Around this time of year, overindulging in sweet treats is basically a necessity. Candy is a huge part of the Halloween holiday, and there is a clear monopoly of what is preferred. 

Some great choices go neglected, and this year we need to explore the less popular but just as tasty options. 

At the top of my list of underrated Halloween candy is Butterfinger. As a community, we need to give Butterfinger the recognition it deserves. This candy is the perfect mix of sweet milk chocolate and crispy, salty peanut butter middle. 

My next underrated option is 3 Musketeers. The nougat center has proven to be controversial, but it continues to be included in the mix of candy that is thrown into the plastic pumpkin baskets of eager trick-or-treaters.

For the readers out there that enjoy a more fruity option, Nerds continue to fly under the radar. The crunch partnered with the colorful box and precious cartoon characters on the packaging makes this candy stand out to me. Let’s give it some recognition this year. 

Back to the chocolate category, Heath bars are a fantastic choice, but only the mini version. Mini Heath bars are simply superior to the full size. Call me crazy, but the smaller size makes the sweet toffee center much more manageable and enjoyable. Truetreatscandy.com comments that a Heath bar is “the perfect combination of soft, smooth, and crunch,” and I absolutely agree. 

My final underrated honorable mention goes to Sweet Tarts. This fruity and perfectly tart treat is overlooked year after year. Sweet Tarts are the perfect ending to a night full of overly chocolate candies. 

While the candies mentioned above need to be in the spotlight this year, there are also recurring candies that need to be sent to the graveyard. 

Tootsie Rolls. Do I need to elaborate on this one? No, but I will. Tootsie Rolls are consistently at the bottom of the candy totem poll, so why do they keep showing up? I think it is high time that they are banished from the candy section of any Halloween display. 

Next on the chopping block is Lemon Heads. I am not sure that I have ever met someone who genuinely enjoys receiving Lemon Head candies. They have basically taken one of the most unpopular fruity candy flavors and decided they should sell them separately. It is a no from me. 

Another unhonorable mention goes to both Almond Joy and Mounds. These two bars have almost identical packaging, and yet neither of them hit the mark. Both of these options just don’t have the qualities that make a choice top notch. 

My final disappointment of the Halloween season is Dots. This cursed candy haunts those with a sweet tooth every year. Dots are the wicked and evil step cousin to Swedish Fish, which are also not impressive. If I could eliminate one candy it would be Dots. 

This Halloween, let’s make conscious candy choices. Take a minute to sit back and really think about the true winners and losers of the Halloween season. Let us also appreciate and recognize the unsung heroes of the  candy industry.