My Favorite Halloween Candy

By Tara C.

(photo from: realsimple.com)

An alternative title to this post could be: Candy I Should Absolutely, Under No Circumstances Buy a Month Before Halloween. As I'm sure you've noticed, Halloween is already in full swing at all the stores. I for one will not be buying any candy for trick-or-treaters until much closer to Halloween. And when I do, it will probably be candy that holds no appeal for me. This mostly includes anything of the hard, lollipop, sour, or gummy variety. But a nice piece of chocolate is a different story.

When I was a kid, there was some hysteria about Halloween candy being tampered with, poisoned, or filled with razor blades. As a result, I remember my dad inspecting our Halloween candy before we were allowed to eat it. He would check that none of the wrappers were torn or otherwise suspicious. And he would also eat some to "make sure it wasn't poisonous." At the time I wasn't suspicious of his motives. But eating something to check for poison? Really? I think maybe he just wanted some of our candy. And you know what, Dad? I totally get it.

On Halloween I get to dress my children in adorable costumes AND they arrive home with a bucketful of candy. This has got to be one of the biggest perks of parenthood, as far as I'm concerned. You know, after the whole unconditional love thing.

So here are the top three candies I'm secretly (well I guess the secret is out) hoping my kids will bring home on Halloween. Now you all know what I'll be doing around 8:30pm on October 31. Pilfering candy from children.

1. Take 5 candy bar is without a doubt my favorite. You guys, if I could find a way to eat these every single day and still fit into my pants, I totally would. It's a combination of pretzels, caramel, peanuts and peanut butter, all wrapped up in chocolate. I don't see these candy bars in the stores very often, but I recently saw bags of the minis for sale in the Halloween aisle of the grocery store and they are calling to me. I'm tempted to write sonnets and haikus about them.

(photo from: kandkkandies.com)

2. Mounds and Almond Joy are my second favorites. Maybe they should be separate, but why bother? They're the fraternal twins of coconut-chocolate candy bars. With or without almonds, they're like a mini-vacation for your mouth.

(photo from: realsimple.com)

This Real Simple article suggests it would be healthy to eat an "old fashioned coconut macaroon" than a Mounds or Almond Joy. Sadly, my children have yet to bring home old fashioned coconut macaroons in their Halloween baskets. They did however, bring home some Fiber One bars last year. I would love to know which neighbors were giving Fiber One bars to trick-or-treaters. Not funny, neighbors! Okay, kind of hilarious.

3. Reese's peanut-butter cups come in third on my list. Like number 1, this one is a winner for it's sweet and salty qualities. By the way, I'm talking about classic Reese's classic peanut-butter cups here. Not the minis, not the white chocolate. Let's stick with the classics, okay?

(photo from: wikipedia)

Please tell me that I'm not the only one looking forward to Halloween candy. What are your favorites? Any other Take 5 fans out there? Or will you be handing out Fiber One bars?

Comments

[Melissa]

I bet the Fiber One house had run out of candy and hit up their pantry for anything that would work. One year we had to switch to Cracker Jacks.

Which makes me realize, if we run out of candy we can move to granola bars & Pop Tarts in a pinch!

[Jesabes]

Fiber One bars are expensive! I don't think I'd spend that much money on stuff to hand out.

I have a friend (acquaintance, actually) who is in dental school and can buy gobs of toothbrushes cheap. Like 10 cents apiece. She gives them out on Halloween and even though its totally lame (and dentist-like), maybe I'll see if she can hook me up. I'm sick of handing out candy.

[Katie]

I LOVE Take Five. My husband and I are both obsessed. I just bought three bags of them to add to our Halloween stash, and I think I may have to set one of those bags aside for us. The kids just don't appreciate them the way we do!

[Airlie]

When I was a kid my parents would go through my candy and tell me "oh, you won't like that candy bar. It has nuts/coconut/etc. in it." Yeah, they were just trying to steal my Baby Ruth candy bar.

[Julie]

I love Take Five! Those are my favorites hands down and they are so hard to find. I always get one whenever I see them in a store because it's so rare. I must go look for the mini's now and we won't even be having Trick or Treaters!

[Erica]

I have never had a Take Five, but it sounds kind of like Chubby Hubby in candy bar form and I waaaant one.

[momma toast]

Your favorite three are my favorites also. Take Five is hard to find where I live too. Thank goodness for that! I should NEVER buy them. Ever.

[Jen]

i love mounds!!!! Best candy ever!
Follow me? xoxo, Jen