5 Healthy Halloween Treats That Keep All The YUM
Wednesday, October 26th, 2011by Corey
With scary stats such as the fact that 1 in 3 trick-or-treaters is expected to develop diabetes in their lifetime, it may be hard to imagine giving away chemically laden, conventional candy as kids come to your door.
So this Halloween, forgo the candy isle and grab a bag (or box) of these healthier treat options that keep all the YUM:
Yo’ Drops from Revolution Foods
The first time I tried Yo’ Drops, I couldn’t believe my mouth. These crunchy, freeze dried, 100% real organic fruit and yogurt snacks are sooooo good. Packaged just perfectly for Halloween, too. Might just become your family’s new Halloween favorite.
Stretch Island Fruit Co. strips
It’s amazing how delish a treat so simple can be. And how excited kids can get over something made from 100% real fruit. We gave Stretch Island Fruit Co strips away last year and the reactions from the kids were just adorable. Expressions such as “OOH! I LOVE these!” And “This is my FAVORITE flavor!” were heard throughout the night until every last strip was gone.
Larabar (minis)
In 2006, when first had the idea for creating a community movement around making Halloween healthier for kids and planet, I didn’t have a lot of recommendations for food items that kids would go wild over and that mom would approve of. At that time there wasn’t overt demand for healthier Halloween fare, and so many health-food brands were leaving the conversation alone. So in 2007, when the Green Halloween website was first launched, we had only three or four “treat” (food) items in our recommended list: granola bars, honey sticks, fruit leather and…. Larabars. Indeed, it was Larabar that led me to believe that Halloween treats could be just as exciting to kids without the processed and artificial ingredients, HFCS and hydrogenated oils that were the basis for most Halloween goodies. Larabars are whole, real food. But they come in flavors such as Cashew Cookie and Apple Pie that don’t just sound good, they are good. (Really good.) And now that they’re available as minis, they’re even more affordable for those families who get droves of trick-or-treaters.
Honest Kids organic drink pouches
Another little Green Halloween history tale: In 2006, as I took my kids trick or treating, I noticed that they (and their friends) were more excited about the goodies they received that were not conventional candy. Bubbles ans stickers received squeals of enthusiasm. Snickers and M&Ms, not so much.
What was going on?
I soon come to realize that kids today are over-exposed to conventional candies. They’re available at birthday parties, at the dry cleaner, even at the doctor’s office! I also discovered that my nephew’s teacher even kept a bowl of candy on her desk for when kids got a good test score or pushed in a chair for a friend.
So it’s not that kids like candy any less, it’s just that it’s not as novel as it was when I was a child – when Halloween was the one time of year when I had access to it.
So this year, why not consider giving away a drink pouch in lieu of a conventional treat? My hunch is that kids will be all over this twist on tradition – some ghosts and goblins may even down the drink while on their trick-or-treat trail. Moms will love Honest Kids’ organic ingredients, no HFCS, the fact that the pouches can be recycled through Terracycle.net.
Nature’s Path organic crispy rice treats
Nature’s Path new organic crispy rice bars knock the YUM ball right out of the park. Made with better for kids & Earth ingredients, and packaged and priced just right for Halloween, we think these new Halloween treats are going to be a hit!
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Of course, giving non-food “treasures” is another way to make Halloween healthier. Just choose items that are made from safe, natural materials and look for treasures that will last long past Halloween, such as polished rocks, recycled mood pencils, and mini decks of cards or games.