Beyond the costumes, Halloween is all about the candy. We all loved to trick-or-treat when we were younger, and now that we're older, we're excited by the sales on the stuff November 1. But have you ever wondered how some of our seasonal favorites got their start? Look no further for a little Halloween Candy History 101.
1. Skittles
Although they've been getting some odd publicity with the Trump family's comments about them, Skittles add a fruity side to the holiday. The candy was first invented in the United Kingdom in 1974 before coming to the United States in 1982 and sticking around. Today, they are produced by the Wrigley Company and known for their social media presence. They also come in a variety of fruity mixes. But let's be honest, we all know the limes ones are the best - we only have to taste the green section of the rainbow.
2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Trader Joe's makes some pretty good ones, but Reese's has always been the one to make peanut butter covered in chocolate famous. Created in 1928 by a former dairy farmer for Milton Hershey, the cups have always incorporated Hershey's chocolate. They are now the top selling candy in the United States, coming in three different sizes and a multitude of flavors. For Halloween, you'll even find them shaped into pumpkins.
3. Candy Corn
The great debate of Halloween: is candy corn tasty or not? Regardless, it's popular, with nearly 35 million pounds being produced each year. The "mellow cream" made of fondant, marshmallow, and food coloring was invented in 1880 by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company. Today, it's made by the Jelly Belly Candy Company, and is done by machines rather than by hand. It also comes in a variety of flavors for different holidays. And for those of you like myself who will defend it to the death, it's also fat (and guilt) free!
4. Twizzlers
Beyond being one of the best candies to shape into things and be silly with, Twizzlers are also the most famous kind of licorice. Another Hershey Company favorite on the list, it's also one of the oldest candy manufacturers in the United States. They started out as part of the National Licorice Company with the cherry flavor they're still known for today before expanding in the 1970s and developing flavors such as grape and strawberry. There have even been "rainbow" flavors of the treat where you get multiple flavors in a single strand. Sounds like their saying could be "taste the rainbow."
5. Kit Kats
Ranked the #1 Halloween candy according to vox.com, Kit Kats are a classic that's hard to argue with. The crispy wafer cookie covered in chocolate finds its roots across the pond, where Kit Kats or Kit Cats were terms for mutton pies eaten by political clubs of the same name. In the 1920s, Rowntree's in York started to develop their "Chocolate Crisp," which later became the Kit Kat, a sweet that "a man could take to work in his pack." Today, the candy is made by the Nestlé company and distributed globally. Although they seem pretty simple to us, they come in a variety of flavors in Japan, such as baked potato, soybean, and chery blossom.
