Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the fact candy corn is the poster child for Halloween candy.
There are many reasons why candy corn should forever be considered the staple candy for Halloween — one of the many reasons I enjoy candy corn so much is the unique texture and taste of the kernels.
Even though there are different brands of candy corn, the taste stays roughly the same throughout each – and what a unique and nostalgic taste that is.
The main flavors of candy corn are buttercream, vanilla, marshmallow and honey. Buttercream is always an underrated flavor in food and drinks, so adding that buttery and creamy taste with other distinct taste profiles just creates this wonderful flavor that reminds me of fall.
Candy corn’s texture plays a crucial role in the enjoyment and uniqueness of the candy. It has a waxy texture but one that makes for a smooth consistency as it goes from firm to chewy as you eat it. The texture combines many of the beloved candies into one: the chewiness of a Snickers and the softness of a 3 Musketeers.
Even though there isn’t any nutritional value in candy corn, it’s still a special candy for a specific time of the year. As long as it’s ingested in moderation, it’s fine. It doesn’t matter how healthy candy corn is. It’s Halloween! Nobody is eating candy for its health value.
Every holiday has a staple food item, so why shouldn’t Halloween?
Christmas has candy canes, Thanksgiving has turkey, New Year’s Eve has champagne, collard greens and black-eyed peas for lunch the next day (at least in the South) – even the Fourth of July has hot dogs as a staple! Candy corn is the staple item for Halloween, point blank.
Candy corn has been around since the 1880s and became a well-known Halloween sweet treat in the 1950s. Although it was originally coined as a Christmas treat, it later became popularized with children once individually wrapped packages of candy started being given out to trick-or-treaters. The connection to Halloween came about because of their yellow, orange and white pyramidal structure, best suited for the autumnal holiday rather than the winterish green-and-red-jolly-Christmas one.
Not only is it one of, if not the, easiest candy to eat, candy corn can also be used as decoration. The Halloween candy can easily be displayed in a bowl on the coffee table or the centerpiece of the dining room table surrounded by fall and Halloween decorations when people are over.
A snacking staple in my family, and many others, has been to mix peanuts with candy corn in a bowl and eat them together which creates a sweet and salty taste. It’s quick and easy for tailgating or a house party happy hour.
On top of being a great decorative and yummy addition to social gatherings, candy corn is also extremely cheap to buy, sitting on average roughly $2 a bag at Kroger or Walmart, making it a budget-friendly purchase.
While many people may not like it for whatever reason, saying there’s no reason to like candy corn or that it’s not the Halloween poster child is insane. There should be no argument as to why candy corn is and should always be considered a Halloween staple.
Categories: Opinion
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