UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

[   ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5
    obligations may continue.
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person(s)
   Eshleman            Dennis N
   100 Crystal A Drive


   Hershey, Pennsylvania  l7033
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   Hershey Foods Corporation (HSY)
3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (Voluntary)

4. Statement for Month/Day/Year
   2/4/03
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
   02/04/03
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   [ ] Director                   [ ] 10% Owner
   [X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify below) Vice President,
   Strategy & Innovation
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   [X] Form filed by One Reporting Person
   [ ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1)Title of Security 2)Trans- 3.Trans- 4.Securities Acquired(A) 5)Amount of 6) 7)Nature of action action or Disposed of (D) Securities Indirect Date Code A Beneficially D Beneficial (Month/ or Owned at or Ownership Day/Year) Code V Amount D Price End of Month I - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Stock 02/03/03 A 200.0000 A $65.56000 D Direct Common Stock 02/03/03 F 200.0000 D $65.56000 18.0000 D Direct Common Stock 3,294.1700 I 401(k) Plan Common Stock 77.0097 I by Spouse Table II (PART 1) Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (Columns 1 through 6) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1)Title of Derivative 2)Conversion 3)Trans- 4)Trans- 5)Number of Derivative 6)Date Exercisable and Security or Exercise action action Securities Acquired (A) Expiration Date Price of Date Code or Disposed of (D) Derivative Security Code V A D Exercisable Expiration - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Deferred Performance Share $0.00000 02/03/03 A 1,825.0000 (2) Units (1) Non-Qualified Stock Option $64.50000 02/03/03 A 18,900.0000 (4) 02/02/13 (right to buy) (3) Table II (PART 2) Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (Columns 1,3 and 7 through 11) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1)Title of Derivative 3)Trans- 7)Title and Amount 8)Price 9)Number of 10) 11)Nature of Security action of Underlying of Deri- Derivative Indirect Date Securities vative Securities D Beneficial Amount or Security Beneficially or Ownership Number of Owned at I - Title Shares End of Month - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Deferred Performance Share 02/03/03 Common Stock 1,825.0000 1,825.0000 D Direct Units (1) Non-Qualified Stock Option 02/03/03 Common Stock 18,900.0000 18,900.0000 D Direct (right to buy) (3) Explanation of Responses: (1) Settlement of Performance Share Units granted on January 13, 2000, pursuant to the Hershey Foods Corporation Key Employee Incentive Plan. Settlement involved the deferral of the entire award, net of certain mandatory tax withholdings (200 shares), under the Corpor ation's Deferred Compensation Plan. Each deferred PSU is deemed equivalent in value to one share of the Corporation's Common Stock. (2) The reporting person has elected to have these units paid out at retirement. (3) These options were granted under the Hershey Foods Corporation Key Employee Incentive Plan, and they have a stock withholding featur e which permits the withholding of shares of stock at the time of exercise to satisfy the grantee's income tax withholding rights. (4) Options vest according to the following schedule: 25% vest on the first anniversary of the grant date, an additional 25% vest on th e second anniversary of the grant date, an additional 25% vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, and the options become fu lly vested on the fourth anniversary of the grant date.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON /S/ Eshleman, Dennis N DATE 03/06/03