As the fall leaves change to their colorful hues and pumpkins glow on porches for the spooky holiday of Halloween on October 31, there’s one thing that gets everyone excited: Halloween candy. Each year, a variety of flavors and types overflow the stores. This year’s Halloween candy lineup brings a mix of sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and nostalgia. Every person brings a unique perspective to their candy cravings, so let’s munch into some classic candy tasting, and determine where different candies stand within the hearts of Lincoln Nebraska.
Everyone has different preferences for their desired Halloween candy. Some prefer the crunch of peanuts, while others like the tartness and chewy delights. Lux Middle School eighth grader Candin Seymour is a huge fan of candy, but his heart always goes back to one particular Halloween candy.
“My favorite Halloween candy is definitely Twix bars,” Seymour said. “They have the perfect amount of chocolate and caramel. They have a good crunch and they have a lot of different styles of Twix bars. That is what makes me love Twix.”
Twix is a commonly loved candy bar within the Halloween community along with other chocolate bars such as Hersheys, KitKats, and Snickers. Ever since I was little, I’ve always been a chocolate lover, especially for Hersheys. Typically, I’m the kind of person to stick to something I like, but for the 2025 Halloween season, I’m going to attempt to expand my candy palette and try different kinds of Halloween candy from chocolates to gummies.
While I’ve tried a Twix bar prior in elementary school, it’s been quite some time since I’ve indulged in this caramel masterpiece. I was curious to see if my preference for the candy bar has changed over time. Upon taking the first bite, I was immediately hit with a mix of crunch and chewy. It was just the right combination of sweet and salty without being too overpowering. The only complaint I had was that the stickiness of the caramel did get kind of messy, especially with it sticking all over my mouth. But besides that, this was a fantastic candy to have and would be the ideal caramelly snack for Halloween.
Chocolate bars will always be an all time favorite of mine, but other individuals take a liking to the more gummier side of candy. Jim Rosenberger, English teacher at Lincoln East High School, has three little boys who love Halloween and candy.
“Finn and Hank love anything gummy and colorful,” Rosenberger said. “Nerds clusters, gummy Life Savers, and Skittles would be good examples.”
Previously I’ve never given gummy candies a fair chance; I’ve always just stuck to chocolate. But, I wanted to try a candy on the opposite spectrum of the taste palette, and what better gummy to try then the Sour Patch Kids Extreme. Trying these for the first time, it was definitely different then my preferred sugary treat, but it’s always a valuable experience to try new things. As the name suggests, these gummies were extremely sour with a more intense and tangy vibe compared to some other gummies. While it’s not my personal favorite, it was good to try a new kind of candy for me.
There are so many different candies to choose from for Halloween, but according to a survey where students could select their favorite candy, the all time favorite in Lincoln East High School seems to be Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I’ve had these before, but not often, so I’m glad I get to devour them again for Halloween. These candies have the ideal balance between salty and sweet with just the right amount of crunch combined with a smooth flowy chocolate. It’s no surprise that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups take the spot for number one on the Halloween candy charts, both at Lincoln East High School and all of America.
Expanding your candy palette can enhance the Halloween experience and teach individuals the lesson of trying new things. But no matter the preferences, Halloween candy is about more than sugar, it’s about the memories, the trading, and that feeling of joy when with friends.
“My favorite aspect of trick or treating was hanging out with friends and walking around our neighborhood asking for candy,” Seymour said. “After we were done trick-or- treating, we traded off our candy between each other to get the candy we liked.”
Halloween is the ideal holiday for spending quality time with friends while indulging in some sugar sweets. Whether you’re team chocolate or team fruity, one thing’s for sure: the sweetest part of Halloween is the fun of the feast and friends.
