Halloween Candy Alternatives

I know that everyone loves to get candy on Halloween, but my kids have enough candy as it is.  I found a great list of things that you can give out instead of candy to keep Halloween fun!

A Photo Booth
Instead of giving out treats, give out photos!  Make a silly frame or background and grab your Polaroid or printer to snap shots of your trick or treaters in the groups that they come with.  They will be able to treasure this for years to come.  

Spooky Accessories

As kids age, they may not be interested in the latest and greatest candy. For older trick-or-treaters, consider spooky accessories like temporary tattoos, pirate eye patches, vampire fangs, etc. as festive alternatives.

Games and Activities

If you're wanting to keep candy to a minimum, engaging kids with Halloween themed games, finger puppets or coloring/activity books, is a fun and positive alternative to traditional trick-or-treating options.

Light up Necklaces and Glow Sticks

A favorite for both kids and parents, light up necklaces and glow sticks can help keep younger kids entertained while also helping parents keep an eye on little ones as they’re going door to door after dark.

Healthy Snacks

From apples to oranges, more and more Halloween is becoming an opportunity to teach kids and adolescents about making healthier food choices. So, instead of filling up on sugar filled candy, parents can help kids learn about portion control and having a balanced diet by providing healthier items to give out during trick-or-treating.  I would recommend some kind of wrapped healthy snack like dried fruit in place of fresh fruit so that kids will feel safer eating it!

Clean and Happy Mouths

After eating all that candy, kids may be more prone to cavities. Use Halloween as an opportunity to get kids excited about dental hygiene by giving out toothpaste and colorful or fun action figure toothbrushes.

Gifts Cards

A smarter alternative, easy investment platform Stockpile, is encouraging families and individuals to swap candy for $5 gift cards from Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Nike, and Google, as a fun way to teach kids about investing!