While Halloween Trick O’ Treating is just a fond past memory of us college students, it doesn’t mean candy can’t still be a big part of the month!
I have a major sweet tooth for sure, so Halloween has always been my favorite holiday growing up. Besides the spooky vibes that I just love, it was the pillowcase full of candy that excited me the most. My stash after a night of tracking through my neighborhood lasted me for months! Free candy meant free dessert at school (and free cavities if we’re honest).
But of course, Trick O’ Treating ended many years ago for all of us. Growing up is hard, and while it does have its perks on how we now celebrate the holiday, it just doesn’t feel the same. I’ve felt this whole month of October has been filled with tests and papers and homework. Spooky season? More like midterm season.
Besides decorating and dressing up, I do like to celebrate Halloween right, and that’s by buying bags of candy to keep in my apartment. It satisfies my chocolate craving, and that craving of wanting to Trick O’ Treat despite being way too old. But I can’t just buy any bag of candy. No, I must buy only the best mix with the best pieces.
It was similar to when we were kids. There were the absolute greats in the pillowcase, and there were the Tootsie Rolls that got thrown out at the end. It’s very similar to just straight buying candy at the store. I have my opinions on which is the best candy for a perfect Halloween celebration, so while some might be controversial, I’m here to share them today.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Now, I understand not everyone can have Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but you have to admit they are the cream of the crop. This was the piece of candy everyone fought and traded over at the end of the night. I’m not talking about the mini Cups, but the full size, wrapped in that iconic orange wrapper Reese’s!
I will fight anyone that disagrees with me. Yes, they are expensive. But are they worth it? Every time. Reese’s Cups will always make the top of the list no matter the age.
- Bagged goods
When I say bagged goods, I specifically mean anything that’s in a mini bag with multiples of the candy. This includes Skittles, M&Ms, Hot Tamales, etc.
Any of these candies in the mini bags are just peak candy packaging. You get multiple pieces of the candy for a small candy break. Who doesn’t want more candy in one package? I can not tell you how many times I fought with my brothers on who got the Peanut M&Ms or Skittles packs!
- Bars of chocolate
Included in the bars of chocolate list are Twix, Snickers, Kit Kats, Baby Ruth, you get the idea. My personal favorite is Snickers. The crunch of the peanut and the soft caramel make for the yummiest bite, especially in the supermini size in Halloween candy packs. I will fight anyone who dislikes Butterfingers.
Bars of chocolate are the perfect grab-and-go for lunches or after-school snacks back in the day. I still just love being able to pop a small Twix or Snickers bar in my mouth for a small sugar break. I hate nougat with a passion, but I’ll allow 3 Musketeers to be on this list too.
- The Sugar Randoms
The randoms include things like lollipops, Smarties and Starbursts. Oh, also gummies like mini gummy bears! It’s the really sugary candy that makes your teeth tingle but still is some of the best in the batch. I will never turn down any of these candies in this section, nor would I probably trade them when I was younger. The sugar randoms are still some of the best, and I’m always down for buying a Halloween candy pack with just these types.
- The Old Timers
The candies in this section are things I would never voluntarily buy at the store, but I will still eat them if I am offered a piece. They include Butterscotches, strawberry candies and peppermints; so, basically anything in a wrapper type. Yes, they are good, but they are not store-bought-worthy. It is the candy that your grandma gives you out of her purse. Slightly old but still good at the time if you are down to your last pieces.
- The Leftovers
In my opinion, anything in this category just needs to stop being produced in general. Tootsie Rolls are the absolute worst. Anything chalk consistency is trash. Wax? Why even invent a candy you can’t eat?
When I was a kid I always threw these types of candy away immediately. I didn’t even want a single piece. I see them at the store and think who would buy that? People just need to stop buying bags of Halloween candy and stop handing these pieces out. All these poor children’s nights are ruined when they see the options you have at your house.
That’s all on my ranking. I didn’t include anything like candy corn, desserts, apples or pennies, but those are a whole other debate.
Doing research for this I did not even realize how many options there were for candy regarding Halloween. So many types and varieties, all so yummy. Well, luckily there are more in the yummy category than the trash section.
It makes me sad I can’t walk around my neighborhood anymore, dressed up and laughing with my friends, as we fill our bags with pounds of candy. But as an adult, I do have the option of just going to buy the candy I want. It’s not the same, but it’s still delicious! I might need to book an appointment with my dentist soon because the amount of candy I will ingest this month can not be good. But as a sweet tooth, it just can’t be helped!