The other day on my Facebook page I said, “What is everyone handing out for Halloween this year? We’re doing our usual – glow sticks. I’d love to feature some of your new and creative (non-candy) ideas on the Charlotte Today show later this week!” And I got a barrage of comments, many of which simply answered the question, but also included some of the following…
- “I’m sorry, but it’s Halloween and they’re children. We give out candy.”
- “This crosses the line. Too much. It’s once a year!”
- “If you don’t want to hand out candy, replace it with a healthy alternative treat. But substituting junk food with junky plastic crap isn’t much better in my opinion.”
First of all, I NEVER said my kids don’t get to eat candy on Halloween night. The problem is this: When some people hear that I hand out glow sticks instead of candy they make assumptions and then say (in the comments), “Oh give me a break Halloween is just once a year so let kids be kids!” But when you eat gobs of candy on Halloween night and then continue to eat the rest of the candy for weeks (or months) to come how is it still counted as “just one night?” I have no problem with my children OD’ing on whatever candy they want on Halloween night – and that’s actually what they do – with no limits or constraints from me. But then we actually live up to Halloween being “just one night” and get rid of what’s left (with the exception of maybe 5 or so pieces for “later”).
So my thought process is that children will still get PLENTY of candy on Halloween even if a few of us decide to hand out something different. Not to mention there are lots of FUN alternatives to candy (see below) that I doubt will deprive any child from just being a “kid.” Now, that’s just my two cents on the topic. I occasionally have a hard time when commenters criticize me for something I don’t even do (i.e. not let my kids trick or treat for candy) – so just had to vent about that for a moment. :)
Secondly, how many kids actually EAT every single piece of Halloween candy? Don’t the uneaten pieces (along with the wrappers from the others) end up in the land fill anyway? I promise I’m not personally a huge fan of little plastic “made in China” gadgets either, but I didn’t invent Halloween and like it or not it’s all about handing SOMETHING out. I personally have a hard time seeing how a little skeleton paratrooper is a whole lot different than gobs of candy wrappers in the land fill. Your thoughts on this?
Anyway, now that I got that off my chest let’s get into the fun alternatives that I had a chance to share on the Charlotte Today show yesterday!
Candy-Free Ideas for Trick or Treaters
- Festive Toys: Witch Fingers (8 cents/each) and Skeleton Paratroopers (28 cents/each) – found at Party City or Target or online.
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Online Finds: Finger Lights (12 cents/each) and Syringe Pens (22 cents/each).
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Themed Jokes and Trivia: Lunchbox Love Cards – something different (20 cents/each)!
And since they are a partner of ours you can get 20% off with coupon code “100DAYS” -
Coins: Mostly pennies – mix in some dimes and nickels and tell them to close their eyes before picking!
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Glow sticks: My personal favorite and what I am handing out again this year (7 cents/each) – found in the dollar section at Target.
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Drinks: Small bottled waters (81 cents/each) and/or organic juice pouches (75 cents/each) because we all know those trick or treaters get thirsty running around the whole neighborhood.
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If you still really want candy: How about organic lollipops (9 cents/each) or fruit leathers/twists (83 cents/each) without artificial dyes or other questionable additives?
- What do to with all that candy at the end of the night? Invite the Switch Witch over! A big thanks to blog reader Catherine for sharing this poem with us. Also, she wants you to know she now has an updated and illustrated version on her website for you!
What are your plans for Halloween night?
School Lunch Roundup VI
Jhana
September 17, 2015 at 9:08 pmalso, water is an awesome idea. my kids always get super thirsty for some reason.
Morgan
September 17, 2015 at 9:36 pmI didn’t read all the comments so this may have been said a million times but we donate the remainder of our candy instead of throwing it away. I’ve sent it to the troops overseas and I’ve donated to a local women and children’s shelter.
Dee
September 17, 2015 at 9:53 pmLast year I told my husband I didn’t want to pass out candy. With a smile on his face, he told me we would get egged and that it wouldn’t go over well. So I bought some candy (the good stuff like snickers, etc.) AND a bunch of temporary tatoos, fake insects, and stretchy bracelets. I put them all in one big bowl and when the kids came to the door I let them pick. To our surprise, 2/3 kids picked the non-candy options!! It was such a hit! So that’s what we do know, a few candy options (switching to organic lollipops this year) and non-candy options (LOVE the glow stick idea!!). Happy haunting! :)
Tricia
September 19, 2015 at 2:38 amGreat ideas!!!
Roma
September 17, 2015 at 11:29 pmWhen my kids were little, we just limited the area in which they trick-or-treated. They didn’t get to go to enough houses to collect gobs of candy. They always loved it; they didn’t ever ask to keep going. It’s always cold here on Halloween! When they got older, they didn’t care to go. To this day my (now very much grown) sons are not big sweets eaters.
Heather
September 18, 2015 at 2:31 pmWe hand out clementines that are decorated with black sharpie as pumpkins!! I was SO shocked last year at all the kids that were actually excited for that. I thought for sure a bunch would not be happy– but only one teenager was grumpy about it and didn’t want it! I’ll continue doing this for a long time!!
Dana
September 18, 2015 at 4:11 pmWhat a great idea! My kids would love decorating them for the trick or treaters! The only drawback would be the cost….I don’t know about the US, but here in Canada, clementines can be pretty costly. Maybe it would be an idea better saved for a school Halloween party, where the number needed would be less? Love the idea, though!
Tricia
September 19, 2015 at 2:36 amLove!!!
Alison
September 18, 2015 at 4:38 pmI usually hand out candy, the good stuff like Snickers, but since we were out running around taking my son to see his grandparents last year (it was his 1st Halloween) we didn’t even get home in time to turn our light on so I’m not even buying any this year. We end up snitching out of the candy before Halloween anyways and don’t need to do that, if it’s not in the house there won’t be any temptation.
Tricia
September 19, 2015 at 2:36 amWe hand out toothbrushes and floss haha!!! Yes I am a dental hygienist!!! But we also hand out candy along with it…. But tell them to be sure and brush their teeth!!!! We let our kids eat their candy for a. couple days and then either throw it away or hide it for when we go to the movies for the next few months!!! Happy Halloween!!!
Christy
October 7, 2015 at 10:27 amI LOVE this idea! Glow sticks would have been so fun as a kid! I’m shocked at the comments you’ve gotten…it’s not like you handed out toothpaste! I actually got that one year as a kid!
Mrs_MG
October 7, 2015 at 10:29 amEven though we don’t *celebrate* this particular holiday in our home, I love most of your ideas for Halloween treats. However, I have one concern — the syringe. If there’s one thing I wouldn’t want to do is to give small children the idea that a syringe is a *toy* especially if one lives in a city where actual used syringes can be found daily in city parks and open spaces. Can you imagine some child who got a *toy* syringe for Halloween going to a park and find a real syringe (ie left there by some drug user) and thinks, Oh, a free toy! That is a disaster waiting to happen.
Please, please, DON’T give out toy syringes as treats this Halloween! And encourage all adults (parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, etc.) to teach all children that syringes (play or otherwise) should be treated just as if they were firearms — Stop! Don’t touch! Run and tell an adult!
Leilani Todd
October 7, 2015 at 10:39 amLisa – we have handed out Halloween favors – bracelets, tattoos, etc for a long time!! The last and are great for ALL ages!! I absolutely LOVE the idea of decorating clementine oranges that is fabulous another great idea for all ages.
Carol
October 7, 2015 at 11:15 amYour ideas were great and creative. I think people don’t realize kids like other things besides candy. So I loved your suggestions. If people don’t like it, then they can go stuff themselves with candy and reap the benefits.
Katie
October 7, 2015 at 11:35 amA lady in our neighborhood gives out bottled water. The first year, the kids were like “Whhaaatt?!?!” Later, they got thirsty and were very happy to have that in their bag.
Every year since, they have looked forward to “The Water Lady” because they are always thirsty.
Kirsten
October 7, 2015 at 11:38 amHave you heard about the teal pumpkin campaign? With the rash of allergies and food sensitivities there are lots of parents who are doing just this. This year (maybe others too but this is the first year I’ve heard of it) if you are handing out non-candy treats you place a pumpkin, painted teal on your doorstep so parents know you’re “food safe”.
I love this idea – kids still get a cool treat …… and it lasts longer too :)
Jeanine
October 7, 2015 at 12:21 pmKristin, I’m SO glad you mentioned this! I was thinking the same thing. I also saw the email that just came through on Lisa’s list-serve with peanut butter bars and was thinking “Darn, I wish she’d use Sunbutter!”. We just found it at Costco even, then they’d be safe to take to school with the allergy kids too. I’ve followed this blog for years, implemented the meal plans at home and have been so grateful for all your hard and shared work (Lisa!:). This allergies are becoming epidemic so embracing and/or relating to that audience (1 in 13 children now) would not only be appreciated but darn good marketing!! Loves <3
Sabrina
October 7, 2015 at 12:43 pmIn the past I’ve handed out little Gideon bibles. I spent about 100$ but well worth it in my opinion. Now days we just aren’t home on Halloween for one reason or another so we haven’t handed out candy or other options in years.
http://www.keystothegenuinelife.com
Jenn
October 7, 2015 at 12:44 pmTwo of my 4 kids have severe nut allergies. Halloween is a frightening holiday!!! Ever looked for a Halloween candy that is “safe?” I was quite torn when my son was in Kindergarten last year and ALL of the kids with food allergies were placed in that class. The room was deemed “Food Free.” No parties, no treats, for any holiday or special function. At the end of the year, I asked the teacher what she thought. She said it was the best year ever. She loved not having food be the focus and the kids loved it too. I think adults are a little more concerned about the treats and letting kids be kids. They just want to have fun.
Leslie
October 7, 2015 at 12:59 pmI totally agree with the earlier posters! My son is allergic to eggs, wheat and most nuts. The safe candies available to him are pretty limited. The food-related holidays can be frightening for parents of children with food allergies. I am so happy when he is included by someone handing out little notebooks, flashlights, bracelets, etc.
We had a teal pumpkin on our porch last year and many kids chose to have a non-food treat even if they did not have food allergies!
Alyssa
October 7, 2015 at 5:15 pmOh my goodness! I love the switch witch! That is an awesome idea! My little one is celebrating her first Halloween this year, so the candy will not be an issue yet, but I am saving this idea for years to come. It sounds much more fun than just taking away the candy.
Also, Thank you for the fresh, non food ideas. Halloween can be a hard time for kids with food allergies and I think it is nice to have trinkets for them as well.
Amy
October 8, 2015 at 8:37 amSo you’re handing out a bunch of plastic garbage that will take up landfill space for the next 800 years? Great solution.
Lynn
October 8, 2015 at 8:53 amWe are a creative REUSE center and we have made cute, inexpensive diy kits for the kids. Six craft sticks, 5 rubber bands, a milk cap and hot glue or a glue dot makes a catapult. Some yarn, a plastic fork, scrap fabric and sequins, buttons, etc. make a doll. An envelope, some scrap paper and googly eyes makes a monster bookmark. Loads of ideas for some creative fun.
Annette
October 8, 2015 at 10:04 amI like the non-candy ideas as well. I had a friend ask us all to consider non-candy options this year because she has a child with severe peanut allergy. She just sat and cried last Halloween because he couldn’t eat most of what he got anyway. What mom doesn’t feel bad when their child cannot participate or is left out which is exactly what happens when he cannot have what he received. I’m giving away Halloween tattoos this year as well as a tootsie roll option because both of these options work for those with peanut allergies. I had never thought about the treats from an allergy stand point before and am glad she brought it to my attention. I will always give a non-candy option from now on.
Amy
October 8, 2015 at 1:08 pmI love these ideas! Not sure if you have Philly Pretzel Factories in your area or not, but ours has 25 coupons for a free Philly Pretzel for $5.00. So for me, it means something other than candy for later down the road. It relieved my guilt of “candy” option.
Erica
October 9, 2015 at 3:53 pmI let my kids eat candy on Halloween and pick a few of their favorites for special treats in the few days to come. But then I buy the rest of the candy from them. They are happy to hand over the candy, and I am happy they won’t be eating all of it. I like your ideas for other treats instead of candy too!
Sharon in Surrey
October 9, 2015 at 6:15 pmWhen I was a kid & Hallowe’en was a safer time, we didn’t always get candy. We got tons of home baking like fudge – oh man, we LOVED that fudge house!!!, cookies in Hallowe’en shapes, fruit, rice crispy squares were another popular goodie, fruit leathers & money – one house gave each of us a buck!! Yeah, we got lots of candy bars, chips, remember those awful brownish yellow wrapped candy lumps – the stuff no one liked – not even the dog & packages of peanuts – my dad’s favorite. But, we loved the stuff that lasted more than one night. One house gave out seed packages for weird plants & veggies. I think I got my first loofa seeds on Hallowe’en!! So it wasn’t just about candy – although, we stuffed our faces until we were sick. Today, I know everything has to be prepackaged & nut free – too bad. That fudge & all those cookies were great . . . . But why do you have to give out candy??? I think the glow sticks & witches fingers are great!! Kids also love simple games, dollar bills, Diamond rings!! Spiders. Worms. And anything ‘glow in the dark’.
Hazel
October 10, 2015 at 12:00 pmYears ago when my children were young I made my own advent calendars for Christmas. Simple little cloth sacks with ribbon strong or wool to draw them closed. I had a Christmassy screen print cloth Scene I mounted on stretcher bars and sewed on small plastic rings for the bags to be tied to. Twenty four pieces of the candy they got from trick or treating was used for each child. ( the good ones). They never missed the candy from their stash. If anyone has ever looked at the contents of the chocolate advent calendars they will be looking for an alternative. We have since continued this tradition with the grandchildren. Worked for is every year.
Cheryl
October 12, 2015 at 1:13 pmI used to give out mini tubs of play-do. The teen chaperones especially loved them. Now we get no trick-or-treaters, at all, after several years of fewer and fewer. :(
Laura
October 23, 2015 at 7:06 amDecades ago, I started giving out packets of hot chocolate one night after running out of candy. The trick-or-treaters were very happy with that, so I gave those out in future years and became known as “the hot chocolate lady” of Halloween in that neighborhood. This year. . . I haven’t decided yet. Thank you for the ideas.
Joanne
October 27, 2015 at 12:01 pmI am grateful for all your wonderful, creative ideas – even the ones I may not plan to use! You are enabling people to make changes in their lives for the better. People who aren’t interested in these options should move on instead of bashing. Sadly, people would rather put their negative energy out into the universe, where it does no one any good. Keep doing what you are doing because there are so many more of us who appreciate it than not!
Kay
October 27, 2015 at 12:16 pmGlow sticks are pretty toxic environmentally. Might be better for their bodies, but not for the earth!
Kimberly
October 27, 2015 at 1:34 pmOh, man…my kids, nieces, nephews love glow sticks. I think it’s a great idea to sub this for candy knowing all those little recipients are already going home with a boat load, anyway. Holy cow at the leftover Halloween candy that just gets tossed or given away in our house. Then you have to purge to make room for Christmas candy…and then Valentine’s Day…it’s never ever “just one night,” I don’t know why people even say that. My second grader has come home talking about getting birthday cupcakes at school about every week for over a month and one day they had TWO birthdays to celebrate! It’s overwhelming. I don’t think replacing candy for “just one night” is going to put anyone’s kids in therapy later in life. Happy Halloween!
Summer
October 27, 2015 at 10:12 pmIn case you are wanting a little help/inspiration with the Switch Witch (Why didn’t I think of that?)
https://learningexpress.com/parenting/switch-witch-a-new-halloween-tradition/
judy
October 28, 2015 at 12:52 pmMy kids love getting something other than candy when they trick or treat, and glow sticks are awesome!
Melanie
October 28, 2015 at 3:17 pmI’m giving glow sticks this year because lots of kids can’t eat candy. I’m putting a cut-out of a teal pumpkin on my door so those kids know they have a safe alternative at my house.
Leslie Brown
October 11, 2016 at 10:30 amI’m also a believer in providing candy AND an alternative to candy. The ‘Teal Pumpkin Project’ was started because of food allergies. There are many reasons why providing a non-food item alongside the standard candy mix is a great idea. Kids with true medical issues like food allergies, swallowing conditions, diabetes, braces (no chewy, sticky, gummy or hard candies), etc. My son has a heart condition and can’t have chocolate. He was always so sad on Halloween when his bags was 3/4 full of mini chocolate bars that he couldn’t have. So, honest is there a downside to providing an alternative? Not really. The rest of the neighborhood with provide them with more than you can tote anyway. :-)
Seriously
November 2, 2015 at 12:14 pmOkay lady, you are clearly “one of those” people. Hopefully you will be gone in the next few years. Whack job
Jessica
September 30, 2016 at 3:03 pmI gave out glow sticks last year (and candy) and the kids (and parents) loved them! Every kid that came to my door, ran back to their parents saying “We got GLOWSTICKS!” Plus, glow sticks make kids easier to see in the dark.
Carol
September 30, 2016 at 3:29 pmOur orthodontist paid the kids per pound of candy the redeemed at his office. The kids got half of the money and half went to charity. The candy was sent to our troops overseas as their “treat”. My kids usually came away with about 10 dollars each. I always let them keep their favorites and they gave me my favorites, but then we didn’t have to worry about the big bowl that lasted for MONTHS.
Marion
October 9, 2016 at 11:48 amThere is nothing wrong with glow sticks. Besides, what child does not like them.
My mom used to wrap up pennies, I saw nothing wrong with that either.
Everyone has their own thing they like or believe in. Some people say, Halloween comes only once a year. Will, so don’t Christmas, so are those people saying their kids only get gifts then and only then?? I’m guessing not.
We will hand out candy dressed up too.
Katie
September 30, 2016 at 6:41 pmI love this too for kids with food allergies! Gives them something safe and fun :-)
sarah
September 30, 2016 at 10:59 pmI am 42 yrs old and still have a Get-A-Long Gang plastic picture frame I got as a treat, trick or treating when I was 10 or so. I am all about Halloween candy, one reason to take nieces & nephews trick or treating…. but different is awesome. Children love wacky stuff as much or more than candy. If one is going to participate why not think outside the box or at least support others in their creativity. It is a holiday, it is supposed to be fun, bring joy, all that good stuff. There is more than one way to do things. ( If you can’t be nice, Be quiet. Sorry had to put that last quote down, I saw it in the hallway of a middle school today. Good Advice for everyone. )
Re
October 1, 2016 at 8:34 amWhen you choose an alternative to candy, please be mindful of the impact on the environment. Most glow sticks are not recyclable and pile up in landfills. The amount of energy used to make these one-time-use products is huge. Just a thought…
Jo-Anne Cooper
October 1, 2016 at 5:24 pmAs a diabetic with a peanut allergy I am thankful that some people give out something besides candy.
Julie
October 1, 2016 at 8:39 pmHi!
My mother used to let us eat all the candy we wanted on Halloween night and we threw the rest way. I am sure my parents kept a little for themselves. That was back in the 70’s. I do really like the idea of giving non-edible treats for halloween. There are many kids now that have severe food allergies and kids that have feeding issues. I will also be displaying a teal pumpkin on my door this year, so families know that I have an alternative for them. Halloween IS for the kids, and the kids need to be safe. Does it matter if their treat is edible or not?
Marion
October 9, 2016 at 11:55 amJulie, I completely agree with you. It’s about getting dressed up in their favorite costume and having fun, after all, their child hood is only for a short time. I say let them enjoy.
Yes, there are some kids that have food allergies, but that is their parents responsiblily to monitor what their kids can have and not have.
Just my thoughts.
Donna
October 14, 2016 at 11:07 amI love the idea and have always had 2 buckets one for candy and one for trinkets the kids pick one from each if they want or they can pick two things from one bucket. We let our girls have all they wanted one Halloween and the next year they decided they really only liked chocolate, suckers and chips and the rest goes away :). Happy Halloween
Lisa
October 14, 2016 at 1:01 pmI agree that candy just ends up in the landfill anyways….especially if it’s “less junky” candy. :-(
Kids love glow sticks and they add safety/visibility. The damage to the environment is not that big compared to the rest of the landfill fodder of the holiday (and the energy that went into producing it)
After Halloween each year I grab a bag or two of novelty toy giveaways on clearance. They are overstock that the store is just trying to recoup their losses on, and will keep for a year. That way I have a nice variety for cheap, spiders and glowing bats and pencils and notepads and who knows what else. A very popular option are those little rubber duckies that are themed. Don’t tell, but the teens love them!
I also buy a small amount of candy that is safe for my kids; when done trick or treating (if they are still T or T; they are getting old for it), we switch it out for whatever they bring home that isn’t safe. There’s candy for the picky kids, but most take treats. And there was at least one who verified with her mom whether or not the toys would count as one of her limited “keeping” treats. (After some confusion, she learned that toys were freebies)
Teri Phillips
October 14, 2016 at 4:44 pmI’m sure someone has mentioned this already but thought I’d mention. We have a fun Candy Auction a few days after Haloween. The kids get to pull out a few pieces of their favorites then they sort and display on several TV trays in the family room. We decorate and make it really fun by inviting a few neighbors and grandparents over. The older ones of us bring our change jars and then the kids start the bidding! When finished, the kids have $ to spend and the parents take the candy to work to share! My children talk about the auction more than trick or treating!
Shifrah
October 16, 2016 at 4:17 pmI would say, it shouldn’t matter to others what you give out on Halloween. The kids will get a ton of candy anyway, so who cares. Also the “once a year” statement is ludicrous. You can say that about Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentines Day, Every Birthday you’ve celebrated for every friend and relative and co-worker, and don’t forget about the bad day you had, the great day you had, the weekend, get togethers, movies, rewarding yourself, celebrating something, etc etc etc…oh and don’t forget “in moderation” so what does that add up to? Maybe 250 “once a year” or “once in a while” times you eat things that aren’t health promoting.
smaules
October 20, 2016 at 2:19 pmAbsolutely! Almost every month has a “once-a-year-splurge-on-unhealthy-food” day.
Kimberly
October 18, 2016 at 10:20 amI applaud another glow stick Halloween hander outer. I grew up in a family that handed out the sugar free candies one year, apples another, and pennies a year after that. Talk about the sad house. But I hand out glow bracelets lip whistles. The lip whistle is something that will last long after the candy is gone, unless candy gets stuck in it. I will not discourage you from handing out something other than candy! Last year my then 5 yo DS had 5 1/2 lbs of candy in his bag alone. Come on! I also appreciate a local dentist office is having a buy back option at a dollar a pound. You’re preaching to the choir!
Marion
October 18, 2016 at 10:31 amWe have done Switch Witch the past 2 Halloweens. The kids also pick a handful to keep for later and pick a few pieces to have the night of. Thanks to a giveaway I won the book and witch. We also hand out candy and non-candy items, ie pencils, bracelets, mini notepads, stickers, etc. for those that have allergies and sensitivities to food dyes. I agree there are many days with parties, birthdays, school things were candy is handed out. Not just a one day a year.
Christina
October 18, 2016 at 10:39 amLast year I gave out mini play-doh containers (BJs and Christmas Tree shoppe sold halloween themed colors). The kids loved them and the parents looked pleased too. I did give out candy to the older kids (didn’t think they’d love play-doh) but this year Im going to try out the glowsticks!
Emily
October 18, 2016 at 10:40 amWhen my kids were younger, the first stop we made was the house that gave out glow sticks and pencils with Halloween decorations. We passed several houses to get to “The Halloween House”. My kids loved the glow sticks and I loved them being more visible. My kids love candy, but they were always more excited with the more creative ideas.
I ordered several things from Oriental Trading for Halloween parties at school for my kids. What ever was left over, I put into the Halloween candy for Trick-or-Treaters. The non-candy items were the first to go and kids were always exuberant when they left my house.
Allyson
October 18, 2016 at 11:55 amI think these are great ideas! We give out coins – we can’t trust ourselves with candy around the house. I think it’s sad to see food as the center of any holiday. It’s that mentality, unfortunately, and the unwillingness to change “traditions” to something more healthy and radiant, that keeps us unhealthy and makes old age unpleasant. Good for you for forging a new and better path!
Cynthia Kelley
October 18, 2016 at 12:44 pmWe give out little bags of pretzels, goldfish, fruit gummies, or other semi-healthy snacks, along with Halloween pencils.and mini-erasers we get from Rebecca’s (like Oriental Trading but they are local to us). We also have a bucket at the door with iced-down mini water bottles and fruit punch (bag or box style, whichever is available). Many of the kids don’t even want the other stuff – they just go for the drinks and say that’s enough for them. We offer water to the parents as well, It can still be quite warm during the trick-or-treat hours here in Texas, so staying hydrated while walking around for a couple of hours is important!
LEW
October 18, 2016 at 1:04 pmAll year long, I collect all of the “gumball” junk toys my son gets at parties, events, etc and give those out during Halloween. We get rid of the cheap toys he doesn’t play with anyway and as a bonus, they don’t go in the landfill and don’t cost me anything!
Jennie
October 18, 2016 at 2:13 pmI love the idea of giving out a non sugar filled treat! The kids end up with so much sugar it’s ridiculous. Beyond having the few houses that give away a candy alternative you have the houses that overcompensate and give you handfuls of sugar. My issue is this. Why do we a a society feel the need to trick our kids and constantly come up with fables and excuses for them not to eat or do things that are bad for them?! The switch witch is just another example. Last year 2 days after Halloween while swinging outside I told my 5 year old about operation gratitude. He stopped swinging, went inside and willingly gave up 95% of his candy for a terific cause. Then raced to the bathroom cabinets for unopened toothbrushes. We made a thank you letter to the soldiers and the $10 that it cost me was well worth it. I did not lie to my kid to get rid of his candy and he learned some good life lessons about kindness, giving and the sacrifices others make for their country. This year he is already collecting floss and toothbrushes for our care package. So maybe be honest with your kiddos and they may surprise you because like one commentor stated, it is not a one night activity. There are treats and sugar loaded surprised around every corner.
Heidi
October 31, 2016 at 1:27 amI love your ideas! This year along with chocolate I am also giving away glow sticks and play doh. My kids think I’m nuts and know how strict I am about junk food every other day of the year, but I just wanted them to know there are choices we all make and maybe, just maybe, whether it’s an intolerance or allergy etc, some child will be so happy that they can choose something other than junk food. Well done!
Carolynn
October 31, 2016 at 3:10 amI love it! I usually do 2 buckets… one with candy and then one with non-candy alternatives as part of the Teal Pumpkin Project. This year I’ve got bouncy balls, bubbles, and pencils as my non-candy goodies.
Anna
July 27, 2017 at 3:57 amThis is adorable. Thanks for sharing!
Reena
September 20, 2017 at 7:41 pmI m so sorry that people were mean in the comments. They made me sad – had to stop reading. My son can’t eat those dyes…and they aren’t REAL candy anymore (just chemicals & dyes). AND it’s not just 1 night- it’s Halloween, Christmas (gingerbread houses), Valentines Day, and Easter. It’s forever. Who came up with we must celebrate children with candy? THANK YOU for alternatives.
Cindy
September 20, 2017 at 8:02 pmI prefer to give something other than candy for Halloween. This year I have little puzzles in cute tins for children in primary grades and individual bags of pretzels for those the puzzles won’t appeal to. I have given out Halloween pencils and mini containers of Play-Doh in the past.
Renee Dyer
October 15, 2017 at 4:27 pmAny suggestions for someone that gets 600 plus trick or treaters every year?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
October 23, 2017 at 12:06 pmWow. That’s a lot. :) Readers?
Keri
October 19, 2017 at 10:34 amWe also do the Teal Pumpkin Project, and we have glow sticks, temporary tattoos, and mini bubbles along with our candy options this year. I love the idea of the Switch Witch and will definitely be applying that this year as my kids always end up with so much candy every year.
PDuke
October 28, 2017 at 9:29 amI applaud you for handing out something other than candy. I’m so sick of Kids being given candy at every turn throughout the year. At school, church, bday parties, etc…. you can’t escape it. Sugar and all the unnatural things in candy is horrible for our kids’ minds and bodies. Any negative comments are probably coming from people that are either uninformed about the effects of sugar, dyes, etc on the human body or haven’t had a child with a health crisis due to externals such as diet. Keep up the good work!!
Kristie
October 28, 2017 at 9:45 amI love these ideas! I have a child with food allergies who can’t eat most of the candy that people give out on Halloween, so I ❤️ when people offer something other than candy! I think some of the naysayers have probably never had to deal with a child who is devastated because they can’t have what everyone else is having. Glow sticks get top billing on my book!
Erin
October 28, 2017 at 10:02 amGrowing up, my orthodontist lived on the same street. He handed out toothbrushes!
Emer
October 28, 2017 at 10:21 amI too would have a hard time with people being mean to me in comments. If they were being mean about something that I hadn’t even done I’d be sooo upset.
We too allow our girls to have candy in Halloween. Then they pick out a few and the rest gets given away/thrown out.
i hate the candy that’s given our at Halloween. I’d much rather my girls have some home baked goods or some yummy chocolate instead of that sticky yucky candy.
Lee Gilmer
October 28, 2017 at 4:13 pmUnfortunately, you can no long give out apples or homemade goods thanks to a few evil people who put razor blades in apples in the 60’s and 70’s. My mother and grandmother used to make popcorn balls to give out and everyone loved them. Of course they contained corn syrup, but it wasn’t so prevalent in other foods then. At least now the candy they get isn’t full sized candy bars we got in the 50’s.
Sabrina
October 28, 2017 at 11:48 amI actually haven’t given out “anything” in years. We are usually never home. Our kids always went to our church fall fair and came home with gobs of candy. By the time we got home it was time for bed anyway. So I just put a sign on the door and left the lights off.
Now that the kids are adults, I still care very little for Halloween so I still turn out the lights and put a sign on the door.
Niki
October 28, 2017 at 2:16 pmTOTALLY agree with you on everything!!! I love the switch witch idea! We donate the candy the next day, after I let them choose their favorite 10 pieces or so. One a day until it’s gone. Sugar kills their immune system so I am totally on board with you!
Bonnie Willingham
October 28, 2017 at 3:02 pmDollar tree is my Halloween shop. I usually buy glow sticks, finger light rings, coloring books, small books, Mad lib books, puzzles.
Donna
October 28, 2017 at 6:39 pmWe live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. So it’s much easier to be creative and still have parents who will let their children eat homemade treats. My sister dresses up as a witch and sits out on her porch handing out “witches brew”. It’s homemade root beer that she makes in a cauldron using dry ice. Parents and kids alike love it.
Angie
October 28, 2017 at 7:01 pmWe have a dentist office that will buy your candy from you for a certain dollar amount per pound. Then they ship it overseas to soldiers! It’s a great treat for the soldiers and saves the kids from consuming too much sugar.
Annette
October 28, 2017 at 8:03 pmSo as for what to do with all the candy after. My kids are allowed to have a few pieces on Halloween and we save the rest for decorating our own personal gingerbread houses for Xmas. I buy the graham crackers and they each build a house of their design and look forward to all the candy they saved to decorate it. We now look forward to collecting it and planning out the house at Halloween. Win/win as I don’t have to buy candy to decorate the houses!