No Tricks, Just Treats in South Dakota This Halloween

Candy Over Creepy Any Day

I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of scary movies or jump scares. My idea of a thrill is realizing I have leftover pizza in the fridge. But I do enjoy Halloween for one reason: the candy. Since I’m apparently “too old” to trick-or-treat (whatever that means), I’ve upgraded to buying giant bags at Lewis and pretending they’re “for the neighborhood kids.” Spoiler: they’re not.

We’re officially in prime candy season, and it turns out our corner of the Midwest takes that very seriously. According to Instacart, people in the upper Midwest have the biggest sweet tooth in the country; basically, we’re all one Snickers away from a sugar coma. Nebraska ranked third nationally for having self-proclaimed candy addicts, with Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota right behind.

Here’s how our candy loyalties break down:

• South Dakota: M&M’s rule the land, followed by peanut M&M’s, Snickers, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
• Minnesota: Big fans of Reese’s, M&M’s, and Starbursts—apparently fruit flavor counts as balance.
• Iowa: All about Reese’s, M&M’s, Twix, and Milky Way.

The pattern’s pretty clear: if it’s coated in chocolate, we’re in. Even if your favorite didn’t make the list (looking at you, candy corn enthusiasts, you’re brave souls), this is the most wonderful time of the year for candy lovers and your dentist too.

And hey, if anyone asks, I’m not hoarding Snickers; I’m “celebrating regional trends.”