This week’s edition of the Saturday 6 is focused on Halloween candy, which you’ve probably already stocked up on or are planning to stock up on this week.
It has been many, many years since I did any trick-or-treating, but when I used to, there were certain candies I hoped I’d receive.
So I’ll return briefly to my days of youth to compile my picks for the best candy treats to offer from a kid’s point of view. I’ll also point out that it has been said that all of your favorite Halloween candies are made by only 10 corporations, most of them names you’re quite familiar with. Here’s a chart showing who makes what.
1. Snickers
Snickers is probably my favorite candy bar, so miniature snickers bars were always something I was happy to see. Nowadays, it seems every other child is allergic to peanuts. In my day, apparently, that didn’t happen as often or kids who were allergic somehow weren’t as allergic. So for anyone who might be concerned about handing out candies children may not be able to eat, this one might end up scratched off the list.
2. Hershey’s With Almonds/Hershey’s
I like the almond variety, and I especially like the little bite-sized “Nuggets”  they sell in bags of individually-wrapped pieces like the old miniatures packs they still make. But because of those nut allergies, the plain variety is likely the safer option.
3. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
As you can probably tell by now, I have no peanut allergies. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, it’s worth noting, has been listed as the top-selling Halloween candy, bringing in more than $509.85 million in 2013.
4. Almond Joy/Mounds
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. You can’t go wrong with either one in my book.
5. M&M’s
There are the plain and the peanut varieties, and I’ve also seen other options that include some sort of crunchy variety and perhaps even a few others. In my book, I see no reason to tamper with perfection, so I’ve not even tried the other type(s).
6. Smarties
I know, this seems a bit out of place after the chocolate overload I’ve subjected you to up to now. But Smarties, those little wrapped rolls of individual sugar tablets can provide a nice, albeit temporary, diversion from a trick-or-treat bag full of chocolate candy.
