• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mitten Girl
  • Cocktails
  • Mocktails
  • Recipes
  • Book/Classes
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Cocktails
  • Mocktails
  • Recipes
  • Book/Classes
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Cocktails
    • Mocktails
    • Recipes
    • Book/Classes
    • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Life

    Explaining Candy

    Published: Nov 4, 2019 · Updated: Aug 21, 2022 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • 118

    When considering what to teach your kids, the tendency is to focus on the important things - not Candy 101. 

    Giant pile of Halloween candy

    Halloween night, after each chorus of “trick-or-treat!,” I heard the same exclamation from my 4 year old - “Mom! Candy!” she’d cheer as she streaked by me with her cousins, already halfway to the next house. 

    This was our second year of trick-or-treating, but the first time that my daughter has truly been interested in the candy. (Last year she lost interest in her haul almost immediately.) 

    But this year, she was as excited for the candy as she was for the racing-around-to-houses part. As I watched her trick-or-treat, I noticed that the older kids would be excited about specific treat - “KitKats! Snickers!” - while she just labeled it all “candy.” Talking with her the next day, I realized that she has yet to learn brands and types of candy.  

    Kid in ghost costume, running
    Leading the charge for candy!

    We rarely have candy in the house because I’ll EAT IT ALL. Kiddo knows plain M&Ms from potty training and Hershey Kisses from the bowl at her grandmother’s house. We have DumDum suckers in the pantry, but that one bag I bought six months ago is still not empty.

    It never occurred to me that this was basically the extent of her candy knowledge until she was SO EXCITED about finding Hershey Kisses and DumDum suckers in her Halloween bag. (Aren’t you supposed to trade those?) 

    With the Hershey Kisses devoured on Halloween night, she has moved on to the rest of her loot. And she’s not about to just taste her way through. Every piece requires thoughtful examination and consideration before she’ll even try it.

    Kiddo: Mom, what’s this one? 
    Me: A Butterfinger. 
    Kiddo: What’s it taste like? 
    Me: Peanut butter and chocolate. And it’s really crunchy.
    Kiddo: Oh. Why is it called Butterfinger? 
    Me: Ummmmm……?

    Kiddo: Ooooh! M&Ms [pulls out a black package and digs in.]
    Kiddo: I don’t like these.
    Me: [looks at package] They’re dark chocolate M&Ms.
    Kiddo: What’s that? 
    Me: There are all kinds of M&Ms and they each taste a little different. [tries to explain the difference between milk and dark chocolate to a 4yo.]
    Kiddo: No. [throws away the dark chocolate M&Ms]

    Kiddo: Mom, what’s this one? 
    Me: A Three Musketeers 
    Kiddo: What’s in it? 
    Me: Chocolate nougat covered with chocolate. 
    Kiddo: What’s nougat? 
    Me: It’s kinda like a marshmallow, except this one tastes like chocolate. 
    Kiddo: [tosses Three Musketeers aside.] Are there more Hershey Kisses? 

    This is NOT the kind of teaching the parenting books, magazines, and websites prepare you for. When you think about what you’ll need to teach your kids, the tendency is to focus on the important things - stay away from fire, sharing is good, it’s important to be nice, don’t play in the road. Not Candy 101. 

    But here we are. Discussing our way through her Halloween treats, while she decides what gets an auto-rejection (Almond Joy), what’s worth trying before rejecting (Nerds), and what’s worth eating up (Hershey bar). 

    It’s no surprise that a discussion of candy and its ingredients is way more fun than yet another lecture on why it’s good to share. Besides, as long as she keeps rejecting those Almond Joys, that’s sharing enough for me.

    Quote from Steve Almond - Nothing on Earth is so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.

    Life

    • Goal Review: Second Quarter 2023
      Building A Blogging Business: Second Quarter Goal Review 2023
    • A glass of mocktail with lime and mint.
      12 Delicious Summer Mocktails for the Whole Family
    • Goal Review: First Quarter 2023.
      Building a Blogging Business: First Quarter Goal Review 2023
    • Conversation heart candies falling into a coupe glass.
      Easy Cocktails for Valentine’s Day 

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • 118

    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for days. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

    Search

    Buy Homemade Happy Hour, a Cocktail Book

    Weekly Newsletter

    Join my email list and get my 5 CLASSIC COCKTAILS EBOOK sent to you immediately!

    Sign Up Now

    Subscribers receive delicious recipes in their inbox each week.

    Halloween Recipes

    • A glass of non-alcoholic Halloween drink.
      Brain Freeze! A Non-Alcoholic Halloween Drink
    • Bloody Ghost Halloween Vodka Cocktail.
      Bloody Ghost Halloween Vodka Cocktail
    • Two glasses filled with Halloween mocktails for kids.
      Quick and Easy Halloween Mocktail (Non Alcoholic) 
    • A tray of candy corn shortbread cookies.
      Slice and Bake Candy Corn Halloween Cookie Recipe

    Most Searched Recipes

    • Pumpkin Spice Syrup
      Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee and Lattes 
    • Caramel Apple Cocktail
      Caramel Apple Vodka Cocktail with Apple Cider
    • Lavender Lemon Drop Martini
      Easy Lavender Lemon Drop Martini with Vodka
    • BBQ Meatballs in a bowl, garnished with parsley.
      Easy 15 Minute Stove Top BBQ Meatballs
    • Tomato Rice and Beans
      Easy Tomato Rice and Beans on the Stove Top
    • Non Alcoholic Piña Colada Mocktails
      Piña Colada Mocktail Recipe (Without a Blender)
    • Cranberry Mocktail
      Easy Mocktail Recipes for Non-Alcoholic Drinks
    • Homemade Peach Syrup in a bottle.
      Easy Homemade Peach Syrup for Cocktails and Mocktails
    • Glass filled with mocktail drink and garnished with a cherry and orange slice.
      Easy and Delicious Mocktail for Kids (Without Sugary Soda)
    • A Pineapple Mai Tai in a pineapple shaped glass.
      The Best Pineapple Mai Tai Rum Cocktail

    Footer

    Website

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for weekly emails

    Contact

    Work with Me

    Contact Me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Mitten Girl LLC

    118 shares
    • 118