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

FORM 5
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

[ ] Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
    Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue.

[ ] Form 3 Holdings Reported

[ ] Form 4 Transactions Reported

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person(s)
   Evarts,             C. McCollister
   195 Shady Lane
   Hummelstown, PA  71036
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   Hershey Foods Corporation (HSY)
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   ###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Year December 31, 1997
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) [X]
   Director [ ] 10% Owner [ ] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify
   below)


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 Amount D Price End of Year I - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Stock 12/15/97 J 270.0000 (1) A $63.3125 670.0000 D Table II (PART 1) Derivative Securitites 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 A D Exercisable Expiration - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Stock Equivalents 12/15/97 (2) J 6.2460 Table II (PART 2) Derivative Securitites 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 Year - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Stock Equivalents 12/15/97 Common Stock 6.2460 (3) 423.2460 D (2) Explanation of Responses: (1) Shares acquired as payment for director fees under the Hershey Foods Director's Compensation Plan. (2) Reinvested dividends were acquired on the following dates: 3/14/97, 6/13/97, 9/15/97 and 12/15/97. (3) Units were acquired at various times throughout the year as noted in Footnote 3. These prices ranged from $50.00 to $63.313.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON /S/ Evarts, C. McCollister DATE 02/03/98