As a child, I remember how much fun it was dressing up for Halloween and running from house to house yelling “trick-or-treat”. I couldn’t wait for dinner to be over so I could put on my costume and begin the night.
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My brother, friends and I had the neighbors’ houses scoped out. We knew which houses would pass out the biggest candy bars and which would hand out dental floss! After hitting up all of the houses on one street, my brother and I would run home, dump our candy out and run back out for more until the porch lights would begin turning off.
Once home, we would pile up all of our candy and begin making trades. I never was a huge fan of sweets, but I was competitive and as the bigger sister, I thought I should get the majority of the candy. It never quite worked out that way, but I did get my fair share. I would take my stash up to my room and put it in a drawer.
For a few days after Halloween, I would usually take a candy bar to school each day for lunch, but then it was over. I usually forgot about the candy until the following year when I’d find the stash as I unloaded the new batch. For me, I guess the fun of Halloween was running around collecting it.
Even though candy wasn’t good for us back in the day, it especially isn’t good for children today. Today, there are so many allergies that kids have to be cautious about. Candy is also laden with GMOs. As you can gather from other posts I’ve written, I’m not a fan of GMOs. So what is a parent to do if they’re trying to keep their child healthy?
Healthy Halloween Treats
Here are a few healthy Halloween treats I’ve heard of or read about. Maybe instead of giving kids unhealthy treats, pass out healthy alternatives to Halloween candy. Some kids might frown at it, but others might actually appreciate it or enjoy it for a change.
- Look for non-GMO candy at health food stores
- Hand out packets of Trail Mix (but be cautious of nut allergies)
- Hand out baggies of Organic Carrot Sticks
- Pass out fruit
- Put together non-GMO popcorn balls
- Pass out small toys
- Hand out colorful stickers
- Pass out Halloween pencils
Get creative! There are many healthy Halloween treats that are more fun and less expensive than passing out candy.
Trade for It!
If your children come home with lots of candy, think of ways to trade for healthier alternatives. Here are some ideas:
- Trade with your kids – give them healthy treats for a certain amount of candy they give you.
- Create a new Tradition – Have your children set their candy baskets outside the front door (or in some specific place in your home) during the first week in November. Each evening, take some candy from their basket and leave a little gift. They will be excited to wake up and see what gifts were left for them overnight.
- Candy as a Learning Experience – Give a numerical value to each type of candy. Use the candy in place of money to teach your child how they can purchase something (you previously bought) with their candy.
- Check Your Local Paper – See if there are any dentists or wellness clinics that are offering a swap for candy. Sometimes offices have an event after Halloween to collect candy in exchange for being entered in a raffle for a bigger prize.
By handing out alternatives to Halloween candy and trading your kids for healthier Halloween treats, you’re sure to help everyone have a healthier Halloween this year.
Read Next: Natural Does NOT Mean Organic!
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