candy – Topical Fruit

The King of Chocolate Covered Foods Is Bacon

Did you know there is a map breaking down every state’s favorite thing to dip in chocolate? Most of the picks are exactly what you would expect. A few are questionable. And one of them absolutely should have stayed a secret.

Let’s start with the big headline:

Across the country, the most popular thing to cover in chocolate is bacon. Yes, bacon. Somewhere, a cardiologist just sighed very deeply.

Chocolate covered bacon takes the top spot overall, thanks largely to Middle America really leaning into the sweet and salty chaos. Bacon is the number one choice in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. That is a lot of states agreeing that pork belongs in dessert.

Bananas come in as another big favorite. They are the most popular chocolate covered item in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Virginia. Respectable. Classic. Nobody is mad at chocolate bananas.

Chocolate covered nuts also had a strong showing, which feels very on brand. Almonds are number one in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Pecans take the top spot in Arkansas, Louisiana, and South Carolina. Peanuts win in South Dakota, while macadamia nuts rule in Hawaii. These states are all nuts, literally.

Strawberries, the romantic overachiever of chocolate foods, are the favorite in Alaska, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wyoming. Meanwhile, cherries win in Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and West Virginia. This feels like something you would order off a menu without questioning it.

Then things start to get weird.

California prefers chocolate covered blueberries. Pennsylvania goes with apples. New Jersey chooses pineapples, which feels aggressively tropical for that state. Kentucky likes chocolate covered grapes, while Illinois and Washington, D.C. prefer raisins, which are just grapes that gave up.

Ohio chooses chocolate covered pickles, which raises several follow-up questions no one wants answered. Florida goes with popcorn. Delaware picks pretzels. North Dakota prefers potato chips. Idaho and Kansas opt for coffee beans, which feels like a cry for caffeine help.

And then there is North Carolina.

North Carolina’s favorite chocolate covered item is crickets. Actual insects. Covered in chocolate. Somebody had to say it, and unfortunately, somebody did.

The Top 10 Airport Snacks in America (and the One Nobody Likes)

Nothing at the airport is cheap. Somehow grabbing your own bottled water and a bag of chips turns into a “premium dining experience.”

But when you’re facing delays, crying toddlers, and that guy in front of you who still doesn’t understand how TSA works, a comfort snack can save the day.

A new analysis looked at keyword search data around airports across the U.S. to figure out which snacks travelers crave the most when they’re stuck at Gate C12. The results might not surprise you… but they say a lot about how we cope with travel stress.

Here are America’s Top 10 Airport Snacks:

Oreos – The undisputed king of emotional eating.
Jack Link’s Beef Jerky – The snack for people who pretend they’re on a rugged road trip instead of a delayed connection in Dallas.
Cheetos Puffs – Proof that cheese dust is the real MVP of travel.
Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot – For the bold, the brave, and those who don’t mind orange fingers.
Twizzlers – Great for sharing, or for smacking your seatmate when the Wi-Fi goes down.
Sour Patch Kids – A sweet-and-sour distraction from gate changes.
Dunkin’ Donuts – Because caffeine and carbs are the only things keeping us functioning at 6 a.m.
Welch’s Fruit Snacks – For parents convincing themselves this counts as “healthy.”
Doritos Cool Ranch – The scent of these alone can clear an entire boarding area.
Haribo Gummy Bears – Timeless, chewy, and a solid way to keep the peace on a long flight.

And the least-loved airport snack? Chobani Vanilla Yogurt.

Sorry, health-conscious travelers… apparently no one wants to balance their laptop, boarding pass, and a spoon while sprinting to their gate. (Interestingly, it did rank highest in Massachusetts, where maybe travelers are just better at multitasking.)

So next time you’re running late and debating whether to splurge on snacks, remember: Oreos top the charts for a reason. Sometimes a little sugar therapy is just part of the ticket price.

Trick-or-Treating Is Out, Trunk-or-Treating Is the New Candy Hustle

It’s official: kids are ditching the sidewalks for the asphalt.

The newest Halloween craze isn’t trick-or-treating… it’s trunk-or-treating. Because nothing says spooky season like begging strangers for candy in a parking lot.

A TikTok went viral where some guy explained that he was horrified to learn his cousin didn’t want to go old-school trick-or-treating this year… and instead, they’re hyped for trunk-or-treating. Apparently, knocking on doors just doesn’t hit as hard as “Halloween tailgating.”

If you’re out of the loop, trunk-or-treating isn’t new. It started in the ‘90s but has blown up post-Covid as a “safer” and more convenient alternative. Instead of walking miles for mini Snickers, kids wander around a parking lot where adults hand out candy from decked-out car trunks. Think less “neighborhood stroll,” more “haunted Costco experience.”

It’s easy to see the appeal: parents like the controlled environment, and kids get a concentrated sugar haul with elaborate car setups that make Pinterest jealous. It’s like Halloween, but with Bluetooth speakers and folding chairs.

Of course, whether trunk-or-treating replaces the classic door-to-door tradition depends on where you live. Some suburban neighborhoods still go all out with fog machines and full-size candy bars. But in big cities or rural areas, the parking lot party just makes more sense.

And let’s be honest… the smartest kids are doing both. Hit the neighborhood and the lot, double the sugar, double the cavities.

When Are Kids Too Old to Trick-or-Treat? Here’s What People Think

Is there an expiration date on free candy? A new survey has sparked debate over one of Halloween’s most controversial questions: How old is too old to go trick-or-treating?

According to the poll, 12 years old is the most popular cutoff, with 12% of people saying that’s when kids should hang up their pillowcases. Coming in close behind are ages 13, 14, 15, and 16. A tiny but shockingly stern 5% think 10 is too old, which sounds like the kind of rule made by someone who also yells at clouds.

But here’s the twist: the most popular answer by far wasn’t an age at all.

A full 26% of people said there shouldn’t be an age limit for trick-or-treating at all. So if your 17-year-old cousin shows up in a killer costume, maybe don’t slam the door in his face.

Of course, enthusiasm tends to go down if the costume is just a hoodie and a muttered “I’m a serial killer, they look like everyone else.” Effort matters, people.

And while we’re on the subject of Halloween etiquette, the survey also asked what people plan to do when trick-or-treaters come knocking. Good news: 61% say they’ll be handing out candy like the Halloween heroes they are. Another 21% admit they’ll be pretending not to be home, and 10% say they’re still undecided (possibly waiting to see how many mini Snickers they can eat before the 31st). Then there’s the 2% of cold-hearted ghouls who say they’ll answer the door just to tell kids they’re not giving out candy. Bold move.

Whether you’re team “free candy for all ages” or firmly in the “12 and under only” camp, one thing’s for sure: Halloween continues to stir up strong opinions.

And if you’re a teenager hoping to keep the tradition alive, maybe just skip the hoodie and go all in on something spooky, funny, or clever.

After all, candy tastes better when it’s earned with a little effort.

Dentist Says: Go Ahead, Eat All Your Halloween Candy at Once

It’s the kind of professional advice kids dream about: a real, actual dentist just gave Halloween the green light to go full sugar overload.

Dr. Olivia Mason, a dentist from West Virginia, has gone viral for suggesting that when it comes to protecting your teeth, eating all your Halloween candy in one sitting is actually better than dragging it out over days or weeks.

Yep, you read that right.

Dr. Mason, who runs Almost Heaven Family Dentistry near Wheeling, told her local news station that from a dental health perspective, a sugar binge is technically less harmful to your teeth than snacking on candy day after day. The reason? Frequent exposure to sugar gives cavity-causing bacteria more time to do their thing. If you’re only attacking your enamel once instead of over and over, your teeth (weirdly) come out ahead.

So if your kid housed their entire candy haul in one night, don’t panic—they may have accidentally made the dentist-approved choice. Just maybe not the stomach-approved one.

Of course, Dr. Mason did clarify that this strategy isn’t exactly a health win overall. Eating a mountain of candy at once isn’t easy on your digestive system, and might end in some serious sugar regrets. But when it comes to dental hygiene, it’s kind of a smart play.

She also dropped some candy wisdom: the worst offenders for your teeth are sticky, chewy treats like Starburst or Jolly Ranchers. Those little guys cling to your enamel and can be tough to brush away. Chocolate, while still sugary, melts more quickly and doesn’t stick around as long—which makes it slightly less evil in the eyes of your dentist.

The advice might sound like a Halloween fever dream, but it checks out.

The American Dental Association has shared similar guidance over the years, noting that it’s better to consume sweets in one sitting rather than snack on them all day.

Just make sure to follow it up with a good brushing, plenty of water, and ideally, a visit to the dentist sometime before next Halloween.

So go ahead, let the kids dive headfirst into their pillowcases full of candy. Just maybe keep a trash can—and a toothbrush—close by.

The Halloween Candy Your Kids Won’t Miss (and You Totally Can Steal)

Looking for Halloween candy you can “borrow” from your kid’s stash without facing a full-blown tantrum?

Good news: there’s now a ranked list of sweet treats that adults love way more than kids do. Translation? You can swipe these guilt-free.

A poll from a few years ago compared candy preferences between adults and kids aged 8 to 14, and it turns out there are quite a few classics kids wouldn’t even notice if they mysteriously vanished. At the top of the list: Dove Dark Chocolate Bars, which kids apparently see as the broccoli of the candy world. Adults, however, are living for them.

Here are the top 10 candies kids are least likely to care if you swipe:

Dove Dark Chocolate Bars
Andes Chocolate Mints
Almond Joys
Mixed nuts (Okay, not candy, but still fair game.)
Baby Ruth bars
Butterfingers
Restaurant mints (like those wrapped ones by the register)
Heath Bars
York Peppermint Patties
Whatchamacallits

Basically, if it’s chocolatey, nutty, or minty, your kid probably won’t fight you for it. These are your Halloween safe zone.

But beware: not everything is up for grabs. The same poll found the exact candies that kids are way more into than adults. So unless you’re ready to start a candy-fueled uprising, steer clear of these:

Sour Punch Twists
Pop Rocks
AirHeads
Nerds
Gummy Bears
Ring Pops
Double Bubble gum
Sour Patch Kids
Welch’s Fruit Snacks
Pixy Stix

Basically, if it fizzes, pops, sours your mouth, or dyes your tongue a shocking color, it’s sacred. Hands off.

So go ahead, dig into those Almond Joys and York Patties with zero shame. Just maybe wait until they go to bed—because even if they don’t like them, they might suddenly decide they need them the moment you’re caught with a wrapper in your hand.

Halloween Candy Odds: What Kids Are Most (and Least) Likely to Get

You send your kid out in a $40 costume with a $3 plastic pumpkin, hoping they return with enough sugar to last through Thanksgiving. But what exactly are they bringing home? Here are their Halloween candy odds.

The stats nerds at the online gambling site The Action Network crunched numbers from DoorDash, Instacart, and other candy sources, and came up with Vegas-style odds on what will be landing in that bucket.

So, when your kid walks through the door with a pillowcase full of sugar, you’ll know the odds of finding what you’re looking for. Here’s what your little monster is most (and least) likely to drag home.

10 Candies with the Highest Odds

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – 67%

Practically a Halloween guarantee. If your kid doesn’t come back with at least one, did they even go out?

Peanut M&M’s – 65%

Solid choice. Somehow feel healthier even though they’re not.

M&M’s – 62%

The peanut-free classic ranks first in most likely to break open and be found loose in the bottom of the bag.

Kit Kat – 60%

Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar and toss it directly into my face.

Snickers – 58%

When your neighbors go full-size, it’s usually this. Respect.

Sour Patch Kids – 55%

First they’re sour, then they’re gone. Kids trade for these like they’re currency.

Hershey’s Milk Chocolate – 50%

The bar that started it all. Still holding strong.

Milky Way – 45%

Like a Snickers without the crunch. The soft-spoken cousin.

Twix – 33%

Whether you’re Left Twix or Right Twix, you’re still only getting one.

Gummy Bears – 33%

Classic, chewy, and just the second non-chocolate candy on the list.

Tricks in the Treats: The Low-Probability Oddballs

Candy Corn – 23%: You either love it or hate it. There is no in between.
Raisins – 4%: Someone out there still thinks this counts as a treat. It doesn’t.
Toothbrush – 2%: There’s always one house, usually owned by a dentist with a guilt complex.

If you live in Mississippi, your kid has a 46% chance of getting candy corn. But kids in Hawaii can breathe easy, just an 11% chance.

Happy Halloween! May the Reese’s odds be ever in your favor.

The States That Love Halloween the Most… and the Ones That Are Party Poopers

Spooky season is officially here, and a new survey ranked how much each state actually loves Halloween.

Turns out the most obsessed trick-or-treaters live in… Delaware, Idaho, and North Dakota. Those three scored a 4.2 out of 5 on the Halloween Spirit Scale, which basically means their houses are covered in fake cobwebs and 12-foot skeletons before October even starts.

Nipping at their heels are Alabama, California, Iowa, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. So if you live there, expect to see entire neighborhoods that look like Tim Burton movie sets and parents competing for “Most Over-the-Top Front Yard” like it’s the Olympics.

But not everyone’s feeling the spooky spirit. Arizona landed dead last. Maybe it’s hard to get in the Halloween mood when it’s 102 degrees outside and your Snickers melts before it hits the candy bucket.

Wisconsin, Montana, Hawaii, South Carolina, Nebraska, Virginia, Alaska, North Carolina, and Georgia also didn’t exactly scream “boo” with enthusiasm.

Now, let’s talk candy, because Halloween isn’t Halloween without it. The average American household buys 4.5 bags of candy every year, and nearly half of us go straight for the party size bags. Altogether, 132 million households stockpile about 745.8 million pounds of candy every Halloween season.

So whether your state goes full haunted house or barely carves a pumpkin, one thing’s clear: America runs on sugar, costumes, and a little bit of chaos. And for some of us, spooky season doesn’t end…it just hibernates until next August.

Chocolate Tastes Better… If You Eat It with This Song

As if chocolate wasn’t already carrying the team, science has decided to give it a hype track.

A researcher in the U.K., Dr. Natalie Hyacinth, has composed a piece of music that supposedly makes chocolate taste even better when you listen to it. Because clearly what chocolate was missing all this time… was taste.

Dr. Hyacinth reviewed 60 years of research on something called multisensory integration… basically how your brain smashes together different senses to shape experiences. Then she used it to write a tune built around “flavor-enhancing sonic qualities” like pitch, tempo, and harmony. Translation: chocolate now has a theme song.

It’s called “Sweetest Melody.” It’s about 64 seconds long, and that’s no accident… that’s roughly how long it takes a piece of chocolate to melt in your mouth. (If it melts faster than that, it might have been a ‘pocket chocolate,’ amirite?)

The track is now on Spotify and YouTube, so you can test it yourself. Just grab some chocolate, press play, and see if it suddenly tastes like you’re eating Godiva on a silk pillow.

Worst-case scenario, you’re still eating chocolate while vibing to music, which is about as close as adulthood gets to “living the dream.”

Science has shown for years that high-pitched sounds make things taste sweeter, low tones bring out bitterness, and tempo can change intensity. But until now, no one had the courage to say, “What if we used this power… to encourage chocolate consumption?”

So next time you unwrap a Hershey bar, skip the background Netflix noise and let “Sweetest Melody” serenade your taste buds. Who knows? With the right playlist, maybe even candy corn could taste edible.

(Here’s video of Dr. Hyacinth talking about the experience.)

The Perfect Gift for Kids? A Candy Bar and Cash

If you’re the kind of person who shops early, picks out meaningful gifts, and even wraps them with precision… this isn’t for you.

But if you’re more of a last-minute, “oh no the birthday party is TODAY” type, this might just change your life.

A writer for Slate recently shared her accidental discovery of the ultimate kid gift: a candy bar and a $20 bill.

It started as a desperation move. She forgot to buy a gift for a kid’s birthday party and, in a panic, slapped a $20 bill around a Kit Kat.

She figured it looked lazy compared to the other gifts the kid would get. But surprise! The kid lit up and shouted, “Money AND candy?” Instant win.

Even better, the parents followed up later to say it was his favorite gift. They loved it too—because it wasn’t another plastic toy they’d trip over by Tuesday.

Now it’s her go-to gift for every birthday, holiday, or kid-adjacent event. Zero stress. No wrapping.

No guessing what a 9-year-old’s into this month. And no fear of being the person who buys a duplicate LEGO set.

It’s simple, it’s sweet, and it spends well. So next time you’re at a gas station on the way to a birthday party, grab a Hershey’s and 20 bucks. You’ll look like a genius.