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We all want candy

But not the same kind. Everyone has a favorite and something that gets a "yuck!"

CITRUS SPRINGS - For most kids, the best part about Halloween is a bag full of candy at the end of the night.

But before you drop in just any Milk Dud or Sweet Tart, maybe you better know which treats trick-or-treaters really want to munch.

"I love to get Jolly Ranchers. They are long lasting and have such intense flavors," said Christian Presswood, 11, a sixth-grader at Citrus Springs Middle School in Citrus Springs. But skip the coconut in his bag. "I don't like the flavor of coconut. It's nasty."

Daniel Barboto, 11, a fifth-grader at the Tampa Downtown Partnership Elementary School, said Baby Ruths are the best kind of treat. Not only does he like the taste, somewhere along the line he realized "you can take the peanuts out and throw them at people," said an only half-joking Daniel, who plans to stalk his Odessa neighborhood for Baby Ruths in a "wolfman farmer" costume he concocted himself.

At Gorrie Elementary in Tampa, fifth-grader Joey Peel, 10, strongly disagrees with Daniel on the merits of Baby Ruths, saying he'll eat just about anything but. Joey, who will dress as Freddy Krueger, said Nestle Crunch bars are his favorite.

Although candy corn has become a Halloween symbol, some folks disagree on whether it is a good treat. Don't give any candy corn to Simple Flores, 14, an eighth-grader at Citrus Springs Middle. "The worst things to find are candy corn or plain apples," she said. "I never eat them." She would prefer Tootsie Pops, Kit Kats and Smarties.

Save all the candy corn for Nicole Dupler, 12, a seventh-grader at the school. "I love candy corn. I like the colors of the candy corn, and the sugar," Nicole said.

Like Christian, Nicole thinks that anything with coconut - especially Mounds Bars - is more a trick than a treat.

Other teens are less specific about their preferences. For them, beggars can't be choosers. Channing Canary, a 13-year-old seventh-grader at Citrus Springs Middle, said that she prefers "the sugary kind (of candy)." The only thing that would send her running is any "healthy food."

Nine-year-old Geryn Young of Tampa, a fourth-grader at Mitchell Elementary who plans to wear a cowgirl costume, will be looking for any kind of "sour stuff," she said. When you eat a lot of it, "It really makes you wacko and you can annoy your parents."

If you're worried about not getting your favorite candy on Halloween, do like Alden Richie, 12, a seventh-grader at Citrus Springs Middle. Alden doesn't trick-or-treat because "my mom just buys me a bag of my favorite candy (Skittles)."

- Heather Foster, 13, is in the seventh grade at Citrus Springs Middle School in Citrus County. Times correspondent Sharon Ginn contributed to this story.

You probably aren't too worried what those treats are going to do to your smile, but your parents probably are. But according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, kids can enjoy their treats without harming their teeth, if they snack sensibly.

The AAPD advises that kids and parents should:

* Choose one or two pieces of candy for after lunch and dinner.

* Limit snacking to no more than three or four times a day.

* In addition to Halloween candy, choose snacks that contribute to overall nutrition and health, such as cheese, vegetables, yogurt and chocolate milk.

* Make sure you brush at least twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed.