It’s a lot of pressure for a relatively lighthearted holiday, but there is one facet that’s supposed to be easy: candy for trick-or-treaters. All you have to do is grab a few bags of assorted chocolates or gummies while you’re out grocery shopping and throw it all in a bowl. The whole thing shouldn’t cost more than $30.
Unfortunately, those who enjoy passing out candy might need to think a little harder about it. It’s long been a common practice for kids and their parents alike to plan trick-or-treading around houses and neighborhoods that give out the best candy.
For the masses, Candy Store has ranked the most popular candy nationwide for 2024. The top 10 are the usual suspects: M&M's, Reese's Cups, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, Starburst, Hot Tamales, Candy Corn, Hershey Kisses, Hershey mini bars and Butterfinger.
But, if you want your household to develop that sterling reputation, upping your candy game is a must. You could try the age-old trick of hitting up Costco for full-sized candy bars, but to truly stand out, you’ll need to be in sync with what the kids are into. “More candy” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Luckily, there’s a wealth of information about what Generation Alpha (the current crop of trick-or-treaters) thinks is cool. We’ve saved you the trouble and rounded up some “mad lit” candy.
In: Mr. Beast Feastables Chocolate
Out: Hershey’s Chocolate, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Crunch Bars According to a report from Glanbia Nutritionals, the hyper-online kids of today are looking for snacks that reflect their interests, which include YouTubers and social media influencers. Legacy chocolate bars, even full-sized ones, don’t invoke that aspirational lifestyle and are at high risk of being labeled “negative aura” or, even worse, "Ohio."Luckily, YouTube superstar Mr. Beast has you covered. Instead of wasting money on a pack of up to 200 of your grandpa’s assorted chocolate bars, invest $14.99 on a Feastables Halloween variety pack. That comes with only 12 candy bars, so we recommend getting multiple packs to keep up with demand.
It’s a little pricey, but it’ll be worth it when every kid who drops by your house exclaims “Gyat!” in delight over your goated taste in candy.
In: Sour Patch Kids
Out: Haribo Gummy Bears and Trolli Sour Gummy Worms Sour Patch Kids have been a hit for generations and were even declared the most popular Halloween candy in Texas. Why have they succeeded in dazzling kids where other gummies have failed?One word: Roblox, a game where players can build characters and worlds and chat with friends. It’s a hit with kids, and a collaboration with Sour Patch Kids this year that included new worlds to explore and themed gear, proved lucrative for both brands.
Unfortunately, there are no Roblox-branded bags of Sour Patch Kids to buy over the regular packaging. To prove to kids that you’re not a boomer, throw in some Gen Alpha-specific gamer slang, like addressing groups of trick-or-treaters as “chat.”
In: Ferrero Rocher, Meiji
Out: Snickers and Butterfinger In order to understand kids, it’s crucial to look at who their parents are. In the case of Gen Alpha, it’s those foodie millennials who revolutionized the art of taking pictures of their food. Their children are going to require more visual stimulation while expecting unique dining experiences, even in their Halloween candy.Enter the flashy international candy brands. From the eye-catching gold wrapping paper of Italian Ferrero Rocher chocolates to the adorable cartoon faces on Japanese confectionary Meiji’s Hello Panda treats, you’re looking for treats that kids will want to stare at almost as much as they want to eat.
In: YumEarth Organic Candy
Out: Dum Dums, Tootsie RollsDo kids think organic, allergen-free and non-GMO candy is cool? Probably not, but at the end of the day, they’re not dropping themselves off in your neighborhood. We have to take into account the people in their lives who can veto any piece of candy that doesn’t meet their standards.
You can easily appeal to this subset of parents by buying candy with all of their favorite buzzwords. We’re shouting out YumEarth specifically because they sell Halloween variety packs that include treats like gluten-free and dairy-free “Choco-Yums” and Vitamin C lollipops that are designed in a way that you see the word “organic” before you even see exactly what they are.
Whether the kid has a deadly allergy or just a wacky set of parents, they’ll think you have skibidi rizz (or something) for looking out for them with your candy selection.
