Okay, time to get down to business. While it's perfectly acceptable to give out candy devoid of cocoa at Halloween, we all know chocolate is the name of the game on October 31. Whether you're being modest and giving out fun-size or miniature versions, or are going whole hog (probably in a not-so-subtle attempt to outdo your neighbors) and doling out regular or even king-size varieties, here are the 10 chocolate candies that should be in your trick-or-treat bowl.

10. Chunky. In making the Chunky bar a compact trapezoid, Nestle eschewed traditional candy bar architecture and the result is a thick block of milk chocolate studded with salted peanuts and chewy raisins. I thought the idea of incorporating desiccated grapes into candy was ludicrous, but that was before I tried a Chunky bar; now I am in favor of using sultanas, raisins, and other dried fruits as much as possible with chocolate.

9. Milky Way. For those who write off Milk Way as simply a poor man's Snickers because of the former's lack of peanuts, I say you are not fully appreciating that a thick ribbon of caramel atop chocolate nougat can be appealing in a totally different way. No legumes means a smoother, more luscious consumption experience and a chance to fully appreciate the delicious simplicity of nougat, caramel, and chocolate.

8. Peanut M&Ms. Note the absence of the word "butter" in this entry. Butter does not always make everything better. Old-school peanut M&M's offer the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate of regular M&Ms plus a double layer of crunch via the presence of a cheery candy shell and the interior peanut. The extra protein and mastication involved might also prevent you from eating more than two cups (in theory) of these candies.

7. Kit-Kats. Regular Kit-Kats, that is. Not green tea, strawberry, edamame soybean or any of those other Japanese spin-offs. Never in a candy bar has there been a more fabulous combination of wafer and milk chocolate and such a satisfying crunch with each bite.