Viewpoints: The Editorial Board's favorite Halloween candies

With Halloween right around the corner, there's one thing on everyone's mind — candy. Currently being sold in giant bags at the supermarket, everyone has their own opinions on which Halloween treat reigns supreme during the month of October. Here, the Editorial Board explains their favorite confection and why they think it bests all others.

Rajee Ganesan, opinion editor

KitKats are one of few candies that are light enough so you won’t get sick after a few. They are known for their large variety of flavors, and are edible in nearly every temperature (unlike other sweet snacks, which become bricks if they get too cold). KitKats are also notoriously easy to share — their delicate nature puts them above every other Halloween candy.

Nick Hatcher, editorial board member

Don’t be a hater. Yes, it’s fake, it’s terrible for your body and it’s potentially carcinogenic, but candy corn is still the most iconic Halloween candy out there. While rocking a bold aesthetic as timeless as its shelf life, it manages an uncannily smooth texture that’s irreplaceable in traditional cuisine. It’s not chewy, it’s not bland and many varieties are allergen-free — all the hallmarks of a crowd-pleaser. Besides, almost anything is toxic in large quantities, so just enjoy your candy corn responsibly.

Layla Peykamian, senior writer

As the Editorial Board’s token vegan, it’s my responsibility to highlight the majesty that is Sour Patch Kids in any season, but particularly during Halloween. As their motto, “Sour, then sweet,” suggests, Sour Patch Kids are the best of both worlds. In my opinion, no other gummy candy compares to their multifaceted flavor profile. My favorite Sour Patch Kids product is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the acclaimed watermelon flavor (which, in my experience, everyone loves). Sour Patch Kids are a movie theatre go-to snack, a road trip must have and of course, no Halloween is complete without at least a few.

Josiah Townsend, editorial board member

You know that uncle that you could always count on to slide you a $20 bill at Christmas — that's M&M's. Yeah, it might not be the flashiest choice, but it is by far the most consistent. Come Halloween time, that one house handing out king-sized packets of M&M's was a must-visit. You could go home and be satisfied with your haul of M&M's, and even if you got too many, it was the top trade chip to take to school the next day to get the few flashy pieces of candy that you missed out on. Like the sun rising each morning, M&M's never fails to deliver.

Raymond Pang, editorial board member

We’ve all heard their commercial — “peanut butter, chocolate, great when separate, but when they combine, they make the morning time epic.” While that iconic line is about Reese’s Puffs, the same holds true for the Reese’s Cups. The rich mix of chocolate and peanut butter make for a great tasting treat. Additionally, there are now so many variations of Reese’s that even if you dislike the classic peanut butter cup, you have the choice to get a more traditional candy bar — that still has the great flavors of the classic.

Caitlyn Yaede, senior writer

Twix is a “best of both worlds” candy. As a dessert lover, I take my sweets very seriously — and Halloween candy picks are no exception. Twix bars are more than candy: they’re shortbread cookies, covered with chocolate and caramel (perhaps my two favorite things). My love for Twix does not stop at their pure deliciousness. Some of my fondest Halloween memories are fighting with my mom and sister for the last of this candy bar, and organizing my candies by type and preference. Twix was always top ranked.

Savannah Bradley, columnist 

I am aware that, to most people, this choice is abhorrent. Revolting, even. But I can’t help  that my palate is attuned to the taste of artificial banana flavoring. Here’s all that I’ll say: Banana Laffy Taffy is the dark horse in this race. It’s consistently good. It’s the perfect portion size. The taffy consistency is not so calcified that you’ll worry about breaking a tooth. The other flavors like Strawberry or Green Apple do not hold a candle to the timelessness and idiosyncracy of Banana Laffy Taffy. To like Banana Laffy Taffy is to like taste itself. I refuse to live in silence anymore. 

Ben Rappaport, assistant opinion editor 

My mom has passed down her passionate love for red candies. Hot Tamales, Swedish Fish and Red Hots are all fantastic. But none top the sweet licorice taste of the twisted decadence of a Twizzler. Halloween is also the best time for them — each year, the packages of two little Twizzlers becomes the widespread way to consume the best candy. Most of the year we suffice with the floppy, long goodness. But the bite-size beauty of Twizzlers should long reign supreme. 

Zari Taylor, editorial board member 

I didn’t come to love Butterfingers naturally. In middle school, my sister found out she was allergic to peanut butter — and so we limited the amount we had in the house. This also meant that among the variety pack of Halloween candy we used to get, she had first dibs on non-peanut candy. The best part of that deal was Snickers, and the more apprehensive choice was Butterfingers. What I realized, though, is that Butterfingers is extremely underrated. A combination of peanut butter and chocolate can truly do no wrong. So the next time you see a couple rejects left over in the candy bowl, treat yourself to some. 

Ira Wilder, columnist

Skittles are deceiving. They seem to be a waxy, plastic coated nightmare, but somehow they are a confectionary carnival to the tongue. It takes the refined taste buds of a culinary expert to appreciate the subtle blend of artificial fruit flavors. I will never turn down a Skittle. Taste the rainbow!

Guillermo Molero and Olivia Rojas, city & state editor and audience engagement editor 

Most tire of the taste of toffee. I don’t understand how. Though their archaic packaging makes it look like a relic from a bygone age, the Heath Bar is a timeless classic. The combination of a thin, velvety curtain of chocolate and the buttery crunch of this candy's toffee center are a temptation I will always indulge in. It's a rare — but not impossible — find on Halloween night which makes it that much more enjoyable. And the way its flavor lingers for so long, as you struggle to dislodge the tiny toffee bits from your teeth... oh, I wish that feeling could last forever. 

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