spread health this Halloween!

rockabyesarojane

this link ( http://tiny.cc/3jx31 ) will take you to an article with some nice options for what to hand out on Halloween instead of MORE CANDY. so let's all try to spread the love of health this holiday with some fun stickers, or dollar store bubbles, or challk!


Below i have copied the article for those who'd rather just read it here.

"The Halloween custom of dressing up and going door to door to ask for treats dates back to the Middle Ages in some cultures, but the treat of choice in those days wasn’t candy. Instead, the original trick-or-treaters were usually after fruit, nuts or sometimes money. Most of us don’t want to be known as the neighbor who doles out apples and bananas, but we can still do our part to ensure a happy yet healthy Halloween for the neighborhood kids.

Try one of these festive suggestions.

*Upgrade your treats.

Track down better-for-you sweet treats like trail mix, organic granola bars, crackers or raisins. They may set you back more than a bag of bite-size chocolate bars, but you’ll rest easier knowing you're not handing out junk food full of artificial flavors, preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. One of our favorite natural treats is the Larabar Mini, a tiny snack bar made purely of fruits and nuts that comes in flavors like apple pie and banana bread. Both kids and adults love them and they are, admittedly, more appealing than plain dried fruit.

*Get creative.

Encourage creativity and imagination by giving out chalk, colored pencils, mini packs of crayons or tiny notebooks, all of which last much longer than candy. To keep costs down, check out wholesale stores for bulk deals on these and other fun items like clay or bubbles.

*Quench their thirst.

Provide mini juice boxes (look for 100% juice rather than sugar-filled "juice cocktails" or "juice drinks") or bottles of water for thirsty trick-or-treaters. It may not be as exciting as a king size chocolate bar, but it’s a practical option. If kids are eating sugary candy, their bodies need a healthy drink to wash it down.

*Try treasures over treats.

If drinks and snacks aren’t quite your style, ditch the edible options and go for festive stickers, temporary tattoos, bracelets or rings. These little trinkets may seem insignificant to adults, but they can be just as exciting as candy for kids."


best wishes everyone!
Sara-Jane

ElizabethRoad

Children hate you. If you aren't going to give out good candy then turn off the porch light and don't answer the door.

Shannon023

I prefer not getting t.p'd. :laugh:

alyssamiller77

Children hate you. If you aren't going to give out good candy then turn off the porch light and don't answer the door.

Agreed, or don't be surprised when your pumpkins get smashed and your house egged.

Sidesteal

Children hate you. If you aren't going to give out good candy then turn off the porch light and don't answer the door.

^ I could not possibly agree more with this.

NeuroticVirgo

*like*.... I think the toys idea was good. My daughter loves getting really dumb things like spider rings, and mini card games (stuff you can buy at the $1 store).

I don't know about the "healthy" treats though, that's a good way to get your house egged....

FearAnLoathing

Im giving out 3 musketters,kit kats,mounds,peanut butter cups, twix and snickers
I dont feel bad about it at all

amymeenieminymo

I'm all for promoting healthy alternatives and teaching kids healthy habits, but what do kids look forward to all year? Trick or treating for CANDY!. It only happens once a year and if parents monitor their childrens consumption of candy, I see no reason to change this fun tradition.

Personally when I was a kid, when I got anything BUT candy I tossed it aside and kept looking for the good stuff. I once got cough drops, and a plastic whistle (like from the dollar store). I was not amused.

Everyone is free to give out what they want, but don't be surprised if the kids don't appreciate your sidewalk chalk and your house gets egged. Just sayin'

cee134

I agree with what your saying, however it is not our place to impose our health values on other people. The safest thing to do, so you don't wake up with a TP'd house, is to have 2 bowls, one filled with candy and the other with healthy food. That way the child can make the choice. You may be surprised at who chooses healthy food, but you are giving a child an option and still keeping to your values.

megz4987

I'm willing to risk being egged or tp'd buy if they touch my pumpkins this girls gonna go ghetto Philly on their *kitten*.
Accept my pencils and like it, sucker!

MrsCon40

Why does everyone want to ruin Halloween for the children?

Good grief. For some kids - like MINE - it's one of the 3 days a year that they get to eat crap until they are sick. (Easter and Christmas being the other two)

Back off and quit begging to get your house egged.

maddymama

We tend to give out mini-playdough, tatoos, stickets, and pencils and gimmicky things. We do give out some candy, but it's all a mix in the bowl and kids who come to our house just get a handful of stuff.

Sidesteal

I will be giving out insulin injections to offset OP.

Contrarian

Halloween has been ruined already by helicopter parents and media scaremongering. Let's not deprive the children of candy, too.

_Peacebone_

I say give out candy! However, I remember when I was little one house that used to give out toys instead of candy... Really cool toys like legos and barbies. I didn't mind that!

paravision

*like*.... I think the toys idea was good. My daughter loves getting really dumb things like spider rings, and mini card games (stuff you can buy at the $1 store).

I don't know about the "healthy" treats though, that's a good way to get your house egged....

Sadly if my kids got an apple or banana I would chuck it. There have been cases of jerks injecting foods with poisons, adding razorblades ect So sad! I agree with vergo. a bag of stretchy skulls 16 count is a buck at walmart and they "crawl" down the wall when you throw them at one:OP

Sidesteal

helicopter parents

^ Aware me please?

glockster972

*Note to self*- Egg this person's house.

Ashley_Panda

The kids in our neighborhood would go on a witch hunt and burn our damn house down if we did this. Don't want your kid eating junk? Don't take 'em trick or treating.

Contrarian

helicopter parents

^ Aware me please?

Parents who hover over their children, "protecting" them.

CakeFit21

This is so annoying, maybe it's because I don't feel good, but FFS it's HALLOWEEN! Who finishes all the candy anyway?

I give out all the hershey dark chocolate mini candies or whatever. The good stuff. I like it. I eat candy, (OMG!) then we forget about it.

I hate all those dumb toys. More crap I have to pick up off the floor and throw away after one day.

Thomasm198

SimplyShanRunning

When I was a kid a lady gave me a toothbrush and little thing of toothpaste....we tped and egged her house that night


Ummm its only one damn day ....let them have fun

Qarol

I've seen this suggested before. I told a friend of mine about it, and she said, "It's trick or TREAT...not trick or carrot." It made me laugh.

You're not these kids' parent. Their parents are expecting them to come home with candy. So if you're not going to give out candy, do like someone else suggested...turn your porch light off.

amycal

Children hate you. If you aren't going to give out good candy then turn off the porch light and don't answer the door.

LOL I told my daughter who is 17 I wanted to get something healthier than candy and she said that is lame. Maybe I will make my husband buy the coffee and have them hand it out. I want to go to Chipotle for my $2 boorito (or rather salad bowl) anyways!

MrsCon40

*like*.... I think the toys idea was good. My daughter loves getting really dumb things like spider rings, and mini card games (stuff you can buy at the $1 store).

I don't know about the "healthy" treats though, that's a good way to get your house egged....

Sadly if my kids got an apple or banana I would chuck it. There have been cases of jerks injecting foods with poisons, adding razorblades ect So sad! I agree with vergo. a bag of stretchy skulls 16 count is a buck at walmart and they "crawl" down the wall when you throw them at one:OP

This is not true. There has never actually been a case of poison or razor blades in Halloween candy given to strangers.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/poison/halloween.asp

Gigi_licious

I will read it later on, after I finish this plate with samples of 9 different desserts from our Spooky Halloween Dessert contest.

killerqueen17

Children hate you. If you aren't going to give out good candy then turn off the porch light and don't answer the door.

Hahaha!! I'd have to say I agree with this...!! If you don't want to give out candy, just don't give it out! lol

This will be your house:

summertime_girl

Why does everyone want to ruin Halloween for the children?

Good grief. For some kids - like MINE - it's one of the 3 days a year that they get to eat crap until they are sick. (Easter and Christmas being the other two)

Back off and quit begging to get your house egged.

Yup.

rockabyesarojane

I'm confused why the majority of people seem to be mad at me for my suggestions. i never said hand out produce, that wouldn't be appreciated OR cost effective

but what makes sidewalk chalk, or bubbles NOT a treat? kids LOVE bubbles and chalk and stickers too.

no need to be offended, when you hand out only candy you're totally excluding kids with type 1 diabetes or if you give out chocolate then lactose intolerant kids don't get to enjoy the holiday either. just saying.

plus these were suggestions. not me shoving my beliefs down anyones throats. i never celebrated halloween as a kid because it's against our religion but that doesn't mean that i don't have fun with it now. i just wanted to give ideas to those who were looking.

simple as that.

Magic_Girl

I like the toys idea, but I think it would be best if there was a choice between candy and toys, so that way everyone is happy