These are the absolute worst Halloween candies, according to Canadians

Apples

Let's be clear: fruit is not candy. One reader summed it up with a single word — "APPLES" — and that says it all. We have to imagine the only reason this didn't actually get more mentions is because we asked for the worst Halloween candies — which apples are not.

Every Canadian kid remembers the gross, bruised apple banging around at the bottom of their pillowcase at the end of the night. We all had that one older person on our street that thought they were doing us a favour by giving out something "healthy." But that just isn't what Halloween is about. It's like giving out toothbrushes or school supplies.

Plus, most kids weren't allowed to eat them anyway. We were all raised on warnings about razor blades or needles hiding in apples, and the fear was so drilled into us that anything not factory-sealed went straight in the trash.

Sure, maybe you mean well. Maybe you're trying to keep things nutritious. But Halloween is not the time for health food. Even worse? The homemade caramel or candy apple situation. It's 2025 — parents just aren't comfortable with their kids eating homemade treats from strangers, no matter how Pinterest-worthy they look.

Just... no.

Trills gum

This soap-flavoured chewing gum has a cult following — but apparently, not a very big one. Thrills is a nostalgic Canadian classic, famous for its bold purple colour and even bolder taste. The packaging itself warns you: "IT STILL TASTES LIKE SOAP!"

And most people agree that's not a good thing. One commenter dropped the name and got a string of vomit emojis as a reply, which kind of says it all. You might have had that one weird friend who actually liked it — but unless you're handing out treats for them specifically, leave this one in the past.

Twizzlers

You might think red licorice is safe, but not everyone agrees. While black licorice got even more mentions (spoiler alert!), some commenters actually specified it's the red one they despise, including a few who name-dropped Twizzlers specifically.

Despite being a movie snack staple and one of the most recognizable brands out there, Twizzlers apparently aren't crowd-pleasers when it comes to Halloween. And let's be honest — they're not exactly bursting with flavour. They're more plasticky than fruity, and the texture somehow manages to be both rubbery and dry at the same time.

Not the worst thing in the world, but definitely not the candy that'll have kids remembering your house for the right reasons.

Raisins

Come on, people — this is barely better than apples. Raisins are the kind of thing you might toss into a lunchbox, not a Halloween bag. We know you mean well by handing these out trying to encourage kids to be healthy, but let's be honest: these are going straight in the garbage.

This one hit a nerve with readers too. "Raisins" came up repeatedly, and the disappointment was obvious. And honestly, it checks out. Every Canadian knows the crushing disappointment of reaching into your bag of candy and feeling that tiny cardboard box, thinking it might be Nerds or something exciting — only to pull out the dreaded red Sun-Maid box. At that point, just hand out pennies instead.

Circus peanuts

Circus peanuts are one of those candies that make you wonder who asked for this. Shaped like a peanut, coloured like a traffic cone and flavoured like a banana — it's hard to tell if they were invented as a joke or just a dare that got out of hand.

These retro marshmallow candies have been around forever, but Canadians agree they should've stayed in whatever decade thought banana-flavoured marshmallow peanuts were a good idea. They're spongy, artificially sweet and leave behind a weird aftertaste that no amount of good candy can fix.

These soft orange blobs got more than a few shoutouts, with one person simply saying "Circus Peanuts 🤮," which might actually be the most accurate review. Another lumped them in with black licorice under the name "foam peanuts" — and while we can't say for sure whether sure they meant circus peanuts or actual packing peanuts, we're honestly not sure which one would be worse to find in your Halloween bag.

And while we're at it, other marshmallow-based candies didn't get much love either. One person joked, "If they ever decide to make a Halloween Peeps that would be on the icky list too" — who's going to tell them?

Meanwhile, another called out "those sh*tty puff banana things." (Which, now that we think of it, might also be circus peanuts.)

Tootsie Rolls

These chewy logs have been a Halloween mainstay for decades — but a lot of people are ready to see them go. The flavour is somewhere between chocolate and caramel, but it's not quite doing either one right — and it's definitely nowhere near as good as the actual combination of chocolate and caramel.

They're often handed out because they're cheap, individually wrapped and nut-free, but that doesn't make them good.

Multiple commenters described them as "too damn hard," with one straight-up declaring, "Tootsie rolls are garbage."

If you're trying to score candy karma points with trick-or-treaters, maybe splurge on something a bit more exciting.

Rockets

This one sparked a mini war in the comments that, we must admit, we weren't expecting. Technically, they're the Canadian version of the U.S.'s Smarties, renamed so as not to be confused with the chocolate ones sold here by Nestle. They're a Halloween go-to because they're cheap and largely free of allergens (maybe because they're largely free of just about everything — they're basically pure sugar).

But just because they're easy doesn't mean they're welcome.

"Rockets are terrible," said one commenter, with another urging someone else who didn't mention Rockets to "edit the list" to include them because "rockets are nasty bro." Ouch.

Still, a few people jumped to their defence. "Whatt? It isn't Halloween without Rockets," replied one person to a comment bashing them. The author replied summing up the complicated relationship: "Like here's the weird thing. I like them, but I don't. It's a nostalgia thing."

Clearly, it's complicated.

Black licorice

This was one of the least divisive entries on the list — in that almost everyone hates it. Whether it was the regular kind or the even more derided salted version, the reaction was the same: no thanks.

"Definitely black licorice! 🤢" wrote one reader, racking up plenty of likes from fellow haters. Someone else simply said, "Anything black licorice flavoured," which pretty much covers it all. And don’t even bring up salted licorice — "my worst 🤣" replied one person when it came up.

Unlike some of the other candies on this list, black licorice didn't really inspire any defenders. It's not a love-it-or-hate-it candy, it's just... hated. Hand it out if you want, but don't be surprised if it's the last thing left in every kid's stash — or tossed straight into the trade pile.

Candy corn

Few candies cause more heated debates than candy corn. These tiny, tri-coloured sugar spikes have been around since the 1880s — and somehow still make it into Halloween baskets in 2025. But based on what Canadians told us, that tradition might be overdue for retirement.

One person described them as "sad little waxy pellets of pure sugar," which is both brutal and accurate. But one candy corn apologist tried to offer a hot tip: "Do not knock candy corn.. if you put it in your Rice Krispie treats it makes them even more diabetes." Uh... thanks?

While candy corn is coloured and shaped to look like kernels off a corn cob, it doesn't actually taste anything like corn, and the only corn-related ingredient is corn syrup. Fun fact: its glaze is made from an ingredient called lac resin — and if you don't know what this is already... Google it, we won't ruin the surprise for you.

Molasses Kisses

This one easily took the crown as the most-hated Halloween treat in our Facebook poll. Known for their chewy texture and spicy molasses flavour, these orange-and-black-wrapped candies are a Canadian Halloween tradition — and a divisive one.

After one commenter brought them up as their top pick for worst Halloween candy, the agreements piled on. "Yes molasses kisses. I hated them. Wonder why they were the designated treat. Did anyone like them?"

Even people who grew up with them are starting to turn. "Halloween kisses even taste different now," someone noted — and it's hard to say whether the recipe changed or our taste buds just wised up.

These candies are uniquely Canadian and have been around for more than 80 years, typically made by Kerr's. But even among the classics, this one seems to have worn out its welcome. Maybe it's the sticky texture. Maybe it's the strong molasses flavour. Or maybe it's just time to let this Halloween relic rest in peace.