# Criticize the list of best Hallowe’en candies
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** food-cooking
**Created:** [October 26, 2021, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210 "2021-10-26T03:06:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/1 "2021-10-26T03:06:11Z")
Based on the 538 power list…. Hallowe’en candy has to be pretty bad if you would prefer a dime. Percentages are percentage of times it won a “power match” against another candy.
> **[The Ultimate Halloween Candy Power Ranking](https://fivethirtyeight.com/videos/the-ultimate-halloween-candy-power-ranking/)**
>
> Video by Christine Laskowski, Tony Chow and Emily Scherer The social contract of Halloween is simple: Provide adequate treats to costumed masses, or be prepared…
The Top Fifteen
|1|Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup|84.2%|
|2|Reese’s Miniatures|81.9|–|
|3|Twix|81.6|–|
|4|Kit Kat|76.8|–|
|5|Snickers|76.7|–|
|6|Reese’s Pieces|73.4|–|
|7|Milky Way|73.1|–|
|8|Reese’s Stuffed With Pieces|72.9|–|
|9|Peanut Butter M&M’s|71.5|–|
|10|Butterfinger|70.7|–|
|11|Peanut M&M’s|69.5|–|
|12|3 Musketeers|67.6|–|
|13|Starburst|67.0|–|
|14|100 Grand|67.0|–|
|15|M&M’s|
The Bottom Fifteen
|72|Ring Pop|35.3|–|
|73|Sixlets|34.7|–|
|74|Strawberry bon bons|34.6|–|
|75|Tootsie caramel apple pops|34.5|–|
|76|Haribo Happy Cola|34.2|–|
|77|Sugar Babies|33.4|–|
|78|One dime (10 cent) coin|32.3|–|
|79|Sugar Daddy|32.2|–|
|80|Root Beer Barrels|29.7|–|
|81|Jaw Busters|28.1|–|
|82|Super Bubble|27.3|–|
|83|Chiclets|24.5|–|
|84|Boston Baked Beans|23.4|–|
|85|Nik-L-Nip|22.4|–|
|86|Good & Plenty|
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/2 "2021-10-26T03:19:27Z")
Not surprised to see chocolate and peanut butter winning out, though it’s weird they put all the differently shaped Reese’s in as distinct candies.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/3 "2021-10-26T03:20:55Z")
84th place? BBBs were one of my favorite Halloween candies.
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### Author:  [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/4 "2021-10-26T03:27:25Z")
The top 15 list is too chocolate-heavy, imo. Skittles should be higher on the list. And I do love Reeses cups, but not Reeses pieces.
I like some of the stuff on the bottom 15 list and haven’t tried some. I love most hard candies, including lollipops of pretty much all varieties. Those caramel apple pops were one of my favorites as a kid. Gum of any sort… meh.
The ones that I always ended up leaving behind were the ones I’ve just learned by googling “gross peanut butter candy” are called “peanut butter kisses.” They come in orange or black wrappers. And I’m not a big fan of anything that’s primarily marshmallow.
Also, I’ve seen Boston Baked Beans, but have never actually had them and have no clue what they’re supposed to taste like. Upon Googling again, I see that they’re candy-coated peanuts, but like… what kind of candy? Like basically just sugar like the candy coating on M&Ms or are they flavored in some way?
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/5 "2021-10-26T03:38:02Z")
What I enjoy is a big handful of Almond Joy minis.
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### Author:  [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/6 "2021-10-26T03:54:46Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#):
>
> I see that they’re candy-coated peanuts, but like… what kind of candy? Like basically just sugar like the candy coating on M&Ms or are they flavored in some way?
A sugar shell but thicker than on M&Ms. If it has a flavor it’s overwhelmed by the peanut’s taste.
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### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/7 "2021-10-26T03:55:46Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#):
>
> The top 15 list is too chocolate-heavy, imo.
Yeah, I was just thinking that those of us who have chocolate allergies probably couldn’t find anything in the pumpkin bucket to eat if we were trick-or-treating these days. ISTM that several decades ago, chocolate was much less ubiquitous in Halloween candy
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### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/8 "2021-10-26T11:56:47Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#):
>
> The ones that I always ended up leaving behind were the ones I’ve just learned by googling “gross peanut butter candy” are called “peanut butter kisses.” They come in orange or black wrappers. And I’m not a big fan of anything that’s primarily marshmallow.
Thia is the candy I was going to mention remember hating the most. That and those marshmallow circus peanuts, which though shaped like giant peanuts, weren’t peanut-flavored at all. I was never quite sure what they were supposed to taste like.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/9 "2021-10-26T12:08:15Z")
> [@solost](#):
>
> That and those marshmallow circus peanuts, which though shaped like giant peanuts, weren’t peanut-flavored at all. I was never quite sure what they were supposed to taste like. -
Despair.
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### Author:  [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/10 "2021-10-26T13:04:48Z")
I far prefer french burnt peanuts to boston baked beans for my candy coated peanut fix but they didn’t even make the list and are getting rarer to find.
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/11 "2021-10-26T13:08:45Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#):
>
> The ones that I always ended up leaving behind were the ones I’ve just learned by googling “gross peanut butter candy” are called “peanut butter kisses.” They come in orange or black wrappers.
They’re not too bad when fresh, but it seems like all too often you get some that are old and stale and hard.
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/12 "2021-10-26T13:12:20Z")
Supposedly circus peanuts are banana flavored, but @running_coach was right.
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### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/13 "2021-10-26T13:30:34Z")
Yeah, I agree with @running_coach too!
I wonder how the new product discussion went on circus peanuts, anyway.
“I have a great new idea for a line of candy. We mold marshmallows dyed bright orange into the shape of giant peanuts! We can call them ‘circus peanuts’. the kids will love them! It’ll be a big hit for passing out on Halloween.”
“OK, so we would add peanut butter or peanut flavoring to them, right?”
“What? No, why would we do that? I was thinking a nice artificial banana flavor”.
Artificial banana flavor, BTW, was and still is one of my least favorite artificial flavors. I like real bananas, can’t stand artificial banana flavor.
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### Author:  [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/14 "2021-10-26T13:35:04Z")
I vehemently disagree with Twix being #3. Twix fucking suck.
Sadly missing from the top 15 are Mounds and/or Almond Joys. It must be because of all the morons who hate coconut.
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### Author:  [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/15 "2021-10-26T13:50:55Z")
Or because the people who like coconut are the morons.
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### Author:  [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/16 "2021-10-26T14:09:42Z")
> [@Ponch8](#):
>
> Sadly missing from the top 15 are Mounds and/or Almond Joys. It must be because of all the morons who hate coconut.
When my kids were still young enough to trick or treat, Almond Joys were always a score because neither my kids nor wife liked them, so I got all of them, and I love Almond Joys. Mounds too, but AJs seemed to be much more common in Halloween candy than Mounds.
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### Author:  [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/17 "2021-10-26T14:16:29Z")
> [@Ponch8](#):
>
> I vehemently disagree with Twix being #3. Twix fucking suck.
>
> Sadly missing from the top 15 are Mounds and/or Almond Joys. It must be because of all the morons who hate coconut.
I have to agree. Twix is my least favorite candy bar. I love Mounds but not so much Almond Joy. I don’t care for that big, hard almond on top.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups should be on top but they shouldn’t take the first two spots. A miniature peanut butter cup is the same thing and should be included with the regular size. I don’t care for the rest of the Reese’s varieties. I’m ok with the bottom of the list. Although I hate to see Sugar Babies and Sugar Daddys there - they were a must-have when I was trick or treating. But I guess they’re becoming a kind of an old-timey candy now. And they tend to pull out fillings and crowns!
I time travel to Halloween when I was a kid when I eat a Butterfinger (and it has to be VERY fresh). That candy bar more than any other reminds me of Halloween.
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### Author:  [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/18 "2021-10-26T14:25:09Z")
We always liked to stop at homes that had homemade treats like popcorn balls or freshly made sugar waffles. But that was fiftey years ago, sigh.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/19 "2021-10-26T14:33:07Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#):
>
> The ones that I always ended up leaving behind were the ones I’ve just learned by googling “gross peanut butter candy” are called “peanut butter kisses.” They come in orange or black wrappers
Yeah, we called those Mary Janes growing up, but the web tells me more properly they were Mary Janes Peanut Butter Kisses, as there was also a rectangular Mary Janes product with different wrapping (not sure if that one was peanut butter or just regular taffy.)
Mary Janes isn’t in business anymore, so somebody else makes them now. I know not of this “not-too-bad if “fresh”” business, as I can’t imagine one being better even if they were, I assume, softer by being fresher and, besides, all the ones I’ve encountered in the wild have been dental-crown-destroying confections of degeneracy.
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### Author:  [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2021, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/criticize-the-list-of-best-hallowe-en-candies/953210/20 "2021-10-26T14:41:34Z")
How do you think I feel? Good & Plenty are one of my favorites! (Yes, I’m old.)
One thing of note: there’s a whole line of candy that are sold in little boxes called ‘theater candy boxes.’ My grocery stocks them a bunch of them – things like Juicy Fruits and Dots and Junior Mints and Whoppers and, yes, Good & Plenty. Guess which part of the line is always sold out when the others have plenty still available? Yup, the G&P! Take that!
So there are a whole bunch of us secret G&P lovers who are just too shy to admit it when they run those polls.
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