Halloween 2023: Your complete guide to the best and worst candy, best trick-or-treating locations in Utah and more

Margaret Darby
·5 min read
Here’s a look at the best and worst candy ideas for Halloween.
Here’s a look at the best and worst candy ideas for Halloween. | Dan Goodman, Associated Press

The scariest thing about Halloween might be checking out your candy after a long night of trick-or-treating only to find out you’ve been given none of your favorite treats and all the bad ones — which are apparently circus peanuts and candy corn, per Candy Store.

This year, Halloween is bigger than ever. So maybe it is safe to accept exceptional trick-or-treating in 2023, especially in Utah, according to data from Instacart.

“More Americans than ever will be reaching into their wallets and spending a record amount of money to celebrate Halloween this year,” National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Consumers will be shopping early for festive décor and other related items and retailers are prepared with the inventory to help customers and their families take part in this popular and fun tradition.”

Let’s take a look at which Halloween candies are most popular and where the best locations are for trick-or-treating.

What is the most popular Halloween candy in the U.S.?

These are the candies most likely to end up on your trick-or-treating stash. According to Candy Store, these are the most commonly purchased Halloween candies. Making it back into the top 10 this year is candy corn, and M&M’s are beginning to threaten Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups’ No. 1 position.

  1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

  2. M&M’s.

  3. Hot Tamales.

  4. Skittles.

  5. Sour Patch Kids.

  6. Starburst.

  7. Hershey’s Kisses.

  8. Candy corn.

  9. Hershey’s Mini Bars.

  10. Snickers.

What is the best Halloween candy in the U.S.?

Among the “best” Halloween candies in the U.S. are Snickers and Sour Patch Kids, per data from Candy Store.

  1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

  2. M&M’s.

  3. Snickers.

  4. Hot Tamales.

  5. Skittles.

  6. Sour Patch Kids.

  7. Hershey Bar.

  8. Kit Kat.

  9. Twix.

  10. Butterfinger.

What is the ‘worst’ Halloween candy in the U.S.?

Circus peanuts, known for their stale texture and mild flavor, claimed the spot as “worst” Halloween candy in America, per Candy Store. At No. 2 is candy corn, which ironically holds a spot among the most popular Halloween candy.

  1. Circus peanuts.

  2. Candy corn.

  3. Necco Wafers.

  4. Peanut Butter Kisses.

  5. Wax Cola Bottles.

  6. Mary Janes.

  7. Smarties.

  8. Licorice.

  9. Bit-O-Honey.

  10. Tootsie Roll.

Utah cities rank for best trick-or-treating

In honor of Halloween, Instacart launched a tool which provides every ZIP code with a “Scare Score,” or, how much Halloween spirit their community has. Candy, costume and spooky decor purchases are all factors Instacart uses to determine how much holiday spirit each ZIP code has.

This year, two Utah cities ranked in the top 10 — Lehi, Utah, took the No. 1 position with a 100 Scare Score and Saratoga Springs, Utah, came in fifth with a 98.5 Scare Score.

“It’s worth noting that half of Halloween’s Best Haunts are in Utah and Texas — two states that clearly love to get into the Halloween spirit. So whether you find yourself in the picturesque landscapes of Utah or the sprawling Texan towns, you’re in for a Halloween treat,” notes Instacart.

Here are the top 10 U.S. cities for trick-or-treating, according to Instacart:

  1. Lehi, Utah.

  2. Dallas, Texas.

  3. Houston, Texas.

  4. Southlake, Texas.

  5. Saratoga Springs, Utah.

  6. Chicago, Illinois.

  7. Beaumont, California.

  8. Garden City, New York.

  9. Moorestown, New Jersey.

  10. Lancaster, California.

Most popular Halloween candy by U.S. state

This year, U.S. spending on Halloween Candy is predicted to be more than $12.2 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. The most popular Halloween candies nationwide include: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, M&M’s, Hot Tamales, Skittles and Sour Patch Kids. Below is a breakdown of favorite Halloween candies by U.S. state, per data from Candy Store.

  • Alabama: Skittles, Starburst, Hershey’s Mini Bars.

  • Alaska: Twix, Sour Patch Kids, Milky Way.

  • Arizona: Hershey’s Kisses, Hot Tamales, Snickers.

  • Arkansas: Butterfinger, Jolly Rancher, M&M’s.

  • California: M&M’s, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Skittles.

  • Colorado: Milky Way, Hershey’s Kisses, Twix.

  • Connecticut: Almond Joy, Milky Way, M&M’s.

  • Delaware: Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, Life Savers.

  • Florida: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Skittles, Hot Tamales.

  • Georgia: Jolly Ranchers, Swedish Fish, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

  • Hawaii: Hershey’s Mini Bars, Skittles, Butterfinger.

  • Idaho: Snickers, Starburst, candy corn.

  • Illinois: Sour Patch Kids, Kit Kat, Starburst.

  • Indiana: Starburst, Hot Tamales, Jolly Ranchers.

  • Iowa: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, M&M’s, Hershey’s Mini Bars.

  • Kansas: M&M’s, Sour Patch Kids, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

  • Kentucky: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Hot Tamales, Swedish Fish.

  • Louisiana: Lemonheads, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Blow Pops.

  • Maine: Sour Patch Kids, candy corn, Starburst.

  • Maryland: Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s Mini Bars, Reese’s Cups.

  • Massachusetts: Butterfinger, Sour Patch Kids, Double Bubble Gum.

  • Michigan: Starburst, candy corn, Butterfinger.

  • Minnesota: Hot Tamales, Tootsie Pops, Skittles.

  • Mississippi: 3 Musketeers, Snickers, Butterfinger.

  • Missouri: Almond Joy, Milky Way, Hot Tamales.

  • Montana: Twix, M&M’s, Double Bubble Gum.

  • Nebraska: Sour Patch Kids, saltwater taffy, Twix.

  • Nevada: Hershey’s Mini Bars, Hot Tamales, Hershey’s Kisses.

  • New Hampshire: Reese’s Cups, M&M’s, Starburst.

  • New Jersey: Tootsie Pops, M&M’s, Skittles.

  • New Mexico: Hot Tamales, candy corn, Hershey’s Mini Bars.

  • New York: Sour Patch Kids, Hot Tamales, candy corn.

  • North Carolina: M&M’s, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey’s Mini Bars.

  • North Dakota: Hot Tamales, candy corn, Jolly Ranchers.

  • Ohio: Blow Pops, M&M’s, Starburst.

  • Oklahoma: Skittles, Double Bubble Gum, Snickers.

  • Oregon: M&M’s, Reese’s Cups, candy corn.

  • Pennsylvania: Hershey’s Mini Bars, M&M’s, Skittles.

  • Rhode Island: M&M’s, Twix, candy corn.

  • South Carolina: Skittles, Butterfinger, candy corn.

  • South Dakota: Starburst, Jolly Rancher, candy corn.

  • Tennessee: Tootsie Pops, Salt Water Taffy, Skittles.

  • Texas: Sour Patch Kids, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Starburst.

  • Utah: Candy corn, Tootsie Pops, M&M’s.

  • Vermont: M&M’s, Skittles, Milky Way.

  • Virginia: Butterfinger, M&M’s, Hot Tamales.

  • Washington D.C.: M&M’s, Tootsie Pops, Blow Pops.

  • Washington: Tootsie Pops, saltwater taffy, M&M’s.

  • West Virginia: Hershey’s Mini Bars, Blow Pops, Hot Tamales.

  • Wisconsin: Butterfinger, Hot Tamales, Starburst.

  • Wyoming: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, saltwater taffy, Double Bubble Gum.