Halloween is celebrated on October 31 every year and candy Corn is available for consumers to purchase the popular holiday treat. No matter what candy a family has on hand for trick-or-treaters, candy corn is among them. National Candy Corn Day is celebrated on October 30. Therefore, there are two reasons to stock up on the sweet treat.

About the treat

Candy corn is easy to recognize because of its original colors of a yellow end, an orange center, and a pointed white tip. The candy was designed to resemble a kernel of corn even though it is about three times longer than the average kernel.

The candy was first called "chicken feed" because it resembles the food farmers used to feed their chickens. However, it is doubtful that chickens would actually eat the candy.

The National Confectioners Association estimates that more than 35 million pounds of the candy are sold annually. That's about 9 billion pieces of the mellow creme candies. The confection ends up at every Halloween party and in households for those who stop by. Many have said that it is not Halloween until the candy com is on hand.

A candymaker at the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia is credited with inventing it in the 1880s. George Renninger's method of making it has changed throughout the years, but his original recipe is still used today.

Today's candy corn

The candy was originally made by hand using only a few ingredients, such as sugar, water, corn syrup, vanilla flavoring, and marshmallow creme. Today, the candy is produced using machines to keep up with the high demand. Even though the original method has changed, the ingredients and the shape are still the same.

For those worried about the sugar content, know that a handful of the kernels contains about 28 grams of sugar and only about 140 calories. The candy costs more today, but in 1950, the price was just 25 cents per pound. Today a 22-ounce bag costs $2.79 at Target. When it is on sale, it costs $2.49.

The mellow creme candies are now available all year and the colors match the holiday.

For Thanksgiving, you can purchase them in brown and orange with a white tip. The good news is that the brown section tastes like chocolate. For Christmas, the colors are red, green, and white. In February for Valentine's Day, the colors are red, pink, and white. For Easter, the candy is made with a variety of pastel colors. They always have a white tip no matter what occasion they are made for.

Enjoy the candy for Halloween or any of the other holidays. In case you have leftovers, the pieces won't get stale. You can keep an opened bag up to six months. An unopened bag can last up to nine months.