Halloween is the biggest candy week of the year. The National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend $4.1 billion on candy this Halloween, and 96% of people celebrating plan to buy some. Here is what that candy costs this year, when to buy it, how to check the haul, and what to cook for the party.

Candy costs more again this year

Candy and chewing gum prices rose 7.4% between July 2025 and July 2026, according to the Associated Press. Chocolate is the main reason. Cocoa hit record prices in late 2024, and even though it has come down since, the chocolate on shelves this fall was largely made from beans bought near the peak.

Manufacturers have responded in three ways: higher prices, fewer pieces in the same bag, and recipes with less cocoa. Shoppers have responded too. Chocolate made up 51.7% of American candy spending last year, down from roughly two thirds a decade ago, as more people reach for non-chocolate candy.

What that means for your bowl:

• Read the piece count and the weight, not the bag size. A bag that looks the same as last year's can hold fewer pieces.
• Mix chocolate with non-chocolate candy. Gummies, lollipops and fruit chews usually cost less per piece.
• Look at the price per ounce. Holiday bags and multi-packs make the sticker price hard to read.

When to buy

About half of shoppers (49%) start Halloween shopping in September or earlier, according to the NRF. You do not have to.

Candy goes on sale throughout October, and many stores run promotions in the days before Halloween. The deepest discounts usually come the day after: Taste of Home notes that Halloween candy typically goes on clearance on November 1, with a smaller choice of brands. That is the time to buy candy for the pantry, not for the trick-or-treaters.

A simple plan:

• Buy what you need for the door in mid to late October, once you know how many visitors you usually get.
• Put candy on your list with a quantity, so you buy one bag, not three.
• If you want candy for later, shop November 1.

In Grocery List Plus, you can view current prices at your preferred stores as you add candy to your list, including this week's sale prices.

Trick-or-treat dos and don'ts

The FDA's Halloween food safety advice for parents is short and worth following:

• Do give kids a light meal or snack before they head out, so they are not tempted to eat on the way.
• Do wait until you get home and inspect everything before anyone eats it.
• Do check wrappers for tampering: an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
• Do read labels if your child has a food allergy.
• Don't let kids eat anything that is not commercially wrapped, including home-baked treats from strangers.
• Don't give young children choking hazards like gum, peanuts, hard candy or small toys.
• Don't serve unpasteurized juice or cider at a party. It can carry harmful bacteria such as Salmonella.
• Don't leave perishable party food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, or one hour above 90°F.

Seven Halloween recipes

We made five new Halloween recipes this year and added two favorites from the recipe collection. Every one is in Grocery List Plus, where you can add all of the ingredients to your list in one tap.

Witches' Brew Punch. A green, fizzy punch with a scoop of sherbet foam on top and gummy worms hanging over the rim. No alcohol, so the whole party can have some.

Jack-o'-Lantern Sugar Cookies. Orange sugar cookies with jack-o'-lantern faces. Make the dough a day ahead and decorate with the kids.

Spider Deviled Eggs. Classic deviled eggs with a little black olive spider on top. The easiest spooky appetizer there is.

Jack-o'-Lantern Cheese Ball. A cheddar cheese ball shaped like a pumpkin, with a pepper stem. Serve with crackers and sliced vegetables.

Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers. Orange bell peppers carved like jack-o'-lanterns and stuffed with seasoned beef and rice. A real dinner before the candy.

Mummy Halloweenies. Hot dogs wrapped in strips of dough like mummies. Kids love making them as much as eating them.

Caterpillar Bread. A pull-apart bread shaped like a caterpillar, good for a party table.

You can find all of them by choosing Halloween in the Occasion filter on the recipes page.