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
   03/99
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 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 03/05/99 M 10,000.0000 A $23.50000 D Direct Common Stock 03/05/99 S 10,000.0000 D $59.91930 D Direct Common Stock 03/05/99 M 4,400.0000 A $22.37500 D Direct Common Stock 03/05/99 S 4,400.0000 D $59.91930 24,882.7861 D Direct Common Stock 7,345.4800 I 401(k) Plan 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 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Non-Qualified Stock Option $22.37500 03/05/99 M 4,400.0000 01/05/02 (right to buy) (1) Non-Qualified Stock Option $23.50000 03/05/99 M 10,000.0000 01/03/03 (right to buy) (1) 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 03/05/99 Common Stock 4,400.0000 $59.91930 0.0000 D Direct (right to buy) (1) Non-Qualified Stock Option 03/05/99 Common Stock 10,000.0000 $59.91930 0.0000 D Direct (right to buy) (1) Explanation of Responses: (1) 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 04/09/99