Halloween is just around the corner! And, Halloween is never complete without fun costumes, trick-or-treating, and – the not-so-great part – loads of candy and other sweet treats that contain added sugar, artificial dyes, high fructose corn syrup, and more.
The Problem With Halloween Candy
Among other things, there are three main ingredients that make most Halloween candy very unhealthy for kids: added sugars, artificial dyes, and high fructose corn syrup.
While eating a sweet treat every now and then isn’t likely to create major health issues, lots of sugar and processed ingredients can wreak havoc on your child’s health, and even create ongoing issues. Countless studies have linked a high-sugar diet in kids to problems with sleep, learning and emotional health, and serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and fatty liver disease. Plus, artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup have been linked to ADHD, hives, asthma, cancerous-tumor development, and so much more. All-in-all, these ingredients just aren’t great for any child’s health or development.
So, to help preserve the health of all of the trick-or-treaters that show up at your doorstep, we have some healthier Halloween treats that kids will actually enjoy. Swap the unhealthy candy with those scary ingredient lists for a few of these ideas, and feel good knowing that you’re not only promoting the health of our youth, but also still giving them treats they’ll love. Plus we’re sure lots of parents will thank you!
Edible, Healthier Halloween Treats
Organic Juice Boxes
After walking around the neighborhood all evening, kids are bound to get thirsty! That’s where an organic juice box would be the perfect handout. Although some selections still have sugar in them, it’s much less than the average candy bar! However, we encourage you to choose one of the sugar-free options, like the Honest Kids organic juice drinks.
Natural Fruit Leather
Natural fruit rolls or fruit leathers are another delicious, yet healthy alternative to those unhealthy, artificially flavored fruit candies! Fortunately, since they’re becoming more and more popular, there’s plenty of great options at most grocery stores. Just try to choose ones that are organic and contain no added sugar.
Local Honey Sticks
Local honey sticks are another awesome Halloween handout, because they are still a sweet treat, but offer all of the great benefits of honey. There are tons of different organic options online, but we encourage you to try to find a local beekeeper to purchase from. That way, you’re not only supporting the health of our youth, but also supporting local.
Organic Popcorn
Who doesn’t love popcorn? It’s the perfect salty snack for all occasions. Plus, it doesn’t have all of the added sugar and artificial ingredients that most of the Halloween candy being passed out will have.
When choosing which bagged popcorn to hand out, try choosing options that are organic and non-GMO, made with minimal ingredients, and have little-to-no added sugar. For example, some popular options are Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop.
Granola Bars
While walking around the neighborhood, it’s likely that kids will start to get a little hungry. And, when that time rolls around, a granola bar would be the perfect, healthy snack. Fortunately, there are plenty of granola bar options available today that kids love almost as much as candy. They’re still a little sweet, but offer much more protein and other nutrients than candy.
When selecting which granola bars to hand out, try looking for ones made with real ingredients (whole grains, nuts, dried fruit, seeds), little-to-no added sugar and sodium, and lots of fiber. Some popular options are Made Good Granola Minis, Kashi bars, and Kind bars.
Organic Lollipops
For those looking to give out a healthier alternative that’s still candy, organic lollipops might just be the option for you. And, fortunately, there’s several great options to choose from that contain no high fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes, and are organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free. The crowd-favorite brand of organic lollipops seems to be YumEarth, but there’s several other options to choose from.
YumEarth Halloween Organic Gummies
YumEarth doesn’t just make healthier, organic lollipops, but also organic gummies. Their Halloweeen-themed gummies are delicious and tart, but with little added sugar and no artificial dyes. In fact, the coloring comes from natural sources, like turmeric and black currants.
Unreal Candy
Other healthier alternatives to the typical candy we all know and love, like M&M’s and peanut butter cups, are Unreal Candy’s products. These products look just like the typical candies, but contain 40% less sugar and no artificial dyes, and are gluten-free and non-GMO. Of course, these products aren’t the healthiest on the list, but they are still much better than the typical Halloween candy.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a great, healthier alternative to Halloween candy. It offers several health benefits and contains lots of antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients that enhance your health. Though most dark chocolate options will be better than your standard Halloween candy, try to look for options that are high in cacao and low in sugar.
Non-Edible, Healthier Halloween Treats
Don’t worry, kids will still get loads of candy elsewhere if you don’t give out candy at all. In fact, you might just be the coolest house in the neighborhood if you give out these fun, non-candy treats instead. Fortunately, most of these items can be ordered on Amazon in bulk for cheap or found at your local dollar store.
- Bubbles
- Bouncy balls
- Glow bracelets (Did you know children are most at risk for being hit by a car on Halloween? So, glow bracelets would really help to prevent this.)
- Slime (Halloween is the perfect occasion to pass out gooey slime!)
- Hair scrunchies
- Whoopee cushions
- Glow-in-the-dark vampire teeth
- Halloween stickers
- Pencil top erasers
- Halloween temporary tattoos
- Mini play-dough containers
- Sticky hands
- Plastic spider rings
- Glow-in-the-dark balloons
- Pumpkin decorating kit
Help Your Child Be the Healthiest They Can Be With Chiropractic Care!
In addition to monitoring your child’s intake of sugar, artificial dyes, and other highly unfavorable ingredients, one thing you can do to help them be the healthiest they can be is bring them to a chiropractor! That’s right, chiropractic care isn’t just for adults. Studies show that pediatric chiropractic care offers numerous benefits, such as an enhanced immune and nervous system, supported digestive health, improved sleep, and improved brain development. Pediatric chiropractic care is also great for youth athletes to help prevent and/or combat injuries. So, contact us today to schedule your child’s chiropractic appointment!