The surest way to get your house egged on Halloween is to hand out carrot sticks or apples. Don’t be ‘that guy’. If you want to avoid the kind of sugar-fueled hooliganism that is the usual result of eating all that candy, there are some healthy snack alternatives options that may just take the hell out of Halloween.
Don’t do candy
For a healthy alternative to Halloween treats, head to the dollar store and stock up on fun ‘tricks’ instead of treats. Buy packages of fun erasers, beaded necklaces, plastic rings, vampire teeth, bouncy balls, pens and pencils, plastic dinosaurs and other toys. Get a range of toys to suit children of all ages.
Dark chocolate bites
Dark chocolate is jam packed with healthy benefits and its antioxidants can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, lower cholesterol, improve mood and it even fights cavities (see more on the benefits of dark chocolate here.) Dark chocolate makes an excellent healthy Halloween snack.
Health bars
Fig bars, granola bars and oat bars are a healthy trick or treat alternative that kids love. Sure, they are a little more expensive, but they are filling too which means that there’s less space in those little tummies for candy.
Sugar-free Gum
Sugar-free gum (make sure it doesn’t contain aspartame) can be a healthy Halloween treat. Some sugar-free gum contains xylitol which helps to prevent tooth decay – a very valuable property when your little monsters are munching on candy. Chewing gum also produces saliva and this helps to keep bacteria from growing in the mouth.
Trading cards
Keep a collection of collectible cards for kids to choose from as alternatives to trick or treat candy. You can also get small decks of playing cards for less than a dollar from the dollar store.
While you may have successfully navigated the neighborhood kids’ sugar intake, yours will still be heading out and collecting large caches of candy. You can exchange candy for toys or other items you know they want or you can exchange candy for privileges such as computer time, movies and other fun activities. You can also encourage your kids to donate their candy to a local shelter.
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