What are the most popular Halloween candies? You might be surprised | Suzy Fleming Leonard

Suzy Fleming Leonard, Florida Today
·3 min read

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My husband and I struggle with this dilemma every year.

Should we get Halloween candy we like so we can enjoy the leftovers? Or should we get candy we don't like so we're not tempted by the leftovers?

It used to be an easy decision: We went for the Snickers, Butterfingers, Almond Joys and Kit Kats, with a few Mr. Goodbars thrown in. We'd even buy an extra bag as post-Halloween snacking insurance. And not just the wimpy grocery store large bag. We're talking the 3-pound wholesale club bags with at least 200 pieces.

When you're in your 30s and early 40s, Halloween candy in November is the sweetest way to kickoff the holiday season. By the time you hit 50, though, it's scarier than any ghost or ghoul who might ring the doorbell. Each delicious crunch of chocolate, peanuts and caramel summons the terrifying whisper of our primary care physician: Mrs. Leonard, your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure aren't off the charts. Mwahahahaha!

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These days, we stick to two bags instead of four and dole it out by the handfuls. If a few random squares of chocolate remain in the bowl at the end of the night, it's not our fault if they must be eaten. Right?

Using data from the National Retail Federation, Candystore.com says spending on Halloween candy will hit an all-time high this year.
Using data from the National Retail Federation, Candystore.com says spending on Halloween candy will hit an all-time high this year.

Our cutting back on candy buying seems to put us in the minority. According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending is expected to top $10.6 billion this year, up from $10.1 billion last year.

That's a lot of Reese's Cups and Spider-Man costumes.

Spider-Man, by the way, is the most popular Halloween costume for kids, according to the NRF survey, followed by a princess and a witch. For pets, the top three are pumpkin, hot dog and bat. Adults aren't left out of the fun. Their favorites are witch, vampire and ghost.

But the data I found most fascinating came from bulk candy retailer candystore.com. According to their research, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are the most popular Halloween candy in the country. That's followed by:

  • Skittles

  • M&M's

  • Starburst

  • Hot Tamales

  • Sour Patch Kids

  • Hershey Kisses

  • Snickers

  • Tootsie Pops

  • Candy Corn

Snickers didn't crack the Top 5, and Butterfingers didn't even make it onto the list. And seriously? Hot Tamales? I didn't know they still existed.

I get the allure of Tootsie Pops, especially with the return of the retro "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop" commercials.

I'm flummoxed, though, by the high ranking of Starburst. I prefer to keep the fillings in my teeth, thank you very much. And don't get me started on Candy Corn. They only thing it's good for is sticking onto your canine teeth to make cool orange fangs.

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Will the chocolate on my kitchen counter make it until Halloween? The world may never know.
Will the chocolate on my kitchen counter make it until Halloween? The world may never know.

But wait, there's more. The candystore.com folks drilled down deep. They went so far as to determine the favorite candies for each state.

Florida's Top 3 are Reese's Cups, Skittles and Hot Tamales. In Louisiana, where I grew up, they prefer Lemonheads, Reese's Cups and Blow Pops, and Alabama, where I was born, Skittles, Starburst and Hershey's Mini Bars are tops.

Lemonheads, Louisiana? Really?

All statistics and candy-shaming aside, when it comes to Halloween at the Leonard house, only two things matter:

1) That the Spider-Men, princesses and witches showing up at our front door are excited about Snickers, Butterfingers, Almond Joys and Kit Kats.

2) That the Snickers, Butterfingers, Almond Joys and Kit Kats currently on my kitchen counter actually make it until Halloween.

Trick-or-treat, y'all.

Suzy Fleming Leonard is a features journalist with more than three decades of experience. Reach her at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Candy retailer names Top 10 Halloween favorites | Suzy Leonard