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                                                                      EXHIBIT 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned, being a
director or an officer, or both, of each of NABISCO HOLDINGS CORP., a Delaware
corporation, and NABISCO, INC., a New Jersey corporation ("Nabisco Holdings" and
"Nabisco," respectively), do hereby make, constitute and appoint James A.
Kirkman III and Robert K. DeVries, and each of them, attorneys-in-fact and
agents of the undersigned with full power and authority of substitution and
resubstitution, in any and all capacities, to execute for and on behalf of the
undersigned the ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K of Nabisco Holdings and Nabisco for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, and any and all amendments or
supplements to the foregoing Annual Report and any other documents and
instruments incidental thereto, and to deliver and file the same, with all
exhibits thereto, and all documents and instruments in connection therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and with each exchange on which any
class of securities of the Nabisco Holdings and Nabisco is registered, granting
unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, deem advisable or necessary to
enable the Nabisco Holdings and Nabisco to effectuate the intents and purposes
hereof, and the undersigned hereby fully ratify and confirm all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his or her substitute
or substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has subscribed his or her name
this 17th day of March, 2000.

<TABLE>
<C>                                            <S>
             /s/ JAMES M. KILTS
--------------------------------------------   President and Chief Executive Officer;
               James M. Kilts                  Director

--------------------------------------------   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
               James E. Healey                 Officer

--------------------------------------------   Senior Vice President and Controller
               Thomas J. Pesce

               /s/ HERMAN CAIN
--------------------------------------------   Director
                 Herman Cain

           /s/ JOHN T. CHAIN, JR.
--------------------------------------------   Director
             John T. Chain, Jr.

           /s/ JULIUS L. CHAMBERS
--------------------------------------------   Director
             Julius L. Chambers

            /s/ JOHN L. CLENDENIN
--------------------------------------------   Director
              John L. Clendenin

           /s/ STEVEN F. GOLDSTONE
--------------------------------------------   Chairman
             Steven F. Goldstone
</TABLE>

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<TABLE>
<C>                                            <S>
              /s/ RAY J. GROVES
--------------------------------------------   Director
                Ray J. Groves

            /s/ DAVID B. JENKINS
--------------------------------------------   Director
              David B. Jenkins

--------------------------------------------   Director
                Kay Koplovitz

           /s/ FRED H. LANGHAMMER
--------------------------------------------   Director
             Fred H. Langhammer

           /s/ H. EUGENE LOCKHART
--------------------------------------------   Director
             H. Eugene Lockhart

           /s/ THEODORE E. MARTIN
--------------------------------------------   Director
             Theodore E. Martin

           /s/ ROZANNE L. RIDGWAY
--------------------------------------------   Director
             Rozanne L. Ridgway
</TABLE>