along windows to block cold air

• Putting them in shoes as a deodorizer

These days, I don’t eat many. But when I do, it takes me back to a simpler time when you could sit on the porch with a sticky yellow chick and not question whether it doubled as home insulation.

Long live my Peeps, those beloved sugar rockets. The ultimate survivors.