Yes, Twinkie-Flavored Candy Canes Are A Thing

Twinkies, that yellow sponge cake filled with white cream in the center, are a nostalgic treat that many people associate with childhood. A highly processed, sugary food, they eventually became the subject of jokes surrounding their expiration date (do they ever go bad?) (can they survive the end of the world?)

Popular culture has poked fun at the myth, with Woody Harrelson's character Tallahassee in the 2009 movie "Zombieland," always in search of Twinkies as he rides out the zombie apocalypse (via Reddit). As it turns out, while Twinkies certainly have a long shelf life, NPR reports that they do indeed expire, after a shelf life of 45 days.

That may come as a disappointment or surprise to some, but what may also surprise you is that Twinkies used to taste a lot different. According to The New York Times, the original recipe included real bananas and real cream filling. Twinkies have survived and thrived in their current junk food iteration, and now you can even enjoy them over the holidays in candy cane form.