I’m not a fan of Halloween. But healthy Halloween? That’s something I might be able to get in on.
Healthy Halloween
I realize that for many families, Halloween is an opportunity to make memories with their children and have some light-hearted fun. I don’t want to dampen anyone’s joy.
But the origins of this “holiday” are darker than most of us realize. The fear and violence that surround the adult version of this holiday are not healthy for the human soul.
Halloween is also yet another opportunity for the food industry to pump our kids full of junk, which can contribute to food addictions, mineral deficiencies, and health problems later in life.
Celebrating a healthy Halloween can still be fun, light-hearted, light-filled, and supportive of your kids’ health and the kids in your neighborhood if you choose to celebrate! I want to share this information because people will still celebrate, and I want them to have clean, healthy options. These healthy treat options can also be used for birthday parties, Easter, and any other holidays where candy typically plays a pivotal role.
Many families spend time figuring out what their kids will wear, but I don’t think they put as much focus on what their kids will be consuming or even what they will be providing to other children.
Personally, in our family, we don’t believe in giving kids ANY more sugar (and other crap) than they are already getting, so I tend to have a basket full of toys. I find that this is something the kids take away and can play and use for days after Halloween, whereas the candy is a complete waste.
Having little novel toys to play with also creates more downtime for my fellow moms out there. Older kids won’t go for the toys, so having some healthy Halloween treats or snack options on hand is good. See my list below for options!
Many people have now started the tradition of talking about the Switch Witch and the Candy Fairy (like the Tooth Fairy). The Candy Fairy comes at night, grabs the candy on their bed, and takes it away, and the Switch Witch switches the candy for a toy.
If you purchase candy or other food items for Halloween, I implore you to read the labels. Most candy contains a lot of junk. I am always on the lookout for clean candies. However, even the most organic ones contain natural flavors. Finding clean candy without natural flavors is a huge challenge, but I think that I have found some gems for you and your kids that they will love!
Some families say, “Well, it’s okay for them to have a little bit of candy and get rid of the rest.” That is okay, too, if it works for your family. However, if you or your kids have any health issues, you don’t want those issues to be exacerbated by a moment of weakness with your kids and allowing them something that could really hurt them in the long run.
This can be a ‘tricky’ time. Pun intended. Hopefully, some of these healthy Halloween ideas will appeal to you and your kids.
Healthy Halloween Tip 1: Think about NOT giving Candy.
There are so many toys that kids can enjoy for months after Halloween, and they do not have to be expensive. I’ve gathered a list of Amazon links for you below.
- Mini-frisbees
- Wooden airplanes
- Mini-Rubik’s cubes
- Boxes of color pencils and a little coloring book or notepad
- Silly putty
- Slime
- Tic Tac Toe
- PlayDoh
- Mini-Bubbles
- Mini Spinning Tops
- Mini Yo-yos
- Maze Puzzles
Healthy Halloween Tip 2: Use Nature’s Candy
Sunmaid Mini-boxes of Raisins are a sweet and healthy Halloween-friendly option. If you can find an organic brand, even better – but these are GREAT compared to the other candy crap. According to the Medical Medium, Anthony William, raisins do more for you than even goji berries, which have been touted for years as a superfood!
Healthy Halloween Tip 3: Stock Some Healthy Potato Chips
For older kids, you can pack either potato chips from Jackson’s Honest (they are cooked in avocado oil, and they have some organic versions as well) or an organic version of Kettle Brand Chips into small plastic bags tied on top. Don’t buy non-organic versions of Kettle Brand Chips, as they contain canola oil. Some of the organic ones even have natural flavors or MSG, and you must read the labels carefully.
Healthy Halloween Tip 4: Honey Sticks
This is hands-down the healthiest treat you could give a child. It’s delicious, it’s sweet, and wildflower honey is SO SO SO good for you. Unlike all the other candy crap, it’s not full of horrid sugar, artificial colors, natural flavors, MSG, and other ingredients that do so much harm to a child’s delicate immune system.
Raw honey sticks heal, boost the immune system, and are incredibly nourishing. You can purchase bags and bags of mini-candy for Halloween for as much as $20-$30. And some of these products will require you to spend more than that if you choose to buy them. However, going with lots of one single item can sometimes be super helpful.
I like this brand: Glory Bee Wildflower Honey Sticks.
Healthy Halloween Tip 5: Find Clean Candy Brands
Unreal Candy has become popular over the past few years as a much cleaner option than almost anything else on the market for candy and candy bars. They offer fully vegan candy without many added chemicals, colorings, and flavors.
If you really want some chocolate on hand, check out Hu Kitchen for the cleanest chocolate out there.
Of course it contains cane sugar, so it’s not a health food, but it’s SO much better than almost anything else available! A true help for a healthy Halloween.
Healthy Halloween Tip 6: Skip the Juice Boxes
The sad truth is that virtually all portable juice products for kids are packed with flavors, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and other troublemakers. Even organic brands have harmful ingredients. It’s so frustrating! So, instead of stocking up on juice boxes for your healthy Halloween, consider making a nice big pot of warm spice apple cider to offer in small disposable cups.
This is a true healthy Halloween treat and a favorite for parents walking around with their kids on a chilly autumn night. And even if the kids don’t love the idea at first, once they sip that warming, delicious natural goodness, they’ll remember your house far more than those other ten houses that only gave out the same candy as always.
Healthy Halloween Tip 7: Forget the Fear Factor
I remember my kids telling me that Halloween made them uncomfortable when they were little because of all the scary masks and monsters that suddenly appeared everywhere. There’s no getting around it – scaring people is not fun. It’s an adrenaline rush that feels like fun because of the high we get from it, but it’s not actually enjoyable for most adults, let alone most kids.
If you’re going to carve pumpkins, opt for friendly, positive, or creative images to carve. Skip the ghouls and sharp teeth. And instead of decorating your lawn with frightening statues and cobwebs, make it a festive autumn harvest collection that will feel cozy and inviting. Sure, you won’t be the “normal” house on the street, but who wants to be like everyone else?
Family Fun Without Fear
I hope you found these tips helpful for you and your family and you explore ways to avoid any fear about what’s going into your children’s bodies, fear about what to give out on Halloween, or just plain old fear that surrounds this “holiday” full of scares and shocks!
It may not be normal to choose to celebrate a healthy Halloween, but imagine if it was. How amazing would it be if millions of children across North America received health-promoting or at least health-neutral treats from their neighbors every year? All change starts with a few people who commit to making it happen. Don’t be afraid to be different this year and take a healthier approach.
PS—My Amazon store is a great resource for clean products—everything from sweet treats to home and safety products. I take the guesswork out of clean shopping! Check it out!
Let me know if any of these ideas appeal to you, and if you have ideas of your own, please share them in the comments below!
