The Average Count: A Delicious Range
While it would be convenient if every snack size bag contained a uniform number of M&Ms, the reality is more varied. The average count for a standard milk chocolate "Fun Size" bag, which is a common snack size, hovers around 17 candies. However, this number is an average, and you might find anywhere from 15 to 19 M&Ms inside your individual pack. This seemingly random variation is not a mistake; it's a deliberate part of the manufacturing process.
Why the Count Isn't Exact
The primary reason for the variation is that M&Ms are packaged by weight, not by an exact count of pieces. Production lines use highly accurate scales to ensure that each bag contains the specified net weight, typically around 0.47 ounces for a "Fun Size" pouch. Because individual M&Ms can differ slightly in size and weight, a bag filled to the correct weight will not always have the same number of pieces as another. This is standard practice in the confectionery industry to ensure consistent product volume and value for consumers.
Factors Influencing Your M&M Count
Beyond the weight-based packaging, several other factors contribute to the exact number of M&Ms you might find in your bag:
- Flavor and Filling: The size and density of the M&M variety directly impact the count. For instance, a snack size bag of peanut M&Ms will contain far fewer pieces than a bag of milk chocolate M&Ms because the peanuts are much heavier individually.
- Factory Location: As surprising as it may seem, the factory where your M&Ms were made can also influence the mix. Mars, Inc. has two main M&Ms factories in the U.S., one in Hackettstown, New Jersey (HKP) and another in Cleveland, Tennessee (CLV). A statistician's research confirmed that these two plants use different formulas for the color distribution in their plain M&Ms. While this primarily affects color ratios, it can slightly influence the overall density of the candy mix.
- Miniature vs. Regular Size: The comparison is not always fair. When considering different versions of M&Ms, such as the Minis sold in tubes, the chocolate-to-shell ratio is different, and the pieces are smaller. This means a "snack size" bag could, in theory, contain a wildly different number of candies depending on whether it holds regular M&Ms or the much smaller Minis.
Milk Chocolate vs. Peanut vs. Crispy: A Comparison
To illustrate how different varieties can affect the count, consider a comparison of three popular M&M flavors in their snack-size packaging. The counts are estimates based on weighing and sampling, since Mars packages by weight, not by a fixed number.
| Feature | Milk Chocolate Snack Size | Peanut Snack Size | Crispy Snack Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Candy Count | ~17-18 candies | ~9-11 candies [Derived] | ~12-14 candies [Derived] |
| Bag Net Weight (approx.) | 0.47 ounces | 0.63 ounces | 0.58 ounces |
| Calories per Bag (approx.) | ~65-70 calories | ~90 calories | ~90 calories |
| Filled by | Weight | Weight | Weight |
Fun Facts from M&M's History
The story behind these chocolate candies is as colorful as the shells themselves. Here are some interesting historical tidbits:
- Wartime Invention: M&M's were created during World War II, based on the observation that soldiers in the Spanish Civil War were eating chocolate pellets with a hard sugar shell to prevent melting. This allowed chocolate to be transported to soldiers in warm climates without turning to liquid.
- The Original M&M's: When M&M's were first sold to the public in the late 1940s, they came in a brown pouch instead of the cardboard tubes used for the military. The original colors included brown, yellow, red, green, and violet, though violet was later replaced with tan.
- The First Candy in Space: In 1981, M&M's became the first candy to travel into space when space shuttle astronauts included them in their food supply. Astronauts still take them on missions today, sometimes tossing them around in zero gravity for fun.
- A Temporary Absence of Red: In 1976, M&M's temporarily removed the red candies from their bags to avoid confusion with Red Dye No. 2, which had been banned despite not being used in M&M's. The iconic color returned in 1987.
How to Estimate the M&Ms in Your Own Bag
If you want to perform your own experiment to get a more accurate count from a sample, you can follow a simple weight-based method:
- Count and Weigh a Sample: Open a single bag and count the number of M&Ms inside. Use a digital kitchen scale to get the weight of that sample in grams. This will give you a benchmark for the weight of the bag's contents.
- Find the Average Weight: Divide the total weight of your sample by the number of candies to determine the average weight of a single M&M for that specific flavor and size.
- Weigh a Full Bag: Weigh a new, unopened snack size bag. You might have to subtract the packaging weight for more precision.
- Estimate the Total Count: Divide the weight of the new bag's contents by the average weight you calculated in step 2. The result will give you a close approximation of the number of M&Ms inside.
The Variable Color Distribution
For those curious about the colors, statistics from 2017 revealed that different Mars factories package different ratios of M&M colors. For plain M&M's, the color percentages were:
- Hackettstown, NJ Plant (HKP):
- Blue: 25%
- Orange: 25%
- Yellow: 12.5%
- Green: 12.5%
- Red: 12.5%
- Brown: 12.5%
- Cleveland, TN Plant (CLV):
- Red: 13.1%
- Orange: 20.5%
- Yellow: 13.5%
- Green: 19.8%
- Blue: 20.7%
- Brown: 12.4%
Conclusion: The Final Count is a Delicious Mystery
Ultimately, the precise number of M&Ms in a snack size bag is a delicious mystery, but one that is easily understood when you know the variables involved. The packaging process, which prioritizes filling by weight, combined with slight variations in individual candies and flavor differences, means that no two bags will ever be exactly the same. The next time you open a pack, don't worry about the exact number, but instead enjoy the surprise and the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth flavor that has made this candy a classic for decades. You can find more M&M's facts and recipes on the M&M's website.
