As another Halloween night approaches, people across the country are looking for their next favorite candy. While the usual chocolate suspects are at the top of most people’s lists, could they be dethroned by a sweet and fruity staple?

Over the years, I’ve heard trick-or-treaters refer to Skittles as a “fruity M&M”, giving the assumption that these small circular candies are hard, and minutely flavored with fruit. However, Skittles are a star in their own right, and do plenty to differentiate them from being in the shadow of a completely different treat.

The colorful packaging with a rainbow gives the high expectations of a highly fruity taste, and the flavors are all listed as strawberry, orange, lemon, lime, and grape. 

The strawberry had a very strong flavor, which was different from the taste of a ripe, fresh strawberry, but it was clear and had no issue being confused with another common red flavor like raspberry or cherry. I don’t consider myself to be a large fan of orange-flavored items in general, but the flavor, while very strong, wasn’t sour at all, and was quite enjoyable. While I usually find myself sensitive to the taste of lemon – not really being able to enjoy it due to its sour taste – I was pleasantly surprised by the lemon skittle. While there were sour undertones, it wasn’t overwhelming to eat, however I couldn’t eat multiple at once. The lime was very similar in this sense, having a good flavor but the prominent sour undertones made it be one at a time. Finally the grape closed the package strongly, with a great flavor that tastes like your typical artificially flavored grape product, not the real fruit.

The chewy aspect made the Skittles a little hard to eat at times if I ate too many at once, and the smaller package comes in handy because by eating too many in a row, it would not only get stuck in my teeth, but would take a long time to chew. This made my jaw a little tired, so small portions are important when eating this treat. 

Overall, each Skittle had a wonderful flavor individually, and they didn’t taste bad together. It was a highly enjoyable candy, and if you’re a fan of fruity candy, Skittles are a highly recommended option.