Nerds! (Language question in disguise)

[Broken Irishwoman]

So, at work today we had to put German stickers on American boxes of rainbow Nerds, these:

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However, I noticed that the expiry date said "Best by May 22", and I was wondering if that's common? I'm used to seeing "Best before", not "by". Doesn't "Best by" kind of mean that you should wait until May 22, because by then they will be at their best? I'm not trying to be a smartass; I am genuinely curious because I have never seen it phrased like that before.

Now, because I don't really want to dedicate a whole thread to a simple language question... Lets talk about Nerds! Do you like them?

I've never had them, I don't think we have them here (the ones going through my hands today were going to Germany, unfortunately). However, we have (or had?) Dummies, I think they are pretty much the same? I always liked those. I would love to try Nerds too. And I fell in love with those little creatures on the box, haha! They are adorable.

[BlackCurtains]

It's usually "best by" in the US. It means that if you eat it after that date it won't be at its best

I haven't had Nerds in a looooong time. I used to like them. You know, I can't remember if the different colors have different flavors if they all taste the same... I wanna say it's all the same. They have a sweet and tart taste. I think they make sour ones too.

[banditpony]

I've always liked them.

I am not entirely sure if they have different flavors, but at the very least some have a different tartness to them. They sometimes come packaged in 2 flavor packs.. pink/purple and red/green. As a kid, if I was blindfolded, I think I could tell the difference. I really didn't like red/green.....

[Nemesis]

I’ve seen both “before” and “by” in the U.S., though “by” seems to pop up a tad more often. It actually IS odd, now that you mention it.

I love Nerds, though. I’m not sure about “Rainbow Nerds” in particular, but I know the single-color boxes have different flavors. I used to prefer the purple to the pink, lol. I also agree that those mascots are adorable—I seem to remember from childhood seeing animated commercials featuring them.

[Broken Irishwoman]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

It's nice that they are liked here on the Arena! I hope to find them somewhere someday, I know Jamin (candy store) has a section of American candy, maybe I should have a look at it... Maybe they have candy corn too; another American thing that fascinates me.

The Dummies we used to have were definitely different flavours, I think they were strawberry, raspberry, orange and lemon.

[Taffeta]

Interesting that it's best by over there!
Here it's Best Before or Use by. Putting the two together is a bit muddling for my UK brain since they mean different things - best before means it will be better before this date but it won't kill you if you eat it after. Use by means if you don't use it by this day it may get nasty and we can't guarantee you won't get sick.

I haven't seen nerds in years. I don't eat many sweets now but I remember liking them when I was a kid.

[Mewtwofan1]

I’ve seen it used all three ways here. Best by, best before and use by. And then you also have the French translations of those since we are a country with two official languages. Packaging must be in both French and English, regardless of where it is sold in Canada.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of nerds. Give me chocolate like smarties it a kitkat bar any day!

[Ponyfan]

I think the Rainbow Nerds must be slightly different than the pink/purple ones.  I used to love the pink/purple ones but I got a large box of Rainbow Nerds and I just can’t finish them.

I used to have a plastic Nerd. It was really cute.

Ponyfan

[northstar3184]

I just saw this thread and had to share an experience I had that brought my attention to Best By dates and what I learned about their regulation in the United States.

Last year, I bought a cold beverage from the refrigerator section of a convenience store. When I drank it, I found that it tasted absolutely nasty. Then I looked at the Best By date; that date had passed 4 years prior! I did some online research. Apparently in most cases, with exceptions for meat and some dairy, these dates  are regarded as nothing more than an FYI for consumers that retailers are free to ignore in the U.S.

[Pokeyonekenobie]

Nerds are basically little misshaped blobs of sugar-but don't have the same texture as a sugar cube.  They have different flavors. Each color has its own flavor, but if you put a whole handful of various colors in your mouth at once it's harder to discern them.

In the rainbow box, the pink is strawberry, the orange is orange, the yellow is lemon, the green is watermelon, the purple is grape.  The pink/purple box that everyone remembers is strawberry and grape while the red and green box was cherry and watermelon.  As a child I remember there being more 2-color combinations.  There was a yellow and red box that I think was lemonade and cherry but it's been so long since I saw those I can't be 100% certain.  I think the company has defaulted to the pink/purple box in the small size and the rainbow colors in the "movie candy" size as I don't really see anything else regularly.

They also have seasonal boxes or "promotional" boxes sometimes.  They had a special blue and red box when the last Star Wars movie came out but I didn't find any so I'm not sure what the flavors were.  The Christmas box is out now in certain stores (I saw it at Walgreen's on Saturday) and it is reds and whites but I didn't look close enough at the box to see what the various flavors were. 

[LadyAmalthea]

'Best by' is definitely used here in the states to mean 'use before'. Usually it's phrased 'use by' though I think. Some things, especially dairy products and things that expire quickly, have a 'purchase by' date, which means that it still can be consumed after that date, but it needs to be sold by that date or it should be taken off the shelves.

I didn't even know Nerds were still around until my son got a box in with his trick-or-treat candy and wanted to eat them while we were still walking around. Yeah, I don't think so, buddy! Not while you're carrying your candy bucket, your sword, and shield that are part of your costume...and I'M not lugging all that stuff for you while trying to push a double stroller and keep up with you! I liked them as a kid, especially the 2-flavor half-and-half boxes. Now the thought of eating them makes my teeth hurt.

I vaguely remember a Nerds cereal back in the 80's or 90's that also featured the 2 colors/flavors; you could open the box on each side, I think. Anyone remember that, or am I imagining things?

[Ponyfan]

I found the cereal commercial.

 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8-saxKS-nQ

Nerds are basically little misshaped blobs of sugar-but don't have the same texture as a sugar cube.  They have different flavors. Each color has its own flavor, but if you put a whole handful of various colors in your mouth at once it's harder to discern them.

In the rainbow box, the pink is strawberry, the orange is orange, the yellow is lemon, the green is watermelon, the purple is grape.  The pink/purple box that everyone remembers is strawberry and grape while the red and green box was cherry and watermelon.  As a child I remember there being more 2-color combinations.  There was a yellow and red box that I think was lemonade and cherry but it's been so long since I saw those I can't be 100% certain.  I think the company has defaulted to the pink/purple box in the small size and the rainbow colors in the "movie candy" size as I don't really see anything else regularly.

They also have seasonal boxes or "promotional" boxes sometimes.  They had a special blue and red box when the last Star Wars movie came out but I didn't find any so I'm not sure what the flavors were.  The Christmas box is out now in certain stores (I saw it at Walgreen's on Saturday) and it is reds and whites but I didn't look close enough at the box to see what the various flavors were. 

That explains why the Rainbow Nerds taste different to me.  I loved the grape and strawberry Nerds but couldn’t finish a box of Rainbow ones.  I’ll have to look for the Christmas ones.

Ponyfan

[banditpony]

there was a yellow and red box that I think was lemonade and cherry but it's been so long since I saw those I can't be 100% certain.

double dipped...


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