COLUMBUS, Ohio – A beloved Ohio confection may soon earn official recognition. Legislation that would designate the chocolate-and-peanut-butter buckeye as Ohio’s state candy is moving through the General Assembly, with the House beginning its review after the Senate passed the measure late last year.
Senate Bill 247, sponsored by Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus), received its first House hearing March 3 before the Government Oversight Committee. The bill originated from a simple observation by a staffer in DeMora’s office: Ohio had no official state candy.
“For Ohioans, few things say ‘home’ quite like a buckeye,” DeMora told committee members, noting that — unlike the actual buckeye nut, which is toxic — the candy version is “sweeter, safer to eat, and has become a long-lasting beloved tradition for generations of families.”
The treat is a fixture in bakeries, grocery stores and home kitchens across the state, with many families passing down their own recipes. When the bill cleared the Senate with near-unanimous support last fall, candy industry voices including Anthony-Thomas Candy Company and The Buckeye Lady testified in favor, calling the buckeye a signature piece of Ohio’s culinary identity.
