Halloween Candy...the best, the worst.

[Kitsa]

I used to put together fun little baggies, or what I thought might be construed as fun little baggies, with halloween doodads and various types of candy. Then we got like 5 kids and I ended up dumping the remaining 30-some bags into the teenage neighbor kid's pillowcase. That's why this year I said "fuck it" and just got a variety pack of full-size candy bars.

The best halloween candy I ever got was one of those giant size fundraiser caramel bars, with the good buttery caramel that you don't see around anymore. That was the same house I said something about before, where the woman put out a whole box with a sign that said "TAKE ONE" and then watched for the kid who inevitably grabbed more and scared the shit out of him.

I've got a several-way tie for worst. One was the old man who threw pennies at us and told us to get our own fuckin' candy. I also lived between a cardiologist and a dentist...nothing says Halloween like cholesterol charts, toothbrushes and disclosing tablets :(

How about you?

[Nick]

I always loved getting Sweet Tarts and little boxes of Nerds candy. That was so awesome. What I couldn't stand, though, was those little caramel candy things that were wrapped in the dull black and orange wrappers. I still can't bare to look at them. They always seemed like most inconsiderate candy to me.

[Sacks]

I always felt disappointed if I didn't get any of those black and orange things.

[k0k0]

The black and orange things are terrible, but I really did get disappointed if I didn't get a few also.

As for best, snickers. Back when I lived in a really rich neighborhood, everyone gave out full size pieces of candy and it was nice.

Worst is pennies. I didn't mind the tooth candy too much because it was kinda cool to see all my plaque.

[Kitsa]

I still wonder what people thought a couple of years back when I was handing out the full-size boxes of Frankenberry. Probably that I was nuts.

I think I mentioned it in an older version of a "halloween candy" thread, but I used to make wreaths of those orange and black things and sell them at the hospital where I worked. People actually paid like $45 for them, and they weighed almost 10 lbs. But I thought they were peanut butter, not caramel.

[Mockery]

Necco Wafers are the worst. >:

sPCn_jnP9cc

[The Nun Eater]

I always hated getting salt water taffy pieces in my bag. Only old people eat taffy, not kids.

As for the best, one year a lady was giving out chocolate oatmeal drop cookies. She put peanuts and peanut butter in them. They were so damn good that even till this day when I make some I try to copy what she did.

I also always liked getting apples even though they aren't candy.

[Kitsa]

Did anyone else take their candy to be x-rayed? That was big in a Milwaukee suburb I lived in for a while. You'd go after trick or treating (which was always on a Saturday afternoon, NEVER real Halloween) and they'd have you dump your candy on the x-ray table.

I'm pretty sure it was one of the biggest wastes of medical resources around. No one ever had anything interesting, although there were always rumors about razorblades in apples and stuff. One girl on my bus knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who found a tube covered in white powder in a fun-size Snickers bar. Then again, it was the same girl who kicked her lawnmower when it wouldn't go uphill and lost three toes, so you know.

[dextire]

The best candy I ever got was a full-size fun dip.
The worst "candy" was a caramel apple coated in something white.
Maybe it was flour, maybe every kid in the neighborhood stuck the stupid (and still sticky) apples in his mailbox. :halloween2

[Nick]

Oh, god. I miss Fun Dip so much. Is it even still around? :(

[Kitsa]

It is, but the sticks aren't always vanilla now. It's been "Willy Wonka"-appropriated. Now the sticks have basically the same flavor as what you're dipping them in. I don't know what the point of that is.

When I was a kid I loved the vanilla dipping things. I didn't have much use for the powder other than trying to make some ersatz piss-poor kool-aid with it.

[Zhukov]

:tear

[Sacks]

I think I mentioned it in an older version of a "halloween candy" thread, but I used to make wreaths of those orange and black things and sell them at the hospital where I worked. People actually paid like $45 for them, and they weighed almost 10 lbs. But I thought they were peanut butter, not caramel.

I think I asked you to make me one of those last year or the year before. You were pretty sore about it.

[Nick]

What the hell are those orange and black candies called anyway? Anyone know?

[MailCall]

What the hell are those orange and black candies called anyway? Anyone know?
Indian corn??

[Kitsa]

I don't remember why I would be sore about it...it's just a lot of work and takes one hell of a long time to make/ship. I can do it, if you're prepared to pay for it.

[k0k0]

What the hell are those orange and black candies called anyway? Anyone know?

Orange and black peanut butter kisses. I had to google it.

I've also seen them called Mary Jane Kisses online.

[Evil Robot II]

Remember to drink your fluoride. :(

[executioneer]

Orange and black peanut butter kisses. I had to google it.

I've also seen them called Mary Jane Kisses online.
yeah i remember them being called mary janes i think

FUN FACT: those are also made by NECCO

[Colonel Flagg]

Orange and black peanut butter kisses. I had to google it.

I've also seen them called Mary Jane Kisses online.

yeah i remember them being called mary janes i think

Yes. Mary Janes. They were the worst candy this side of horehound drops.

Remember to drink your fluoride. :(

:conspiracy

[Pentegarn]

Remember to drink your fluoride. :(

I was looking for the specific place where Supafly said what he said in my sig and got to relive some of that today

[kahljorn]

Necco Wafers are the worst. >:

sPCn_jnP9cc

kind of reminds me of green jello for some reason ;/

ALSO ILl stiCK SOMETHINg THAT GOES WITH APPLES UP THAT GIRLS ASS

[elx]

I liked it when I got really random treats -- animal crackers, the new testament, an apple, a whistle, pokemon cards, etc. useless but unexpected and thus, memorable! the only candy that used to really piss me off was banana laffy taffy. :(

[elx]

oh and those caramel apple tootsie pops are my favorite treat of the holiday

[Esuohlim]

I used to love getting those tiny boxes of candy that looked like thin pieces of chalk. Also, King-Size stuff.

I never really got shitty stuff like apples and Necco wafers (which I didn't mind when I did). I don't like Good & Plenty, though, which I remember getting a lot of. My dad loved them though. :\

[Fathom Zero]

I came to like Necco wafers.

I was poor.

[Kitsa]

I use them as gingerbread house shingles and that's about it.

[ThrashO]

Necco Wafers are garbage.

One time when I was a little kid, I got in trouble and couldnt go trick or treating and my mom made me hand out candy.

anyways there was this bitch who lived up the street that I hated and when she came to my house she was like "trick or treat!" and I put a handful of rocks and a small box of staples in her bag. She thought I gave her candy.

My favorites were always anything gummy.

[kahljorn]

you gave her a box of staples?

you got ripped off

[replicant]

I always loved it when I got those little peanut butter squares. The ones that are white and with black stripes on them. Crunchy like Butterfingers.

[ThrashO]

you gave her a box of staples?

you got ripped off

i gave her a box of my moms staples who was the bitch that didnt let me trick or treat.

[executioneer]

i wish i'd kept the hundred-some boxes of off-off brand conversation hearts that I got on clearance when the $1 store went out of business last june

just so I could have handed them out this year and won this thread

[Kitsa]

Any opinion on fast food place coupons? I always got a few of them and never got around to using them.

I used to be au pair to a family with 14 kids, and McDonalds was running a promotion where you got free something (I think cocoa and cookies) if you came in in costume, and so they went there every year. They were like that Duggar family, they completely exploited every "kids eat free" thing they could find. One year I dressed up as a nun and everyone thought I was really a nun taking orphans around :(

[ThrashO]

The only ones acceptable are the ones for a free frosty from wendy's.

[dextire]

I got tired of having to fish candy from three separate bowls every Halloween. So this year I went out and got a GIANT candy bag.

http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/vv150/dextire/Halloween%20Goodies/candy.jpg

There's a little over 20 pounds of candy in there and you can just make out the edge of the candy pile! :halloween
And that snake is the prize for best costume this year. It's one of those "magic" growing toys that are supposed to grow 600% if put in water.
And this one is already 15" long! It's so large I thought it was just a toy snake at first.

http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/vv150/dextire/Halloween%20Goodies/candy-3.jpg

Here's a better view of what's inside the bag. Makes my teeth hurt just to look at it.
I'd say that I'm pretty well prepared for when the trick-or-treaters come knocking on my door this year. :halloween2

[Pentegarn]

I don't like Good & Plenty, though, which I remember getting a lot of. My dad loved them though. :\

Is good & plenty the ones that are licorice flavored?

I don't enjoy licorice in any form

[b_squared]

The worst candy I remember was the mexican candys handed out. There was some sort of candy that looked like a cookie with a rose on it. I think it was made of ashes. blech.
Then there was tamorind/chili concoctions, one was a paste candy and some were lollipops.
Last was some kind of hard candy with a picture of fruit on it. It was ok till you got to the middle. The middle had some kind of fizzy powder in it that tasted like a fruity alka seltzer.

[b_squared]

http://www.alegrofoods.com/images/products/detail/mazapan%20logo.jpg
It's peanut marizipan? Tasted like ashes.

[dextire]

I don't enjoy licorice in any form
The only licorice things I really like are Black Jack gum and the old Jones Black Cat Licorice Soda.

The worst candy I remember was the mexican candys handed out. There was some sort of candy that looked like a cookie with a rose on it. I think it was made of ashes. blech.
Then there was tamorind/chili concoctions, one was a paste candy and some were lollipops.
Last was some kind of hard candy with a picture of fruit on it. It was ok till you got to the middle. The middle had some kind of fizzy powder in it that tasted like a fruity alka seltzer.
I've never heard of the de la Rosa candy (though the description sounds like chocolate covered Mary Janes).
The fizzy candy sounds similar to Zotz, which are awesome. :halloween2

[Sacks]

I went out today and bought 2 bags of random mini candy bars and this bag of 12 skittle dispenser things. There are ghosts that glow in the dark and pumpkins that just sit there and look adorable. Dextire's spread has made me feel embarrassed so I think I might go out and get another big random assorted bag just to fill up the bucket.

[Kitsa]

I've seen really downright irresponsible mexican candy at Jungle Jims. Once I am almost sure I saw either condoms or folded balloons actually encased in hard candy.

My favorites are the tamarind ones that say "THE FLESHY PART OF FRUT".

I'm still going with my full-size snickers/milky way assortment.

[k0k0]

I love snickers but in the same vein, I hate hate hate milky ways. Milky ways, 3 musketeers, and almond joys are the ones that other people like but I absolutely hate.

[Emu]

I used to love getting those tiny boxes of candy that looked like thin pieces of chalk. Also, King-Size stuff.

I never really got shitty stuff like apples and Necco wafers (which I didn't mind when I did). I don't like Good & Plenty, though, which I remember getting a lot of. My dad loved them though. :\

Good 'n Plenty seem to be a dad thing. My dad loves them too.

Dads.

[executioneer]

i like good n plentys :suicidetime

[Pentegarn]

Who did you impregnate Willie!?

[executioneer]

DOESNT MATTER NOW I'M DEAD :spooky :ghost :eek

[Supafly345]

I'm giving out mini-bags of microwave popcorn this year, which I know kids will like, but not as much as candy- so I am giving a handful of candy along with each bag of popcorn. I'm thinking about somehow including blow-pops, I always got excited when I got those as a kid.

[Sacks]

For all you people that have a special prize for best costume. How do you know? What if the first one is really great but all the other ones are crap? HOW CAN YOU EVER BE SURE?

[k0k0]

That is where I'd have problems also. If someone has such a great costume but is the first in the door, I would be wary to give it out. Unless you're taking the kids names and numbers. If that's the case, welcome to jail Don Carlson.

[b_squared]

The fizzy candy sounds similar to Zotz, which are awesome. :halloween2

Zotz were good, these were imitation Zotz, the wrappers were not colorful or fun like the Zots either.

[dextire]

For all you people that have a special prize for best costume. How do you know? What if the first one is really great but all the other ones are crap? HOW CAN YOU EVER BE SURE?
Haha, I never thought about that. I've been doing it for four years now and there's always been one costume (and so far, only one) that stood out as the best.

If I were to run into a situation where two kids had the "best" costume, I'd just give the second one an extra pile of candy.
In fact, that's probably what the first winner really wanted anyway. :halloween2

[Mockery]

Finally finished my big annual review of Halloween candies!

http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/halloween-candy2011/halloween-candies-2011.jpg (http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/halloween-candy2011/)
http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/halloween-candy2011/

[Kitsa]

I've been to two trick or treating events so far (Thursday, Saturday) and I'm noticing a definite theme with the candy. It's all been the cheapo stuff -- dum-dum pops and smarties -- almost exclusively. In the entire haul, I would estimate that a good 80% of it was dum dums and smarties. The remaining 20% was mostly 3-inch twizzlers, those packets of 2 sweetarts, and the itty-bitty (1/3 the size of "fun size") candy bars. My kid got one mini pack of M&Ms, one reese's cup, one package of McDonald's cookies, and a bag stuffed full of ads and useless coupons and other nonsense. What kid is going to give a rat's ass about "20% off all shoe purchases over $150 before November 2nd"?

One lady gives out dum-dums every year, but I give her credit...she wraps each one in a white paper napkin, ties it with an orange, black or purple yarn bow, and draws a little face on it. I have no idea how long it must have taken her but she had a large box full of hundreds of little lollipop-ghosts.

But screw those jerks who list their store on the trick-or-treating map and then just give the kids an ad stuffed in their buckets >:

[Lone Wanderer]

I won a "gummy brain" a year ago as a prize in a zombie costume contest. Same brand as the heart that Rog has. Haven't opened it up yet.

Anybody try one of those two-headed gummy snakes from a few years back?