“It was just immediate. You’re like, 'That’s my granddaughter.”
What are your thoughts on candy corn?
To some, candy corn is hands-down the best Halloween candy and a staple in their household come spooky season as they eagerly await the arrival of these orange, yellow and white triangles each year.
For them, candy corn isn't just candy. It's a ritual — a tradition.
But to others, candy corn represents everything wrong with the holiday and they struggle to understand why so many people feel the need to stock up on bags of it every fall season.
It’s the type of divisiveness that’s worth studying.
Its detractors describe the texture as chalky or similar to eating sweetened candle wax, while fans of it cherish that same distinctive mouthfeel as nostalgic and comforting.
The flavor — essentially pure sugar with hints of honey and vanilla — strikes some as cloyingly one-note, yet others find it to be the perfect embodiment of autumn sweetness.
READ MORE: From coast to coast — these are the most popular Halloween candies in every state
The candy corn discourse has become so heated that people treat their stance as part of their identity.
Social media erupts each October with hot takes, memes and impassioned defenses on both sides — and is perhaps the only candy that inspires such visceral reactions.
In other words, you either grab it by the handful or wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot broomstick.
New data reveals which states love (and hate) candy corn the most
If you want to know how your neighbors feel about candy corn, then Instacart has you covered.
In its “Halloween Sweet Tooth” study, published Sept. 29, Instacart “calculated the share of candy orders that contained candy corn purchased on the Instacart platform in the month of October” in 2024.
It then compared each state’s results to the national average — and the ensuing data was surprising.
While there are people in every state that sway one way or the other, Mississippi and Nebraska topped the charts with 92% and 91% more orders than the national average, respectively.
Other states that favored candy corn included Kentucky (77%), Iowa (73%), Kansas (71%) and South Dakota (70%) — so, basically, the Midwest and a lot of the South.
But if you live in Hawaii, then you probably think candy corn is the worst Halloween candy.
READ MORE: You might think it’s too soon for Halloween decorations — but your neighbors clearly disagree
According to Instacart, “Hawaii ordered candy corn 55% less often than average, followed by Washington, D.C. (-50%) and Florida (-43%).”
Other states that ordered candy corn less than the national average include California, New York, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and most of the Northeast.
People are even divided on how to eat candy corn
If you’re not debating its likeness, then you’re probably debating the right way to eat it.
As the Halloween season approaches, the National Confectioners Association conducts a survey that asks candy corn enthusiasts one of Halloween’s most important questions:
What is the right way to eat candy corn?
In 2024, more than half (57%) of all respondents said that they eat the whole piece at once — and I’d like to bet that a lot of those people don’t stop at just one at a time.
I, for one, usually start with at least five pieces at once.
But if you’re not putting the whole piece in your mouth, then 28% of respondents said they start with the narrow white end, while the remaining 15% eat the wider yellow end.
Don’t worry, the flavor won’t change — so this is purely a preference.
What is candy corn made of — and how much is too much?
Candy corn has a surprisingly straightforward ingredient list that hasn't changed much since its creation.
First developed in the 1880s by a Wunderlee Candy Company employee named George Renninger, candy corn was initially marketed as “Chicken Feed” due to its resemblance to kernels of corn.
The primary candy corn ingredients include sugar, corn syrup, salt, sesame oil, honey, artificial flavor, food colorings, gelatin and confectioner's glaze, per USA Today.
It doesn’t hold any nutritional value and is generally considered gluten-free, but is packed with sugar.
Happy #NationalCandyCornDay! Love it or hate it, Candy Corn is a #Halloween staple! Check out how it's made. pic.twitter.com/gGqsV0Heou
— The Chew (@thechew) October 30, 2017
According to NBC News, one serving size of candy corn (19 pieces) equals roughly 140 calories and 28 grams of sugar — and it’s usually ranked as one of the least healthy Halloween candies.
The American Heart Association recommends no more than 36 grams of added sugar per day for men and 25 grams of added sugar per day for women.
At the end of the day, candy corn is usually a once-per-year indulgence for most people.
Whether you love it or hate it, a few pieces during the Halloween season won't derail your health — but perhaps it’s best to save the full bags for decorative purposes rather than solo snacking sessions.
ALSO ON MOD MOMS CLUB: A South Carolina family’s spooky Halloween setup is so realistic it’s sparking 911 calls
After all, candy corn's greatest power might be its ability to spark debate, not its nutritional profile. And in that regard, it remains undefeated.
