You put a 5 pound bag of gummy bears in your cart, stare at the number, and decide it has to be a typo. It is not. Five pounds sounds like enough candy to last until your kid’s next birthday, and then you pour it into a jar and watch the level drop.
A DIY candy buffet is one of the easiest ways to make a party feel finished, and it is also one of the easiest places to under-buy. Below are the mitzvah candy buffet supplies I would order, with links, plus the math for figuring out how much candy you need. If you want the rules and the look first, my 6 tips for a great mitzvah candy buffet covers the setup and candy buffet ideas we love has real ones.
This post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.
Want to see almost everything in one place? Here is the full candy buffet list in my Amazon storefront and here is my favorite place to buy candy by color.
Start with the jars, bowls, and scoops
Pick your containers before you pick your candy, because the container decides how much candy you need. The bigger the jar, the more it takes to fill it, and a half-empty jar looks sad in photos.
This set comes with 4 jars and lids!
Some jars come with scoops, like this option or this option.
If your jars don’t come with scoops, buy scoops or tongs separately, and buy enough that every unwrapped candy gets its own. Otherwise, your sour watermelon ends up with the gummy worms.
Gummy candy is always a winner
Try to buy gummies in 5-pound containers if you can. It sounds like a lot, yet it does not go as far as you would think. Candy also comes in different sizes and weights, so a pound of Swedish Fish and a pound of Trolli Gummy Worms will not fill the same amount of jar. Here are some options that get scooped up fast!
Sour Patch Kids are always a hit.
And Sour watermelon candy goes fast too. One thing to check before you click. If your guests keep kosher, read the label, because many gummies are made with gelatin and not all gelatin is kosher. Look for a kosher symbol on the package or the product page, and ask your venue or caterer if they have rules about outside food.
M&Ms in your color palette
I earn a commission on these, so I am biased, but I have had many, MANY clients use M&Ms over the years and I would recommend them anyway. You can buy bulk M&Ms in a single color to match your event palette, and they come in more than 20 colors. Or you can have your own words, pictures, or stock images printed right on them. Either way they double as decor and favor, which is a good deal for one purchase.
They take a few days to print and ship, so order early enough to leave yourself a cushion.
Ordering in the warmer months? Chocolate and heat do not mix, and a box sitting on a porch or in a hot truck can arrive as one big M&M. Check the forecast before you order, pick a delivery day when someone is home, and bring the box inside right away. Store it somewhere cool until the party.
If you’re looking to stick to a specific color palette, being able to search by color is key. Candy Retailer makes it so easy to do that.
How much candy to buy
I suggest a third to a half pound of candy per guest for a buffet. But, as always, there are caveats! The bigger the containers, both for displaying and taking home the candy, the more candy you’ll need. Where you land depends on how many of your guests are kids, how big the bags are, and how heavy the candy is. If only the kids are raiding the buffet, you will be at the low end. If the buffet doubles as the favor and everybody gets a big bag, plan for the high end. Adults like candy too and about half of them will also take a few pieces.
Containers for filling
The bigger the bag or container, the more candy you will need to fill it. 5×7 is the smallest size bag I would buy, and 6×9 or 6×10 is the better call if you want kids to take more candy. Order more bags than you have kids. Bags are cheap, and running out at the end of the night is worse than having extras. I’ve also had clients fill tumblers, mugs, Chinese takeout containers and more. I recommend these bags that come in various sizes.
Stickers and labels for your mitzvah candy buffet supplies
Custom stickers are one of the easiest ways to make favors feel like yours. Almost any container becomes event-ready once it has a label on it. Design your logo once using an Avery template, print as many as you need, and stick them on. Circle labels work well for most jars and bags.
If you would rather not print anything yourself, you can order custom stickers from Zazzle. The stickers come in a variety of sizes and shapes.
If the candy is your favor instead of a buffet
Candy and other edible favors are popular because they are simple, affordable, and nobody has to explain what they are. The trick is presentation. Use a small container, add a sticker or tag, and keep the portion realistic, since a bigger container takes a lot more candy and the cost climbs fast. There are more ideas in my exit treats and edible favors post.
Once it is set up, keep one rule in mind. Open the buffet as the party winds down, but do not let anyone take candy until they are walking out the door, and have an adult stationed there. Otherwise you get a stampede. More on that in the 7 tips post.
Pick your jars first, then work backward to the candy and everything will be sweet!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
