Halloween is by far the most sugar-laden holiday in the United States, and candy sales surpass even Easter. This week, as I searched for a Halloween costume for my son, it was hard to escape aisle upon aisle of Halloween candy. There's nothing wrong with a little Halloween sugar, but what healthy choices are available for parents who want to offer alternatives for their little ghosts and goblins? Here are some nutritious ideas you may want to consider:
- Mini-packages of trail mix
- Cereal bars
- Boxes of raisins
- Bags of mini rice cakes
- Jelly beans
- Gummy worms
- Gum
- Granola bars
- Fruit roll-ups
- Teddy grahams and other pre-portioned bags of cookies and crackers
If your child is not excited by some of the healthier items they receive, consider using the more healthy options as monotony breakers for school lunch the week after Halloween, or to help make the candy last longer.
You can even spice up the evening for your children with non-food items like stickers, pencils, toys, and trinkets. Sometimes the non-edible choices are just as well received and add some welcome variety to the trick-or-treat bag.
