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
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- 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.
What are your plans for Halloween night?
Steph says
Just a question here. I thought there used to be a chocolate M & M like coated candy that did not have the artificial dyes in them, but I have not been able to find them. I they were called "unjunked" or "unreal" or something like that. Any body have a clue? I though last Halloween Lisa mentioned it when she was on the TV show promoting "non-candy" alternative for Halloween.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Steph. I think it briefly went away for a makeover but is on its way back: http://unrealcandy.tumblr.com/. :)
Heather says
The Switch Witch sounds similar to one of our Halloween Books, "All Hallows Eve" about a fairy that switches candy for a toy. By Lisa and Tucker Johnson. One year my daughter got Play doh and plastic princess rings. She loved it!
Carol says
I don't usually have many, if any, trick-or-treaters, so I don't have to make any candy (or other) purchases. When I was growing up, though, we had a neighbor who handed out apples ... every year ... and another neighbor gave each of the kids a nickel. I'm doing a craft project with Halloween finger puppets, and thought that would be a GREAT idea for trick-or-treaters!!! I also have a friend who bakes a treat for the kids, and hands it out in a ziplock bag with her name, address, telephone number, and the baked item ingredients listed.
Katrina says
I usually get some individually packed organic cookies for the very few trick or treaters we get at our house. That way if I don't give them all out, my kids can still use them for a treat snack. I also like the idea of stickers and one gentleman in our neighborhood gave out mini flashlights last year. Granted it is something that won't last and will end up at the landfill, but the kids LOVED them and used them to light their way the rest of the evening.
My kids usually get to eat 3-5 pieces of candy to eat or save. I set aside some of the nicer candies for stocking stuffers and throw them in the freezer, the not-so-nice candies are used to create our gingerbread houses at Christmas.
Leann says
Lisa - I'm glad to hear you on board with Halloween alternatives to candy. We also hand out little 'toys' instead of candy. My kids eat candy on Halloween only, then put the rest of the candy by the front door so that the "Great Pumpkin' can take it and give it to kids that don't get to go trick or treating. As far as sweets, it's not just once a year, it's birthday parties, school parties, sports activities, holiday parties, ice cream truck, on and on. Sugar lowers a child's immune system which opens them up to catching virus's and with Ebola and Enterovirus now hitting America....it's just smart to cut down on sweets.
Willow says
I have handed out stickers and tatoos before. We get about 900 kids in our neighborhood and if I buy packs from the dollar store and cut them up it doesn't seem to be much more expensive than buying candy.
Bethany says
We don't hand out candy on Halloween either. In fact we grow our own popcorn. I pop several bags of it and thats what we give out.
Deb says
Stickers. you get lots of stickers in a pack - get dollar store halloween stickers & cut 2 or 3 out and give to each kid. We've also given out hot chocolate packets... it defeats the no sugar part, but you can always tuck it away with the other h.c. packets until later. Our orthodontist collects candy & they ship it to troops overseas.
Sandra says
Lisa- I agree, this is a touchy subject for most. I do let my boys trick or treat for the fun of it, but we don't eat the candy, maybe a few pieces but most often only something I have purchased. So I know it's safe and I can control it somewhat. But what we do with all the candy collect is donate it to an area school that packages it up and sends it to our service men and women overseas. My sons always feel very proud to give their candy to the servicemen that our protecting us.
Besides the glow sticks I don't necessarily like giving out trinkets, but we get a lot of children, so with out breaking the bank do you have any suggestions on healthy food/snack items I could give?
Connie says
I love Suzie the Switch Witch. I will be sharing that will my 2nd grade students' parents. I don't hand out candy either. I give popcorn, pretzels,play dough, tattoos,or mini books. My daughter gets to eat all the candy she wants on Halloween night, then the rest goes to work with Daddy to share with coworkers.
Meranda says
I love the glow stick idea. I've never met a child who didn't enjoy them. And it's a good way to see those little ones running around in the dark!!
Courtney says
Hi! I know the feeling of being criticized for something you're doing with it for your kids. I also have had people say I was judging them for the decisions they make over their kids food because I share what I did with mine! It's not fair:/ I get angry and mean messages that are all assumptions... When these people have no clue what I do with my kids eating habits... It's frustrating! Good for you for sticking up for yourself!
Jill says
We hand out mini containers of play doh. Not all kids like it but they can trade with younger siblings/friends later on. I do like the idea of glow sticks. Will be buying some of those as well.
Lark says
We don't do extensive trick or treating, so my girls don't actually get that much candy themselves. A preschool mom hosts a Halloween party on the night of Halloween where all the kids do arts & crafts, eat pizza, decorate a cookie, then go trick or treating. We let them eat a few pieces that night, save a few pieces for later and give about one piece a day for a few days. Then it's gone. It is pretty different from the buckets of candy i got as a kid, but they seem no worse for wear.
Some of the favorites the girls have gotten while trick or treating have been non-candy items like stickers, tattoos, and yes, glow sticks. One house we go to tosses the glow sticks onto their yarn and has a bubble blower going. The kids giggle and race as they get their glow sticks and play in the bubbles. It's a very fun house for them.
Zoe says
I eat my children's leftover candy. Everyone can send theirs to me.
Anne says
What's the big deal about Halloween anyways? It's not even a holiday but year after year it is over commercialized just like Christmas. My son likes to play dress up so when we were shopping the other day my son found the Halloween costumes. He spotted a Batman with the body suit with the bat symbol, mask, and cape $22. In another section I found a mask and cape for $12. I picked that one because he own a batman t-shirt that he can wear with these. Also he will get more wear out of it if he has another growth spurt.
Anne says
The non-candy alternatives are a great idea. Halloween isn't the only day of the year kids are getting candy and sweets.
Becky says
My dentist actually does a candy collection the day after Halloween (or the next working day). The one who donates the most by weight, gets the grand prize (and she has good prizes like the current year Christmas Barbie). She does drawings for other prizes and has treats at the office - cookies, cocoa and warm apple cider. All the candy is mailed overseas for the troops to enjoy. Each year, she's collected at least 20 pounds of candy. My husband is in the National Guard and we have friends overseas from time to time so it made our girls happy to pick out some of their favorite pieces for later and send the rest to the soldiers.
DB says
I like the idea of letting kids to do science experimenta with their candy. You can fnd ideas for experiments online or have kids come up with their own experiments. If you hand out candy you could attach a small piece of paper with instructions for an experiment.
Shane says
Plans for Halloween. Lights out. Let them knock, we're not answering. No sugar. Kids are getting too much sugar as it is and I doubt healthy snacks would be eaten. Besides all that, even when I was a kid, I failed to get the point of Halloween. Silly time of year, really.
Glynis says
We buy bouncy balls, stickers, temporary tattoos, foam gliders, Cute rubber duckies of different varieties, small bubble bottles, boomerangs, etc - we order them in bulk from Oriental Trading.
Sarah says
I love the idea of non candy "junk" toys! My kids love them and they will give the kids more fun time than a piece of candy. One time my dad ran out of candy and started passing out ramen noodle soup packets! HA! That was the last time my mom let him do the passing out of treats. I also love the switch witch idea... never heard of it before. Mykids love getting bags of pretzels or popcorn and juice pouches. Any treat that could be used as a snack later is great, in my opinion (granola bars, little bags of cereal, etc.). Plenty of people give out candy, and always will. The young kids appreciate other treats as well. The teens, who are the ones to complain most about non food treats, shouldn't be trick or treating anyway ;)
Shannon says
My girls don't go trick or treating, but we do a festive bakery cookie and caribou (non coffee) cookies and cream snowdrift that day.
We do hand out treats to trick or treater's but haven't gotten anything yet. I will go Teal and do non food treats this year!
Happy Halloween and sorry so many are mean, it's not right just because you put yourself out there and all doesn't mean they have to be rude.
Kate says
I personally don't need any more little pieces of plastic crap littering my house. I control how much candy my kids eat, and I take a lot of their loot to work for my colleagues anyway. They don't have to actually EAT all the candy they bring home. No one seems concerned about the potentially toxic stuff inside the glow sticks, either. I think it's a wash either way.
Carole Coates says
Some kinds of plastic junk are better than others--love the glow stick idea. We started giving out pennies instead of candy more than 40 years ago. When our granddaughters come home from Trick or Treating, they have so much candy that it's still in the cupboard when the next Halloween rolls around. Non-candy treats would be so much more fun--especially coins, I'll bet.
Marcy says
I teach 7th grade, and I stopped giving out candy as treats or prizes a few years ago, but some teachers still give candy out pretty regularly. Some kids go through their days begging the teachers who have candy for their next dose. They eat A LOT of candy. It's great that your offer a fun alternative on Halloween. In my classroom, I give special pencils and pens as little prizes. I can tell some kids (most kids?) would prefer candy, but I don't think it's healthy since they eat so much and are so hooked on sugar.
Amber says
Last year was the first time that my kids received glow sticks at a neighbors house.....they loved them!!! They had so much fun being out at dark going around the neighborhood wearing them. Other kids asked where they got them, and that house was definitely one everyone wanted to go to. They bargained and traded over colors, had a blast with them the rest of the night. Great idea!
Kristin says
This will be our third year trading in our candy. The first year a local dentist paid a dollar per lb, last year we got passes to an indoor inflatable play place, this year the dentist office is giving out a stack of free passes to local kid friendly places (open gyms, indoor swimming pool, nature center, botanic garden, bowling ally, etc.). This may be the best giveaway yet! The donated candy goes to the troops. Before donating, we let our kids eat a few pieces of candy on Halloween night and pick a few pieces to enjoy later.
98%naturalmommy says
I love this idea as well as the other suggestions posted by commenters. I agree that homemade goodies wouldn't be well received by most people because you just never know what someone could have put in them. As a kid I used to "save" my garbage bag full of Halloween candy and eat it over the course of 5-6 months, so it's definitely not a one-night deal. Another option for people who don't want to hand out candy is mini restaurant-size packs of crayons or arts and crafts supplies (googly eyes, halloween themed foam shapes, Halloween sticker sheets, and other cheap craft supplies at your local dollar store or craft supply store).
Holly says
Love the Switch Witch poem! Will definitely be doing that this year. Thanks!
Stefanie says
You didn't even mention the fact that so many kids these days have food allergies! That's a reason I like to offer alternatives. I think it's fun to dress healthy foods up. I've seen jack o lantern faces on orange fruit cups, or right on the peel of clementines, ghost faces on string cheese and juice boxes wrapped as mummy's. These all seem more festive to me than just a fun size piece of candy.
Melanie says
We aren't handing out candy either. My daughter is gluten intolerant so we are dong the real pumpkin project this year! Found lip & mustache whistles at oriental trade (48 whistles for $6). Not to worry they aren't the typical loud annoying whistles! Love the glow stick idea, too!
Janelle says
I think a glow stick is an awesome and fun idea! My oldest son has food allergies and so we don't really eat any normal Halloween candy. We "buy" it from him and let him go shopping at the toy store. With all the disgusting and potentially harmful ingredients in popular candy, I don't want my kids OD'ing on it. Maybe a piece or two and that's more than enough!
Jenna says
Its so silly to say that kids cant be kids without candy on Halloween! That "tradition" seems more like a way for the candy companies to make money than for kids to have fun! My 3 kids would MUCH prefer getting glow sticks over candy. Seriously, how much fun can a 4 year old have with a snickers bar? But. glow stick (which usually transform into magic wands at our house) are so much fun even after they've stopped glowing!
Jessie says
I love these ideas... yes the kiddos for sure get way more candy than they really need. We always let our kids pick out a few and then get rid of the rest. I LOVE the syringe pens just had to go order them on amazon, we'll have the kids hand them out to their classmates. I love that they are practical :)
Shirley says
Microwave popcorn is not such a great idea. I would never let my children eat anything that someone made. The candy today is a tiny little bar that won't affect a child at all, and personally, I'd be disappointed if someone gave me a toy or homemade bag of food rather than what I wanted. Parents can make the decision whether to allow their children to eat the candy they bring home.
Nicole says
We give individual bags of microwave popcorn. The neighborhood kids look forward to it.
My parents used to buy some of my Halloween candy. We'd strike a bargain on what was worth how much (chocolate was worth more, of course). I'd get a few nights worth of candy plus some cash, and my parents would have their own stash. Win, win. :)
delaina says
I see nothing wrong with handing out glow sticks versus candy. We end up throwing most of the candy away because, as you said, the one-day-a-year event turns into weeks/months of constant begging for candy. No thank you. Lastly, glow sticks are fun and kids love them!
Denise says
We are doing treat bags with stickers, bubbles, pencils and other treats. Kids today get more candy than they or an entire family can possibly eat! I think the folks who think you are depriving children of candy may want to take a look at how much candy is actually collected...seriously folks, there is not a shortage of candy on Halloween. I am happy when my kids get something they can play with after Halloween and something I don't have to limit!
Mary says
Our neighbor, the dentist, always hands out toothbrushes and small toothpaste tubes. Our son (and my husband and me included) thought it was a great idea! My child enjoys going to the dentist's house and getting his new toothbrush as much as he enjoys getting candy. The glow stick is a creative, fun idea. Thanks for sharing.
Danielle says
We're passing out the WikiStix party packs, mini-slinkies and skeleton paratroopers this year.
Also, we keep some of the candy to use for decorating gingerbread houses at Christmas-time.
Sarah says
That is such an awesome ideal! I think using the leftover candy as gingerbread house decorations has to be the most clever usage ever! :) Thanks for sharing Danielle!