The Most Popular Halloween Candy in Every U.S. State
It's officially the sweetest time of year as popular candies like Twizzlers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and M&M's take over store shelves in preparation for Halloween. But according to a survey conducted by grocery delivery service Instacart, not all candy is loved equally across the country.
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As it turns out, there's power in classics. The most popular candies in America in 2020 were Peanut M&M's and M&M's, the company shared with Travel + Leisure, accounting for more candy sold by weight on the site. Those picks were followed by Reese's, Hershey's, and (the sometimes controversial) Twizzlers. Candy corn, another contentious candy, came in at No. 8 on the list with people from Mississippi the most likely to buy it.
Courtesy of Instacart
Courtesy of Instacart
"As soon as October kicks off, we start to see an increase in folks adding Halloween candy to their orders as a way to get in the spirit for All Hallows' Eve," Laurentia Romaniuk, Instacart's trends expert, told T+L. "There's a nostalgic element about trick-or-treat candy that brings you back to being a kid and enjoying the simple pleasures in life, which is perhaps one reason candy on Halloween is paramount!"
Courtesy of Instacart
In fact, more than half of Americans think candy is more important on Halloween than the actual costumes themselves, according to the September survey, in which 2,000 people participated.
According to Instacart, 43% of all candy purchases in October are placed during the last week of the month, and Oct. 31 is actually the peak day for buying Halloween candy (the company says they can deliver the sweet treats as fast as 30 minutes for any last-minute candy needs).
When it comes to having a sweet tooth, Utah, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, and Washington purchased the most candy, the site told T+L. While North Carolina, Florida, New York, Iowa, and Connecticut bought the least amount of candy for Halloween.
Courtesy of Instacart
Of course, candy cravings aren't just for kids: 53% of parents with kids under 18 said they would absolutely or probably sneak some of the kiddos' candy haul.
These are the most popular candies in each state, according to Instacart:
Alabama: Starburst
Alaska: Red Vines
Arizona: Red Vines
Arkansas: Candy Corn
California: Red Vines
Colorado: Candy Corn
Connecticut: Twizzlers
Delaware: Swedish Fish
Florida: YORK Peppermint Patty
Georgia: Starburst
Hawaii: Red Vines
Idaho: Red Vines
Illinois: Twizzlers
Indiana: Twizzlers
Iowa: Twizzlers
Kansas: Candy Corn
Kentucky: Candy Corn
Louisiana: Life Savers
Maine: Swedish Fish
Maryland: Twizzlers
Massachusetts: Swedish Fish
Michigan: Twizzlers
Minnesota: Twizzlers
Mississippi: Candy Corn
Missouri: Twizzlers
Montana: Red Vines
Nebraska: M&M's
Nevada: Red Vines
New Hampshire: Swedish Fish
New Jersey: Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Chocolates
New Mexico: Werther's Original
New York: Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Chocolates
North Carolina: Candy Corn
North Dakota: Twizzlers
Ohio: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Oklahoma: Snickers
Oregon: Red Vines
Pennsylvania: Swedish Fish
Rhode Island: Swedish Fish
South Carolina: Life Savers
South Dakota: Skittles
Tennessee: Candy Corn
Texas: Sour Patch Kids
Utah: Swedish Fish
Vermont: YORK Peppermint Patty
Virginia: Candy Corn
Washington: Red Vines
Washington, D.C.: Lindt Truffles
West Virginia: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Wisconsin: Twizzlers
Wyoming: Red Vines
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
