What Do Students Deem the Best Candy?

As Halloween approaches, families in the Charlotte Catholic community prepare for trick-or-treaters by stocking up on candy. Most students view candy as a symbol of Halloween because the sweet treats are so important to the holiday. 

The confectionary industry anticipates record highs in spending on Halloween-related items, according to Forbes. In the United States, Americans are expected to shell out upwards of $3.9 billion on candy alone, an 11% increase from last year’s $3.5 billion. This massive spending on sweets according to Capital One Shopping amounted to 18% of yearly candy sales in 2024. 

Almost all students at Charlotte Catholic say their families will hand out candy this year on All Hallows’ Eve. According to the National Confectioners’ Association, 97% of Americans plan to give out sweets on Halloween. The average household spends about $30 on candy each year.

Even though the majority of students at Charlotte Catholic view themselves as too mature to trick-or-treat, they regard candy as a necessity during the holiday. Sophomore Dominic Thompson said, “I think that people spend a lot of money on candy, but they spend a lot on decorations and costumes as well.”

He thinks that Halloween decorations are more common than decorations for holidays such as Christmas nowadays. When asked if he would trick-or-treat, Dominic said, “No, but I think candy is still important to the spirit of Halloween.” 

Credit: Oriental Trading

Sophomore Andrew Hall said, “I live in a secluded area of my neighborhood, so not many people come to my house for Halloween.” However, Andrew’s family still buys candy to set at the door. “We buy at least one mixed bag of candy every year for Halloween.”

In a survey, 30 Charlotte Catholic students revealed different opinions on the “best” candy brand. The survey did not represent all candy brands. However, students generally preferred Hershey products, as the most popular candy was Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, with six votes, followed by the classic Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, with five. 

The Milky Way Bar, Starburst Original Fruit Chews, and Skittles Original Chewy Candy received three votes each, while the Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme Candy Bar, M&M’s, and the Twix Candy Bar received two votes each. Sour Patch Kids Candy Watermelon, Nerds Gummy Clusters, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, and the 100 Grand Candy Bar each received one vote.

With Halloween around the corner, Americans rush to buy candy at stores and on websites, contributing to a large confectionary market. From little kids in costumes to those not trick-or-treating this holiday, members of the Charlotte Catholic community prepare for Halloween by buying costumes, decorations, and most importantly, sweets.