I’m fairly easy to please when it comes to Halloween candy. Just hand over those delightful mini dark chocolate Hershey bars! But what about the candies that just don’t get any love this Halloween? There’s some movement at the top of the list, and I don’t think it’s any surprise. But according to the sugar-loving people at Candystore.com, candy corn is no longer at the top of the list. This year, it’s Circus Peanuts that top the list of Worst Halloween Candy. The rest of the top five consist of #3 peanut butter kisses (not the cups!), then at #4 Necco Wafers, and at #5 those wax Coke bottles. Ick.

But where are the best places to do your trick-or-treating? Oh, we all know the “good” neighborhoods with the full-size candy bars, but when you check the list of the Best Places For Halloween Nationwide, you’ll find just one Florida city in the top five - Miami. The rest of the top twenty has Orlando at #11, and Tampa just making it at #20. What did WalletHub use to come up with that list? They took a look at candy and chocolate stores per capita, to the average price per Halloween party ticket for those killer parties, to share of potential trick-or-treat stops. Picky, picky picky! But when it comes to our all-time favorite candy in Florida, it’s those wonderful Reese’s Cups, followed by Skittles and Hot Tamales third.

But when you’re picking up all those candy wrappers and trying to get those kids to come down from the sugar rush, you have to think about those teeth. Dr. Kami Hoss wrote “If Your Mouth Could Talk: An In-Depth Guide to Oral Health and Its Impact on Your Entire Life,” and he has plenty of advice on how we should be brushing our teeth, when the best time to do that is, and what foods you might want to avoid. Did I ever tell you about my $3,000 gummy bear? One sticky chew managed to help crack a tooth and resulted in a cap. ‘Nuff said. Let Dr. Hoss tell you all about it here.

Finally, let’s not forget our pets during Halloween. They can get scared by all the door-bell ringing, not to mention all the noise so make sure they have a pleasant place to spend the holiday. You’ll also want to keep them away from the candy, since xylitol and chocolate are toxic for pets. Here’s a little more advice from the choice of pet costumes and more. If you do have a cute pet Halloween photo to share, let’s see it!

Have a happy Halloween, and stay safe!

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM ANN KELLY’S KITCHEN

“Have you come to sing pumpkin carols?” - Linus (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)

©2022 Cox Media Group