There’s no disputing it — the best part of Halloween is the candy. We deserve to indulge, but we should still be smart about which candies we choose to snack on. Here’s a guide to Halloween candies worth treating yourself to as well as those worth avoiding.
8 Best:
1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: 110 calories per cup
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While Reese’s may be on the high side for calories, peanut butter is both filling and nutritious. Plus no one can resist the peanut butter and chocolate combo.
2. Snickers: 80 calories per fun size piece
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Snickers take that classic peanut butter and chocolate combo one step further by adding real peanuts and nougat. Snickers also give you some serious candy trading potential, as they’re common in most Halloween combo pack bags from CVS.
3. Starburst: 40 calories per two-pack
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Starbursts are juicy, chewy and low in calories. What’s not to love?
4. York Peppermint Patties: 50 calories per fun size piece
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Peppermint is known to help abdominal woes and digestion. Plus, the refreshing mint flavor keeps you from wanting to eat any more candy…except maybe more peppermint patties.
5. Kit Kat: 70 calories per fun size piece
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Kit Kats may not have many health benefits, but when you can’t help breakin’ off a piece of that, you’ll find solace in knowing that each bar has only 35 calories.
6. Mounds: 80 calories per fun size piece
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The benefits of coconut are numerous. It’s been proven to boost immunity, maintain proper hair health and fight wrinkles. The dark chocolate coating is full of antioxidants too. And really….what better way to get those benefits than from a candy bar?
7. Raisinets: 67 calories per fun size bag
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Raisins provide energy and regulate bone health. They may even aid in cancer prevention. While Raisinets may not be your typical Halloween steal, start bagging them, for they just might keep you around for a few more Halloweens.
8. Peanut M&Ms: 90 calories per fun size bag
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Peanut M&Ms have the same benefits as regular peanut butter, and since it takes you longer to eat all the pieces, you’ll feel fuller and more satisfied.
8 Worst:
1. Dots: 70 calories per mini box
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Let’s be real — who likes Dots? They stick to your teeth for hours and taste stale.
2. 3 Musketeers: 63 calories per fun size piece
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Getting 3 Musketeers on Halloween is like getting socks for Christmas. Like, sure, it’s better then nothing, and you’ll use it, but is that really the best people could do?
3. Candy Corn: 140 calories per 19 pieces
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Candy Corn: one of those treats you feel is essential to eat on Halloween. Yet stay away! The artificial coloring may make them look appealing, but it’s doing more harm than good. Artificial coloring has been linked to ADHD and higher risk of cancer when it’s consumed in large quantities. Candy corn addicts (is that even a thing?), you’ve been warned.
4. Tootsie Rolls: 50 calories per fun size piece
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By the time you’re done chomping on a Tootsie Roll, you wish you hadn’t even started. Eating candy isn’t supposed to be a workout.
5. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate: 77 calories per fun size piece
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Can you say blah? Has anyone ever gotten excited about a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar on Halloween? Correct answer: That’d be a NO.
6. Baby Ruth: 85 calories per fun size piece
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Baby Ruth is high in calories and mediocre in taste. Clearly, that combo lands them at the bottom of our list.
7. Milky Way: 80 calories per fun size piece
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Milky Ways have relatively high amounts of milk fat, and milk fat can increase cardiovascular risk when it builds up on artery walls. Unless it’s a dark chocolate Milky Way, it’s not worth the caloric splurge.
8. Lifesavers/Bubblegum/Anything with a twist wrap — just say no.
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Your mom never let you eat these because they had potentially already been opened and poisoned by a stranger. You can’t eat them or trade them, so it’s a lose-lose.