Sen-Sen Fans? Jason 06 Mar 2006

27 comments Latest by Kathy

Anyone else out there a fan of the Sen-Sen mint? My dad used to buy these for me when I was a kid and I’ve been hooked ever since. I haven’t been able to find them in stores for years, but I’ve recently discovered you can still buy them online in packs of 12 mini envelopes. Check out the history of Sen-Sen, America’s oldest breath freshener, if you’re interested.

27 comments so far (Jump to latest)

Peter Fitzgibbons 06 Mar 06

Also found on Billy Joel’s song “Keeping the Faith”.
My dad was a fan too.
Thanks for the link and the memory!

Jeff 06 Mar 06

Dad? Bah. I started popping the little black squares twenty years ago (yikes!); old guys love to tell stories about how they’d use it to cover the odor of tobacco. It allowed me to get to know quite a few senior citizens, which is itself a form of richness.

With me, the one little foil package lasts a long time: I’ll buy three or four packages at a time and they’ll last me a year. I tend to buy a few whenever I see them; mostly in places where old men tend to hang out (the “right kind” of barbershops and cafes).

Nice to see that someone else likes it, too.

--Josh 06 Mar 06

I love Sen-sen’s. Some of the smaller speciality shops still carry them. There’s a good hobby shop in Milwaukee that carries both the envelopes and the white creamy mints with the Sen-sen bits inside.

I also love the C. Howard’s Lavender mints and Beaman’s gum. It’s always a treat when you come across them.

"D" 06 Mar 06

Dad goes back a helluva lot longer than twenty years! What’s this “BS” re: “… old men tend to hang out?” Real men go thru three or four packages in less than a week!!

Darren 06 Mar 06

OMG!!11 I love sen-sen. We used to get them back in South Africa when I was a kid. I had completely forgotten about them until about 4 minutes ago.

Score!

Josh Rose 07 Mar 06

I’ve only ever tried a sen-sen mint once or twice (years ago) but have you ever tried Altoids mints? Their more of my thing :p mmm

lol, you can only buy them in one place in britain….Altoids

JHill 07 Mar 06

My grandmother used to carry licorice similar to Sen-Sen. I’ve never been able to figure out what it was. It had a similar composition to Sen-Sen, but cylindrical and not as floral tasting. The closest that I’ve found to it is the English brand Nigroids.

Mike 07 Mar 06

The photo in the header for the link “history of Sen-Sen” doesn’t make any sense. Looking at the Chicago skyline, you would assume they were somewhere around Randolph and Ashland (or thereabouts - coincidentally not far from the World Headquarters of 37S) But then their Contact Us page says they are on west 48th. Seems a bit of photodoctoring is going on ;)

Perry 07 Mar 06

My dad used to bring Sen Sen home to us kids when he`d come home from working road construction in the 50`s. I loved them! We would get the foil packets or for a real treat we would get the little fantasticly constructed boxes that held a lot more. Just googled Sen Sen and I will be ordering some.

Bob Brooke 09 Mar 06

I found Sen Sen in Japan on a trip about 8 years ago. I bought more that I needed so put some away. I recently went through some stuff that I archived back then and ran across a pack of those powerful little squares. I have been out of them for about 4 years and decided “What the Heck”.
They were as fresh as when I bought them 8 years ago. Oh well I’m out again so I’ll try some of the nostalgia candy sites to see if I can restock. Cheaper that a trip to Japan.
Take care

Nina Kulhawy 09 Mar 06

Sen Sen is also a sign of Trouble right here in River City, along with Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang.

D 12 Mar 06

For all those with a nostalgia for Sen Sen - Sold at the checkout counters of Sunset Foods in Northbrook, Highland Park and Lake forest, Il.—distributed by F & F Foods, Inc. - Chicago, Illinois 60632

Tracy 23 Mar 06

I love them!!! My grandmother used to send them to me, and I have been eager to find them in Canada! Does anyone know where to find them here??

Lisa Greenfield 27 Mar 06

So my dad just today got in the mood for Sen Sens after forgetting about them forever, he told me too look online and buy some. I went to the link from this site, he told me to just order it. If i had known it was sold at the Highland Park F-ing sunset he wouldn’t have spent 22 dollars to buy and ship 12 sen sen envelopes home. haha. What a putz

James Carter 02 Apr 06

I was introduced to sensational Sen Sen about 1948-49 and it was love at first sight( or taste ), often downing a pack at a time. One of my daughters sent me a supply of 25 packs some time ago and I’m down to the last one. Help, withdrawal pains are imminent !

Claire 03 Apr 06

I too was introduced to Sen-Sen by my dad as a little treat in a matchbox like container in the 50’s. The last time I had them was around 1958 until last week.

At Amelia Island FL there is a small candy shop that carries the packets. I bought them out since I was just visiting but he said they carried them so there will be more if you live near there or are gong to take a vacation there soon…it is a beautiful place I recommend it.

Todd 04 Apr 06

It’s a candy you can enjoy without being bugged by kids more than once.

tom 28 Apr 06

you can buy them in Nanton, Alberta (a couple hours north of the border). That’s the only place in Canada I’ve seen them.

J 06 May 06

I love this stuff…reminds me of my grandfather. Hard to find, but available online.

deborah washington 15 May 06

i used to suck on Sen-Sen as a kid and then they seemed to disappear into the ether. when i was in Newfoundland a few years ago i saw them there and bought a box to take home to Ontario. now i can buy them right here in my home town of Kingston, Ontario at a shop called Sweet Stuff. i use them weekly when i sing. apparently the licorice ingredient is a natural balm to softening the vocal chords. can anyone even take a stab at what the aromatic almost soap-like ingredient might be???? all i know is they are almost addictive.

Lin 30 Jun 06

Does anyone out there remember the sen sen that was cubed shape, a little smaller than an after dinner mint. It was not as strong as the little squares they are selling now. Thats the one I would love to find again. If anyone has seen those ones, Please let me know. One store I used to get them at also called them babys breath

Mimi 17 Jul 06

LOVE sen sens. We can still get them at a grocery store here but hard to find otherwise. The one I want was a candy that was in the shape and type of a cinnamon heart but had a flavor somewhat similar to sen sen only better. They came in colors—green, pink and violet and were sweeter than sen sen. All I can remember is that they were made by McDonald Candy Co. and we got them from a little mom and pop store on the south side of Chicago in the early sixties.

Tom 02 Aug 06

In 1960 (I was 18) I worked with a charming Irishman who always smelled of Sen-Sen. We were elevator operators in a posh New York City hotel and maybe he was covering up his smoking breath.. Back then everyone smoked so what was the big deal. No, I think it was because he was a dedicated “ladies man” and didn’t want to miss a bet.

MJ 13 Aug 06

my grandparents used to keep them tucked between the pages of their bible at church hehe :o)

donna 23 Aug 06

the best little candies ever!! i’ve been eating them since i was 5 (imagine that a KID liking them??) 30+ years later, i still love them. My mom and uncle got me hooked…thank goodness MY kids hate them..lol!! Can’t find them here in NJ, thank goodness for the internet!!

Kathy 29 Sep 06

My first experience with Sen-Sen was approximately forty years ago. My grandfather would give me some to help with my post nasal drip. I’ve treasured them and his memory ever since. They are very hard to find; like a good treasure. I’ve found them in a magazine store in Morris Plains, NJ.