Do your favorite sweet treats make the list?

Answer: 

1. M&Ms
2. Sour Patch Kids
3. Skittles

Questions:

• Would you plan a budget for Halloween spending? Why or why not?
• Traditionally on Halloween, people spend money on candy to give away. What are other popular ways that people spend their money on others?
• What strategies do companies use to increase their candy sales around Halloween?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the Numbers (Candy Store):

"The most popular Halloween candy in America for 2026 is M&M's, holding on to the #1 spot from our last ranking. The candy on the move is Sour Patch Kids. It’s up to #2 nationally and tied with M&M's for the most states won, with ten each...

The pattern is hard to miss. Seven of the twelve are states trading a chocolate favorite for a non-chocolate one, and not one state went the other way. Florida swaps Reese’s for Skittles, Arizona swaps Hershey Kisses for Sour Patch Kids, and Wyoming gives up Reese’s for Salt Water Taffy. That lines up with where the whole candy business is heading, which we get into below."

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.