“Trick or treat! Smell our feet! Give us something good to eat!” We don’t know where that idiom came from, but it’s burned into our brains at the age of 5 and above. Trick-or-treating has been a tradition in the United States for more than 100 years. And if you want to keep the little ones satisfied – and avoid having your yard’s trees filled with toilet paper – you’ll take the time to invest in some quality Halloween candy. Here are ones we’d love at any age.
All the favorites
Halloween has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated each Oct. 31. People lit bonfires and paid homage to the dead. Villages sometimes disguised themselves in animal skin costumes to drive away unwanted guests while food was left out to placate any evil spirits. This collection features some of the best-known candy of the past 50 years, including M&Ms, Snickers, Starburst fruit chews and Twix – the one bar we can never say no to.
Buy Now: M&M’S Milk Chocolate, SNICKERS Chocolate Candy Bars, TWIX Caramel Cookie Bars, STARBURST Chewy Candy & 3 MUSKETEERS Chocolate Candy Bars Bulk Assorted Halloween Candy
For older children
Centuries ago in the Middle Ages, people began dressing as ghosts and other creatives and performed antics in exchange for snacks. The act was known as “mumming” and it’s considered the start of trick-or-treating. These clever rings honor the Mexican holiday known as Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead when friends and family gather to pay respects to the dearly departed. During the event, candy sugar skulls are often given as gifts. This box has 18 rings in three colors and three flavors.
Buy Now: Halloween Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Lollipop Rings
Snap them open
Fortune cookies aren’t a Halloween tradition – yet – but things could change if you try this option this fall. Credit a Chinese immigrant who owned a Los Angeles noodle shop for inventing these treats. In 1918, he created this cookie to pass out to poor people in his neighborhood. Honor his spirit with these orange and black cookies, each with a Halloween message inside.
Buy Now: Halloween Fortune Cookies
A twist on tradition
The Barnum and Bailey Circus may not have invented animal crackers, but it perfected and popularized the tasty biscuits in 1902. More than 50 animals have been represented in the boxes since then. This pack includes Halloween-themed cats and bats. Each is topped with icing and sprinkles. These are a great alternative to chocolate and other sugar-heavy treats.
Buy Now: Mother’s Circus Animals Halloween Cookies
Sink your fangs into these
Ever wonder how much candy to buy for trick-or-treaters? The common formula is to multiply the numbers of hours you plan to hand out candy against the number of visitors per hour and then against the number of treats handed out per visitor. For example: 3 hours times 70 kids per hour times 3 pieces per kid – that’s 630 pieces of candy. Wow. Unlike those waxy and tasteless treats of our youth, these vampire and monster mouths are made with a gummy material so kids will really enjoy them. Your tiny visitors will also be thankful for offering something so memorable.
Buy Now: Gummy Monster Teeth and Lips Candy
