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As children, going door to door and collecting a truly insane amount of candy was like a religious experience, and even as adults, many of us still have a powerful nostalgic connection to the best Halloween candy.
With Halloween fast approaching, it’s time to pick out your costume, carve your pumpkins, decorate the house and, perhaps most importantly, make sure you’re stocked up and ready to take on the army of trick or treaters who will descend on your front door. Aside from the fear of incurring the wrath of tricksters unsatisfied with your offerings, giving out good snacks is one way to ensure everyone has a great October 31.
Spooky season is about to be in full swing. So, it’s safe to say you’ll need to fill up those Halloween candy bowls with at least a couple of bags to help the neighborhood kids get their sweet tooth on.
When purchasing Halloween candy, there are two critical questions to ask yourself.
How Much Halloween Candy Do I Need?
The first factor depends on several variables, including the number of kids in your neighborhood, how decorated your neighborhood is and how good the weather will be on the evening of trick or treat.
Our rule is to estimate the number of kids in your neighborhood and multiply that by two. Then divide that by the number of pieces in the bags of candy you buy. The result should give you the number of bags you need to buy. If you purchase more than you need, don’t worry — tons of antsy kids will be overfilling their Halloween candy bags more than they should, and more candy means more for you to snack on throughout the night.
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The second factor is more about personal taste. After all, you’ll hopefully have some candy left over, so you should buy something you or your family will enjoy in the early days of November.
But, here’s the truth: the best Halloween candy is more or less of a popularity contest. You don’t want to be handing out weird options that kids hate. Kids are honest, and word travels fast among them. One wrong buy and nobody will show up at your front door.
If you have a neighborhood with a lot of kids, you may want to mix a few cheaper bags of the best Halloween candy in with the pricier chocolate bars. Not many kids will come by if you live in an apartment complex, so maybe stock up on large candy bars to wow your in-apartment neighbors.
With those factors in mind, we’ve put together a list of the best Halloween candy you can order online from retailers like Amazon and Target. Amazon customers can take advantage of Prime shipping options, so buying last minute isn’t a problem. On the other hand, Target has some fantastic deals on the best Halloween candy, so it’s a great place to snag a great deal on treats for October 31. Take a look through our list to see what our editors will be sinking their teeth into this spooky season, and pick out the bag (or three) that looks best to you.
Best Candy Variety Packs
When it comes to Halloween, a candy variety pack or two make for some of the best Halloween candy options. It saves you both time and money when purchasing and allows kids to pick what they do or don’t like. It’s a simple and affordable way to give out candy on Halloween. You can’t lose!
1. Mars Halloween Candy Bars Variety Mix
CANDY COUNT: 250 PIECES
While we do love our candy singularly, some of the best ways to stock up on the good stuff for trick-or-treaters is to buy a massive variety mix to hand out. With its mix of classic candy bars — 3 Musketeers, Twix, Snickers, Milky Way and M&M’s — this Mars Halloween Candy Bars Variety Mix is a real winner this spooky season.
2. Mars Mixed Variety Bulk Halloween Candy
CANDY COUNT: 260 PIECES
Another one from Mars! This multi-pack of fun-size candy has only the best Halloween candy. You have three of the greatest chocolate candies in the world for chocolate lovers. For everyone else, Starburst and Skittles offer a nice change of pace.
3. Chocolate Halloween Variety Pack
CANDY COUNT: 80 PIECES
While Snickers and Milky Way bars are probably the most famous chocolate candy options, real connoisseurs of Halloween candy know that these mainstream treats don’t hold a candle to underrated classics like Butterfingers, 100 Grand and Crunch bars.
4. M&M Mars Chocolate Bar Variety Pack
CANDY COUNT: 30 PIECES
Yeah, be that house. Most kids only dream about getting full-size candy bars in their trick-or-treat bags, but you can make that dream a reality for the children in your neighborhood. This multi-pack contains full-size candy bars with an assortment of Snickers, Twix, 3 Musketeers and Milky Way chocolate bars. Go ahead, be the change you want to see in the world.
5. Skittles and Starburst Variety Mix
CANDY COUNT: 65 PIECES
Throw two of the best two fruity candies into one variety pack, and you’ll get this delicious Skittles and Starburst mix. Don’t worry, you’re allowed to gasp.
6. Reese’s, Hershey’s and Kit Kat Assorted Bag
CANDY COUNT: 75 PIECES
Anything including Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is a surefire hit for kids on the block. This bag holds all of the best chocolates from our childhood. You already know the deal, put half in the bowl for Halloween when it’s time for trick-or-treaters and save the other half for you. Plus, given their small sizes, you won’t have to feel bad about your diet.
7. Franken Favorite Mix
CANDY COUNT: 100 PIECES
Got that Laffy Taffy? Well, with this variety bag, yeah you do. This bag holds not just Laffy Taffy but Nerds, Sweet Tarts and Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers. This is a great selection for all of the peanut-free kids on the block, given that sweet candies of this nature rarely ever contain nuts. What kid doesn’t love that overwhelming, mouth-watering sense of sweetness?
8. Tootsie Roll Child’s Play Favorites
CANDY COUNT: ~200 PIECES
All those candies from your childhood? Yeah. They’re here. This variety pack contains old-school must-haves like Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Pops, Dots, Tootsie Fruit Chews and Tootsie Snack Bars. So, yeah, you can call this bag a quick favorite. The entire bag is peanut-free, gluten-free and kosher for all kids on your block.
Best Candy Solo Packs
We completely understand if you want to be known as the “Reese’s House” on the block. Make a name for yourself this year with one or two candies only. No candy variety packs in this house!
9. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
CANDY COUNT: 60 PIECES
As it turns out, there seems to be a definitive consensus on the SPY team since none of us have a peanut allergy. Thank God. If you’re as blessed as we are, there’s no doubt you know that a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup is the king of all Halloween treats. We all know that the best peanut-based Halloween candy is easily Reese’s.
CANDY COUNT: 36 PIECES
Here at SPY, we do think Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the undisputed king of Halloween candy. We’re also suckers for the seasonal versions of this popular Halloween candy, like these pumpkin-shaped Reese’s cups, available for a limited time. This jumbo-sized bag contains plenty of fun-size pumpkins, sure to be a hit among the local trick-or-treaters.
10. Ring Pops
CANDY COUNT: 20 PIECES
Wearable candy hits our nostalgia differently. SPY’s site director Tim Werth said, “I feel like I’ve aged out of Ring Pops, but there was something so satisfying about them back in the day.” The rest of us agree, Tim, but we’re never too old for some delicious finger bling.
11. Twix Bars
CANDY COUNT: ~90 PIECES
For those who can’t get enough caramel and cookies, we’ll take a wild guess and say Twix is your vice. This pack from Amazon is filled with mini Twix bars to satisfy your, uh, we mean, the neighborhood kids’ cravings. At least, that’s what you can keep telling yourself.
12. Nerds
CANDY COUNT: 12 BOXES
While our senior e-commerce editor Taylor Galla specifically said she will avoid Nerds “’til the day she dies,” the rest of us used to love these little crunchy pebble packs in our trick-or-treat bags. No flavor hits harder than grape strawberry, so this Halloween, hand out these tangy mixed packs at your front door to watch the neighborhood kids’ faces light up with joy.
13. Kit Kats
CANDY COUNT: 36 PIECES
Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar! Even if you don’t like Kit Kats, you still like Kit Kats. It’s just how it works, and nobody knows why. These snappy, crunchy treats are perfect for filling Halloween bowls this year because who doesn’t love the delicious simplicity of crisp wafers covered in milk chocolate?
14. Pop Rocks
CANDY COUNT: 18 BAGS
If you want a candy that old and young will both enjoy equally, Pop Rocks 100% fits the bill. Pretty much every kid on the planet would be stoked to find Pop Rocks in their candy bag, a rare but always appreciated treat. Each Pop Rocks assortment has nine memorable flavors, including tropical punch, watermelon, blue raspberry and cotton candy.
15. 3 Musketeers Candy Bars
CANDY COUNT: ~20 PIECES
You can’t go wrong with 3 Musketeers because any kid who doesn’t love a fluffy chocolate milk chocolate encrusted treat is simply wrong. If they don’t want any, hey, more for you. It’s a win-win.
16. Pixy Stix
CANDY COUNT: 150 PIECES
There’s something magical about eating flavored sugar from a tube—the way you have to tilt it just right to avoid getting a block on the end. The way you can put a whole pile of candy on your tongue and swish it around your mouth. As a kid, there’s really no better way to enjoy a straight shot of sugar.
17. Snickers
CANDY COUNT: 25 PIECES
The combination of milk chocolate, peanuts, caramel and nougat can only mean one thing. That’s right, baby, we’re talking about Snickers. For those Snickers haters out there, our e-commerce & special projects editor Tyler Schoeber has just one thing to say, “if you don’t like Snickers, you’re wrong. I don’t make the rules”.
18. M&Ms
CANDY COUNT: 70 BAGS
You can’t go wrong with a bag of M&Ms, even if they aren’t the most sought-after candy from kids. They’re still a delicious and iconic treat that nobody can resist. From memorable Christmas commercials to modern internet memes, M&Ms have shown their pertinence in culture for, like, ever, instilling the fact that these tasty bite-sized chocolates are going absolutely nowhere.
19. Jolly Ranchers
CANDY COUNT: 360 PIECES
Jolly Ranchers are such an easy way to fill a bowl this Halloween. This variety pack of the classics, otherwise known as blue raspberry, watermelon, cherry, grade and green apple, are individually wrapped and will fill up your bowl in no time. Grab a couple of bags of these and go full throttle when serving these suckers. Might as well!
20. Dots
CANDY COUNT: 24 BOXES
Bet you weren’t expecting to see these on the list. We weren’t either until our assistant editor Taylor Galla surprised the hell out of us by saying they are her favorite candy of all time. Like, in what world? While we admit they’re good, Taylor goes the extra mile by saying, “Any and all of their flavors are solid, and the act of chewing their artificially sticky, chewy texture is what the candy part of Halloween is all about IMO.”
21. Milk Duds
CANDY COUNT: 12 BOXES
“I can almost feel these sticking to my teeth just by looking at them,” says our e-commerce editor, Tyler Schoeber. “Milk Dudes were like, the epitome of my childhood. I would search high and low for them on Halloween and trade with my friends who were lucky enough to get a box when I didn’t”, he continues. While we aren’t all fans of these sticky, caramel-y sweets, Tyler seems to be a huge fan, so other kids must be too. Grab a ton this year and see if kids get excited upon grabbing!
22. Sour Patch Kids
CANDY COUNT: 24 BAGS
A little sour never hurt anybody. Okay, well, maybe it hurt some of those kids from the Sour Patch commercials, but we’re going to pretend they don’t count. If you need a little sour before your sweetness, look no further than adding Sour Patch Kids to your candy bowl this year in hopes the neighborhood kids won’t take ’em all.
MORE: These Are the Best Sour Candies Out There
23. Tootsie Rolls
CANDY COUNT: 700 PIECES
Whether you love or hate ’em, you can’t deny that Tootsie Rolls are some of the most classic Halloween candies to exist. They’re very grandma if we’re going to be real, but they have a nostalgic taste stuck in your brain like your ABCs did as a kid. For real, do you ever find yourself in your adult life tasting a food and thinking, “This kind of tastes like Tootsie Rolls”? No? Just us? Regardless, you must sprinkle a few of these in your bowl this year.
24. Swedish Fish
CANDY COUNT: 24 BAGS
Do you know why Swedish Fish are “Swedish”? These chewy candies were developed by Swedish candy maker Malaco back in the 1950s for the US market. They were made into a fish because the Swedish fishing industry was huge at the time. And, as we now know, the candies were a huge success, entrenching themselves in the culture of those decades and in the throwback culture of today.
25. Dulces Vero Fresa Con Chile Mexican Hard Candy Chili Pops
CANDY COUNT: 40 PIECES
Give the kids a candy they’ll remember. These spicy, mango-flavored candies are a hit in Mexico because of their uniquely traditional taste. While American kids might be a tad confused upon licking, there’s a solid chance they’ll enjoy ’em!
26. Candy Canes
CANDY COUNT: 260 PIECES
Christmas has come early! Bring joy to the spooky holiday this year and give our candy canes this Halloween. Better yet, dress the family appropriately when handing candy out, too. You can go as Mr. Claus himself, the wife can be Mrs. Claus, the kids can be elves, and the dogs can be reindeer. People might think you’ve got the wrong holiday, but it will be a memorable way to get some laughs.
27. Charleston Chew
CANDY COUNT: 120 PIECES
While young trick-or-treaters may enjoy the Chewy, vanilla-flavored nougat wrapped in a rich, chocolaty coating, older visitors are sure to enjoy the blast-from-the-past that is a Charleston Chew Bar.
28. KIND Bars
CANDY COUNT: 12 PIECES
On a health kick? Influence the neighborhood children by convincing them and pretending that KIND Bars are the best Halloween candy they’ll get this year. Kids love KIND Bars, but they’ll need a bit of convincing when they notice a KIND Bar in their bag instead of a full-on chocolate bar.
29. Halloween-Themed Lollipops
CANDY COUNT: 24 PIECES
The neighborhood kids’ bags will be filled with Snickers, M&Ms, Starbursts and more regular candies you can get delivered straight from Amazon. But maybe you should spice it up a little and give something a little more unusual. There’s a solid chance most homes aren’t going to give out adorable Halloween-themed lollipops like the ones pictured below. Now’s your chance to get a little creative!
30. Airheads
CANDY COUNT: 60 PIECES
Airheads are a great choice for busy households on Halloween night. Sweet or sour flavors in the box include blue raspberry, watermelon, cherry and more. Each candy is individually wrapped, free from the “Big 8” allergens and the ideal size for snacking and sharing. In addition, if you have any candies left over from the night, these Airheads make a great sugary treat at the office or in lunch boxes.
31. Hershey Kisses
CANDY COUNT: 400 PIECES
Give out some Kisses this Halloween! No, not those kinds of kisses, you weirdo. We’re talking about Hershey Kisses. These sweet treats are a classic Christmas staple making their way into Halloween bowls everywhere because of how easy they are to give out. Place a handful or two right into kids’ bags, and they’ll be sure to have a smile on their faces.
Also Consider: Tic Tacs
CANDY COUNT: 12 BOXES
Not everyone’s first thought when it comes to the best Halloween candy to give the neighborhood kids, but surprisingly one of the greatest. And, no, we’re not talking minty Tic Tacs. These fun, colorful, flavorful Tic Tacs are just what kids love to get on Halloween. Colors come in orange, green, yellow, pink and red. Make that trick-or-treat bag a little more colorful!
Also Consider: Nabisco Classic Mix Variety Pack
CANDY COUNT: 20 BAGS
If your ideal Halloween treat is something more like a cookie than candy, you’re weird, but it’s fine. We won’t judge you yet. Take on your sweet tooth with this 30-piece pack of four favorites: Oreo, Nutter Butter, Ritz Bites and Chips Ahoy!, in equal measure.
Also Consider: Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
CANDY COUNT: 40 BAGS
At this point, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos have gained a cult-like status with snackers far and wide. Although they’re the opposite of sweet, why not throw a couple of bags into the neighborhood kids’ trick-or-treat bags? It will be quite a surprise — but a good surprise.
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