The National Confectioners Association estimates that Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States and that 93% of children will go trick-or-treating each year.

Although all candy is free for trick-or-treaters and most kids will take anything with a smile, they tend to consume and categorize candy to what is known as the Halloween Candy Hierarchy, a research that was conducted in 2006 with thorough testing and re-testing…

• TOP TIER - (not suprisingly, exclusively chocolate-based)
  • Milly Way — Snickers — Peanut M&M’s — Regular M&Ms — Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Junior Mints — regular old Hershey Bars* — Twix

• SECOND TIER - (also exclusively chocolate, after fending off a few intruders)
  • Kit-Kat* — Nestle Crunch — Almond Joy — Mounds — Tootsie Rolls* — Dark Chocolate Hershey Bars — Fair Trade Chocolate — Butterfinger

• THIRD TIER - (also referred to as the chewy range or, in some circles, the Upper Chewy or Upper Devonian)
  • Milk Duds — Starburst — Jolly Ranchers (if a good flavor) — 100 Grand Bar

• BOTTOM TIER - (the Lower Chewy and Gummy-Based, also the Middle Crunchy Tart Layer)
  • Dots — Lollipops — Nerds — Whoppers — Swedish Fish — Gummy Bears straight up — Licorice — Anything from Brach’s — Hard Candy — Bubble Gum — LemonHeads — LaffyTaffy — Including the Chiclets (but not the erasers) — Jolly Ranchers (if a bad flavor) — Black Jacks — Bottle Caps — Smarties

• Tier so low it does not register on our equipment
  • Healthy Fruit — Pencils — Lapel Pins — Extra Strength Tylenol

For more ideas on what to pass out for Halloween check out The Etiquette of Handing Out Halloween Candy article on Stuffmagazine.com.