Halloween Candy and Other Treats: The Favorites, the Best, the Worst, the Seasonal, the Weird

[elfin]

Halloween is around the corner so the candy brigade is out in full force. I am not a big candy eater but just bought a bag candy corn and a bag of Kraft carmels because they were there and it does not seem like Halloween without it. Now, Kraft/Brach sells the stuff year round and it does not tempt me. Why now? IThis candy really is not good and the carmels are a PIA to remove each square from its cellophane barrier. (Plus no more chocolate carmels that a few always made way into each bag). Anyone else unable to resist this holiday force? Also what is everyone giving out this year to trick n treaters?

[eunny jang]

Oooh. As a general rule, I don't really eat or particularly like candy, but I can always make an exception for candy apples and those caramels with the white creme center this time of year.

[StudentChefEclipse]

I haven't seen trick-or-treaters in ages, sadly. It's kind of depressing to think about. BUT: I do see a lot of the candy about, and I can almost never resist the Milky Way Midnights in the ultra-teeny snack size. Yum!

[lperry]

A huge bag of Hershey's miniatures, Mounds and Almond Joy bars, Tootsie Pops, and crayons. I let them choose three or four pieces, and the little ones always pick the crayons. Oh to be young and free of the need for chocolate...

Of course, the best thing about buying Halloween candy is that you get to eat all the leftovers !

[bergerka]

I will never forgive you for reminding me about Halloween.

Must...have...mini Millky ways...NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW

ooh. and candy corn. I like candy corn. Is that wrong?

K

[Cusina]

We get about a hundred munchkins if the weather is decent (always a toss up in Wisconsin). Our neighborhood is great for trick or treat because it is full of big old houses. Extra-spooky. This year I bought mini rice krispie treats, Hershey's Smores bars, Almond Joys (my personal favorite), and yes, the ever popular Milky Ways. I'm thinking about making small glazed popcorn balls that have candy corn in them for the kids we recognize. I'll put a tag on them that says who it's from so they don't automatically get thrown out by vigilant parents.

I wish we could do all homemade treats. Sad isn't it, that you have to be that suspicious?

[jgarner53]

Ooooh, candy corn! I love candy corn and usually buy a bag or two each year, but this year, with pastry school, I figure I'm getting more than my fair share of sugar and haven't bought any yet. As for what to hand out, we usually get about 50 or so kids (I guess?) and hand out only stuff we like: Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Sweetarts, Butterfinger, Smarties.

[bloviatrix]

I love Candy Corn. But I will only eat it during a 2 month period each year - October and November. It doesn't taste as good the other 10 months of the year.

We don't do trick-or-treating. The kids in our apartment building never said thank you so we decided not to bother.

[Katherine]

Candy corn, gah!

When my daughter was a senior in high school, she and her girlfriend decided to go trick-or-treating one last time. She could have passed as a child in costume, being petite, but unfortunately she chose a prom-type dress, but that's a different issue.

She came home, and her girlfriend called, saying that her mother was at that very moment inspecting each piece of candy for tampering, just as she had in previous years. Realizing that I had never done this, she asked me why. Didn't I care about her safety?

I told her that I had used a different tactic. By purchasing for her only the best quality candy, I had spoiled her, and knew that she would never have been tempted to eat the stale, cheap candy people gave out.

She realized that what I had said was true. "You ruined my childhood!" she wailed.

[skrattypants]

well, i'm in wisconsin, too, so cusina, if you see a great big trick or treater dressed as a deviled egg, throw one of those popcorn balls in *its* bag, too, will ya?

for years, we've never had trick or treaters, so last year i didn't buy candy. wouldn't you know? we got SLAMMED. some lucky kids got very creative treats, anything from my stash to dagboa bars to some demi glace.

i'd better be ready this year...

[Betts]

We don't get a lot of trick or treaters but I now have adopted the following strategy.

Buy the premium popular stuff 2-3 bags - mini Milky Way, Peanut Butter Cups or Almond Joy the afternoon of the big night.

Put it in a big basket and hand it out generously. Eat a few pieces for old times sake and when it's about 9 pm - the last kid get everything and I turn out the lights.

[natasha1270]

Its not the candy corn I’m after…it’s the ones shaped like pumpkins!! This year I will probably give out the old standards: almond joy, kit kats, double bubble and pixie stix. As a kid, I used to hate getting those caramels, bit-0-honey & maryjanes but now I love’em.

The past few years I have usually found some stuff like mini-mad libs or pencils and erasers for the older kids that invariably come around – even though I really think they are too old. Also, in my building there are sometimes kids that come around with no costumes! I write this off as a cultural thing – is this common for others? How do you all handle the older kids & non-costumed trick or treaters?

N.

[Marlene]

My son has decided he's too old for Halloween this year and so he is intending to stay home and hand out candy.

We alway buy the usual treat size chocolate bars (from Nestle so they are peanut free), and for the little ones, I always have small bags of cheesies. We always buy too much candy so I give it out by the handfuls. Maybe that's why we get so many kids - around 125 or so.

[Cusina]

skratty, you're on... deviled egg huh? Will you have horns and a pitchfork or a mayo filling and paprika? Both?

I'm not picky. Anyone who shows up and rings my bell gets candy. I figure, why worry about it *shrug*. The non-costumed older kids are a vast minority anyways. Most of the older kids around here go all out and get creative. Last year I had about 5 of what appeared to be high school football players on my doorstep in full on drag, dressed up like their mothers! They were hysterical! Any kid who does that definitely deserves a milky way or two. I hope those moms got pictures.

What are your parameters for buying candy? I'm cheap... I don't want to spend more than 10 cents per piece and I sort through the on sale bags.

[Mabelline]

natasha1270: Are your over-sized t-or-t-ers carryin' beers around? Do they tote more tattoos than Tommy Lee and Pammy combined? Have you considered Bear Mace??

[sassybat]

i was sick over the weekend with a bout of food poisoning (who knew a baconburger could have such dire consequences???), and the SO and a friend went grocery shopping and came back with halloween candy in the form of kitkats and almond joy. since i had no appetite, i couldn't work up the energy to even try to enjoy the kitkats. so despite there being halloween candy in the house, i haven't had the appetite to eat any yet.

[Chef Shogun]

No candy corn. Ever. Reeces Peanut Butter Cups. Normal size, not the minis. End of thread.

[Andrew Fenton]

for years, we've never had trick or treaters, so last year i didn't buy candy.  wouldn't you know?  we got SLAMMED.  some lucky kids got very creative treats, anything from my stash to dagboa bars to some demi glace. 

Demi glace, eh? I think I'm gonna trick or treat at your house this year!

[FistFullaRoux]

What flavor is candy corn anyway? Never could figure that out.

I'm all about the little packs of Skittles. But I work at a haunted house. We're busy the night they go trick-or-treating.

But I do get to chase them around with a Skil Saw... Does that count?

stooped tiepeaus

Edited October 12, 2004 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[lperry]

What flavor is candy corn anyway? Never could figure that out.

←

It's flavored Yellow, Orange, and White, of course, with each flavor distinguishable from the other by true candy corn connoisseurs.

[misstenacity]

It's flavored Yellow, Orange, and White, of course, with each flavor distinguishable from the other by true candy corn connoisseurs.

←

Absolutely! :-)

My favorite from trick or treating was the red & yellow (or was it orange & yellow? orange & white?) paper wrapped BANANA TAFFY. Very soft, not sticky. About 1/2" wide and 2 or 3 inches long. Yummy.

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

[Susan G]

Mini boxes of Junior Mints. (If I buy the Reeces Peanut Butter Cups the kids never get 'em!) I try not to buy candy I wouldn't have enjoyed eating as a kid: So the kiddoes who come to *my* door get the benefit of my food snobbery! Tootsie pops, tootsie rolls, snickers, Hershey's special dark bars...........etc.

OT: Last year we were the only house in the neighborhood with jack 'o lanterns lit with candles.......does anyone else do this?

[ronnie_suburban]

OT: Last year we were the only house in the neighborhood with jack 'o lanterns lit with candles.......does anyone else do this?

←

We still do this and love it. BTW, tally another vote for candy corn. For about 4 weeks per year, it's one of my very favorite candies.

=R=

[FlourPower]

This year I wanted to give advice, but my wife said no. So we'll be handing out full-size Snickers bars.

[Toasted]

Like Cusina, we usually get over a hundred kids each year. For the past two years I've been handing out snack packs of chips such as doritos, smart food popcorn, etc. That way the kids can bring them to school with their lunches, unlike the candy which isn't allowed in school. I get the individual bags at BJ's ( like a Cosco or Sam's club in different parts of the country) and save a lot that way. It's more expensive than candy but the kids and the parents really seem to appreciate it.