The Best Candy

Buying Guide

Young children to grandparents all love candy. It’s hard not to, with its sugary sweet taste, interesting textures and variety of colors and flavors. Candy is the perfect little snack in the late afternoon, when you need something sweet after dinner or when you just want to relax with a nostalgic treat. With so many different types of candy to choose from, where do you begin?

From hard and brittle candies to gooey and chewy ones, there is a wide selection of candy to explore. One of the most popular varieties are chocolate bars, which come in a range of sizes. Chocolate bars often are mixed with different flavors such as peanuts, dried fruit and mint, and can be milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate. Caramels, which are essentially cooked sugar and water, can come in hard or soft varieties. Similar to caramels are hard candies, which people love to suck on slowly as they dissolve in their mouths. Lollipops are a type of hard candy that is on a stick, and it is often the go-to for young children.

A beloved choice for many kids are gummies, which are soft gelatin-based candies that are chewy and gooey. They come in a range of shapes such as worms and bears, with fun colors like red, blue, purple and green. Similar to gummies are sours, which have a gooey texture but a completely different flavor. As the name suggests, sours are definitely not sweet. Licorice is an acquired taste that is loved by many. Licorice candy is semi-soft, and can be flavored with black or red licorice. Sometimes, it has a strawberry or cherry flavor.

Chewing gum and bubble gum are another type of candy that is not meant to be swallowed. People enjoy chewing on this candy until they have extracted all of the flavor. If you’re ever at a fair, you’ll likely find cotton candy. Made entirely out of sugar, it has a fascinating stringy and soft texture.

• When comes to choosing candy, texture is of key importance. Consider whether you want something hard and brittle or soft and gooey. Also think about how you want to eat the candy. Do you want it to slowly dissolve in your mouth as you suck on it or do you want to chew and swallow it? Some people love the feeling of soft candy sticking to their teeth while others like to feel something crunchy instead.
• Candy is available in a large variety of flavors. Do you prefer something fruity? You might like lollipops, licorice or gummies. If you’re more into nuts and chocolate, consider a chocolate bar or brittle. If you like fresh mint, you may enjoy gum or mint chocolate. For those that prefer simple sugary flavor, go with caramels. If you’re not a fan of sweets, you may enjoy the taste of sour candy.
• Candy is a treat that should be enjoyed in moderation. For many consumers, getting candy in small, individual serving sizes works best and is most convenient. Smaller packaging also ensures your candy stays fresher longer and doesn’t go stale. However, if you’re sharing with others, you may opt for bulk packaging so everyone can take as much as they want.
• If you’re handing out candy to children, such as for holidays, be sure to ask their parents about potential allergies. For example, many candies contain nuts or have been manufactured or packaged in facilities where nuts are present. If someone has a nut allergy, these candies may cause a dangerous allergic reaction.