If you’re trying to teach your children to be healthy and green, Halloween can feel like a land mine of massive proportions. The reasons for choosing a less commercial and greener Halloween are many. So, this year, why not give it a much-needed upgrade with non-food treasures and healthier Halloween candy options?
Start by creating a treasure bag made from a used shopping bag or old pillowcase. Let your kids decorate their bags so they are personalized.
Healthier Halloween Candy Options
Every year, I read all the articles on Halloween candy and exactly why it’s so bad for you. Chock-full of GMOs, sugar, dyes, and plain old crap, there’s certainly a case to be made for skipping out on the stuff.
I think about all the freedoms my childhood afforded me – tons of Snickers and Twix bars and eating whatever I wanted – and I’m not saying I was the healthiest kid on the block, but there has to be a balance here.
So, let the kid have some candy, and enjoy some freedom and balance in his life!
If you’re trying to get your family to eat healthy by following my Nutrition School for Families, you already know that I say candy may never qualify as “healthy” and should always be consumed in small amounts and from natural sources. Halloween is a good opportunity to teach your kids what to look for on food labels.
Here are 10 healthier Halloween candy options from food manufacturers that are trying to do the right thing. Many of these options are also gluten-free.
- Unreal Candy: All of its chocolate is certified by Fair Trade USA. Natural ingredients such as beetroot, carrot and red cabbage juices are used to color the candy coatings.
- CLIF ZKIDS Bars/Brownies and/or Organic Fruit Ropes: These are USDA Certified Organic, and contain no artificial flavors or synthetic preservatives.
- YumEarth Lollipops: I like these because they are USDA Certified Organic and available in reusable or resealable packaging.
- Endangered Species Bug Bites: These individually wrapped chocolate squares are made with ethically-traded cacao. A percentage of the profits are donated to support conservation efforts.
- GoOrganic Fruit Chews: These are Non-GMO Project Verified and USDA Certified Organic. The chews are made with Fair Trade-Certified sugar, and the bulk candy comes in home-compostable, cellophane bags.
- Glee Gum Pops: Non-GMO Project verified, Glee Gum is one of the few North American gums still made with chicle, a tree sap harvested sustainably. The company partners with a nonprofit group to plant trees, revitalizing degraded lands.
- Surf Sweets Fruity Bears: Available in Halloween treat packs of 20, they are USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project verified. They are also free of the 10 most-common allergens.
- Dagoba Assorted Gems: In addition to being USDA Certified Organic, these chocolates
- Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: These are made with organic, fair trade chocolate and locally sourced ingredients. The company donates part of its proceeds to worldwide hunger relief and poverty relief.
- Nib Mor Chocolate: This company’s products are organic and non-GMO. Considering handing out the hot chocolate packets as well as the bite-sized treats.
Non-Candy Halloween Treats
Next, stock your treasure chest for the boys and ghouls. Fill your stash with a bounty of trinkets that kids will love including:
- Stickers
- Pencils
- LEGO minifigures (in bulk)
- Temporary tattoos
- Whistles
- Glow-in-the-dark bracelets
- Or these adorable Harry Potter magnetic bookmark clips
Keep in mind, your kids won’t care as much as you do about whether you’re passing out healthier Halloween candy options. And if younger kids don’t recognize the candy brand, they may not want to try it.
Think of this as your guilt-free, grand teachable moment and perhaps your kids will one day carry on this healthier Halloween tradition.
The post Green Halloween: 10 Healthier Halloween Candy Options appeared first on Green Child Magazine.