Peeps: Good Or Bad

Peeps, this classic Easter treat is a controversial icon. It is well known for its sugary marshmallow mix, which some people like and others don’t. From pink to purple, these small little birds come in multiple colors and flavors. However, the question everyone is wondering is, are Peeps too sweet?

What is a Peep?

A peep is a small marshmallow bird or bunny that is usually covered in sugar. It comes in multiple flavors and colors and is one of the most popular easter candies. According to news.emory.edu, “a peep has a lot of durability found from the tests run by them  To test Peep solubility, they began with simple tap water, then moved on to boiling water, then to acetone, sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, but were left dumbfounded by Peeps’ apparent invulnerability to each…Then they tried Phenol, a protein-dissolving solvent lethal to humans… One hour after plunging an unfortunate Peep into its grisly demise, all that remained in the beaker was a pair of brown carnauba wax eyes floating in a purple Phenol soup”. Who knows what we are consuming? Being able to withstand a substance toxic to humans for almost an hour is a little concerning. 

Where Do Peeps Come From?

Ira “Bob” Born, better known as the “father of Peeps”, came up with the mechanizing process to make marshmallow Peeps. Same Born, Ira’s father, was the founder of Just Born. Now, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, peeps are made by the original Just Born candy company which not only makes peeps but also other popular candy, such as Mike and Ikes and more. 

What Do Most People Think About Peeps?

It just depends on the type of person you are and whether you absolutely love sugary foods or you don’t; however, either way, at least once in everyone’s life, you should try the classic peep. Buzzfeed’s poll of whether you like Peeps or not is interesting because “When asked to rate their feelings about Peeps on a scale of 1 to 10, 25% of people give Peeps a perfect ’10’ out of 10 rating. Conversely, 16% give them a “0” rating, corresponding to “Ick, I hate them!”(financebuzz.com). Now, not only are peeps Easter candy, but the company is now starting to create peeps for all holidays. 

From lemonade to gummy to plushy peeps, there is truly something for everyone, so if you don’t like the flavors, maybe try the gummy, and if you don’t like gummies, get a plushy! Whether they are too sweet or not, I guess we will never know.

Comment below your favorite peep!

Sources:

Pai, Tanya. “The Sticky, Sugary History of Peeps.” Vox, 11 Apr. 2017, www.vox.com/culture/2017/4/11/15209084/peeps-easter. 

Press, The Associated. “Bob Born, the ‘father of Peeps’ and Hot Tamale Candies, Has Died.” NPR, NPR, 31 Jan. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/01/31/1152833849/bob-born-dies-father-of-peeps-hot-tamales-just-born-quality-confections#:~:text=Ira%20%22Bob%22%20Born%2C%20a,had%20died%20peacefully%20on%20Sunday. 

“The Peeps Experiments: Science That Never Goes Stale: Emory University: Atlanta Ga.” News, news.emory.edu/stories/2017/04/esc_peeps_experiment/campus.html. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025. 

Siman, Maya. “Are Peeps the Most Hated Easter Candy?” FinanceBuzz, FinanceBuzz, 5 Mar. 2025, financebuzz.com/love-hate-peeps#:~:text=Peeps%20are%20a%20divisive%20candy,Ick%2C%20I%20hate%20them!%22.