Halloween Candy: Then and Now

Remember when there was just one variety of candy corn? Today the Halloween mainstay comes in a rainbow of colors and flavors — there's even a gummy version. Candymakers are expanding their lines to keep up with kids' latest cravings, which tend toward things gross, gummy, or squirting. If you'd like to make your house the cool spot for trick-or-treating, look into some of these new offerings. Or, stock the kids' plastic jack-o-lanterns with some great tastes of the past that are still available today. Following are five of the hottest candies on sale this season, and five old-school favorites you can introduce to local ghosts and goblins.

No self-respecting monster can resist this unique toy-treat. Its slogan is "Play now, chew later," and that's just what kids will do: Pop the fangs in their mouths to scare the neighbors, then chew the "teeth" like cherry-flavored gum. (Tootsie Roll Industries)

These vibrant orbs leave a "paint gun-like splash of vibrant color" in your mouth. Choose from Ragin' Red, Bangin' Blue, Epic Orange, and more. Haven't you always wondered what red tastes like? (Dubble Bubble/Tootsie Roll Industries)

Once you've assured youngsters that there are no actual navy or white beans in the box, they'll get a kick out of these sugarcoated peanuts that date to the early 1930s. (Ferrara Pan)

Prepare to be beanboozled. Of the 20 flavors in this colorful collection, you will want to avoid 10. But the candy only comes in 10 colors. Yes, Chocolate Pudding looks exactly like Canned Dog Food — but they don't taste the same. Similarly, Peach and Barf share the same shade, as do Licorice and Skunk Spray — you get the idea. (Jelly Belly)

If you grew up in the Midwest, you may have a soft spot for these gooey chocolate cups created in 1931, when they sold for a nickel and won a devoted following with their "flowing" marshmallow center. The cups continue to be handmade today by the Sifers family. (Sifers Candy Company)

This "extreme" spray won't add extra hold to your hair or clean your countertop, but it will give your tongue a burst of mouth-puckering flavor — and kids can share it without sharing germs. (Impact Confections)

Once known as Papa Sucker, this milk-caramel pop has been contributing to tooth decay since 1925. Your grandkids may be familiar with its modern incarnation, but it's just a lightweight version of the eight-and-a-half-inch long, one-pound original, the Sugar Daddy Giant, still available seasonally online and through specialty candy shops. (Tootsie Roll Industries)

Gummy bears are old news. Today, kids are chomping on sour, oozing, gummy brains. These anatomically-correct treats come in three varieties, each of which has differently-flavored shells and centers; for example, strawberry brains have a sour apple center. That they may gross out adults is simply an added bonus. (Trolli)

This honey-flavored taffy bar broke the mold when it was introduced in 1924 by the Schutter-Johnson Company of Chicago. Filled with bits of almond, it gives dedicated fans something to chew on, and chew on, then chew on some more. (Nestlé )

We've saved the most outrageous for last. These gummy treats come in three hand-picked flavors — Snottermelon, Sour Green Boogy, and Lemon Loogy. The box raves, "Look & feel real!" We dare you to find out. (Flix Candy)