Everybody loves candy—even those with better palates than your average trick-or-treater.
We asked chefs around Baton Rouge about their favorite Halloween candies, and they gave us more diverse answers than expected. From sour gummies and candy corn to every chocolate candy imaginable, these are the candies even the biggest foodies are snacking on this season.
“Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! My favorite will always be Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Peanut M&M’s. Growing up in New Orleans during the ’70s and early ’80s, it was always a special treat to get these particular candies because they were hard to get as Halloween candy. ‘Penny’ candies [such as bubble gum and Tootsie Rolls] were of the norm for Halloween because they were inexpensive and plentiful.”
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—Darrel Harris, chef at Southern Fusion Catering
“My favorites are pretty much any gummies or sour candy. Sour gummy worms, in particular, I’ve loved since I was a kid. My family still actually gifts me a bag of them almost every holiday.”
—Rory Wingett, executive chef at Rouj Creole
“Although completely unhealthy, Skittles are my vice. I can’t help but have some when they are around me. I am on a personal mission to change the green skittle back to lime—I have no idea why they changed it to apple. I even went so far as tweeting to Skittles during the 2016 presidential campaigns with #imwithlime and #makelimegreatagain. They were sadly non-responsive, but I have not given up.”
—Mary-Brennan Faucheux, owner of MJ’s Cafe
“I’m pretty sure I’m the ONLY person in the world that loves candy corn—there’s just something about it. Kit Kats are always on my list, but Nestlé’s Crunch bars are definitely at the top of my list. I could eat them by the bag!”
—Janel Rucker, caterer and grill chef at French Market Bistro
“Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and that’s 100% for the candy. My favorites are Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Twix and Peanut M&M’s. Guess I’m more of a chocolate guy than pure sugar!”
—Jay Ducote, chef and owner of Gov’t Taco
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“I am a candy corn lover—I even love the M&M candy corn flavor. When the stores stock them in early September, I’m there with bells on. I like to separate each color—it makes my heart melt because it reminds me how we as kids would get a bag and count them out even. Now, I’ll eat all of mine and then go into my boys’ room and sneak theirs also!”
—Kawande Harris-Lane, chef at Fast Lane Catering
Want more candy content? Check out more local chefs’ Halloween candy musings here.