13 Alternatives To Halloween Candy

It’s been nearly impossible to avoid entering a store and seeing the shelves fully stocked with candy for Halloween. I don’t know about everyone else, but I can only handle my kids having so much candy before I start to go batty. And with houses on base so close together, you can almost guarantee that the wee ones will be dragging back pillowcases filled with sweets before the end of the night.

Sure you could just monitor your kids’ sugar intake following their night out of tricks or treats, but why not add a little variety to the treat bags, while including the children who may have allergies or intolerances. Here are some suggestions for alternative treats to candy to hand out to your trick-or-treaters.

• Fruit Gummies – Alright, so these might seem pretty similar to candy, but with many fruit gummies made with real juice, they’re a healthier sweet alternative to actual candy.
• Money – Growing up, we had a house that gave out a bunch of coins. Needless to say, they were one of the most popular houses on the block for trick-or-treating. A small handful of coins is a great option for older kids who won’t put the money in their mouths.
• Stickers – I think it’s safe to say that kids of almost all ages can appreciate a good sticker. Heck, you have grown women buying them online to decorate their planners. Yes, please!
• Small toys or trinkets – Think mini yo-yos, kaleidoscopes, or mini plastic springs. Many of these items, plus more can easily be found at your local Exchange or store in the party favor aisle.
• Glow sticks – Not only will glow sticks help keep your little ghouls safe while out near the streets, but they’re just plain fun to play with! Everyone loves glow sticks! From simple sticks to bracelets and necklaces, glow sticks are popular and easy to find around Halloween.
• Temporary tattoos – Much like stickers, kids go crazy for these things! Only I won’t have to find these stuck to my furniture a week after Halloween… I hope!
• Chip/pretzel pouches – Perfect for a packed school lunch or an afternoon snack, moms everywhere will thank you for giving these out!
• Business samples – Okay, hear me out on this one. Last year, my girls got hair bows from a neighbor that makes and sells them. They were a hit with me and the girls, and since she attached her business card, I sought her out for future purchases!
• Halloween jewelry – Fill all those little fingers up with spider and bat rings! They make a huge variety of Halloween jewelry nowadays to offer to neighbors.
• Mini activity dough or modeling clay – Who didn’t love playing with the squishy stuff as a kid??! My mom knew better when we were growing up, so we hardly ever had it around the house. I would have loved a tiny container of the brightly colored dough to play with. The small containers, which are sold by the bagful, would have been a welcomed Halloween treat!
• Balloons – Especially those giant ones with the rubber band attached!
• Drinks – If you happen to be stationed somewhere with a warmer climate (like we are in Hawaii), you may end up covered in a sweat by the end of your trick-or-treat session. Mini bottles of water would have been a welcomed treat last year! If you’re somewhere a bit cooler, I bet your neighbors might appreciate some hot chocolate!
• Bubbles – Available in tiny containers, bubbles are a great stand-in item for candy. You know the little ones will love them, and as a big kid, the challenge of seeing how big of a bubble you can blow is always fun! I was playing with bubbles well into my college years.

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