Your Halloween party isn’t complete without a playlist of the best Halloween songs known to man.
As a homeowner, I want trick-or-treaters to remember my house as one of the good ones.
Sure, Halloween decorations go a long way in helping me achieve that goal, but we all know that kids are only worried about one thing during the spookiest night of the year — their candy haul.
And the last thing I want is to be remembered as “the guy who gives out the worst Halloween candy.”
So, yes, while I love a good handful of candy corn every once in a while, there are plenty of reasons why you won’t see me handing out candy corn to trick-or-treaters this Halloween.
It’s one of, if not the most hated candy for a reason.
And, as someone who used to take part in the tradition, I wouldn’t want to ruin anyone’s night.
I’d be much better off handing out some full-size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — which is consistently rated as one of, if not the best Halloween candies every year, according to Instacart and DoorDash.
M&M’s, Kit Kats, Snickers, Skittles and Sour Patch Kids are other good candies to consider.
READ MORE: From coast to coast — these are the most popular Halloween candies in every state
Of course, that begs the question: What are the top 10 worst candies to hand out for Halloween?
And why are some candies often traded (or thrown away) the moment kids sort through their stash?
The answer will vary for each individual, but there are a select few that can be added to the no-no list. So, before you fill your candy bowl, let’s take a look at my list of some of the worst candy for Halloween.
10. Molasses Kisses, Bit-O-Honey & Mary Jane
I’m grouping these together — not because I don’t like them, but because kids don’t appreciate them.
For some reason, most kids throw these in the “dump pile” without trying them. Maybe it’s the wrapper, maybe it’s the fact that they look like little turds or maybe they just don’t have the palette for it yet.
Either way, kids will remember houses that handed them out — and will certainly avoid them next year.
So, if you plan on going with molasses- or honey-flavored, taffy-like candy, go ahead and bypass the child’s candy bag completely and hand it straight to the parent. That’s where it’ll end up anyway.
9. Jawbreaker
I’ll be the first to admit that I had my fair share of Jawbreakers growing up.
But here's the problem — they're called Jawbreakers for a reason.
These rock-hard spheres are more of a commitment than a candy. And kids aren't looking to spend the next 45 minutes working their way through layers of artificial flavoring while their tongue changes colors.
They want instant gratification, not a dental emergency waiting to happen.
Plus, let's be honest: most kids either try to bite straight through them (risking a chipped tooth) or give up after five minutes and toss them in the trash, never to be seen again.
READ MORE: Fun and healthy alternatives to candy that will make trick-or-treaters smile without sugar overload
8. Tootsie Roll
What is a Tootsie Roll? Is it chocolate? Taffy? Caramel? Or just brown-colored sugar?
Honestly, I'm still not sure — and I don't think anyone else is, either.
Look, Tootsie Rolls aren't necessarily bad, but they're definitely not exciting. If I had to compare them to anything, then they're the participation trophy of Halloween candy.
Kids expect chocolate when they see that brown wrapper, but what they get is this weird, chewy... thing that sticks to their teeth and tastes like chocolate for a brief moment before tasting like nothing.
If you’re going to hand out Tootsie Rolls this Halloween, at least go with the fruit-flavored ones.
7. Nik-L-Nip Wax Bottles
I honestly hate everything about these.
First, you bite off the top of a waxy bottle that has the texture of a candle, which is fine if you're the type of kid who also enjoyed snacking on crayons during art class.
Then, you get about half a teaspoon of sickeningly sweet liquid that somehow tastes like pure sugar and absolutely nothing at the same time — despite the fact that they come in different "flavors."
And let’s not act like the juice is easy to extract. It’s not.
At the end of the day, you’re left with a stained tongue, a vague sense of regret and a chewed-up wad of wax that you don't know what to do with. The whole experience is just... weird.
READ MORE: What to do with all the Halloween candy once the kids have had their sugar-fueled fun
6. Necco Wafers
I don’t eat chalk. Therefore, I don’t recommend eating Necco Wafers.
Seriously, these things taste like someone ground up a roll of antacids, mixed them with dust and pressed them into colorful little discs. They're chalky, flavorless and have the texture of compacted sadness.
I'm not sure who decided these belonged in the candy aisle, but I'm pretty sure it started as a joke.
I mean, are Necco Wafers even considered candy? No, they're a reminder of what candy used to be before we figured out how to make it taste good. And we figured that out a long time ago.
Plus, I would take a Smarties over Necco Wafers any day — and that’s saying something.
5. Wax Lips
Before I say anything, just stop. Seriously, stop buying them.
Wax lips aren't candy — they're a gag gift that somehow ended up in the Halloween aisle and never left. And while they are edible, that doesn’t mean they’re enjoyable to eat. And trust me, they’re not.
They look funny when wearing them as lips, but that’s about it.
So if you've got a bag of wax lips sitting in your cart right now, put them back. Walk away. Grab some Snickers instead. Your house doesn't deserve the reputation that comes with handing these out.
The only thing these accomplish is taking up valuable space in a trick-or-treater's bag — space that could've been filled with literally anything else.
READ MORE: Here’s what your child’s candy-sorting habits say about their personality this spooky season
4. Dubble Bubble or Bazooka
From a nostalgic standpoint, both of these bubble gums are incredible.
To a child, who simply wants to chew some bubble gum, these are a disaster.
Here's the problem: these things are rock-hard when you first unwrap them. Kids have to work their jaws like they're chewing through leather just to get them soft enough to actually blow a bubble.
And by the time they finally get there, their jaw is tired and they're already over it.
But even if they power through the initial chewing phase, the flavor only lasts for about 30 seconds before disappearing completely. Then they're left chomping on a flavorless wad of rubber that only gets harder.
It's not a fun experience. It's a workout designed as candy. And no one wants to workout on Halloween.
3. Good & Plenty
Anything black licorice is a hard no for me. And that’s true any day of the year.
Here's the thing: black licorice is one of the most divisive flavors out there.
Adults either love it or hate it — but kids? They almost universally hate it. It tastes like medicine, smells like a candle shop and has this weird, overpowering flavor that lingers long after you've spit it out.
There’s a reason why Good & Plenty disguised it in a pink and white outer covering.
It’s to make the candy look pleasing from afar. But the second a child bites into one, they’re immediately faced with a mouthful of regret. It’s the biggest Halloween trick in the book — and not much of a treat.
I don’t know who keeps buying these every Halloween, but whoever it is needs to stop.
READ MORE: It wouldn’t be Halloween without candy corn — even if we love to hate it and hate to love it
2. Candy Corn
You either love it or think it’s the most hated candy on Halloween. There’s no in-between.
And honestly? Most kids fall into the second category.
Look, I'll admit it — I enjoy candy corn. There's something about that waxy, sugary texture and the way it tastes like pure autumn nostalgia. But, much like Bazooka bubble gum, kids don't care about nostalgia.
Candy corn is essentially just sugar shaped into little kernels. It's overly sweet, has a weird texture that's somehow both crumbly and waxy, and after about three pieces, you feel like you've hit a sugar wall.
Plus, it’s consistently rated as one of the unhealthiest Halloween candies out there.
It's not getting traded. It's not getting eaten. Instead, it's getting tossed or handed off to a parent who may or may not actually want it.
1. Circus Peanuts
Candy corn is controversial, but Circus Peanuts are worse. Way worse.
First off, why is it shaped like a peanut if it tastes like a banana? Secondly, why does it taste like a banana if it’s orange? And thirdly, why doesn’t it taste like a marshmallow if it’s made of marshmallow?
I'm not even sure how these qualify as candy.
They're like someone took a foam packing peanut, added some artificial banana flavor and decided to sell them as something people should actually eat. But no one eats them. Literally no one.
I would even consider a Peep over a Circus Peanut. And I hate Peeps.
So please, for the sake of your reputation and the neighborhood kids' candy hauls, leave the Circus Peanuts on the shelf where they belong. Forever.
How to avoid handing out the worst Halloween candy this year
If you want to avoid being “that guy” this Halloween, then it’s very simple.
Just buy good Halloween candy. That’s it.
Stick with the classics that kids actually want — Reese's, Snickers, M&M's, Kit Kats, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids. You know, the stuff that gets traded for, not traded away.
And if you want to be remembered as a living legend, then go for the full-size bars.
But whatever you do, stay away from the candy graveyard I just listed. No wax bottles, no candy corn, no black licorice disguised as legitimate candy. And for pete’s sake, stop with the Circus Peanuts.
Just because it's cheap and comes in bulk doesn't mean it belongs in a trick-or-treater's bag.
And if you’re looking for something cheap that comes in bulk, there are plenty of options available.
Dum-Dums are better than anything listed above. Go with Tootsie Pops instead of Tootsie Rolls. Smarties instead of Necco Wafers. Starbursts, Jolly Ranchers, and even those little packets of gummy bears.
Heck, even Hershey's Miniatures or those fun-size Milky Ways will do the trick.
ALSO ON MOD MOMS CLUB: Keep your little ones safe this spooky season with these Halloween safety tips for kids
So do yourself (and the trick-or-treaters) a favor this Halloween: skip the weird stuff, grab the good stuff, and become the house everyone remembers for all the right reasons.
