Halloween is a holiday that revolves around two things: costumes and candy. The sheer amount of candy that is bought, distributed and consumed on Halloween is enough to make any parent cringe. My jaw hurts just thinking about it. But nobody wants to be that house — the one that made the mistake of handing out toothbrushes one year and was avoided like the plague the next October.
So what’s a parent to do? Candy is cheap and easy, but it is possible to ditch the candy and still maintain your trick-or-treating street cred, I promise. Stumped on what to hand out that will cause excitement among kids (and dentists)? No sweets, no sweat! We’ve rounded up 16 of the best non-candy trick-or-treating treats, so you can skip the sugar coma this year and get the approval of kids and parents alike. Without being a total Halloween buzzkill.
Pumpkin Seeds
Why not give the kiddos the chance to grow their own pumpkin to carve next year? A packet of pumpkin seeds is the perfect way to encourage them to get outside, and the little ones will love watching their pumpkins grow.
Organic pumpkin seeds (one packet), $1.89 at Amazon
Flavored Honey Sticks
Honey is a great sweet treat with natural sugars that will give the kids a burst of energy without the crash of a chocolate bar. If you can find local honey, all the better, but if not, these flavored honey sticks from Pursito come in delicious flavors like lemon, peach, raspberry and wildflower.
Pursito flavored honey sticks (pack of 100), $21.99 at Amazon
Glow-in-the-Dark Marbled Balloons
All the fun of a glow stick inside a trippy marbled balloon. Glow-in-the-dark treats are a must on holidays like Halloween, and this balloon does not disappoint.
Glow-in-the-dark marbled balloons (pack of five), $9.99 at Amazon
Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks
If you feel weird about handing out inedible goodies, there are some healthier options than the party-size snickers. These gummies are organic and are made with no artificial colors, sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup.
Annie's Bunny Fruit Snacks (24 pouches), $14.17 at Amazon
Shany Mini Nail Polishes
Nail polish isn't just for girls. Let the boys choose their perfect shade and remind everyone that gender stereotypes have no home here.
Shany mini nail polishes (pack of 24), $26.82 at Amazon
Foam Magnets
Colorful magnets are a cute way to brighten up any magnetic surface, and these are no exception. Pair a couple of magnets with a festive treat bag, and you'll be good to go.
Little World foam magnets (set of 34), $14.99 at Amazon
MadeGood Granola Bars
Granola bars are another great option if you want to stick with a just-a-tad-sweet treat. These bars are non-GMO, organic, vegan and gluten-free and are made without nuts, so you've got all your basic allergies covered.
MadeGood Granola Bars (six-pack), $4.61 at Amazon
Mini Halloween Cookie Cutters
These mini cookie cutters from Wilton are not only adorable, they're Halloween-themed and have shapes like pumpkins, leaves, fangs, ghosts, cats and more. Pair a cookie cutter or two with a printed recipe for pumpkin cookies, and you have a trick-or-treat winner.Mini Halloween cookie cutters (set of 18), $11.29 at Amazon
Mini Temporary Tattoos
Temporary tattoos are a classic fan favorite, and these minis may be teeny-weeny, but they pack a big punch of awesomeness. These tattoos are waterless, so they are quick and easy to apply any time, anywhere.
Mini temporary tattoos (30 sheets), $10.45 at Amazon
Mini Bubble Wands
Who doesn't love bubbles? These mini bubbles are a great alternative to candy, and you can guarantee you'll be the talk of the neighborhood.
Mini bubble wands (pack of 40), $13.99 at Amazon
Face Paint Sticks
Face paint isn't just for Halloween, so give the kids the chance to be a master of disguise by handing out these kid-friendly, nontoxic face paint sticks that are easy for tiny hands to handle.
Face paint sticks (pack of 16), $6.99 at Amazon
Stretch Island Fruit Leather
Fruit leather is a healthy sweet option, and these leathers from Stretch Island are gluten-free, non-GMO and made with real fruit. It comes in cherry, apple, strawberry, grape, raspberry and apricot, so there's something for everyone's taste buds.
Stretch Island Fruit Leather (pack of 30), $9.54 at Jet
Glow-in-the-Dark Slime
I have yet to meet a kid who doesn't love slime, and as an added Halloween perk, this slime glows in the dark. Your trick-or-treaters will have endless fun playing with these, and it'll give them something to do when the candy is gone.
Glow-in-the-dark slime (12 canisters), $11.99 at Amazon
Mini Play-Doh
Play-Doh is all treat, no sweet and is perfect for little hands to roll, shape and create. Each bag includes 80 colorful containers of Play-Doh, which is enough for all your trick-or-treaters and then some.
Mini Play-Doh (80 containers), $34.89 at Amazon
Lego-Compatible People
These mini guys and gals are compatible with Legos without the Lego price tag. There's every character imaginable, from pirate to astronaut to firefighter, and the faces are very expressive. Trust me on this one.
Lego-compatible people (pack of 20), $14.49 at Amazon
Necklace Kit
If you're looking to provide your trick-or-treaters with an activity, this idea from the gals at Lil Luna is beyond simple and only requires some plastic tubes, string and beads. You can spend an afternoon putting these together, and your trick-or-treaters will adore them. It will give them something to do once the night is over other than shove candy in their faces.
Halloween pony beads (pack of 500), $7.98 at Amazon; plastic test tubes with lids (pack of 48), $12.99 at Amazon; black elastic cord (100 meters), $6.98 at Amazon
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