28 Facts About Peeps (& Why They Don't Have Wings)

According to the Peeps website, "The wonderful combination of sweet colored sugar and fluffy marshmallow creates an unforgettable taste experience." Ain't that the truth? For some of us, that might mean running to the nearest garbage can and then sticking our heads under the faucet to wash that unforgettable taste experience out of our mouths. But whether you love 'em or hate 'em, by all indications, Peeps marshmallow candies are here to stay. After all, they have been around since 1953, and keep popping up each year like clockwork. And after more than half a century, this divisive Easter candy has got to have its fair share of fun facts and interesting history. 

Do you have any idea how long it took to make the first Peeps chicks? Spoiler alert: It was a really long time. And do you have any idea what's really in these neon pink, blue, and yellow treats? Or why vegans can't eat them? Perhaps most importantly, do you know about the odd side effect that comes with eating too many Peeps Oreos? You're going to love this one...

Let's dive into the untold truth of Peeps. 

Today, Peeps chicks are produced at a breakneck speed of six minutes each. If six minutes for one marshmallow doesn't sound all that impressive, it's because you don't know how long the process used to take.

In 1953, Just Born, the candy company who made Peeps a household name, was looking to acquire the Rodda Candy Company, mostly because of its jelly bean technology. But on a tour of that factory, the Born family noticed something that piqued their interest that had nothing to do with jelly beans. Just Born vice president Matt Pye told USA Today, "... while the family was touring the Rodda Candy Company, in the back part of the factory were these women with pastry tubes squirting these marshmallow chicks by hand." But this was no quick process — it took 27 hours from start to finish to make these marshmallow chicks, thanks to the very lengthy cooling time required before the candy could be packaged. 

Once Just Born acquired the company, they immediately set about automating the Peeps-making process, which included a faster dry time, and have managed to shave 21 hours off the operation. Now that you have all the facts, six minutes seems party darn fast, doesn't it?

The Peeps website lists the candy's ingredients as: sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, and less than 0.5 percent of the following ingredients: potassium sorbate, natural flavors, carnauba wax, and — depending on which color Peeps — red #3, yellow #5, or blue #1. So you're really looking mostly at sugar, sugar, and gelatin, with a few incidentals — but are any of these incidentals cause for concern? You be the judge.

Potassium sorbate is an FDA-approved preservative, and it keeps those squishy marshmallows squishy longer. Honestly, Peeps without this preservative probably wouldn't be great.

Food dyes, though also approved for use by the FDA, have long been controversial, and studies have shown some links between them and hyperactivity in children, cancer, and allergic reactions. Overall though, food dye has not been proven to be dangerous to most people. According to the Just Born website, the company uses only certified colors, which "are highly regulated for purity..." if that gives you any peace of mind. 

How about these mysterious "natural flavors"? Dawn Undurraga, R.D., an expert at the Environmental Working Group told Women's Health that this doesn't necessarily refer to "real" flavors. "Whether they are natural or artificial flavors doesn't matter; we consider them the same," she said. "It's often a secret mixture of chemicals that manipulate the taste of food. There are problems with lack of disclosure from companies about what's really in them..." Did you really think Peeps wouldn't contain some chemicals?

Next up, carnauba wax...

You may have heard a rumor that carnauba wax, an ingredient in some candy, is the very same ingredient used in car wax — and it is, indeed. However, it's probably not as bad as it sounds. 

Not only is carnauba wax approved by the FDA for human consumption, but according to Snopes, the amount used in candy is so minuscule that it simply cannot be likened to taking down a spoonful of Turtle Wax. And because of its high melting point, it's actually not even absorbed by our bodies. Which leads us to one slightly creepy point...

Carnauba wax is typically used to give candy a sheen or a hard shiny surface, and in Peeps it's what makes those brown eyes so shiny. When a pair of Emory scientists put the candy through a barrage of tests to determine its indestructibility, they stumbled onto something disconcerting about those eyes. After taking an hour-long bath in Phenol, a protein-dissolving solvent, the marshmallow was all but gone. The only thing that remained? A pair of wax eyes, bobbing in the Phenol, intact. The same eyes that will travel through your digestive system, intact. If that's not nightmare fuel, we don't know what is.

Peeps contain gelatin — that shouldn't be news to anyone who has ever eaten a marshmallow. Thanks to the kind of gelatin Just Born uses though, vegans and vegetarians will want to steer clear of the Easter treat.

According to the company's website, "Gelatin is a protein rich gelling agent obtained by partial hydrolysis of collagen. It is derived from the skin, connective tissue, and bones of animals. ... We use pork derived gelatin in our Peeps marshmallow to achieve a light, soft texture."

But with the advent of vegan- and vegetarian-friendly gelatins now available, why hasn't Just Born at least put out an alternative Peeps product for their plant-based fans? That's one of the frequently asked questions the company receives, but they explain, "We have done a great deal of research, analysis and testing using alternative sources of gelatin and have not been able to identify a consistent alternative that provides the same great eating experience that our current gelatin provides." Maybe next year?

Curious about how Peeps are made? Since the factory isn't open for public tours, we'll need a little help with this one.

Today got a look behind the scenes at the Peeps factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and followed the marshmallow chicks on their journey from start to finish. In just those few minutes, the ingredients get mixed together in huge drums, and it's then pumped with air — nobody wants a dense Peep, and this ensures a fluffy result. The mixture is then extruded onto conveyor belts in their familiar shapes before passing through a shower of colored sugar. After the sugar shower, a special laser passes above the candy, adding eyes in just the right spot, and then it's into the packages they go. 

The entire six-minute process is automated — a far cry from the days of piping chicks out by hand.

Have you ever laid in bed at night wondering how many Peeps it would take to span the Golden Gate Bridge? You're in luck. The good folks at USA Today determined just how many marshmallow chicks and bunnies it would take to measure up against some of the world's most famous landmarks, and the numbers will blow your mind. 

Wrap your head around this one: Houston's NRG Park (aka the Astrodome) can seat up to 70,000 fans in its 1 million square feet. But to fill that stadium with Peeps? It would take an astonishing 1.7 trillion (trillion!) chicks.

The Hoover Dam built out of marshmallow? Probably wouldn't be too effective, but it would take 1.3 billion Peeps to do it. 

Stack Peeps bunnies up on top of each other ears to tail, and it would take 1,464 to measure up to the Statue of Liberty, 8,300 to reach the top of Chicago's Willis Tower (aka the Sears Tower), and 2,664 to line up with the Washington Monument.

And that piece of Golden Gate Bridge trivia you've been waiting for... It would take more than 43,000 bunnies lined up side to side to complete the span.

Believe it or not, fresh-from-the-package Peeps aren't for everyone — and no, we don't mean that in the obvious way.

There are more fans of stale Peeps out there than you might think, according to Just Born VP Matthew Pye, who told HuffPost, "Everyone thinks they're the only ones who like [them]," but confirmed that about 25 to 30 percent of consumers actually prefer Peeps — as he so eloquently puts it — "aged, like a fine wine." With those kinds of numbers, should we expect aged marshmallows to hit shelves soon?  Nope, says Pye. They can't afford to disappoint that 70 to 75 percent of customers who prefer them fresh. "If we were to produce a stale Peep, we couldn't satisfy what the people want," he explains. "We let the consumer do it themselves." Let's be honest, "making" stale Peeps at home is pretty easy.

Take this Instagrammer, for instance, who has perfected her aged Peeps process: "It's crunchy bunny season!!!!! I only buy Peeps at Easter. I prefer the bunny shape, and I like them CRUNCHY on the outside. I usually open the package, split them apart and let them sit for a couple of days. Peep Perfection!!!" Crunchy bunny season does have a certain ring to it, doesn't it?

Nobody has lukewarm feelings about Peeps. You either salivate at the very thought of the sugar-coated marshmallows, or you're filled with instant rage. And those who fall into the latter camp let the world know it. 

It's like clockwork — the moment the seasons change, you'll see a certain meme start making the rounds: "How to eat Peeps? Throw them in the trash can." And there are plenty of Peeps-hating hashtags to choose from for your caption — #peepsmassacre, #deathtopeeps, #ihatepeeps — all dedicated to showcasing the many ways you can decapitate, mutilate, or otherwise maim those oh-so-adorable chicks and bunnies. From a simple death by kitchen knife, to a more elaborate death by dinosaur (complete with fake blood), Peeps-haters seem to get into it with more zeal than others do with your usual maligned snacks. When was the last time you saw someone get so worked up over circus peanuts or candy corn?

Peeps lovers, when it comes to expressing your allegiance to this polarizing candy, you might want to watch your back — those haters seem a little stabby, don't they?

Maybe this isn't something you've ever wondered; maybe it is. The good news is, unless you really want to, you don't have to find out for yourself how many Peeps a human can fit inside their mouth at once — someone did it for you. 

World record website RecordSetter, which tracks some, shall we say... unique, achievements, has been tracking attempts at Most Peeps Fit In Open Mouth since 2012. The original record holder managed to cram 10 Peeps into his mouth, but that record has since been broken. In 2017, Kelsey McDonald shoved a whopping 14 marshmallow chicks into her mouth. There are several points in the video where McDonald looks like she's questioning her life choices, and a few times she seems to gag a little — not too surprising considering how unbelievably stuffed her mouth is. But she manages to keep them all in, and unlock that coveted achievement nonetheless. 

Speaking of Peeps-eating records... In 2017, professional competitive eater Matt Stonie broke the world record at the World Peeps Eating Championship by taking down 255 of the marshmallow candies in just five minutes. Considering it might take some people five minutes to choke down one, that's an impressive feat.

What do you get when you throw some Peeps onto an unsuspecting pizza? Peepza, otherwise known as the pizza absolutely nobody asked for ever. 

It seems like every Easter someone on the internet "discovers" Peepza, but to properly lay the blame... er, give credit where credit is due, we have to go back to 2010, when Serious Eats columnist Adam Kuban debuted his springtime mashup (via Eater). The Peepza is exactly what it looks like: A plain cheese pizza, cooked almost completely, then topped with Peeps and cooked for another minute to get the marshmallows nice and melty. If we're to believe Kuban, "it actually doesn't taste as bad as you might think." "You know that whole salty-sweet dynamic that we all tend to love so much? Peepza has it in spades," he promised.

What's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander, though. In 2017, SBNation's Charlotte Wilder decided to hop on the Peepza bandwagon, and her review was decidedly less enthusiastic than Kuban's. "I took a bite of the Peepza, and let me tell you, this is the grossest s**t I've ever eaten. And I tried chocolate chip cookies made with cricket flour this week (don't ask)," she said. "It tasted exactly like you think it would: A Peep on top of pizza, which is disgusting."

Each Easter season, Americans purchase over 700 million Peeps. Just think about that for a second. When Peeps were first created back in 1953, Peeps were made by hand (via Just Born), and it wasn't exactly a speedy process, either. To make one Peeps chick, it took a whopping 27 hours from start to finish. That almost doesn't seem worth it. Thanks to technology, one Peep is "born" every six minutes (and can be consumed in less than six seconds). The Just Born factories produce, on average, 5.5 million Peeps per day, which adds up to roughly 2 billion a year (via Insider).

It's obvious that Easter is the busiest time of year for Peeps, but how busy is busy? According to VinePair, the American people typically purchase over 700 million Peeps during the Easter-springtime season. Worldometer.com notes that currently, the population of the United States is roughly 334.5 million, which would mean every person in America would get two Peeps for Easter.

That's a lot of Peeps.

Like everything else in the world, Peeps were impacted by the havoc brought on by the pandemic. In late March 2020, Just Born temporarily halted production at their facilities in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, for safely and federal regulations (via ABC News). While the company had already shipped out their Easter Peeps to retailers, they warned that back stock on all of their products (including Mike and Ike, Hot Tamales, and Goldenberg's Peanut Chews) was limited. Shortages were to be expected.

This meant that Peeps would not be gracing the shelves for summer shenanigans, Halloween haunts, and Christmas congregations (via CNN). (But then again, none of those outings and family gatherings happened anyway). The company stated that Peep production would start back up in time for Halloween 2021. To make up for the lack of marshmallow-y goodness, Just Born decided to go the extra mile and introduced two new flavors in time for the 2021 Easter holiday: Hot Tamale chicks and a Froot Loops favored Peep-pop.

When limited edition Peeps Oreos, complete with neon pink marshmallow-flavored creme, hit the shelves the 2017, fans of the Easter candy were quick to gobble them up. But it didn't take long before an unsettling trend was noticed.

Turns out the bright pink creme had a surprising side effect: Bright pink poop. Those experiencing this phenomenon took to Twitter to air their dirty laundry, along with others who didn't have that particular issue, but experienced other side effects, like a stained pink tongue and Pepto-Bismol-hued spit. 

Can hot pink Oreos really have this effect on our bodies?

According to LiveScience they can, thanks to the red #3 food dye used in the creme, which gastroenterologist Dr. Ian Lustbader says doesn't get broken down in the body during digestion. While the colored poop indicates nothing serious health-wise, for someone to actually see this startling side effect, they'd have to eat a lot of cookies. "It's certainly going to take more than one or two," Lustbader explained. He further surmised that if you're eating enough of these cookies to turn your poop pink, you should probably be more worried about the sugar's and fat's effect on your health. Touché, doc.

What's better than chewy room temperature marshmallows? Warm, gooey marshmallows, of course. Just because you're chowing down on Peeps doesn't mean you can't fulfill your melty marshmallow dreams. 

If you've never microwaved Peeps, now is the time. Even if you don't want a melty marshmallow, you should consider microwaving a few Peeps, simply to witness their transformation. Consider it an important science experiment. In 30 seconds, you'll see those Peeps expand about four sizes right in front of your eyes. And then just like that, they're reduced to a puddle. So what gives?

According to Decoding Delicious, a marshmallow is made of "minuscule air bubbles surrounded by thin walls of gelatin and sugar syrup." When you microwave a marshmallow, the water molecules in the syrup turn to steam, and that steam fills the air bubbles causing a spectacular expansion. But here's where you need to be careful... If you're planning on digging into those super-heated Peeps, the center is likely to be molten. That's because the dehydrated sugar syrup that remains once the steam is gone gets very hot, and may even caramelize. Proceed with caution if you're eating your science experiment, but don't wait too long if you want ooey-gooey Peeps. The longer it sits, the more taffy-like it becomes.

For Peeps lovers, Easter was once the best time of year. You might've even stocked up on Peeps to last you until the following Easter. Luckily, you don't have to suffer through stale Peeps for an entire year, because Just Born (the company behind your favorite marshmallow confections) now offers up these marshmallow cuties year round (and not just at their online store). There are five different "seasons" of Peeps, which means you're also not limited to just bunnies, chicks, and eggs. Sugar skulls, black cats, pumpkins, Christmas Trees, gingerbread men, and hearts are all just a few of the new Peeps characters.

You're also not limited to just the same marshmallow flavor. Thrillist reports that there are currently 20 different flavors of Peeps, and Just Born recently added six new flavors to the Peeps family: Donut Shop Coffee, Donut Shop Coffee Caramel Mocha (filled), Sparkly Wild Berry, Tropical Burst (only at Target), Strawberry Dipped in Milk Chocolate (only at Target), and Cotton Candy Peep-pop (Walmart exclusive). Peeps Delights are your standard Peeps, but partially dipped or filled with flavored fudge or chocolate.

Peeps aren't just for eating anymore. In fact, Peeps can actually be considered as an artistic medium. While there are a handful of Peeps-themed art shows, the most popular exhibition is held at the Racine Art Museum. This annual international art show competition sends out a call to artists to submit their original Peeps-inspired artwork. The rules are simple: Your entry can utilize any type of Peeps, it must fit within specified dimensions, must refrain from inappropriate topics, and can't promote a for-profit business.

Artists can pretty much submit anything, so you're only limited by your imagination. At the RAM 12th Annual International PEEPS Art Exhibition in 2021, past participants submitted a little bit of everything. Some of these contributions (in Peep form), included tributes to the Notorious "PBG" (a tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg) and famous painter Frida Kahlo, miniature toPEEPary garden, "press-a-Peep" factory, Peep mandalas, and even a Peep Erickson.

In 1999, researchers at Emory University performed a lighthearted and facetious experiment using Peeps as their subject (via News10). The ultimate goal was to determine whether Peeps could be considered "immortal" (like their sweet relative, the Twinkie). Peeps underwent exposure to five different extreme conditions: Cold, heat, solubility, "nasty" solubility, and pressure. The conclusion? Peeps are pretty much indestructible (though their physical form mutated a bit). Peeps can be added to the list with other food that will never go away, including peanut butter, saltine crackers, PEZ, Necco Wafers, Rice-a-Roni, and Kaft Macaroni and Cheese (via IndestructibleFood.com).

In another experiment conducted in 2019, Dr. Matthew Kasson (associate professor of forest pathology and mycology at West Virginia University) announced that he had successfully inoculated Peeps with 12 different types of fungi. According to The New York Times, this microbiology project — called #FungalPeeps — was to see what fungi could successfully colonize and thrive under unforgiving conditions (inside a Peep). Apparently, even sugary treats can be susceptible to fungi kingdom.

If you're a die-hard Peeps fan, then this should really give you a sugar rush. Have you ever looked at a Peep and thought, "I wonder what it would feel like to snuggle a Peep?" Well, wonder no longer. There are multiple retail outlets that sell Peeps plushies, and just like the sweet treats themselves, there's a huggable Peep for everyone. The folks at Build-a-Bear also have a customizable Peeps option. There are also super-sized Peeps stuffies (that sell out during the Easter season) at big box retailers like Walmart.

If the brightly colored treats inspire you to be bold — and if you love to wear makeup or nail polish — then check out the folks at HipDot for Peeps-inspired makeup sponges. ColourPop has also done a collaboration with the marshmallow treat, which feature seven different shimmery shadows and lip tints to make you shine. Target paired up with Peeps to offer a scented Peeps nail polish, and Sally Hansen has also teamed up with the brand to create a limited edition series with seven colors to choose from.

There are also squeaky toys, plushies, and sweaters available at select pet retailers, too (via Fetch4Pets). So you can eat, sleep, wear, and basically represent all the sweetness that is a Peep.

If having Peeps available anytime during the year and in a plethora of flavors isn't enough for you Peep-le, then how about Peeps cereal? Yep, it's a thing. This limited edition cereal is the tasty product of a Peeps and Kelloggs collaboration. This seasonal breakfast cereal (dessert) features rainbow rings and little marshmallows shaped like Peeps bunnies and chicks.

If cereal isn't your M.O. and you'd prefer to start your day off with pure liquid energy (that's coffee, by the way), then International Delight has you covered. If you've visited the refrigerated creamer section at your local grocery store recently, you might have noticed the plethora of different creamers that are readily available to you — M&M's creamer anyone? What about Reese's? International Delight offers seasonal flavors, too, and for spring they bring you Peeps Creamer. And if you want more dessert with your Peeps, Cold Stone Creamery recently introduced Peeps ice cream, which is for springtime only.

Ok, maybe not high fashion, but fashionable somewhere. We've all seen what Crocs look like — those strange, lightweight, slip-on shoes that come in a whole slew of colors, styles, and sizes. Everyone from Mario Batali (who had his own signature line of Crocs) to former President George W. Bush (via Huffpost) have been caught sporting these bad boys. It's a fashion faux-pax that is here to stay. So why not make the most of it?

Enter Jibbitz. Now, if you don't know what Jibbitz are, they're basically flair for your Crocs. Jibbitz are just snap-on charms for your Crocs, with each shoe maxing out at 13 charms each. Well, it was only a matter of time before Peeps fans met up with Crocs and decided that there needed to be a marriage of the two. On March 3rd, 2020, Crocs announced via Instagram that (not only were Peeps available year-round) you could wear them, too. And these aren't just any little old charms, either. Peeps Jibbitz are pretty darn big, taking up a substantial amount of real estate on the top portion of your Croc. So if you really want to show off your love for Peeps (and Crocs), then your prayers have been answered.

What would you think if you were waiting at a red light and a bright yellow Volkswagen Bug with a Peep (of comparable size) riding on top of it rolled up beside you? Well, you'd initially want to take a photo (because who wouldn't?), then you'd probably wonder if this car had been touring the states just as much as the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.

Well, it happened back in 2003, in honor of Peeps 50th anniversary. And it wasn't just a Volkswagen Bug. (Why stop with one vehicle when you can have two?) There was a Peeps bus that toured as well.  Inside that revamped school bus was Peepsville: A life-sized diorama that showcased the different Peeps that were in production at that time. (They've most definitely expanded on their flavor offerings since then). The bus came complete with a sampling station, so everyone could try a Peep — but who hasn't tried a Peep before?

Returning two years after a quick run as a promotional giveaway, Pepsi has reintroduced its Peeps flavor to beverage shelves across the U.S. Pepsi x Peeps merges the sugary cola sweetness of Pepsi with the marshmallow essence of Peeps to create a vanilla-ish cola combination, available in 7.5-ounce mini-cans and 20-ounce bottles. Customer reactions are as mixed as the candy-in-soda formula. Happy YouTube reviewers call out the balance of sweetness as surprising, noting the Peeps marshmallow essence as being present in the aroma as well as the flavor. Online critics mark the beverage down for the same reasons, hinting that this flavor may be better enjoyed by Peeps fans rather than regular Pepsi drinkers.

If the flavor sounds inspired, it certainly lit up the beverage industry. The original hype over this splash-up mash-up was followed by competitive cola colossus Coca-Cola offering their own marshmallow soda. The company recruited Grammy-winning musician Marshmello for their own marketing blitz. While the expanding line of Peeps flavors and merchandise may suggest the candy is on trend, Peeps-flavored Pepsi is a springtime flavor sensation that will only be available for a limited time.

In addition to Peeps, Just Born also makes candy classics that can be enjoyed all year long. Fruit-flavored Mike and Ike hit the world in 1940, while Hot Tamales, the super-cinnamon re-flavoring of Mike and Ike, arrived in 1950. Both candies were the invention of company originator Bob Born. A newer addition to the family, Goldenberg Peanut Chews, was acquired from the Goldenberg family and became a Just Born product in 2003. These nuggets of chocolate, caramel, and peanuts originated in 1917 and were handed out to the U.S. military as food rations during World War I.

While Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales have both enjoyed a long life on the candy scene, they have often undergone marketing makeovers similar to the tasty and regular reinventions of Peeps. Super-spicy 3 ALARM Hot Tamales ramped up the fire factor with a color-coded scale of hot, hotter, and hottest, and even added island fruit flavors for a Tropical Heat box. Meanwhile, Mike and Ike flavor variations have taken on new fruit combinations, such as a grape version called Jolly Joes and an exotic fruit blend called Tropical Typhoon.

Peeps fans who wonder what their favorite candy might look like in motion can look forward to an animated Peeps movie. According to a write-up in Deadline, the film will follow in the footsteps of other animated pop culture icons like Trolls and Smurfs. The plot centers on Peeps characters making their way to Philadelphia to celebrate Peepfest.

So, then ... what is Peepfest that these digital Peeps are in search of? It's a real celebration of Peeps observed in Pennsylvania by super-fans of the squishy candy. Past celebrations have included a giant 400-pound Peep standing almost five feet tall being dropped New Year's Eve-style in the city of Bethlehem, about 50 miles outside of Philadelphia. Peepfest has been attended by sell-out crowds eager to get their party on with other peeps who adore Peeps. An animated film as a cross-event tie-in is Just Born's way of bringing joy to Peep lovers in a whole new format.

For lovers of adult beverages who also have a thing for Peeps, marshmallow mixology is an actual thing. Creative mixologists frequently incorporate the popular candy into the concoctions. A quick Google search will pull up full bar menu's worth of cocktails that incorporate Peeps into the recipe. There's a drink for nearly every taste, from strawberry mudslides to martinis to spiked soda, and even Peep shots made from vodka-dissolved Peeps.

The cocktail curious Peep lover can make their own version of an Easter beverage from Ali Khan. The Food Network Host whipped up a frothy sip using a mix of gin, orange liqueur, orange juice, and Verpoorten Advocaat, a custardy liqueur that helps the drink taste like a Creamsicle. No Peeps were harmed in the making of the drink, but from the image Khan posted on Twitter, a Peep bunny meant for garnish may have dissolved a little as he dove in to enjoy the cocktail created in his honor.

Not every candy can say it's had a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, let alone an Easter candy. But Peeps can. In 2003, Peeps chicks were blown up to gigantic proportions and paraded through the streets of New York City as part of the annual holiday event. According to The Morning Call, the colossal float measured a whopping 26 feet long and 32 feet tall. The design included several chicks nestled in a cozy barn created in Pennsylvania Dutch folk style, a nod to Just Born's home state.

The Morning Call goes on to say that the massive float received a 30-second segment, and that even though Peeps are around for more than just Easter, the chick was the most recognizable member of the family to feature in the parade. Sadly, after this initial appearance, the float was never called up for another go, making the Peeps a one-hit wonder in the world of Macy's parade memories.

Being Easter treats aimed at the younger crowd, it's logical that Peeps would make appearances in children's books. Bunnies and chicks are popular figures in picture books in all forms, including marshmallow candy. Random House Children's Books offers a selection of kiddie lit featuring Peeps in their various shapes and colors celebrating Easter, Christmas, and Halloween. Introducing the littlest peeps to Peeps at story time can take the form of Peeps in Pajamas, a Golden Book story by Andrea Posner-Sanchez and Ron Cohee that answers the question, "How does a Peep fall asleep?" Peeps on a Perch , also by Posner-Sanchez, is a book/plush stuffy combination that explains the Peep chick's role in the Easter Bunny's magical deliveries.

The candy gets a less-precious treatment in Peeps: A Candy-Coated Tale and Peeps Ahoy!, both by Martin Ohlin and Mark Masyga. These sagas drop the Peeps family into a series of adventures, with photographic illustrations that ramp up the humor. Readers who can't get enough Peeps in their lives can enjoy the sweetly funny chronicles of Mother, Father, Parker, and Sue as they find themselves in decidedly bittersweet situations.  

Observant Peep-le will notice that Peeps chicks, although marshmallow birds by nature, are wingless. Is this an unfortunate design flaw? An unfortunate product of evolution? A hint that there might be a Peeps restaurant somewhere that removes the wings before packaging and cooks them up buffalo-style?

The answer is none of the above. Anyone alive when the original Just Born Peeps hit the market may remember that those fluffy chicks did indeed have wings, in the form of tiny marshmallow curls. To make the Peep-popping process more efficient, the wings were removed, and Peep chicks were given their wingless form. Huffington Post reports that the change was also meant to give the chicks a makeover and update their appearance. Images of winged peeps in the HuffPo article also show Peep chicks lined up single file, while the chicks with their wings clipped sit side by side in their package. These changes ended up defining the Peeps that modern consumers know and (largely) love.