Make Halloween Healthier for Trick or Treaters!

When you think of Halloween, the first thing that probably pops into your head is candy. Many of us don’t bat an eye at giving out cheap Halloween candy until we have children and realize that we don’t want our kids eating the stuff that we usually give out. With so many food allergies in children these days, knowing what to give out has become even trickier.
Halloween treats can be healthy and fun at the same time, and you don’t have to spend a fortune.

Here are ten ideas to beat the old trick or treats without becoming the house on the block that everyone avoids.

• Halloween-themed toys from a dollar store, Oriental Trading, Walmart or even the Target dollar section, like plastic eyeballs, creepy crawlies, erasers and crayons.
• Make your own fun-shaped crayons by melting old crayons in the microwave and pouring them into ice cube molds. Try finding some Halloween-inspired shapes.
• Stickers and temporary tattoos are always a big hit.
• Party stores always have a great selection of things for birthday party goody bags and they make great Halloween treats as well–bubbles, bouncy balls, glow sticks are all fun.
• Organic juice, such as Honest juice, or even mini bottles of water are easy to buy in bulk and children that have been walking around the neighborhood for a while will be thankful for the hydration.
• Fall is the season for apples, which means they’re relatively inexpensive during this time of the year, especially if you can buy them local.
• Add some stickers on Cuties to make them look like mini jack-o-lanterns.
• Mini boxes of raisins or fruit leathers be bought in bulk, making them an inexpensive, kid friendly snack.
• Unreal candy–which is even sold at CVS and Fred Meyer–is a great line of candy with no artificial colors, and is as natural as you can get while still being candy. They’re made to look like traditional candy, such as M&M’s.
• Whole Foods also carries snack size alternatives for Halloween, such as Justin’s Chocolate Almond Butter Cups, and individual squares of dark chocolate. It’s still a sweet treat but not loaded with corn syrup and fillers.