What’s your favorite and least favorite Halloween candy? —Lauren F., Crestwood
This week, as we wandered the Halloween candy aisles eyeballing bags of the usual suspects, we stepped back in time to recall the candy of our youth. What hasn’t been discontinued has either fallen into disfavor or is hard to find and expensive.
Find the best food in St. Louis
Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene.
Besides plentiful Snickers, Milky Way, and 3 Musketeers bars, I remember Chuckles, Pixy Stix, Bonomo Turkish Taffy, and Chunky, Bar None, Bun, and Caramello Bars. Then there was the fun, oddball stuff, such as Wax Lips, bubble gum cigars in pastel colors, red-tipped candy cigarettes, candy bracelets, candy buttons on paper tape, and Nik-L-Nip—the wax bottles containing flavored sugar liquid. (The name comes from the original cost, a nickel, and having to “nip” the top off of the wax bottle to access the contents.)
Over the years, my favorite has always been Snickers (especially the three-bite Fun Size) as well as its offshoots: Snickers Almond, Snickers Dark, and especially Snickers Crisper. I like ’em at room temp, refrigerated, frozen, and even the long forgotten melted messes stashed in my glovebox.
As for least faves, I never was much of a candy corn fan, although as a kid, I did enjoy biting off the three different “flavors” one at a time. Regardless, the confection has many devotees: roughly 35 million pounds (9 billion pieces) of the sugar-and-corn-syrup-based triangles are produced for the fall season each year. Last on my list is Necco Wafers, those little chalky discs that come in an unusual assortment of flavors, including clove, cinnamon, and licorice. And the one candy that I could never bring myself to even try was the coconut-covered Chick-O-Stick, which thankfully contained no chicken. The name was off-putting enough.
We asked local chefs, restaurant owners, candy makers (one a self-admitted candy corn lover), and radio show hosts about their fave and least fave Halloween candy.
CHEFS & RESTAURATEURS
Natasha Kwan, Frida’s, Diego’s, Bonito Bar, Station No. 3
- Favorite: My kid self would say Almond Joy because coconut, almonds, and chocolate are amazing. My adult self: Peanut M&Ms. Enough said.
- Least favorite: Any candy that you bite into and your teeth get stuck. Oh, and pencils. They’re not a candy, but come on… And nickels! My mom gave out both.
Brant Baldanza, OG Hospitality Group
- Favorite: I appreciate the accidental THC gummy, but I’m also happy with a Kit Kat.
- Least favorite: Candy corn. Be done with it. Give it the ol’ “cancel culture” routine. My other least favorite is the plain jane, mini Hershey bars. Gimme a break. Have some creativity for this one night event.
Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe, Peacemaker Lobster & Crab, La Tertulia:
- Favorite: It’s a tossup between a 100 Grand bar and a Payday. Both are crunchy delicious with salty and nougaty goodness.
- Least favorite: Candy corn
Qui Tran, Mai Lee, Nudo House
- I love all Halloween candy except for candy corn, which is just awful. It just tastes like all the worst artificial things you could squeeze into a piece of wax.
Caryn Dugan, Center for Plant-Based Living:
- Favorite: I have a really hard time turning down a Snickers bar.
- Least favorite: Smarties
Steve Gontram, 5 Star Burgers:
- Favorite: The glory days of candy manufacturing seems to have passed us by. It all seems to be Milky Ways and Kit Kats. My faves don’t seem to get handed out anymore: Charleston Chews, Zero, Marathon… Otherwise, I’d probably still be out there trick or treating at my age. I’m also a sucker for Haribo Gummy Bears.
- Least favorite: Candy corn, hands down.
CANDY MAKERS
Janet Shulman, The Caramel House
- Favorite:
- That I make: My English Toffee Krack, a butter-crunch-melt-in-the-mouth toffee sprinkled with organic Missouri pecans, drizzled with white and dark chocolate. People tell me it’s everything you would ever want in a candy.
- That I don’t make: Gotta be a Twix bar.
- Least favorite: Circus peanuts. They’re neither a delightful circus nor a peanut…and the texture is yuck!
Dan Abel, Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate
- Favorite: A tie between Twix and Peanut M&M’s.
- Least favorite: Candy corn
Andy Karandzieff, Crown Candy Kitchen
- Favorite: Homemade popcorn balls made by the neighbors, so I was allowed to eat them [as a kid]. And I’ll always be a sucker for Reese’s peanut butter cups—although our peanut butter cups are way better.
- Least favorite: Almond Joy, because when I was little, I hated coconut and did not appreciate almonds yet.
Brian Pelletier, Kakao Chocolate:
- Least Favorite: Now that I know more about what goes into it, is what I affectionately refer to as “gas-station chocolate.” Most mass-produced candy is not only made from really bad chocolate, but it also includes artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives that are super unhealthy and just plain gross.
- Favorite: That said, I really do enjoy a few pieces of candy corn now and then!
Meggie Mobley, Bijoux Chocolates
- Favorite: 100 Grand bars. They remind me of the Little Debbie Star Crunch cookies with the caramel and rice puff milk chocolate. Those cookies were such a treat in my lunch box as a kid, and the candy takes me back to that. Plus, my mom loves them, and they remind me of her.
- Least favorite: Probably Snickers or Twizzlers. I’ve never liked licorice of any kind, so Twizzlers are out. As for Snickers, I love peanut butter and chocolate, but I don’t care for peanuts and chocolate together. I can’t explain it—it makes no sense!
RADIO SHOW HOSTS
We’d heard that radio personality Julie Buck was a fan of candy corn, so we asked her along with radio mate John Carney:
Julie Buck, The Big 550, KTRS
- Favorite: I love me some Whoppers, and candy corn in the fall is like a religious experience.
- Least favorite: Ghost peeps
John Carney, The Big 550, KTRS
- Favorite: Snickers and Reese’s, which are especially good if they come out of my kids’ trick-or-treat bag.
- Least favorite: Almond Joys hit the trash can hard.
Follow George on X and Instagram, or send him an “Ask George” email at [email protected]. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe, sign up for the newsletters, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
