Tips for Healthy Halloween Treats
Healthy Treats - No Tricks
You know the deal: Trick or Treat. As the homeowner, we are expected to provide a treat or else there will be a trick coming our way in the near future in the form of splattered eggs on your home’s siding, or toilet paper festively draped on your spruce. The stakes are high, so we need to get the “treat” part right.
But Halloween treats do not need to be diabetes-inducing, butt-widening candy. Here are some awesome ideas for healthier treats that will have your trick-or-treaters saying “thank you!” even without a reminder from their chaperone.
Healthy and Fun Halloween Treats
Glow-In-The-Dark Giveaways – Search for these fun products on the web for awesome deals on bulk glow-in-the-dark necklaces, bracelets, and more. Here are some fun, glow-in-the dark ideas I found on a recent search. Buy them in bulk and you'll have plenty of fun, safe treats without breaking the bank. You're also helping the neighborhood kiddos to be more visible and safe as they giggle from door to door.
- Glow-In-The-Dark Bouncing Eyeballs
- Mini Halloween Flashlights on a Rope
- Glow-In-The-Dark Vampire Fangs
- Halloween Glow Bracelets
- Mini Glow-In-The-Dark Halloween Rubber Duckies
Tricky Halloween Toys – These super fun toys will keep them entertained, without the side effect of spiking-then-plummeting blood sugar levels, and the associated mood swings we find so endearing.
- Glitter Halloween Tattoos
- Halloween Maze Puzzles
- Mini Halloween Paddleballs
- Glow-In-The-Dark Martian Fingers
Candy in Moderation – After all, it IS Halloween. I like to hand out a piece or two chocolate along with the non-candy goodies. I don’t want my kids gorging on a large quantity of candy, and it seems like chocolate satisfies them the quickest.
Halloween Treats to Keep to Yourself
Nix the choking hazards. It may be tempting for your budget’s sake to go with smaller toys, but please don’t. Halloween is very much about the little kids. While the little ones are putting candy in their mouths, they could very easily slip in a toy without a grown-up noticing. You may plan to give the small toys to the big kids, but remember that those big kids probably have smaller siblings at home. So, please keep everybody safe and avoid giving out small, choking hazards.
Avoid toys that look like food. For example, do not hand out the erasers that are shaped like hamburgers because there are hamburger gummies out there. Also, do not hand out those little dissolving pellets that have scrunched up sponge animals inside. If a child were to eat one of those, it would be seriously dangerous. Again, remember that the treats you hand out will be mixed with candy from your neighbors. Kids may scarf this stuff down without scrutinizing it.
Do not give out candy with peanuts. It seems like every day I learn that another kid in my neighborhood has a peanut allergy. These allergies are terrifying for parents because peanuts are in so many foods, and eating peanuts can literally be fatal for their precious little ones. Give them a break by not handing out any candy with peanuts. I personally love Peanut M&M’s and those little Halloween Snickers bars, so I plan to use the peanut excuse for keeping all of those for myself.
Moderation is the Key
Use toys and other giveaways to dilute the sugar load of your Halloween goodie bowl, for happier, healthier kids.
