What to Give out Instead of Halloween Candy

 

Did you run out of Halloween candy? Or are you a rebel who wants to break from tradition? Are you a health-conscious person who wants to spread the lifestyle? It doesn’t matter the reason, you needn’t give out candy as a Halloween treat.

Keep in mind that Halloween is a fairly new holiday. Your parents may have not celebrated the day at all. So don’t be afraid to rewrite the rules. The rules are so new, they’re not set in stone.

Halloween gained traction in the mid-2oth century. Back then, you were as likely to receive coins, nuts, fruit, cookies, cakes, or toys as you were to receive candy. It’s assumed that candy sales were lacking in the fall, so manufacturers looked to push candy as the premier Halloween giveaway. It worked. Candy was easy to buy, easy to hand out, and easy for kids to carry around the neighborhood as they scooped up more and more of the goods. By 1970, candy had become the go-to treat for trick-or-treaters. Candy secured its place at the top when parents began only wanting their kids to collect unwrapped candy from strangers. This happened in the 1980’s when there were the famous Tylenol scares.

But today is 2015 and people are more health conscious than in the past. It’s likely why McDonald’s has been having lackluster sales. Plus, there has been no better time in history to shake things up. So let’s find out what to give away besides candy.

Glow sticks: They look awesome and provide safety for the kids!

Mini bottles of water: Practical and welcome as kids will be thirsty with all the sugar and the running.

Noisemakers: These let friends find each other in the dark.

Halloween accessories: Vampire teeth, mustaches, eye patches, makeup paint, etc. – this is good if the child left the house in a hurry and the parents need to add a little pizzazz to their costumes.

Mini Lara Bars

Dried fruit: Just watch out for added sugar if you’re giving these out for the health benefits.

Local apples

Mixed nuts

Pre-packaged cheese and crackers

Granola bars: These can be found for cheap at Sam’s Club.

Mini flashlights: These are cheaper than you think. And they will be used right away.

Toothpaste and floss kit: If you’re a dentist, include your business card for the parents to find.

Things you sell online: This can be any of your small creations like bracelets, etc. Attach a business card to these items as well. Include the URL of your Pinterest page, if applicable.

Balloon animals: These would be way more of a hit than candy!

Money: Young entrepreneurs will love this idea!!!! But remember, the money will add up fast. Just giving $1 to 100 kids means $100. Candy or any of the above is much cheaper. Giving out coins may come across as being cheap. Unless they are these common (but rare) coins.

Free goods or services: Do you own a business or know someone who does? See if they will give you vouchers to pass out. These can be anything from free car wash tokens to a free appetizer at the local pizza place.

Coupons: See if you can print out a ton of coupons online for Pizza Hut, Target, etc. Only get ones where a person can get something for free. This is free, creative, and paper is easy to pass out.