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In a world of exotic superfoods and esoteric craft beers, it can be easy to forget the simple things — like shopping for Halloween candy. If your week is packed and you just remembered that hordes of trick-or-treaters will show up at your door next Tuesday, we’ve got you covered.
We surveyed a couple of Center City stores (CVS at 1424 Chestnut St. and Target at 19th and Chestnut) to get an idea of what’s available, and then calculated which candy offers the best value. Price per ounce was a main consideration — exactly how much sugar can you give out for each hard-earned dollar? — but we also factored in some other concerns, like whether your choice will make the neighborhood kids hate you forever or if you’ll even want to finish the leftovers.
Here, in order, are your best bets for last-minute trick-or-treat candy in Philly.
No. 1: Hershey ‘Assortment Chocolate Mix’
Price: $9.62 for 2 lb., 8 oz. bag (24¢/oz.)
If you’re looking to please all comers, opt for this mixture of Reeses and Kit Kats. For the picky eaters who swear don’t like chocolate and peanut butter, you’ve got plenty of alternate candy to dole out.
No. 2: Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, snack size
Price: $4.99 for 10.5 oz. bag (47.5¢/oz.)
Bonus: Buy one, get one free with CVS card (28¢/oz.)
Most of us remember being handed these tiny, foil-wrapped nuggets of chocolate and sugary peanut butter — and being generally thrilled about it. But these aren’t them! These are just smaller versions of the regular peanut butter cups. Still, if you’re looking for a solid deal, have a CVS card and want to make kids happy, try snagging these.
No. 3: Snickers Scream
Price: $4.99 for 10.5 oz. bag (47.5¢/oz.)
Bonus: Buy one, get one free with CVS card (28¢/oz.)
Not sure what the scream part entails: According to the bag, these are the same heaping of nuts, caramel and chocolate that’s in non-ghost-bearing Xtreme Snickers. But sometimes a scary cartoon face goes a long way.
No. 4: Kit Kat Minis
Price: $4.79 for 11 oz. bag (44¢/oz.)
Bonus: Five bags for $15 with CVS card (27¢/oz.)
Buying in serious bulk for the 10-year-old Captain Americas and Wonder Womans (Ed note: Wonder Women?) swarming your door next week? With a CVS card, you can snag five bags for $15 — every kid on the block is sure to get that sugar rush their parents try so hard to avoid.
No. 5: Mars ‘Crunchy & Crispy Lovers’
Price: $19.99 for 4 lb., 6 oz. bag (29¢/oz.)
What better time is there to drop 20 bucks on almost five pounds of candy? This overwhelming, sugary assortment of M&Ms, Snickers, Twix and Maltesers will probably have you covered for Halloweekend… and well into Thanksgiving.
No. 6: Jelly Belly
Price: $2.39 for 2 lb. bag (7.5¢/oz.)
Okay, so maybe they’re a little out of season, and they’re also not individually wrapped, which probably explains why you can buy two pounds for just over two bucks. But hey, who doesn’t crave a black licorice jelly bean every now and then (or want them as ammo to shoot at siblings after you eat the good flavors)? Grab some festive snack bags and a few spooky twist ties and make your own treats.
No. 7: Chewy Lemon Head
Price: $7.99 for 21 oz. bag (38¢/oz.)
Why anyone would buy a whopping 21 ounces of sticky, sour, eye-watering Lemon Heads is beyond us. But hey, they’ll give little palates a break from all the sweetness, and it’s tough to beat the $0.38-per-ounce cost (unless you choose to eat a lemon whole at a slightly lower price).
No. 8: Reeses Peanut Butter Pumpkins
Price: $4.99 for 10.2 oz. bag (49¢/oz.)
Nothing like scribbling “boo” on a bag of Reeses to get everyone in the mood. These pumpkin-shaped, peanut butter and chocolate candies are sure to be a crowdpleaser— not that Reeses has the best track record for realistic confectionery art.
No. 9: Reeses Peanut Butter Ghosts
Price: 4.99 for 10.2 oz. bag (49¢/oz.)
Described on the bag as “peanut butter enrobed in white cream,” these are a little different than your average chocolate bar. Still, they’re bound to melt in everyone’s hands all the same.
No. 10: Starburst minis (unwrapped!)
Price: $2.12 for 8 oz. bag (26.5¢/oz.)
We’re not sure whose idea it was to make Starburst candies even smaller, or why they think we want them without wrappers. But if you’re in a pinch — or super low on cash — and are ok with handing out something that isn’t melty, gooey chocolate, here you go. If you go this route, use the jelly bean bags or get a napkin or something.
No. 11: Dove Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate
Price: $4.99 for 7.94 oz. bag (63¢/oz.)
If you’re planning your own Halloween get-together this weekend — one that doesn’t involve trick-or-treating — snag some of these. Throwing some Dove chocolates into a fake-crystal bowl will always make you look more calm and composed than you actually were during the work week.
No. 12: Hershey’s Cookie Layer Crunch
Price: $4.79 for 6.3 oz. bag (76¢/oz.)
For when you want something more original than humdrum candy corn and chocolate and have a little pocket money to spend. Sure, they’re a little pricey, but this combination of caramel, chocolate and cookies has a strong “new” factor in its favor.
No. 13: Ring Pop Party Pack
Price: $6.56 for 10 oz. bag (66¢/oz.)
2003 is back, and for some reason it’s sitting in the Target on 19th and Chestnut. Points for nostalgia are almost cancelled out by the price.
No. 14: Jolly Rancher
Price: $5 for two 13-oz. Bags (19¢/oz.)
If you need 26 ounces of hard candy — which most trick-or-treaters will probably say you do not — this is probably the best sale you’ll find. Bonus: It could double as a Christmas gift for that one weird friend who loves cinnamon Altoids.
No. 15: Archer Farms Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn
Price: $2.99 for 7 oz. bag (43¢/oz.)
Basically, you’re getting this for a personal pick-me-up after handing out candy, struggling with decorations and crafting your own last minute costume.