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Archive for the ‘Treats and Treasures’ Category

Halloween Bulbs

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013

Need another treat alternative?

How about onion bulbs or garlic cloves? Bonus, garlic keeps vampires at bay! Bulbs and cloves are small so they won’t take up to much room, but you can easily find them. Fall is also a good time to plant. You can even enjoy these treats in the future as part of a healthy and delicious family meal!

You can easily find bulbs in your local hardware or garden store. You can even try planting the bulbs in a glass vase so you little one can watch the growing process.

For more treat alternatives follow us on Facebook facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween

 

The Goods on Goodie Bags

Friday, October 11th, 2013

The healthy treats and treasures you are giving away this Halloween deserve to look good! What better way to showcase how special they are than with some snazzy goodie bags? Perfect for your next party. Feel free to improvise with recycled materials.

For goodie ideas, check out our list of treat alternative, Candy Cheat Sheet, and twitter party tips.

Pumpkin Pouch Party Favors

  • Orange crepe paper
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Greenfloral tape
  • Treasures to wrap up

For each pouch, cut two 10-inch diameter circles from the paper. Stack two circles and put the goodies in the center. Gather the outer edges of the circle to form a pouch. Twist the paper above the treats. Wrap the “stem” with floral tape. You may need to trim excess paper before binding. Twist a piece of tape around a pencil to make vine tendrils.

Full-moon Flavor Bags

  • Brown paper lunch bags
  • Stamps + ink pad
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Hole punch
  • Black ribbon or seam binding

Stamps the bags with fun words or pictures and fill with goodies. Fold corners back. Fold top of bag 1 1/2 inches down. Make a 2 inch paper moon. Glue moon to front of bag in top right corner. Punch two small holes through moon and bag 1/4 inch apart. Repeat in another spot in the moon. Cut two 5-inch pieces of seam binding and thread through the holes; knot to form bats (they will also secure the bag). Trim wings with scissors. To watch a visual demonstration, check out this video (just avoid all the candy she has in that bowl!).

Hand them out to your guests, and watch as they marvel at these precious bags and their delicious contents.

These crafts are from the book Martha Stewart’s Handmade Holiday Crafts.

For more party ideas follow us at facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween

 

Tweets & Tips

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

We held recently a twitter party to share healthy Halloween tips. In case you missed it (don’t worry, there were quite a few folks who had to put their little goblins to bed!)  we’ve compiled a list of the best #greenhalloween tricks and treats. Thanks to all our wonderful party-goers for their great suggestions!

 

What to do on Halloween Day / Night

  • Have your child eat a full meal before going out.
  • Make sure your child eats two rainbows of produce two weeks before and after Halloween. Learn more at Today I Ate a Rainbow.
  • Trade candy for Legos or other toys.
  • Bring candy to work the next day (the office my suffer from a sugar high, but the candy is bound to disappear quickly).
  • Pack your own healthy treats for your child to have while walking from house to house. Later, donate the candy s/he acquired.
  • Try reverse Trick or Treating. Instead of taking junky candy, go to your neighbors and give them a fair trade gift. Help empower workers.

Tips for Parties/ Decorations / Costumes

  • Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found 10 out of 10 Halloween makeup kits tested contain lead! Stay safe and make your own face paint.
  • Who says piñatas have to be full of candy? Fill that baby up with little prizes!
  • Grow your own pumpkins! Can you get it to be this big?
  • “Disposable?” More like reusable! Wash your plastic cutlery to use for all your parties. Or, try bamboo picnic ware.
  • Need some fun, eco-party inspiration? Try a Healthy Child Party Kit.
Favorite Treats (Recommended by #greenhalloween party friends)

 

For more healthy tips follow us on Facebook facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween

 

Sponsor Spotlight: Wholesome Sweeteners

Monday, October 7th, 2013

Confession: I have a major sweet tooth. Salty snacks such as chips or pretzels don’t cut it for me. Baked treats like cookies, cake, and brownies are my weakness. Which is one of the reasons I love Halloween. But of course, many of those store bought sweet treat come with a lot of JUNK. That is why I love Wholesome Sweeteners; their products make indulging that much sweeter!

Wholesome Sweeteners is a provider of sustainable and ethically sweeteners: sugars (raw, cane, brown, palm sugar), agave, honey, and other products. Formed in 2001, the company strongly believes that the farmers who grow these crops deserve a fair price for their hard work. Wholesome Sweeteners works with many co-ops and small farms. In addition to a fair price, farmers receive a premium, a monetary bonus to help develop and better their community. This could be used to clean the water supply, grow a vegetable garden, or start a radio station. Check out the effects that Wholesome Sweeteners in Paraguay, Malawi, Brazil, and Mexico. You can also learn about the impact of fair trade in this video.

Wholesome Sweeteners is also committed to producing its products in a sustainable manner. For example, in Paraguay, the used cane sugar is transformed into bagasse, a fuel for the boilers that power the surrounding sugar mills. Not fossil fuels are ever used to produce their sugars! In addition, Wholesome Sweeteners is non-GMO verified. The company is currently testing packaging made of plant resin for future use. In the meantime, the sugar products are packed in #4 LDPE recyclable pouches and produced in a Silver LEED certified facility that is powered by wind. The cartons are made from 100% recycled fiber with 35% post-consumer content. 35% of that fiber is from paper that is put in their daily recycling bins. Also, Wholesome Sweeteners syrups are packed in BPA-Free #1 PETE plastic bottles. PETE plastic is the most common plastic to recycle and is readily taken by most United States recycling facilities.

So try using Wholesome Sweeteners when you bake (or grill, or mold, or broil) for your next Halloween party. Check out a few of their Halloween and fall recipes here.

Wholesome Sweeteners is making the world a sweeter place, one spoonful at a time!

For more info on Wholesome Sweeteners and their full line of products, go to wholesomesweeteners.com. Check them out at facebook.com/Wholesomesweeteners and Twitter @WholesomeSweet!

Welcome to the Green Halloween Blog Carnival!

Monday, September 30th, 2013

2013 Green Halloween® Blog Carnival

Can you believe it, Halloween is only one month away? We at Green Halloween®  are so excited for all the costumes, snacks, decorations, and party-favors we are going to make (and swap) this month. Of course, we need to remember why it is so important to be aware of what you buy, use, and eat this time of year.

  • Many store-bought face paints contain harmful chemicals, or even lead
  • High-fructose corn syrup (which does not exist in nature) and is linked to various health issues, like child obesity and dental problems. For treat ideas check out our Treat Alternatives list and the Candy Cheat Sheet.
  • Swapping half the costume kids wear at Halloween would annual landfill reduce waste by 6250 tons
  • Friends and neighbors may have allergies to gluten, soy, corn, and nuts. Or, they are on special diets.
  •  Over 6,000 chemicals are used in the processed foods industry. Do you know what you are eating?
  • Cocoa farms often exploit their workers (who are usually children).

And that is just a taste of the Halloween horrors out there. We know that you want to do the best you can for your family and the planet. So, our fabulous bloggers have a few ideas on how to have an awesome Green Halloween!

Thanks to all our bloggers for helping us #takeback Halloween! Stay tuned throughout the month for other great ideas for a fun and eco-friendly Green Halloween!

For more tips follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween