Halloween candy is getting spooky expensive, as cocoa prices continue to rise.
Bags of snack-sized name brand candy that used to sell for $1.50 are now $3 or more, and contain fewer pieces than they did five years ago.
Sure, you can go cheap and buy candy corn, but trick-or-treaters want name brands (and they remember who gave them the giant Hershey bar).
As a results, many families are sticking with big name brands. Target shoppers told us this week they are filling the bowl with:
"Snickers bars and Milky Ways."
"Hershey Kisses."
"Twix, especially the little ghost versions."
We check the stores
So which stores have the best deals for 2016 on the name brand candy that little goblins prefer?
We checked current prices on bags of snack size candy at several national chains, and two midwest-regional chain grocery stores, visiting:
Kroger
Kroger has a great sale this week before Halloween. Small bags of M&M/Mars snack-sized candy for $2.50, which is 50 cents off last months's price, and one of the best deals until this coming Sunday (see below).
Kroger's large bags of Kit Kats and Twizzlers are $11.99.
And Kroger has buy-one-get-one free individual Reece's Peanut Butter Cups. If you want to score points with the kids, buy these (though don't go overboard, as individual bars are no bargain even at this price).
Target
Target has a sale on large M&M/Mars mixed bags for $7.50, a very good deal currently.
Meijer
At Meijer, their large mixed bags are $8.99, while the smaller bags are $2.99, marked down from $3.99.
Walmart
Walmart's large bags are a good deal: 100 snack-size Nestle bars for $9, and some 300 piece bags for $14 (which sounds like a lot of money but is a very good value).
Don't Forget Drugstores
Most shoppers don't normally put the words "Walgreens" and "bargain" in the same sentence. That's different at Halloween, however.
While most people buy their candy at grocery stores like Kroger and big chains like Target, Meijer, and Walmart, many coupon bloggers say you can actually find better deals at drugstores.
The key days to shop drugstores in 2016 are Sunday, October 30 and Monday October 31, Halloween.
CVS will havebuy-one-get-one-freel snack sized bagsSunday and Monday (not Saturday, so don't shop too early).
And Walgreens will have small snack-size bags for just $1.99 Sunday October 30, cheaper than almost any grocery store.
However, you must have a Walgreens Balance Rewards card or have the ad in their weekly flier. (See their October 30 flier here, courtesy WildforWags.com)
So have a safe Halloween and don't waste your money.
