Halloween~ My children are not happy!

LanaeCarol

We live out in the country and don't get any trick or treaters. Starting when our girls were about 9 and 11 we stopped trick or treating since they were not interested in dressing up. We let them each pick out a normal sized bag of whatever kind of candy they wanted and then we rented movies and had a good time together on Halloween night. Now they are all grown up and in college, we don't have the problem any more.

Hellbent_Heidi

That's one huge advantage to living in the country on a dirt road...no whiney little monsters knocking on the door looking for candy (and nothing around the house to tempt me)...I love it :laugh:

Tx_Ambrosia

I don't avoid things I like to eat, I just control myself lol

verptwerp

There is a family by me that gets together in their garage and they make fresh funnel cakes to hand out! Adults, nieces, nephews and inlaws. The only leftovers are what they decided to fry up!

Awwww ...... I wish I lived in YOUR neighborhood :drinker:

opus649

Though Rice Krisy Treats aren't terrible thing to hand out. I can't eat them, anyway, being veg and all.

Why wouldn't an ovo-lacto vegetarian eat rice krispy treats?

They have gelatin in them. :-(

TIL

leannems

Honestly, I'll be handing out candy bars and when it nears the end of the night some lucky kid will be getting a buttload of candy. This solves the leftover candy issue and it makes one kid really freakin' happy.

This is exactly what we do. Toward the end of the night, the last few kids get handfuls upon handfuls. Eventually, when I'm over it, the last kid (who may or may not be the last actual trick or treater, but it going to be the last one at our house), gets the bowl dump, we shut off the porch lights, and no longer answer the door. No candy left = no eating it.

And as far as the stuff your kids bring home - that's theirs. Hands off.

alw141

I sent all the leftover candy into work with my husband. It's gone from the house and all the maintenance guys love it!

ChristyRunStarr

I don't have kids so it's not as big of a deal but I'll do what I do every year and will be bringing left over candy into work the next day, I'm lucky if it lasts an hour in my office :laugh:

Amo_Angelus

I purchased Rice Crispy Treats!

Why? They're much cheaper to make than to buy, they're really easy to make and really fun! Get the kids involved in making the treats, it always make them taste nicer, plus gives you something to do as a family. Practically every kid I've ever met would rather make rice Crispy treats than buy sweets, it's something they've made and can be proud of, plus they have fun and can lick the bowl. Now personally I don't like them, but I was always happy to make them.

When I lived alone, the rule in my house was the only junk food allowed in the house was either on sae at the local Tesco clearance section (chocolate cake usually) or hand made. Even on halloween! In my first house, the local kids randomly just popped over to play because I had huge rabbits, still don't know why their parents let them as I don't have kids, but figured better my house than someone elses given the area so I let them come over and play with my bunnies. Anyway, because they knew me I was on their halloween route, especially because they knew it was my favourite time of year. Rule was you'd get whatever I had made and once I was out, I was out. I would not be nipping to the shop for you, I would not be making more. It was handmade fairy cakes. Nothing else. Afterwards, if I had any left, they were passed out to whoever was visiting over the next few days to play with my bunnies until they were all gone, then I'd go back to single person numbers of baking. Failing that, I handed my left overs to my mum, who adores cake and was always comissioning some baking.

VanessaGS

I say buy a few bags to where you know you will run out. Once you run out turn off your front porch light so the rest of the trick or treaters will skip your house. Or buy a few bags of candy and a few bags of toys. Get rid of all the candy first...then hand out the toys.

rml_16

Though Rice Krisy Treats aren't terrible thing to hand out. I can't eat them, anyway, being veg and all.

Why wouldn't an ovo-lacto vegetarian eat rice krispy treats?

Gelatin in marshmallows.

miracole

Though Rice Krisy Treats aren't terrible thing to hand out. I can't eat them, anyway, being veg and all.

Why wouldn't an ovo-lacto vegetarian eat rice krispy treats?

probably vegan

Her profile says lacto-ovo

Marshmallows are a beef byproduct. (gelatin) so are a grey zone for a lot of vegetarians.

AllonsYtotheTardis

We don't get trick or treaters on our street (too dark, houses too spread out), so I don't bother buying anything at all.

If we did, I would just buy treats that I personally don't like. There are plenty of kid-pleasing things that are no temptation to me.

Vonnie2006

In years past I'd save leftover candy for my older sons birthday goodie bags (His birthday is November 12) but since he's turning 15 this year, there will be none of that. Last kid knocking hits the jackpot!

rml_16

Though Rice Krisy Treats aren't terrible thing to hand out. I can't eat them, anyway, being veg and all.

Why wouldn't an ovo-lacto vegetarian eat rice krispy treats?

probably vegan

Her profile says lacto-ovo

Marshmallows are a beef byproduct. (gelatin) so are a grey zone for a lot of vegetarians.

If you eat gelaitn and call yourself vegetarian, you're kidding yourself. They're produced with the byproduct of a dead animal. You might as well just eat hamburgers and call yourself veg. lol

It isn't a gray area.

Off10h8ed

Thanks for all the great input. I don't have to worry about getting into the kids candy because it is theirs and I have never been one to take the kids candy. I figured they weren't going to need the extra candy either (from left overs) so by doing what I did, I kind of avoided a couple of different scenarios. I do have self control, I do have a lot of junk in the house (its a husband thing) and I don't really mess with it much but I just didn't want the extra temptation. It is easier to grab a mini bar and log it (because they are kind of minimal) than it is that chocolate danish he has sitting in the cabinet. lol

Anyway, thanks for all the ideas. Maybe next year I will go back to the mini candy bars and just load the neighborhood kids up at the end of the night. Although, that really wouldn't be doing their parents any favors either.

terrappyn

My Nana hands out Capri Suns! When I was a kid she would hand out unfrozen freezer pops. She's always so crafty! And if there are left overs there are enough grandkids to take over the extra load!

Eafears

I bought pretzels last year and decided to do it again this year. My kids were actually excited to get a few non-sweet items when they trick or treated. The recived popcorn, cheetos and goldfish and I think the went before the candy.

Dr_Flo

I work in a shp where we sell 18-wheelers. Plenty of salesmen, shop guys, customers are around everyday. My tactic to remove candy from the house is to take it to work. I put it in this little bowl in my office and just watch it disappear all day long.
These guys are like moths to a flame.

It almost doesnt matter what I put in the bowl. If it has a shiny wrapper, they want it.

Sometimes they will drop a little change in the bowl, which is nice. Most of the time its only pennies, but sometimes I get the good stuff hahaha.

Get yourself a bowl.. make sure everyone can see it. You'll be outta candy by the days end

MissAnjy

Well, it's pretty much "Halloween" in my house....year round. What I mean is, my children have Cystic Fibrosis, which means that they HAVE to have a "high fat/high calorie" diet. I'm talking, my sons (twins) are 3 years old, and their caloric intake is set at 3000 calories per day. Their specialists encourage me to feed them chocolate bars breakfast, noon & night, and to eat McDonalds as often as humanly possible. I've been doing this for almost 4 years now......and they are 36 and 38 pounds (at almost 4) so still, slightly under a "normal" child. Doctors have told me countless times that "Cystic Fibrosis goes against anything you've EVER learned about health and nutrition". My kids do not eat vegetables, there is no point (as i'm told) their bodies will get NOTHING from that. Instead, they take hoards of medications & vitamins to get their daily intake.

I can't live by the "if you don't want to eat it, don't have it in your house" theory, which I've always done growing up. My house is stocked full of chocolate bars, chips, cookies, doritos, ice cream, pop tarts, baked goods, pizza, mcdonalds, nuggets etc.......anything you can think of that is EXTREMELY fattening.....is in my house, every day.

So, Halloween won't bother me one bit, LOL

anna0478

My kids pick their favorites and keep it to themselves. Then I take the rest to work and give it away

auroranflash

I'll be handing out raisins and protein shakes and ezekiel bread with sweet potato spread.

Then, I'll move to another state because my house would get burned down.


Honestly, I'll be handing out candy bars and when it nears the end of the night some lucky kid will be getting a buttload of candy. This solves the leftover candy issue and it makes one kid really freakin' happy.

miracole

If you eat gelaitn and call yourself vegetarian, you're kidding yourself. They're produced with the byproduct of a dead animal. You might as well just eat hamburgers and call yourself veg. lol

It isn't a gray area.

ha ha was trying to be diplomatic as have always wondered where one draws the line. (I'm not a vegetarian myself, meat is delicious.) But do vegetarians not use lipstick or glue? same thing.

Off10h8ed

BTW I had not a clue that marshmallow had meat byproduct in it. I'm not vegan but it is interesting non the less. I have so much to learn about food.

claw0416

Our kids are still young enough to go out and Trick or Treat..So we get to get in an extra few miles of walking...our problem is all the candy at the end of the night..we those last few houses that are done for the night that dump the whole bowl in thie kids bag..sigh..so we have alot more candy that expected..but the really bad thing is we sort everything when we get home,throwing out the open wrappers etc..so normally we get to pull our favorite stuff out before the kids see us do it.so we have our own little stash..lol..this year is going to be so much different..What is really strange is that my kids will go trick or treating, but thier candy last until the end of the school year..we limit it and then seem to all forget we have it..except the chocolate..lol..Hopefully it will be that way this year too..our whole house is on healthy eating and living..limiting sugar, and junk.. But I will not take this away from them..I am just hoping we hit those crappy houses that give out only candy corn or give out the butterscotch and cinnemon hard candy..WTF..what is up with old people giving that crap to kids anyway? lol but this year that is what I am shooting for..keeps me and the kids from eating it..

alyja09

I give out glow sticks! The kids love them, and I don't get disappointed trick-or-treaters by giving out pencils or erasers haha.

momofthreesons

I'm not on a diet this is a lifestyle change for me and there will be many many more Halloweens I will have to deal with. I buy 2 bags a week during the month of October then 5-6 bags the week of halloween to hand out. My kids eat it for dessert about 3 nights a week after supper and my husband is constantly into the candy bowl. It's just a thing that I've done for my family every Halloween. My husband is skinny as a rail so no worries for him.
My solution for me is to earn it then eat it. So if I want a reeses or snickers I look at the calories and walk it off before I bite it! I find many times after I walk it off and I'm back home I don't want to eat it and choose something healthier. I understand if you can't have it in the house at this time in your journey so buy the candy and don't open it until Halloween. Also, don't buy your FAVORITES!! At the end of the night give out the majority of the candy to the last kid of the night (right before you turn off the porch light) keep one or two for your kiddos. If you eat the one or two earn it first! just my 2 cents

rml_16

If you eat gelaitn and call yourself vegetarian, you're kidding yourself. They're produced with the byproduct of a dead animal. You might as well just eat hamburgers and call yourself veg. lol

It isn't a gray area.

ha ha was trying to be diplomatic as have always wondered where one draws the line. (I'm not a vegetarian myself, meat is delicious.) But do vegetarians not use lipstick or glue? same thing.

You can find veg-friendly versions of pretty much anything (including marshmallows). You just have to look.

I can't remember the last time I needed glue, though, and I hardly ever wear lipstick, so anything I have is leftover from my pre-veg days, anyway. I can't speak for all of them. :-)

I do know gelatin is a definite no-no!

neti_call

My Nana hands out Capri Suns! When I was a kid she would hand out unfrozen freezer pops. She's always so crafty! And if there are left overs there are enough grandkids to take over the extra load!

This is a great idea! I'm doing it this year!

rcbeck99

Our kids' dentist does a candy buy back the day after. She pays the kids $1 a lb up to 5 lbs and then donates the candy to a group that sends it overseas to the military. She also gives the kids goody bags with things like toothbrushes and such.