At a Quest's End Part TWO

I just looked over my final BLOGGING assignment and realized that I didn't answer specific questions that my English Professor asked us to answer, so here it is.

Either way, every single one of you has a period of time that you can look at and analyze.  You can take a critical look at what you did, what you didn't do, why its important, and how it could have been different.  You can conside
r how your small act of bravery (because change is a scary thing), has helped you change the world in some small way. 

In your last blog entry this week, I want you to analyze the success of your quest.  Take a look at how you succeeded, how you failed, and what those things mean.  Think about what all of this means for a reader.  What lesson can you draw from your experience that other people can learn from? 

I will start off with my failures. From the beginning I set myself up for failure with such a difficult quest. Mid week into the quest, I decided I needed a change. I couldn't go on with a quest that I couldn't perform. I didn't want to sit there and lie about what I was doing and how I was doing it. That would just make something difficult into a relentless task that I didn't want to go on.

From that point, I switched my quest to specifically trying different foods that I never have tried, with the different letters of the alphabet. I must say besides the "blogging daily" I did a pretty darn good job if I do say so myself. I am still coming out with approximately 27-28 blogs, which I believe we needed somewhere between 25-30, so I am hoping that I still did well on that aspect. As far as trying the new and different foods, I didn't fail the least bit.

Knowing that I was able to succeed in something, putting my mind to it, and getting it done, is a wonderful thing. Sometimes we all get too caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day life, and don't take time to try something new. I am actually going to continue trying new food on a regular basis.  I don't know if I will be able to do it like I did with the quest, and hit all the alphabet, but I will say that I will definitely try new meals when going out with my husband, and look into new recipes for the family. They enjoyed this as well! :) 

The lesson that I can draw from the experience, that others can take from is, TRY IT, YOU MIGHT LIKE IT!! This seems so catchy to me because we watch a lot of Nick Jr. in our home and are always pushing new foods on our two year old. But really... If YOU won't eat it, how could you expect your TWO year old to eat it? If our eyes are wide open to the good, the bad and the ugly, we need to be able to distinguish between the two and let our children grow up with more tastes than we had. The world is FULL of wonderful foods... we need to be able to get out there and try them. There's too much that we are missing out on.

At a Quest's End

This quest has been so much fun for me!! I turned something that I thought was going to be too much of a challenge, into something that was a must-do. I'm not even kidding, I would put this at the top of my "100 things to do before I die" list.

 I really never noticed that I have been missing out on such extreme tastes. From the bold and beautiful to the sweet and sassy, I haven't tried so many different things in such a short amount of time in my LIFE! And I couldn't have asked for a better way to do it. Yes blogging was difficult at times, but looking back now I think it is so cool to be able to read where I was at 30 days ago and the struggles that I faced.

When I finally realized, this isn't a chore, this is supposed to be fun and enlightening... That is when I made the official change. I wasn't going to have some negative attitude towards something that I have never tried before. That wouldn't be fair on my part! I needed to embrace the situation the best I could... and every time that I tried something NEW and LIKED IT, made my quest just that much more sweet and successful!

I couldn't imagine doing this any different.  I am actually extremely thankful that I chose Lauren for my English teacher (knowing that some English teachers may not incorporate this in their comp 105 course). Even though I tried some things that I didn't care for, I did however try a lot of things that I absolutely LOVED and wouldn't have known any different if I wouldn't have taken that first leap of fate. Thank you to Lauren for this wonderful opportunity, I wouldn't have changed it for the world!

For now, signing off... On to our BIG KAHUNA of a essay... THE QUEST FINALE! Wish me luck fellow bloggers! Until next time :)

Tips for those little Picky Eaters! Wish my parents would have helped me...

Children's nutrition: 10 tips for picky eaters

Children's nutrition doesn't have to be frustrating. Consider these strategies to avoid power struggles and help the picky eater in your family eat a balanced diet.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Has your preschooler refused to eat anything other than peanut butter sandwiches for the past two days? Or would your toddler rather play than eat anything at all?
If children's nutrition is a sore topic in your household, you're not alone. Many parents worry about what their children eat — and don't eat. However, most kids get plenty of variety and nutrition in their diets over the course of a week. Until your child's food preferences mature, consider these tips for preventing mealtime battles.

1. Respect your child's appetite — or lack of one

Young children tend to eat only when they're hungry. If your child isn't hungry, don't force a meal or snack. Likewise, don't bribe or force your child to clean his or her plate. This may only ignite — or reinforce — a power struggle over food.

2. Stick to the routine

Serve meals and snacks at about the same times every day. Nix juice, milk and snacks for at least one hour before meals. If your child comes to the table hungry, he or she may be more motivated to eat.

3. Be patient with new foods

Young children often touch or smell new foods, and may even put tiny bits in their mouths and then take them back out again. Your child may need repeated exposure to a new food before he or she takes the first bite. Encourage your child by talking about a food's color, shape, aroma and texture — not whether it tastes good.

4. Make it fun

Serve broccoli and other veggies with a favorite dip or sauce. Cut foods into various shapes with cookie cutters. Offer breakfast foods for dinner.

5. Recruit your child's help

At the grocery store, ask your child to help you select fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. Don't buy anything that you don't want your child to eat. At home, encourage your child to help you rinse veggies, stir batter or set the table.

6. Set a good example

If you eat a variety of healthy foods, your child is more likely to follow suit.

7. Be sneaky

Add chopped broccoli or green peppers to spaghetti sauce, top cereal with fruit slices, or mix grated zucchini and carrots into casseroles and soups.

8. Minimize distractions

Turn off the television during meals, and don't allow books or toys at the table.

9. Don't offer dessert as a reward

Withholding dessert sends the message that dessert is the best food, which may only increase your child's desire for sweets. You might select one or two nights a week as dessert nights, and skip dessert the rest of the week — or redefine dessert as fruit, yogurt or other healthy choices.

10. Don't be a short order cook

Preparing a separate meal for your child after he or she rejects the original meal may encourage your child's picky eating. Keep serving your child healthy choices until they become familiar and preferred.
If you're concerned that picky eating is compromising your child's growth and development or if certain foods make your child ill, consult your child's doctor. In the meantime, remember that your child's eating habits won't likely change overnight — but the small steps you take each day can help promote a lifetime of healthy eating.

Is being a picky eater a eating disorder?

From the DIET BLOG:
Is being a picky eater a eating disorder?

No it isn't. Science be damned! If you're an adult and you still won't eat vegetables because they're "gross," you're behaving like an infant, and you need to grow up.
But, odds are your parents did a lousy job of introducing you to new foods. So, if you were raised on a diet of potato chips, snack cakes, fast food, and cola, I guess its not totally your fault.
Still, you're not seven anymore, eat some broccoli, it won't kill you!
New research by the University of Pathetic Excuses, suggests being a picky eater may not just be a childish mindset, but rather a medical condition. Oh boy...
Actually, it's Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh, who are entertaining this harebrained assumption; launching an online registry/survey, which has already attracted 2,000 nudniks, who consider themselves "picky eaters."
A representative for Duke University said most of the research on picky eating has been done on children, so this survey will finally focus on adults.
Its being call the Food, FAD study short for the Finicky Eating in Adults study. Go ahead, you can take it yourself online. I tried, but the website told me, "Mr. Pugliese you're an obnoxious jerk, this study is not for you. Go away."
Listen, I know I should be sensitive here. Trust me, I am. If you're anorexic, bulimic, or just plain lactose intolerant - like me - I feel your pain.
But, if everything grosses you out except for grilled cheese sandwiches, French fries, and waffles, like one person mentioned in the report you just need to grow up, plain and simple. Stop being a baby and try something new, period.
Sorry, but this "research" caters to the "it's not my fault, I can't help it" crowd. Fail.

Let's talk DISGUSTING FOOD!!

The 10 Most Disgusting Delicacies to Try Before You Die - Would You Eat These?

“Think” Fear Factor and Iron Chef combined and you have THE potentially most disgusting buffet of expertly prepared food delicacies on the planet. The world is truly a diverse place especially when you launch a gustatory exploration of what have become curious ick-factor foods for a modernized, watered-down, American palate. Truth is as “foreign” as most of these dishes can be, many have deep cultural underpinnings, some of them the side dishes of famous feasts and the tables of kings.
All the vital organs of just about any species have been consumed at one time or another and some of them are rich in the best dietary nutrients. Amazonian ants, half-cooked fetal eggs, wriggly worms of all kinds and stages of life, hoofs, beaks, ears, and eyeballs have all been efficiently put to good culinary use. Prep methods are just as enticing: fermenting, pickling, infusing, boiling, blowtorching, decomposing, and simply served live and wriggling.

Culinary Thrill-Seeking for Some, Time-Honored Traditions for Others

If you’re a gag-seeker, foodie adventurer, or looking for some tantalizing new ethnic dish to serve to guests that goes well beyond the ordinary dinner party fare, here are some of the notoriously “I hope I’m never served…” foods, and how they’re prepared, from around the globe.

1. This Cheese is So Gross It’s Been Outlawed…

Casu Marzu, a pecorino cheese and Sardinian specialty, surely wins among most disgusting cheeses of the world. The direct translation is “rotten cheese” and rightly so: blocks of otherwise beautiful Italian pecorino cheeses are purposely prepared to become the natural breeding grounds for nests of maggots—the natural harbingers of rot and putrefaction. As if pecorino wasn’t pungent enough…
Like many distinct ethnic practices and traditions, formaggio marcio, is a generations old culinary delicacy, with roots in familial history. The process of producing casu marzu, aka “maggot cheese,” is considered a process of finely metered fermentation. However regionally traditional the consumption of maggot-laced cheese, it hardly jives with modern food preparation and sanitation mores, therefore the offending cheese is officially illegal. Don’t let that stop you from searching for a chunk along your Italian travels, even if it will run you a steep number of Euros and from a “black market” peddler. “Godfather, you want formaggio marcio? We’ll get you formaggio marcio, don’t you worry.” Reports are it tastes exactly as you might imagine: strong pecorino, the crawly snot-plump bodies of insect larvae, and the slimy fat they’ve made of the digested cheese. Oh, and the worms jump off the cheese while you’re eating it. Mange!
 

2. Mongolian Boodog

They don’t call it “Outer Mongolia” for nothing. Nomads, sans stainless steel gourmet kitchens, ages ago found more ingenious ways to cook a whole goat, sometimes marmot (but they may have fleas that host bubonic plague, so goat may be a better choice)—from the inside out, after you’ve hung it upside down, bled it and broken its legs. The stuffing is a bit non-Western, too: smooth hot stones crammed into every cavity imaginable and even up under the leg skin where you would have yanked the broken the bones out. Blowtorch the beast ‘til desired doneness; it can also be roasted over an open fire. That’s authentic Mongolian barbecued meat, Boodog.

3. Soft-Boiled Fetal Duck

Balut takes a top spot by a landslide among the gross egg category, which should include 100-year old eggs. Balut is a fairly common and unassuming street food available in both the Philipines and Vietnam. It has also earned a widespread reputation as one of the all-time grossest ethnic delicacies. Most of the eggs with which Americans are familiar are unfertilized eggs. The balut, though are fertilized duck eggs, incubated or allowed to grow invitro for a certain length of time, usually a few weeks. Peel back the shell and along with a typical soft-boiled eggy interior is also the small inert body of a fetal duck—small bones, feathers, beak and all, some more developed than others. Most accounts suggest slurping it right from the shell with a pinch of salt. There is a right way to “enjoy” balut. 

4. Whole Sheep’s Head

Sheep’s head has been a traditional delicacy served in a number of world regions, including the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. You’ll find smoked versions and recipes for sheep’s head soup, usually presented whole and intact, sometimes with brains, often without (risky to consume). The eyeballs and tongue are particular delicacies. In America, most meats are separated from their heads, their feet, their tails—so we can forget about the fact that we’re eating something that once had a head, feet and a tail and at that point we no longer call it cow or pig, but T-bone steak, and bacon. Herein lies the grisly factor in sitting down to a meal of whole sheep’s head.

5. Octopus, Straight-Up

 
Anything still alive and squirming is food for a “most disgusting” list. Raw seafood is legendary in most Asian cuisines, Japanese sushi and Korean kimchi are notorious raw realms. Raw octopus is common as is still alive octopus, served straight-up on a plate or in a bowl. Baby octopus (sannakji) may be served cut into bite-sized, still-wriggling pieces, suction cups and all, or slurped squirming, whole. Octopus is exactly as you might imagine: rubbery, chewy and fairly tasteless and some brave adventurers report the suction cups sticking on the way down. Regardless, the dish has been a valued part of Korea’s cuisine for centuries and is considered a vitality enhancer and a health food.

6. Vacationing in Alaska: “Don’t Eat the Stink Heads”

Salmon is a staple of the native Alaskan diet and natives have traditionally used all parts of the fish. One of the traditional delicacies is fermented salmon heads. Colloquially the dish has earned the name “stink heads.” Essentially the heads of King salmon are buried in the ground in fermentation pits, put into plastic or wooden barrels, even plastic food storage bags, and left to let nature do its thing for a few weeks or more. The heads are then harvested and consumed as a putty-ish mash.
“Stink heads” as a distinct ethnic cuisine have been covered in various mainstream media the latest of which is The Food Network’s “Bizarre Foods” show. In and of themselves salmon heads are not repulsive, whole fish dishes are a legitimate part of rustic AND haute cuisine everywhere and King salmon is a real world delicacy. What has struck the “gross-out” nerve is the overriding fact that much of the stink head prep process is less about fermentation and more about rot and decomposition. The dish, by modern culinary standards, is nothing but rotten salmon heads, albeit treasured tribal fare. Imagine, a bucket load of large King Salmon heads left outside during the warm summer months for a few weeks….Outside the native Alaskan culture the stink head topic is nothing but a novelty, but health-wise the tradition of stink head consumption poses a real and continued challenge to regional Alaskan healthcare professionals faced with frequent and, sometimes serious, totally avoidable botulism cases.

7. Deadly Fish: License to Cook

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One of Japan’s most elite delicacies is also one of the most dangerous dishes you’d ever put in your mouth. The fugu fish is a cute little puffer fish, hardly “most disgusting,” but grossly lethal, certainly. Coursing throughout its vital fish organs is deadly venom—tetrodotoxin-- a natural defense system that renders its attackers paralyzed. Ingest enough of this fish’s poison and you’ll go belly-up, too dying a slow death from conscious paralysis and asphyxia. Currently, no type of anti-venom exists to undo what’s done from fugu poisoning. Regardless of the risk, in Japan’s most luxurious restaurants trained and licensed fugu chefs deftly prepare fugu for high society types, fugu aficionados, and culinary thrill seekers. Chefs adhere to strict preparation, sanitation, storage, and disposal guidelines to minimize risk.
Has fugu killed anyone? You bet it has, though annual deaths resulting from fugu consumption nowadays are few and generally accidental. For true gastronomic satisfaction the best chefs are able to prepare fugu laced with a remaining trace of venom, which reportedly tingles on the tongue, providing the eater with a sensory brush with death. The potential risk makes fugu even more a thrill to consume and one forbidden to hit the Japanese Emporer’s dinner plate.

8. Jellied Moose Nose

The ‘jelly’ part makes it sound sweet, like a clear jelly you spread on a nice thick slice of toasted sourdough. But jellied is how the moose nose is prepared, not jelly as in bread spread. This is, after all the cooking is done, a traditional and time-honored Alaskan dish of real sliced moose snout. White meat or dark?
The list could go on AND even more interestingly be drawn from the perspective of someone well outside the American diet. A non-American list of most disgusting “delicacies” would probably begin with the All-American hotdog and a bag of pork rinds: “A ghastly, but clever disguising of cast off animal parts that do nothing for your health or virility.”

9. Bat Paste – Make sure you try this last because it could kill you.

First, net a bunch of flying mouse, fruit, or fox bats in a remote village.
Drop live into a pot of boiling water or milk.
Roast to desired doneness.
Chop and make into paste with Thai herbs and spices.
Or when you have an abundance of fruit bats, try this optional Fruit Bat Soup recipe.
Bats are part of the native cuisine in Thailand, parts of China, Guam and more, but they are considered notorious disease carriers. You might want to consider dropping them to the bottom of your culinary To-Try list.

Feeling a little Emotional :)

A Much Less Picky Way

            Can you imagine what it would be like if you had the opportunity to participate in something so original and so fun, but didn’t have a clue on where to start or the outcome of the situation at hand?  For the past thirty days I have had the chance of a lifetime.  I got to go on a quest where I was able to pick anything that was out of the ordinary in my daily life, that I could change, or focus on.  Something that I could be empowered by, and motivated to deal with on a regular basis. I decided that I should try some new foods, in efforts to expose my taste buds to new and different cultures.  Whether it was just to try something because I always turned my nose up to it, or because I just simply never had the chance to try it, I got to really open up my mind and heart to unfamiliar tastes.

            Following my quest might have been boring to some, but for the person I was at the beginning of the quest, to the person I am now after the quest, I can truly say that I have found a lot of different menu options that are much more appealing to me now.  When I first started my quest, I thought that I could eat food everyday from one specific letter of the alphabet.  After approximately a week of doing so, I realized, “This is just a little too hard for me, let’s make this more simple and a hell of a lot more fun!”

            Realizing what I had then known, a quest that started out extremely rocky, took a turn for exciting very quickly. When I first started my quest, I was your average eater.  I don’t know if the term “picky” suits me very well, as I do eat a lot of different foods.  From meats, to vegetables, fruits and sweets, I think that I cover most of the food pyramid very well.  The main area that I don’t particularly float to would be seafood.  I would like to one day figure out my phobia with seafood and the deep issues within, because I surely don’t think it is normal to not like any creature from the sea, simply because they are from the sea.

            Going through the first week, I had several challenges that faced me.  Did I actually have the will power to try something new every single day?  Can’t I just eat what I normally get at Old Chicago or Perkins?  I made an effort, every time that we went out to a restaurant that I didn’t get my “norm.”  No, Susie didn’t say, “Pancakes, eggs – scrambled, bacon and a side of fruit.”  Instead she said, “What’s new on the quest today Amanda?”  That was entertaining because then I could explain my quest, what it is about, and the purpose of such quest to another. 

            About half way through the quest, I really started to notice myself changing.  I was being more accepting and  willing to gain these new tastes.  I still knew that I had to incorporate the use of the alphabet, so I made sure that I tried something unaccustomed with each letter.  From different beverages, to holiday fun, I tried something new every day that I thought I would never try.

            Looking back and analyzing what I did and how I did it, I would have to say my biggest accomplishment was salmon.  The day that I went out to the restaurant with my grandma and tried the salmon, I knew something was different.  I really knew something was changing when I ate the entire slab of salmon and enjoyed it.  Emphasis on the word enjoyed!  This coming from a girl who grew up refusing to sit in the same room as someone who was eating any sort of fish – or stirred clear of Red Lobster on any date just because I couldn’t take seeing others eat something that I thought was so grotesque.

            From that moment on, I discovered something about myself.  I realized that this was no longer a English assignment or a burden.  This was a chance in my life that I needed to embrace and take comfort in.  The opportunity of a lifetime if you will.  After trying all kinds of different foods, I realized I needed to make this a life-long journey.  I need to face my fears and realize that there is more out there than just meat and potatoes! 

            The funniest thing about being a “picky” eater is it limits your options to almost near nothing.  I could just imagine if I lived in New York City and had the chance to diversify my culturally challenged taste buds on a day to day basis with all the different chinese, vietmanese, lebanese, german, polish and every other specified cultures within a ten mile radius, it would be a lot easier.  I have also read numerous articles that suggest that the food that your parents feed you as a child, has a lot to do with the choices that you make as an adult.

            So at the age of 21, my mouth was budding with new character.  Looking back on the person that I was thirty days ago, I see how I have changed.  I was extremely shallow and unwilling to try new things, where-as now, I can actually be courageous and possess the knowledge and skills it takes to say, “Just try it, you might like it.”

Tis the season for Egg Nog!

When I think of egg nog, I think of this time back when I was 7 years old and I tried egg nog for the first, and only time in my life. My dad's girlfriend gave me a drink, and at the time I thought it was the nastiest drink in the world. Who would have ever thought... something so thick, and sweet could be a drink for the holidays. Ever since then, I have never tried egg nog again. Although I have found a pretty good alternative.

My husband is a big fan of milk nog. If you haven't had milk nog, and you like egg nog, you should try it!! It's much smoother, and a lot more light than egg nog is from what I can remember it tasting like. My new favorite holiday drink is milk nog. I love it! I've also heard that milk nog and brandy can be quite tasty (of course for those of you over the age of 21). I am about to try this here in a little bit. Didn't think it would be such a smart idea to have a drink or two and then do a blog. LOL

What are some of your favorite holiday drinks? Another holiday drink that comes to mind, that I have never tried is apple cider. I have never had the opportunity to try some good cider. Freshly made, or store bought. I've also heard that peppermint drinks are a popular fav for the time of the year. I know there's a peppermint schnapps out there that could probably spruce up some baked goods, or a nice warm beverage. Yummy!

Ever heard of reuben pizza??

I thought it would be fun to try some different kinds of pizza that I NEVER order. Personally, I am a meat and cheese kind of girl. This would limit options to pepperoni, sausage, maybe 4-meat, or meat lovers... But I thought that it would be kind of fun to try some crazy new ones from Black Market Pizza in Ames. I got this crazy idea from watching them on the travel channel, and the different kinds of pizza they have.

Have you ever tried the reuben sandwich from Arbys? The typical reuben has some sort of corn beef, cheese and sauerkraut. This is exactly what is on the pizza, thick and gooey! :) I am definitely not a fan of sauerkraut, and never have had this on my bratwursts like my grandpa does, but I figured I'd give it a whirl. I actually really liked the pizza, but it wasn't my favorite!! They have a chilli-cheese dog pizza that was amazing! I would recommend this, or the bacon cheeseburger- personal fav.

Have you ever thought of the crazy toppings that they put on pizza? I LOVE pineapple on my pizza but some people think that's even pushing the crazy boat a little bit. Fruit on a pizza? I don't know, I like it though. Now-a-days you hear about everything from hawaiian to barbeque chicken, or even chicken, bacon ranch. What happened to the traditional toppings? Back when I was a kid, all I knew of was cheese, pepperoni, or sausage.. maybe even a supreme. Now it's like pizza is the new ice cream, try all of the flavors.

Let's not even get into the different kinds of pizza. There's frozen tombstone, digornio, jack's, red baron, and then there's all the different places you can get it from Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Papa Murphy's and Papa Johns. All sizes from small to x-large. Any kind of crust you can think of, not only original, thin and thick but also garlic, butter, or seasoned. Pizza has really gotten more complex over the years. One of my favorites, and it's so cool how you can have it any way you like it.

Well Since I am In The Holiday Spirit...

According to what traditionally is known as "The First Thanksgiving," the 1621 feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag at Plymouth Colony contained turkey, waterfowl, venison, fish, lobster, clams, berries, fruit, pumpkin, and squash. William Bradford noted that, "besides waterfowl, there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many." Many of the foods that were included in that feast (except, notably, the seafood) have since gone on to become staples of the modern Thanksgiving dinner. -Wikipedia

With that being said, I can personally think of a lot of things on the thanksgiving table that I don't usually eat, and doesn't sound too appetizing. To be honest with you, I was 19 years old the first time that I tried sweet potatoes, and 20 years old when I actually attempted the sweet potato pie. Why? I don't know.. Potatoes being sweet didn't exactly sound like something my taste buds were calling out to me.

Looking at what the pilgrims ate, there is no way I would have ate waterfowl, venison, fish, lobster, clams, or squash. I think that the modern day turkey day dinner has changed somewhat, but kept a lot of the tradition still alive. At our house, we typically have two meats, turkey and ham. Along with mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, salads and pumpkin pie. All of this sounds so good, and I eat all of that, but compared to some other families, we probably have a boring Thanksgiving table.

There is a few things on our Thanksgiving table that we have that I don't eat, because my husband likes them. He cooks up some chitlins, which I never eat when he cooks them. Sorry that intestines from the chicken doesn't sound very appealing to me. lol. He also fixes greens, which are okay *shrugs shoulders* on a good day. He also makes this cornbread stuffing that everyone in my family loves but me. That has crumbled up corn bread, bell peppers, onions, celery, chicken broth, liver and gizzards. Again, liver and gizzards, no thank you.

Thanksgiving is the season of giving, loving and sharing amongst friends and family. It seems like whenever we get together with family and have a good time, food is always one of the main ingredients in the mix. Food is one of the most basic necessities in life. We all have our own tastes, what we like and what we don't like. The holidays aren't any different. There are usually more options and a lot more food on the holidays though. Tis the season to gain weight. :)

Today Is Halloween!! Candy Anybody?

I actually was reading an article on the most popular candy on Halloween, and why. It’s common knowledge that baby candy bars are really popular for Halloween. We can simply think back to our own experience as kids trick-or-treating to come to this conclusion. However, are candy bars really the most popular treats? You might be surprised by the answer.

According to Holidays.net, the search engine Lycos identified that the candy most searched for on the Internet at Halloween a few years ago was – drum roll, please – the tootsie roll!

Though the candy bar missed the coveted number-one spot on the “most searched for Halloween candy” list, various candy bars made a good showing. There were five candy bars (Hershey’s, Nestle Crunch, Snickers, Baby Ruth, Almond Joy, and Milky Way) in the top 15 candies. Treats similar to candy bars, including Reese’s Pieces and M&M’s, also made the list.

Rounding out the search-engine Halloween sweets list were sugary candies without fat: Nerds, Hot Tamales, Candy Corn, Razzles, Life Savers, and Sour Patch.

Analyzing Internet searches, it would seem Halloween shoppers can’t go wrong buying candy bars. It’s a pretty safe bet trick-or-treaters will like them. According to GKLife.com, the most popular candy bars are Hershey’s, Kit-Kat, Milky Way, Butterfinger, Three Musketeers, Oh Henry!, Baby Ruth, and Snickers.