How to Give Healthy Halloween Treats to Trick or Treaters

While you might not be the most popular house on the block if you don't pass out full-size chocolate bars, you will be loved by parents who are shocked with the overwhelming amount of sugar their children bring home. Actually, you can have it both ways if you plan ahead. You can satisfy the children's craving for something tasty and pass out treats that the parents in your neighborhood will approve of.

Instructions

    • 1

      Consider treats that taste sweet, but are also somewhat nutritious. Dried fruit is a sweet treat, but it also supplies a good amount of fiber, iron and potassium. Raisins are often considered to be the worst thing to put in a child's Halloween bucket, but dried cranberries, blueberries and apples might be more welcome. Individual squeeze packets of no-sugar-added applesauce are another alternative to candy that many children enjoy.

    • 2

      Think beyond sweet treats. Small bags of pretzels or sunflower seeds might be enjoyed by the children in your neighborhood. Skip the nuts, however, because many children are allergic to them and you don't want to take any chances that you could make someone sick.

    • 3

      Pass out juice boxes instead of food treats. Choose 100 percent fruit juice because it doesn't contain any added sugar and it also supplies key nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium.

    • 4

      Pass out individual packages of string cheese. String cheese supplies a good amount of calcium and protein, and it's easy to toss into Halloween buckets.

    • 5

      Hand out tubes of yogurt, which many children already view as a treat. Yogurt does contain some added sugar, but it's better than candy because it also contains calcium, protein and potassium.

    • 6

      Stock up on low-sugar granola bars or cereal bars. These often supply fiber, and many are also fortified with additional nutrients such as calcium and iron. Even if the bars contain some added sugar, the fact that they also supply nutrients makes them a better option than candy in terms of nutrition.

    • 7

      Pass out individual serving packets of hot chocolate or apple cider. While they still contain some sugar, they are a better option than candy and they are also low in fat compared to many of the Halloween treats children receive each year.

    • 8

      Toss individual packets of crackers with peanut butter or crackers with cheese into Halloween buckets. These supply small amounts of nutrients, such as fiber, and are usually low in sugar, too.

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