While I haven’t gone trick-or-treating in quite a few years, it’s always fun to reminisce on the days of going door to door, pillowcase in hand, receiving mountainous quantities of free candy on Halloween night. Nowadays, I can’t exactly go asking my neighbors for treats (one, because I am a college-aged woman, not a little kid, and two, because of the pandemic). That doesn’t mean I have to go the whole Halloween season without my favorite candy; I just have to pay for it myself – which is a bummer. With that being said, here is my official ranking of the 15 most popular Halloween candies, so that you know which you should spend your hard-earned money on leading up to this October 31st.
15. Candy Corn
This is one of those candies that you either love or you hate. I, for one, fall on the latter end of that spectrum, and I know many people would have to agree with me. Candy corn is in my opinion the worst candy you can get on All-Hallow’s Eve.
14. Nerds
Nerds are actually one of the scariest parts of Halloween. The box is always too tiny to effectively grab any, and as a result, they always end up all over the floor. They taste like pure sour sugar and it feels like I’m chewing on tiny little rocks. I would avoid these at all costs.
13. Pixie Sticks
I used to love Pixie Sticks as a kid (on the other hand, my mother and all other moms out there absolutely despised them). However, it is no longer appealing to eat 3 to 10 ounces of pure sugar; that just sounds like a migraine and toothache waiting to happen.
12. Crunch Bars
This is probably an unpopular opinion. But I firmly believe that chocolate and rice cereal do not belong together. The only reason Crunch Bars don’t rank lower is because they have chocolate and I am a fiend for chocolate.
11. Snickers
Again, this is probably an unpopular opinion. I’m just not a fan of peanuts (or anything else besides caramel, really) invading my chocolate bar.
10. Butterfingers
I am a huge fan of chocolate and peanut butter together. Butterfingers though, for some reason, have a weird texture. I don’t know how else to describe it other than being dry. I’m just not really a fan.
9. Laffy Taffy
Laffy Taffy ranks in at #9 on this list simply because I always appreciate the jokes on the wrappers. I would like to start a petition for every candy to come with a joke on the wrapper. Flavorwise, they’re okay.
8. Skittles
Skittles have always been in my top 10 favorite candies. They’re pretty easy to eat, and I appreciate the wide variety of flavors you can get from just one fun-sized bag.
7. Starbursts
I’m not really sure why, but I’ve always loved Starbursts. The flavor is always 10/10 and the chewiness is satisfying too. I would rank them higher if it wasn’t for the fact that the inner wrapper is impossible to get 100% off.
6. Hershey’s
There’s something about the simplicity of a plain chocolate bar that really hits the spot. It’s nothing too special, but it certainly never disappoints.
5. Twix
Twix is one of the best candies out there, and this is a fact. Caramel and chocolate will forever be a top-tier combination in my book.
4. Milky Ways
Milky Ways are like Twix’s, but better. They’re the perfect combo of chocolate and caramel, but they’re smooth instead of crunchy. They rightfully deserve the #4 spot on this list.
3. Kit Kats
Coming in at #3 are Kit Kats. They’re perfectly crisp and chocolatey, and the snap when you break the two sides apart is oh so satisfying. Plus, they’re easily shareable (or not, I don’t blame you).
2. Sour Patch Kids
As someone who loves gummy bears and sour candy, Sour Patch Kids are the best of both worlds. Of the two categories of candy (chocolatey or sugary), Sour Patch Kids take the cake for team Sugary.
1. Reese’s Pumpkins
The winner of the best Halloween candy of all time has got to be Reese’s Pumpkins. Peanut butter and chocolate together just cannot be beaten (am I biased because I’m a Buckeye? Let me know.) Regular Reese’s are always amazing, but any of the holiday-shaped Reese’s are next level. If I had to choose just one candy to eat for the rest of my life, it would without a doubt be Reese’s Pumpkins.