Most Hated Halloween Candy

These Halloween candies elicit groans and grimaces each year.

As Halloween approaches, so does the age-old debate about the least-loved treats in the trick-or-treat bag.

From those that make kids and adults alike grimace to those with an infamous reputation, these are the most despised Halloween candies this year according to Shiny Smile Veneers, who surveyed over 1000 people.

20. Lemonhead

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Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 10.7%

Lemonheads are a “you either love ’em or hate ’em” item — there’s no real in between.

Fans of this sour to sweet candy are ride or die, but generally, they’re not considered a major Halloween score.

19. Dubble Bubble

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 10.9%

Gum is always fun, but not necessarily on Halloween.

Dubble Bubble comes in a few flavors — original (classic pink), pink-lemonade, Blue-Razz, apple, sour cherry, crape, and watermelon, but it doesn’t hold onto them for more than a few chews.

18. Laffy Taffy

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 11.4%

Laffy Taffy sticks to your teeth to the degree that the experience of eating it is almost not worth it. While it does come in a few different flavors (strawberry and banana being the best of them), all of it feels like it tastes basically the same, despite that variation.

17. Smarties

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 12.9%

While Smarties are an an inexpensive Halloween treat, there’s not much to them.

These fruity, tart candies are called “dry, chalky and tiny” by those who don’t like them. However, there are bigger Smarties (about the size of Mentos) if you are a fan.

16. Jelly Beans

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Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 13.6%

Jelly beans aren’t the worst candy you could get, and some of them are tasty, but they are not a Halloween favorite. They’re a little more suited to Easter. Furthermore, there’s also the issue of how to hand them out, as they typically don’t have their own packaging.

15. Tootsie Roll

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 13.8%

One of the few chocolate items on this list. One person tweeted, “Tootsie rolls taste like shoe leather soaked in coffee-flavored molasses and hate.”

Personally, we don’t see the issue — a little chocolate at Halloween is always a good thing.

14. Nik-L-Nip Wax Bottles

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 13.9%

To enjoy wax bottles, you “pop the top” (bite off the top part of the bottle) and a sweet liquid of a dubious fruity flavor comes out.

Wax bottle candies were big in the 1970s and 80s, and we’re frankly surprised to see that they made this list because we didn’t think they were still being made.

13. Mentos

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 14.3%

Sure, they’re “the Freshmaker,” and when you need minty breath they’ll do the job, but as a Halloween treat, many believe Mentos are a dud, and not the yummy milk kind.

An underwhelming treat for someone who many not know how Halloween works.

12. Cadbury Creme Egg

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 14.6%

A few years back, the Cadbury “Screme” Egg existed. They tasted like a regular Cadbury Creme Egg, but had a gooey green yolk. People loved them, but they were discontinued.

The only reason we can think that the Cadbury Creme Egg made this list is because they’re mostly associated with Easter. As far as we’re concerned, they’re a score at any time of the year!

11. Red Hots

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 14.9%

A cinnamon-flavored candy that isn’t true cinnamon, but is sweet and hot nonetheless.

They’re not for very small children, as they can be too hot, nor are they good for aging teeth. There is indeed a “sweet” spot for their enjoyment.

10. Almond Joy

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 16.7%

Who? Why? How? This are another item that has inexplicably made the list and is one of the most polarizing. Mounds (not on this list) is much like Almond Joy but with dark chocolate and no almond.

So why do people like one and not the other? According to one Redditor, “I love Mounds because I like the contrast of dark chocolate and super sweet coconut. Almond Joy is way too sweet with the milk chocolate (and I usually only eat milk chocolate).”

9. Dots

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 17.7%

We’re not sure if the people surveyed are describing the gummy candy above or the candy dots that are stuck to paper. The latter would be a little harder to give out on Halloween, so we’ll go with these, which are not liked by the general populace.

According to one writer on Thought Catalog, “They’re chewy in that horrible stick-to-your-teeth-for-the-rest-of-the-week way, and they’re the only gummy candy that actually tastes like they’re made out of horse hooves, even though they’re not. In fact, Dots are vegan—in addition to being gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and FUN-FREE.”

8. Brach’s Pumpkins

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 18.5%

The cousin to candy corn, Brach’s pumpkins are made via a starch casting process. Known as “Mellowcreme” Pumpkins, these are the most popular candy pumpkins.

While they are shaped like pumpkins, they don’t have any real pumpkin taste — just overt sweetness, which after a few of them, puts you off of sugar for weeks after.

7. Peeps

Walmart

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 21.5%

Unlike Cadbury, Peeps have leaned into Halloween and offer a variety of shapes such as monsters, ghosts, pumpkins and skulls.

While there are percentage of people who do not like them (mostly stating they are “overpoweringly sweet”), they do make for cute Halloween treats and kids don’t seem to mind getting them.

6. Bit-O-Honey

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 21.6%

OId candies we didn’t know still existed, but they do and people not like getting this peanut butter taffy confection on Halloween.

One Redditor said, “My teeth started hurting just thinking about these.”

5. Jawbreaker

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 21.7%

The pros of jawbreakers: you can get plenty sugar in just one piece, and if they’re big enough, you can sculpt them with your mouth.

The cons of jawbreakers: they can do some serious damage to your teeth, and they might be too sugary for some people.

4. Atomic Fireball

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 23.9%

An Atomic Fireball is basically a hot (i.e., cinnamon) Jawbreaker, so tooth damage and too much sugar are still big complaints.

Both the Atomic Fireball and the Jawbreaker are being discontinued by the original maker, Ferrara Candy. If you do like them, get them while supplies last.

3. Hot Tamales

Amazon

Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 26.1%

Yet a third cinnamon candy that people don’t particularly like in a Halloween treat bag, mainly because they are too hot and can do considerable damage on teeth.

One Redditor also revealed a deep, dark secret about the candy that may make you think twice: “Everyone loves Hot Tamales, but I saw (an episode of) ‘How It’s Made’ on them. They were just rejected Mike and Ikes that (the company) didn’t want to waste but need a strong flavor to mask all the mixed fruit flavors of the rejects so they use cinnamaldehyde to do it. After watching that, I couldn’t eat another Hot Tamale.”

2. Candy Corn

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Percentage of people who hate receiving this candy: 36%

The top dog of the most hated Halloween candy, its detractors state that candy corn is too sweet with no contrasting flavor. Furthermore, it has an insect element to it. Candy corn is coated with confectioner’s glaze, which is made from a secretion from the lac bug.

Nevertheless, candy corn remains a holiday staple — nine billion pieces of it are produced annually, so it still has plenty of fans.

1. Bonus: Circus Peanuts

Amazon

Circus peanuts didn’t make the list, but there are few people that are happy to get these orange, peanut-shaped, banana-flavored marshmallow candies on Halloween.

They do, however, have an important place in history — in 1964, product developer John Holahan cut them up and put them in his Cheerios, which gave him the idea for the “magically delicious” cereal, Lucky Charms.