Candy Experiments

Halloween Decision: Apples, M&M's, and Other Ideas

At the Trunk-or-Treat last Halloween, I just happened to have a box of apples in the car. I hate giving out candy, so I let kids choose apples if they wanted. To my surprise, many kids came back for more, and the grownups started seeking me out. They were smart to do so.

One package of king-sized M&M's has as many calories as five apples.

According to Nutrition Made Clear by Roberta Anding, a king-sized package of M&M's has as many calories as five apples. So, somebody looking for a sweet snack could choose either a low-calorie, high fiber, yummy apple, or they can choose high-calorie M&M's. Anding points out that five apples would be too filling for anybody to eat all at once, but a person can easily down a package of M&M's in one sitting. I'd try this experiment myself and report back to you, but I think I'd get sick.

Alternative Treats: If you're worried about handing out too much sugar at trick-or-treat time, try fruit instead. Apples aren't your best option for unknown trick-or-treaters, but they are great for events or parties where nobody's going to accuse you of anything nefarious. For other trick-or-treat ideas, check out this Green Halloween list, which includes treats and treasures like boxed raisins, fake jewels, and temporary tattoos. (Remember to check ingredient labels--even organic treats can contain lots of sugar!)

This post is part of the Green Halloween Blog Carnival. Head on over to the carnival for lots of great tips for putting a little green in your Halloween!

Melted Gummy Rings

Some mothers give their daughters clothing, jewelry, chocolates, or fine literature. Mine gave me this bag of gummy peach rings that had melted in the car. What a treasure!

Apparently when the candy melted, the foamy tops of each ring floated to the top of the mess, probably because there were air bubbles trapped inside. Now the gummy candy is all on the bottom, and the foamy part is all on the top. Perfect system, in case any of you needs a way to isolate peachiness from gummy rings.

Temptation Candy loves Candy Experiments

Online candy store Temptation Candy just reviewed Candy Experiments on their blog. Not only did they rave about it, they created a great new meme to go with it. (I look just like this when I'm doing candy experiments.)

Candy Sticks

When I heated this lime-colored candy stick in the oven, I saw something new: it split along the lines of the stripes, as if it were waiting to be peeled or unwrapped.

So, obviously, I had to try to peel off the hard candy stick coating.
Since my tools were kitchen tongs, I kind of mangled it, but you get the idea.

Another interesting thing about this candy stick: after it sat on my counter for a while, the shiny inside got much stickier than the outside. Like the Rubber Bandy Candy Canes, this candy stick apparently has an interior made of something different than the exterior.

Hershey Chocolate Sawdust

A long, long time ago, I microwaved some Hershey bars so that I could demonstrate chocolate bloom at a school visit. The chocolate bars developed lovely circular chocolate bloom structures, which I passed around the classroom to make the students goggle.

Then I put them on the fridge and forgot about them. Little did I know I was conducting a brand-new candy experiment!

When I finally took the plate down a year and a half later, this is what I found:

The chocolate had bloomed so much it had crumbled to pieces, like chocolate sawdust. (If you don't believe it's actually chocolate, look for the Hershey's logo on the bar on the upper right.)

All that was left of each bar was a pile of powder, which I was able to spoon up without any trouble at all.