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)
   Christ              William F
   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/Year
   01/99
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) [ ]
   Director [ ] 10% Owner [X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify
   below) Sr. V.P., CFO and Treasurer
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
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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                                  12/31/98    A    V   336.1289      A   (1)         24,882.7861    D  Direct           
Common Stock                                  12/31/98    A    V   103.6186      A   (2)         7,345.4800     I  401(k) Plan      


Table II (PART 1)  Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned  (Columns 1 through 6)                        
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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   
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                            
Non-Qualified Stock Option     $59.43750       01/14/99       A         12,650.0000                                    01/13/09     
(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                      
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                            
Non-Qualified Stock Option     01/14/99  Common Stock                   12,650.0000               12,650.0000   D   Direct          
(right to buy) (3)                                                                                                                  


Explanation of Responses:

(1)
These shares were acquired from January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998
pursuant to a Hershey Foods Dividend Reinvestment Plan. These shares were
purchased at various intervals throughout the year and the closing price on
December 31, 1998 was $62.1875. The exact price of each share at date of
acquisition is not readily determinable.
(2)
These shares were acquired from January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998
pursuant to the Hershey Foods Corporation Employee Savings, Stock Investment and
Ownership Plan (ESSIOP). These shares were purchased at various intervals
throughout the year and the closing price on December 31, 1998 was $62.1875. 
The exact price of each share at date of acquisition is not readily determinable. 
(3) 
These options were granted under the Hershey Foods Corporation 1987 Key 
Employee Incentive Plan, and they have a stock withholding feature which permits
the withholding of shares of stock at the time of exercise to satisfy the 
grantee's income tax withholding rights.





SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/S/ Christ,  William F
DATE 02/10/1999