We picked Snickers and Reese's cups.

We have the small bars of milky way, 3 musketeers, twix and snickers.
My favorite is heath bars.
Mary

I bought a box of 48 full sized M&Ms at Costco.

Past years, it would have been minimum 2 boxes, and 2 boxes Hershey bars, DH loves Halloween and likes to really treat.

Last year was our first year for Halloween in this house and we had about 12 trick or treaters....poor DH, he was so let down.

But I talked to my former neighbor and she'd had about 250 kids, about twice the average number for most years. I'd have run out if we'd still been there.

I may send DH up to the main hilltop street to his sisters and he can answer the door there, I'll stay here and take care of the few we have since the woman across the street from us said 12 is about max for any year. (dark and wooded coming down to our dead-end street of about 8 houses)

I am not usually at home on Halloween (we cruise a lot in late October - anniversary) so I don't have a regular thing. However, this year, I will give away autographed photos of myself! That should take care of that for future years!

Jim

I bought two huge bags from Costco. Each had different selections. I took out all our favorites. Almond Joy for me, Snickers for DH, Reece"s peanut butter cups for one DD and crunch bars for the other.

I do goodie bags. Each is filled with a bad of pretzels and one piece of chocolate. Call me a scrooge, but I just didn't like kids picking, complaining, or trying to grab handfuls. I would rather give them the goodie bag and Oooo and ahh over their costumes.

We like to give out full sized candy. The kids get so excited when they see it, and I get a big kick out of that so it's worth the extra expense to me.

Last year, the chocolate was the last to go, so this year I focused on buying a lot more non-chocolate candy. Here's a pic of our treat bowls and reinforcements ready to go! We expect 100+ kids this year. I love Halloween.

Last year was our first Halloween in this neighborhood, and by and large the entire group was polite, with a few standouts.

Several kids asked if they could take more than one of the full-sized candy. One asked, and was told by her incredulous friend to only take one, and stop being so greedy. :)

The biggest problem we have had is the little ones being unable to choose! But their parents usually gently hurry them, or select one for them if they are unable to.

We also have a lot of leftover soda from the wedding that I am considering putting in a cooler to give out for any that want it. Normally I wouldn't give kids soda but I figure anyone who is trick or treating is going to get sugar overload already! This is CA too so it's not going to be too cold.

We seldom get any trick-or-treaters and we don't need the temptation of candy sitting around, so I usually give out quarters or dollar coins. I used to keep a few Snickers bars in the freezer and get them out year after year, but my father ate them on one of his visits.

I am giving out cans of soft drinks - I've done that for the past 5 years or so and it's always a hit with the kids. For the very young ones I have juice boxes.

wow, casey_nfld, I've never seen anyone give out cans of soda. A friend down the street would offer beer to any adults. :)

Jim, don't you think your wife should be included in that pic? It is your anniversary and all... :O)

Seems everyone has something different! I typically have more variety and randomly choose 3 things for each kid... unless someone is especially cute and then I tell them to take whatever they want. lol! My headcount usually varies but the worst I ever had was on the last Friday-night Halloween -- that was about 12 kids in 2.5 hours so I gave up and went out. Too many parties happening that night. lol! My typical headcount is more like 24, with busy years being closer to 50. Weather often plays a factor around here.

My BF typically gets 110 kids or more, and that gets crazy at times.

We don't get many kids here. Some years only one and that little boy has grown up and moved away lol

We were at World Market and they had some great prices on their candy. I picked up 2 big bags of the lemonheads which are little boxes of candy all nicely sealed. Not something either of us would care for. Any that is left over I always send home with my cleaning lady for her boys.

Last year we got that giant bag of mixed mini bars of chocolate from Costco. We barely put a dent it it. So I donated it to our Garden Club so we can put out candy for our meetings. That worked out very well.

Houses are too far apart here to lure many kids, and the ones we *knew* in the neighborhood are now in college. We stay dark.

Our DGS and DGD will be trick or treating in their busia's neighborhood. She stocks candy for the up to 500 kids coming to her door. Really! People drive to her neighborhood and turn their kids loose.

In our old neighborhood, we'd get a couple dozen kids. We gave Snickers.

My mother served hot chocolate the first year she and my father were in their new house, just before WWII. (Long before any urban myths about poisons.)

urban legends, shmegends. My upstairs neighbors served s'mores and they were happily eaten up three or so years ago.

Not many here anymore, so stay dark. Laughed at the teenagers who thought I wouldn't recognize them by changing their hat to get more candy. Ha. And the ones with two bags, cause their little brother was home sick(?) Doesn't mean I can't stock up on chocolate, for me! The weekend may find candy at 50-75% off. Have a dandy Halloween.

Oh yeah, Party, Butterfingers and Baby Ruths all the way!! I get about 100 kids, so I got plenty with some to spare for me!!! Yaaa!

Oh and I don't let them pick. I take the candy out of the bowl and put it in their sacks.

We have a commercial popcorn machine that we set up in our garage to give away to the trick or treaters. Everyone gets a box of freshly popped corn here, parents included. The neighborhood loves us. The guy down the street that served beer to the adults, moved. Happy Halloween to you all! Be safe.

We usually wind up with around 30 kids. I remove the screen from the storm door to pass out candy. Next day, the glass goes back in.

CVS has all bags of fun size candy for $1.88 this week. We have two kinds of Snickers, Nestles Crunch, and Milky Way. Would have gotten Babe Ruths and Hershey's if they'd been there, but I not complaining.

In all of the 25 years we have lived here we have only had 10 kids total. We all live on an acre, no sidewalks, and no street lights~our local school does a Halloween Happening and each class sponsers a game booth and you win candy, quite fun.

I make sure to buy candy I DON'T LIKE. I can't be trusted, I'd eat it. We get anywhere between 50 and 100. By the end of the night, I give enough away to each kid so there's none left.

We don't get any trick or treaters as we live in a gated 55+ community. I will though, hang a shopping bag with bags of candy on my front door which Operation Shoebox will pick up to send to the soldiers.

I buy 100 baggies and put inside:

1 pouch of Hot Chocolate
2 scary marshmallows
1 Nestles chocolate bar(kitkat, smarties, or something else that I can't think of off hand)
1 licorice
1 Tootsie Roll
1 solid chocolate (name brand from our store)

All 100% nut free

A blurb in today's Chicago Tribune says that people 60+ are most likely to give to trick or treaters. I'm not sure what to make of that...

York peppermint patties snack size, Heath snack bars (both favorites of my husband) and Tootsie roll pops.

I think that makes sense, chisue. People in their 20's are probably out partying, 30's and 40's might be taking their kids out to trick or treat instead of giving out candy at home. 50's maybe small grandchildren?

I'm in the "candy is evil" camp. :-)

We haven't had trick-or-treaters in the 39 years I've lived here, but my two little grandsons will surely be stopping by. Grammy is giving them Halloween books (a board book for the 11-month-old).

PS: Casey, I like the juice box idea!

This post was edited by alisande on Fri, Oct 31, 14 at 13:33

Last few year we have had only 1-5 kids and we lived in a small town, but at the edge. This year in the assisted living home, they open the doors for about 2 hours and they say the get 100-200 kids. BUT it is he clients choice. If they want to give, they put a picture of a pumpkin on their door, or just sit in the hallway. If you don't want to do anything, just keep the door closed. Today, all the staff dressed up in costumes and the resident s really enjoyed it. It was fun

I always buy candy that my husband and I don't particularly like, so we won't be tempted to eat any. This year it is Tootsie Roll Pops.

100 calories of fruit juice probably has about the same amount of "sugar" in it as 100 calories of candy. I'm not sure why people think there's a difference, sweet is sweet and "sweet" is from a sugar.

What is true is that a lot of American candy and food is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar. Look for stuff made with sugar, that's better for you. High fructose corn syrup is best avoided.

We gave out bags of microwave popcorn from Costco. Both kids and parents seemed to like the idea. We only had about 40 kids - all but one rather large kid accompanied by an adult.

Holly_On, we've done the popcorn bags from Costco before and they are a hit here too. Also like Chi83, we normally do full-sized candy bars, as we get less than 30 kids, and they are so thrilled!