# Peanut brittle and other things that were only sold door-to-door **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554 "2013-08-18T13:17:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/1 "2013-08-18T13:17:57Z")
I recall that when I was a kid in the '70s, my dad was a big fan of peanut brittle (brickle), but back then you couldn’t get it in the supermarket (at least in the Midwest where we lived). Once a year a peanut brittle seller would come door-to-door and that’s when you had to stock up on peanut brittle, kind of like Girl Scout cookies. Anyone recall this? What else was there that was only available from door-to-door solicitors? ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/2 "2013-08-18T13:18:41Z")
Mango ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/3 "2013-08-18T13:20:03Z")
I don’t recall the door-to-door peanut brittle. My dad used to make incredible peanut brittle, that’s where we got ours. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/4 "2013-08-18T13:32:46Z")
> [@slm2955](#): > > Mango …just pawn in game of life. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/5 "2013-08-18T14:54:54Z")
That’s HEDLEY! I remember the peanut brittle people. Also, Shaklee (mostly MLM, but I remember door to door), Fuller Brush, encyclopedias, certain vacuum cleaners, meat, and all sorts of school kids with candy, light bulbs, gadgets… ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/6 "2013-08-18T15:00:15Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I recall that when I was a kid in the '70s, my dad was a big fan of peanut brittle (brickle), but back then you couldn’t get it in the supermarket (at least in the Midwest where we lived). Did you live in a small town with just one grocery? I can find plenty of newspaper ads from the 1970s in most Midwest states of grocers selling peanut brittle. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/7 "2013-08-18T15:04:21Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Did you live in a small town with just one grocery? . Nope. Pretty large city with plenty of supermarkets. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/8 "2013-08-18T15:14:24Z")
We sold it in the Boy Scouts at Christmas time. Thats when I saw it regularly. Also saw it at Stuckeys when we did the annual trip to Texas. Otherwise mom just made it. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/9 "2013-08-18T16:52:30Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > That’s HEDLEY! > > I remember the peanut brittle people. Also, Shaklee (mostly MLM, but I remember door to door), Fuller Brush, encyclopedias, certain vacuum cleaners, meat, and all sorts of school kids with candy, light bulbs, gadgets… Mom made it, I never liked peanuts so for my birthday she would make it with almonds, pistachios or macadamia nuts later into the late 70s when they really started to hit the gorcery stores. I still remember my first macadamia nuts were in brittle. Of the 3, I really prefer macadamia nut brittle, though pistachio and almond are good. We had someone in my parents town that sold Shaklee, and also alternative food stuff like TVP in beef flavored granules or chunks, chicken flavored chunks, and bacon flavored granules, and bulk legumes and grains. They also raised chickens and turkeys for what would now be the organic food crowd. I remember the Fuller Brush guy going door to door in the 70s, and kids selling candy bars, girl scout cookies and stuff like that. I can remember the one year I was in public school telling the teacher that since I didn’t intend on being in that damned school for another year, I didn’t feel like selling something for a trip 3 years hence with that school. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/10 "2013-08-18T17:01:35Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I recall that when I was a kid… That’s probably the key. Perhaps your dad _liked_ peanut brittle, but wasn’t actually a ‘big fan’. Maybe he liked it enough to look forward to the annual door-to-door sales, but not enough to just pick some up at the grocery store. (I recall when I was a kid, that sweets were for special occasions, rather than something you just picked up to snack on.) So i think it’s possible that you believed that peanut brittle was only sold door-to-door, when in fact it was just that your parents never bothered to buy it from the store. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/11 "2013-08-18T19:57:31Z")
[Charles Chips.](http://www.charleschips.com/best-chips-story.php) I grew up in Evansville, IN, not far from their HQ. Every month or so there would be a new can on the front porch. Another cool thing I miss about the '70s. They’re still in business, and I went to order some cans for my sisters just as a lark, and they’re now $26 PER POUND OF CHIPS!. That’s twice what a nice ribeye is! I know you get a fancy metal can, but jeez. I can guarantee momma didn’t pay no 26 bucks a pound in 1972! Maybe for Christmas… ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/12 "2013-08-19T04:54:26Z")
And where there’s peanut brittle, you can be sure that Almond Roca isn’t far behind! Sort of similar question: What’s with all the products that you can ONLY buy at those booths at the County Fair? ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/13 "2013-08-19T05:07:26Z")
When I was a kid, in the 50s the Watkins man came around about twice a year. He sold spices, flavorings, vitamins and such. I was always conflicted because he brought a nasty, liquid vitamin surup I hated, but he also brought vanilla and other yummy flavorings. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@Mr\_Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/14 "2013-08-23T01:16:53Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Sort of similar question: What’s with all the products that you can ONLY buy at those booths at the County Fair? What, like deep fried oreos and snickers? Can’t see those doing well door-to-door. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/15 "2013-08-23T01:29:32Z")
I sold fairly large tins of various confectioneries such as peanut brittle, mint wafers and mixed nuts door to door as a fund raiser for my high school amateur radio club. I think you could buy something similar in the stores ca. 1960, but ours were for a worthy cause. We didn’t promote the sales as an economy purchase, but as something to help out our community, and they were a quality product. I was quite successful, and we raised enough money one year to buy a shortwave receiver, the next year, a ham transmitter. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/16 "2013-08-23T02:59:23Z")
If I had a ham transmitter I could end world hunger ::looks up real meaning of ham transmitter::: Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/17 "2013-08-23T10:18:47Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > If I had a ham transmitter I could end world hunger. No. You would just piss off the jews and muslems even more. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/18 "2013-08-23T11:54:14Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > If I had a ham transmitter I could end world hunger > ::looks up real meaning of ham transmitter::: > Never mind. Internet Ham ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/19 "2013-08-23T12:41:45Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > If I had a ham transmitter I could end world hunger But you need a ham receiver to make it work. To put it another way, TANSTAFL. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554/20 "2013-08-23T12:43:57Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > But you need a ham receiver to make it work. To put it another way, TANSTAFL. TANSTAAFBLTwGuac&asideofchips [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peanut-brittle-and-other-things-that-were-only-sold-door-to-door/666554.md?page=2)