As spooky season creeps in, it is the perfect time to address one of the most controversial October debates: which Halloween candy is the best? Now, some people might think they have the perfect answer right off the bat, but it’s not quite as simple as a matter of preference. The perfect candy must have consistent quality and quantity, an attractive design, a pleasant texture, and most importantly, it must be delicious.

When deciding which candy is the best, it is important to stay firm with rules, so therefore, any candy that comes in a small pouch, like Skittles or Sour Patch Kids, is immediately disqualified. Despite their appealing flavor, they do not have the same amount of candy in every package and therefore are removed from the contest. This rule also applies to candy that comes in small boxes, like Hot Tamales or Swedish Fish. 

In the case of texture, it is necessary to eliminate both Butterfingers and Smarties. Butterfingers have a very hard and unpleasant interior and a frankly disgusting color that looks like it could give you radioactive poisoning just from eating it. Smarties are great, but they just don’t make the cut because of their unreliable quality. Even Smarties in the same roll can range from being tooth-breakingly hard to melting in your mouth like cotton candy.

For design, almost all candies pass the test, with a few exceptions, like Whoppers or M&M’s. Whoppers face some controversy in terms of taste, but the real dealbreaker is their package design. It’s a boring shade of beige that just screams, “Pick me last!” There is hardly any originality in the logo, and it is just about the least attention-drawing thing ever made. In the case of M&M’s, though they taste amazing, they just don’t show that through their wrapping. The colorful candies did nothing to deserve such a plain brown bag that does nothing to support their other great qualities.

For the final category, taste, there are many options that must be removed from the list. First to go are the little fun-size Twizzlers because, despite how savory the full-size Twizzlers can be, the little ones just don’t do them justice. Tasting them for the first time after only having normal Twizzlers all your life is like expecting an ocean and getting a puddle: disappointing. The second to go has to be Tootsie Rolls, even though there are many people who would argue otherwise. The candy has the flavor of mud licked from a car tire, with an appearance to match. The last cut from this category, naturally, is Circus Peanuts. If you’ve ever had the displeasure of receiving these on Halloween, then you would understand just how they taste exactly like packing peanuts and are textured like old shoe inserts.

So, after all of the eliminations have been done, there are still a few choices left, but the winner is clear at this point. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups conquer all of the categories and are the perfect combination of sweet and salty. The chocolate complements the peanut butter perfectly and the bright orange packaging is a great eye-catcher. Overall, they are the perfect candy for late-night trick-or-treating and are always one of the first to be eaten. 

The opinions of Parkland students also seem to agree with this decision. In a poll taken by 50 PHS students, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups received 36% of the total votes, among many other options, like Twix or Snickers. One student, Jordan Miller (11), said, “[Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have] been a childhood favorite since I can remember. I always look forward to getting them on Halloween.” Students’ other favorites ranged from a variety of chocolates to gummy candies like Sour Patch Kids and even all the way to Fun Dip.