I remember growing up and thinking that I would never be the parent that didn’t allow candy for Halloween. Now that I’m a parent, I want a bit of balance between bags of full-sized candy bars and something that isn’t, well, candy. But I also don’t want to hand out candy-free items that end up getting my house egged or toilet papered either–do they still do this?
Because I know that it’s not just me that doesn’t want their toddler walking around with a king-sized Butterfinger, I did some research on some pretty cool options to offer the younger kids. Now this isn’t to say that these should replace all the candy, but offering them as an option is really good.
Candy-Free Halloween Treats
- Tattoos
- Stickers
- Sensory Balls
- Light-up Balls
- Glow Sticks/Bracelets
- Halloween Themed Scrunchies (hello VSCO girls!)
- Lip balm
- Stress Balls
- Spider Rings
- Applesauce
- Goldfish
- Pirates Booty
- Pretzels
- Fangs
- Juice boxes
Why You Should Have A Stash of Candy-Free Treats
Outside of the obvious reason that parents just don’t want their kids having all that candy, there are food allergies that afflict so many children. It sucks to not be able to be as excited as others are surrounding this holiday because their little bodies are different. And while having a piece of candy every now and then is cool, the amount of candy that kids receive during Halloween is insane and completely unnecessary. Also: I don’t need any of the leftovers either!
What To Do With Leftover Candy
Donate it!!! Here are some organizations that you can donate your leftover candy to:
Soldiers Angels: https://soldiersangels.org/Donate-Halloween-Candy!.html
Operation Gratitude: https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks/halloween-candy/
Ronald McDonald House: https://www.rmhc.org/
Halloween Candy Buy Back: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/
Operation Shoebox: http://www.operationshoebox.com/how-you-can-help/candy-donations/
I think the best part is that all of these items can be found both online and locally. Dollar General, Target, Walmart, Dollar Tree, Amazon and more all have these things in stock right now so be sure to start stocking up now!
How much candy do you let your littles have?
