Fun and Freaky Halloween Facts

Frightening Food Facts

Pumpkin Extravaganza

• The world's record for biggest pumpkin is currently held by a gigantic gourd weighing a whopping 1,385 pounds!
• Did you know that pumpkin is the best source of vitamin A among all canned fruits and vegetables? With just a half a cup giving you three times the recommended daily requirement, it really is the Great Pumpkin!

Corny Candy Facts

• Each year 2 billion dollars is spent on Halloween candy. Now that's a lot of candy -- and cavities!
• More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces -- enough to circle the moon nearly four times if laid end-to-end.
• What's the most popular Halloween candy? Snickers tops the list for trick-or-treaters.
• Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.
• Did you know that chocolate is better for your child's teeth than hard candy? Chocolate rinses more easily from the mouth by saliva, leaving it in contact with teeth for a shorter time. Chocolate also contains tannins, which inhibit the action of cavity-causing bacteria. Finally, a good excuse to indulge!

More Terror-ific Tidbits

The movie Halloween was made in just 21 days in 1978, on a very limited budget.

It's not uncommon for people to be afraid of Halloween. In fact, there's even a name for this fear: Samhainophobia.

Originally published on HealthyKids.com, August 2004.