The Story of Our Sugar-Free Candy Founders: A Dentist and a Foodie
Every day as a dentist, Dr. Jenny had to give the same tough advice: “Stay away from sugary, sticky candy.” As a dental care provider, she saw firsthand how sugar led to cavities and costly dental visits. But as both a mom and a candy lover herself, Jenny also understood the other side of the story... life without sweet treats can feel like life with less joy. Just as much as her patients, she craved healthier candies and, generally, healthy snack ideas.
Meanwhile, her husband Tom, a lifelong foodie, believed snacks should never be about compromise and that they could put together the two ideas to create sweet and healthy snacks! After a high school and college wrestling career that had him often wishing he could eat whatever he wanted, he wasn’t ready to accept anything less than delicious.
They both knew candy should taste rich, creamy, and satisfying. Not like the chalky “diet candy” options often marketed to people with diabetes, keto dieters, or those on a weight loss journey.
So they asked a bold question:
Could they create candy that a dentist would proudly approve and that anyone trying to eat healthier could enjoy without guilt?
The journey began not in a corporate test kitchen, but on their own stovetop. Tom experimented with flavors and textures, while Jenny leaned on her dental science background to explore sweeteners that taste like sugar but don’t feed cavity-causing bacteria. That meant finding alternatives like allulose and maltitol. Ingredients that are low glycemic and friendly for people monitoring blood sugar.
The couple cooked nearly 300 test batches. They didn’t have to try hard to find taste-testers, often having neighbors, friends and co-workers perform blind taste tests, even sometimes while on vacation! After months of trial and error, they finally perfected their recipe for a chewy, buttery caramel that was sugar-free, keto-friendly, diabetic-friendly, and truly delicious.
Tom refused to be satisfied until he had completed at least 200 blind taste tests to prove that their caramels tasted indistinguishable from leading sugar-caramels. Friends and family couldn’t believe something so indulgent was also better for their teeth and waistline. That’s when he knew he had something delicious without a harsh or bitter aftertaste!
From those early kitchen experiments grew Tom & Jenny’s, a candy company built on one mission: to prove that candy can be joyful, flavorful, and guilt-free. Today, their sugar-free salted caramels, chocolate caramels and other flavors are enjoyed by:
- Keto dieters looking for low-carb sweets that don’t break ketosis
- People with diabetes who want a low-glycemic indulgent diabetic snack
- Families who want candy that won’t cause cavities in kids
- Anyone on a weight loss journey searching for satisfying treats without the sugar crash or healthy snacks to help achieve their goals
- Candy lovers everywhere who simply want a healthier choice
Because at Tom & Jenny’s, we believe you shouldn’t have to choose between health and happiness. Candy should make you smile in every way! Not send you to the dentist’s chair.
👉 Curious about the candy a dentist created? Discover our story and shop sugar-free caramels and chocolates at tomandjennys.com.