Trick or Treat: Step Away from the Candy Bowl!

With Halloween just around the corner, this is the time of year when we make that dreaded purchase. Candy. Lots of candy. It’s on special everywhere. Bags and bags. Gooey, chewy, crunchy, stick to your dental work, stuff.  And each year, we try to pick candy that we don’t like. This is hard to do. For each year, we’re reminded that there isn’t much that we actually dislike.

Chocolate vs. Marshmellow

In our house, there are two teams. Chocolate Lovers (me) and Marshmellow Mavens (Jeff). This, of course, means that any candy including either ingredient is out of the running for Halloween.  Our philosophy: don’t bring into the house anything that either of us might like to snack on. Standing in front of the candy aisle at the supermarket, we can be overheard having this exact discussion. Small children have been known to shun us.

But Candy is Everywhere

When I go to the bank (notice – I didn’t say the ATM), there is a huge stash of candy to pick through as you wait in line.  I think this significantly improves customer service. Especially when I see Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. God outdid himself the day he prompted H.B. Reese to resign from Hershey and create a new candy company. Combining chocolate and peanut butter is pure genius!

Back to the Supermarket

And so the challenge is once again before us. What should we buy that we won’t eat? In the past, we’ve opted for Butterfingers. Nestle describes the candy as a crunchy peanut butter core covered in chocolate. Sounds delicious. But there is something about the dry texture which bothers me. Plus, it gets all caught up in your teeth like toffee or taffy. Dentists must love it.

But Are We Being Fair to the Little Children?

After all, Halloween is about the kids. Shouldn’t we be giving out candy that we think the little tykes will love? Candy that is truly delicious? M&M’s Plain and Peanut. Milky Ways. Snickers. What can be the harm in buying those wonderful treats?

We All Deserve a Little Halloween Fun

So this year, things will be different. Instead of buying the candy we like the least, we’re going to purchase the candy we love the best. And then, we’ll try to remember to turn on the outside porch lights on October 31st. And no matter how loud the television is blasting, we’ll listen for the doorbell. Heck, we might even stay in that night instead of going to a movie. Who knows? Trick or treat – and the best of the evening to you and yours – and all the little children.