FREAKY FUN FACTS ABOUT HALLOWEEN CANDY

Many kids (and parents) look forward to Halloween for the candy treats more than the festive costumes. For some fun facts on your favorite Halloween food including snack-size bars, gum, and candy corn, read on. You might be surprised by how many other parents are dipping into their kids' trick-or-treat stashes.

With 93 percent of kids trick-or-treating, candy remains the cornerstone of most ghoulish gatherings. Adults love taking part in trick-or-treat action too. In fact, 90 percent of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their children’s candy collections! Here are some more fun facts about this favorite festivity:

Tasty Trivia

• Halloween night nibbles. Bite-sized chocolate candies are the most popular type of candy to
be included in Halloween activities (76 percent), followed by bite-sized non-chocolate
candies (30 percent).
• Favorite finds. Eighty-four percent of kids say candy and gum are their favorite treats to receive
when trick-or-treating.
• Snack-size snitches. Parents admit that their favorite treats to sneak from their kids’ trick-or-treat
bags are snack-size chocolate bars (70 percent sneak these), candy-coated chocolate pieces
(40 percent), caramels (37 percent), and gum (26 percent).
• Sweets for the sweet. Only 7 percent of kids (6-11 years) say they would keep their candy all to
themselves if they received lots of Halloween treats. Instead, most would either share some with
their family (66 percent), their friends (64 percent), or their teachers (26 percent).

Candy Cornology

• Candy corn is born. Candy corn has been around for more than 100 years. George Renninger, an
employee of the Wunderle Candy Company, invented candy corn in the 1880s. In 1900, the
Goelitz Candy Company (now Jelly Belly Candy Company) started producing candy corn and
still produces it today.
• A farmer’s favorite? Because of its agricultural appearance, candy corn was an immediate favorite
among farmers. The tri-colored design was considered revolutionary for its time and the public
loved it.
• Christmas and Cupid Corn. Today, candy corn is not just for Halloween any more. Candy
makers have made Reindeer Corn for Christmas, Cupid Corn for Valentine’s Day and Bunny
Corn for Easter.
• Enough to go around (and around)! More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be
produced this year. That equates to nine billion pieces- enough to circle the moon nearly four times if laid end-to-end.

Article courtesy of the National Confectioners Association.

See Also:

How to Throw a Festive Halloween Party for Kids and Adults

Tips for a Healthy, Happy Halloween