Jelly Babies facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Peace Babies, Unclaimed Babies |
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| Type | Gummy candy |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Region or state | Lancashire, England |
| Created by | Fryers of Lancashire |
| Main ingredients | Gelatin |
Jelly Babies are soft, chewy sweets shaped like cute, plump babies. They come in many bright colors and are a popular treat, especially in the United Kingdom. These fun candies have been around for a long time, bringing smiles to many people! They were first made in Lancashire, England, in the 1800s. Later, a company called Bassett's helped them become super popular.
Contents
The Sweet History of Jelly Babies
Jelly Babies have a long and interesting past. They were first created way back in 1864. An Austrian immigrant working at a company called Fryers of Lancashire invented them. At first, they were called "Unclaimed Babies."
From Unclaimed to Peace Babies
By 1918, another company, Bassett's in Sheffield, started making these sweets. They renamed them "Peace Babies" to celebrate the end of World War I. This new name marked a hopeful time after the war.
During World War II, it was hard to get ingredients. Because of this, making Jelly Babies had to stop for a while. But don't worry, they came back! The sweets were relaunched in 1953, and that's when they got their famous name: "Jelly Babies."
Jellyatrics: A Special Celebration
In 1999, a special line of sweets called Jellyatrics was launched. This was to celebrate the "Jelly Baby’s 80th Birthday." Jellyatrics were made to honor older people and all their great qualities.
How Jelly Babies Are Made
The most well-known maker of Jelly Babies today is Bassett's. They give each different colored baby its own name, shape, and flavor.
Meet the Jelly Baby Family
Here are some of the Jelly Baby characters you might find:
- Brilliant is red and tastes like strawberry.
- Bubbles is yellow and has a lemon flavor.
- Baby Bonny is pink and tastes like raspberry.
- Boofuls is green and has a lime flavor.
- Bigheart is purple and tastes like blackcurrant.
- Bumper is orange.
Before 1989, all Jelly Babies had the same shape, no matter their color. But then, Bassett's decided to make them all unique!
Natural Ingredients and Coatings
In 2007, Bassett's Jelly Babies changed to use only natural colors and ingredients. This means they are made with things found in nature.
You might notice that Jelly Babies in the UK often have a dusting of starch on them. This starch helps the sweets pop out of their molds easily during manufacturing. However, Jelly Babies made in Australia usually don't have this coating. Like most other gummy sweets, Jelly Babies contain gelatin.
