Is anyone else thinking about how to have a healthier Halloween this year? While I love the spirit of Halloween and the trick or treating and the pre parties, the kids usually come away with a sugar high that just won’t quit and so much dang candy! This time around I want to be a little more mindful of how much of the sweet stuff they’re ingesting.
By Say Yes editor Nicole Grant Kriege. Photography by Maia McDonald of Bitteshop.
First, there’s the question of what to serve before the big night out. We tend to order semi-healthy takeout (read: pizza) but we’ve also done a healthy harvest dinner, and these fun and easy dishes go over well with the whole fam: a yummy fall soup, pumpkin sweet potato fries, and banana ghosts with eyes.
Then there’s the question of what to give out for Halloween candy. We live on a popular street and hand out over 300 pieces of candy (!), so I tend to look for affordable options that are still fun (I don’t want the kids to groan when they see their treat) like glow bracelets, temporary tattoos, or spooky spider rings. And Hershey’s dark chocolate kisses to go along with.
Healthy candy alternatives can be a little expensive, but if you only have a few trick or treaters you can probably swing it! There are easy options you can grab at Target – like Pirate’s Booty or Cheddar Bunnies – but what about honey sticks from your local farmers market? Bare Cinnamon Apple Chips are also seasonal and delicious.
There are some lovely organic candies out there as well that can take away (at least a little) of the mom guilt. YumEarth makes organic candy corn if you’re looking for a dose of nostalgia without the corn syrup to boot, and they make lollipops as well. SurfSweets organic fruit snacks are reminiscent of gummy bears and Unreal milk chocolates are like M&Ms, but with better-for-you ingredients.
Of course, handing out healthy things doesn’t solve the problem of the crazy amounts of sugar your kiddos will be bringing home after the big night out. I love this idea from Wellness Mama to have a Candy Fairy or Switch Witch come after they’ve gone to bed and switch out their candy for a fun grab bag of healthy treats, or even a new toy or a book.
However you decide to celebrate Halloween with the littles, I hope you have a wonderful one. Have fun on the town with your little guys and ghouls!
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With our family of three young kiddos, our tradition is to let them pick one piece of candy to eat before bed, and then another to eat when they wake up. Then we take the rest of the sugar loot to our dentist that partakes in the Halloween Candy Buy Back program. The kids love knowing that their candy is going to troops overseas and they get a fun, new toothbrush in return for their donation.
Natalie, that’s great- if your kids are down!
I just heard of the teal bucket project! You paint a pumpkin bucket teal to let trick ot treaters know you have candy free options! For those who can’t or don’t eat candy! I just stocked up on some dollar store prizes for ours!
I love that idea!
The costumes are adorable! I really do wish trick or treating was more of a thing in Hong Kong! 🙂
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