How Candy Corn Became a Halloween Staple

Candy corn is a divisive Halloween treat. Some like it, others absolutely hate it. Where do you stand?

The history of candy corn takes us on a fascinating journey, including a detour through the invention of corn syrup, all the way to the origins of trick-or-treating. How did this simple novelty treat become associated so heavily with October?

Food History is a series from Mental Floss where we dive deep into the culinary stories that lead to the food on our plates. If you have an idea for a dish, cooking technique, or cuisine that you’d like us to explore in a future episode, tell us in the comments.

[Urspo]

Candy corn ! The devil’s earwax. Halloween isn’t so without some 🎃

[jacobdrj]

I love candy corn... I can't stop eating it...

[nastybedazzler]

I never knew people hated candy corn this way. I've always really liked it. I mean, I haven't had it in like ten years, but I had no problem with it.

[RaytheonNublinski]

The government created a surplus of candy corn in 1937 and we’ve been eating from that stash ever since. Some say we have only 3 millennium left til no more candy corn for anyone.

[Shizukanexen]

I love Candycorn. People can fight me.

[BallotBoxer]

*Pro tip:* combine candy corn with peanuts for something not unlike a PayDay candy bar.

[joewilson]

No honorable mention for the frequent Candy Corn companion, the Mallow Pumpkin?

[laexploradoraaaXD]

Heroes was one of those shows affected by the writer's strike (2007).

[talideon]

As pronunciations of 'samhain' go from Americans, it wasn't _quite_ right (incorrect vowel in the first syllable), but close enough. Nicely done! Good to see somebody put in the effort!

[Miss_Kisa]

😂 I like candy corn me and my sister would fight over them for Halloween

[GLHS]

Even though I love candy corn, I doubt it is anyone’s favorite candy. However, we can all agree it’s way better than that crap that comes in the orange and black wrappers.

[RealdoPlayer]

I love candy corn, it is my favorite Halloween candy. Come at me

[CaptainPIanet]

"Candy corn is a pretty decent candy" gang where you at?

[coejbee]

I absolutely love candy corn so much, it’s a good day every year when it hits the shelves and I first see it. Munching on some now, watching this cause I feel like the only person who actually loves it.

[Lolalogo]

This almost makes me want to buy candy corn

[m.jewell]

The reason it was originally called 'Chicken Feed' was its low price. Things that didn't cost much were referred to as Chicken Feed. Candy corn was sold in the general stores as 'penny candy', the candy loved by kids because you got so much for just a penny or two. Penny candy was usually very simple sugar-based sweets(non chocolate), nothing complicated or 'fancy' but as a kid you could get sick on 5 cents' worth of it-it was a lot of candy!

[ConradSpoke]

You kept using words like "eat" and "ate, " as though candy corn should be placed into the mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
This implies that candy corn is a food product.
???
This makes no sense. Please clarify.

[terrafirma]

Also about that Heroes reference, the reason it went off the rails after season 1 is because they intended to have a new cast of characters every season. However, the network said the characters were too popular and insisted that they keep them. So they had to quickly write a story with the existing characters.

I did like the show despite it all :)

[elementalturnip]

Wait, so candy corn could have been candy turnips? Another almost win for us root vegetables.

[Penguin_Tree]

candy corn is good. Also eat it one color at a time