HALLOWEEN treat alternative ideas?

Hey this year for halloween, I'll just be decorating our home and giving out candy to children and maybe helping out at a children's party. Do any of you know any halloween candies or treats that aren't too high in calories? I'm searching everywhere. If all else fails I plan to just distribute candy that others like but I hate. (Example: butterfingers, hard candies, etc.)

My favs: chocolate, peanut butter, candy corn, etc.

How about Welch's Fruit Snacks?  Or small boxes of raisins?

Jelly Belly's and Red Licorice

Good question. I was just thinking about this myself. All-natural fruit snacks or leathers is a great idea. Hmmm....what else?

I always have some suckers for the real little tots.  This year I found Halloween Popcorn (12 microwave bags per box) which I thought wouldn't be too bad and I usually hand out Halloween pencils, googly eyes, freaky necklaces, bracelets, etc. that you can usually find at any Dollar Store. 

Hmmm.....lessee what's in those butterfingers and babyruths I got on sale a week ago.....both right around 280 calories.....butterfinger has 30% less fat and 10% less sugar, so I guess it's the healthier of the two.  No fiber or vitamins to speak of - you'd have to eat 50 to get your daily iron.  Oh well, halloween only comes once a year......

I agree with lornajean. A good idea is after Halloween, go to places like Walgreens that sell Halloween items like pencils, toys, small stuffed animals, and everything will be on sale. Stock up for next year.

You could hand out gum. Kids are such gumaholics these days. I remember I would dig through my candy stash and be ecstatic to find one of those ridiculously large gumballs or pink wads of gum. Also, 100 calorie packs are good. Kids love a bag of chips or cookie crisps.

Otherwise, I'd stick to handing out candy you don't like. Leftover candy just begs to be eaten. Or, make sure all of the candy finds a home, even if you dump half the bowl on your last trick-or-treaters.

I'm going to beat up whoever said raisins.  I have yet to come across another trick-or-treater who likes getting raisins.

Have you heard of the Oriental Trade Centre?  Google it, they have a website.  You can get little toys, stickers, fun gadgets, and candy in bulk for a cheap price.

Don't waste your money on fruit snacks. They will be tossed aside with the brick bubble gum. Give out little toys, you can buy big bags of pencils or crayons or play dough for cheap online!

How about caramel popcorn balls?  Wal-Mart sells Act II individually wrapped caramel popcorn balls and they are only 100 calories/1 gram of fat per baseball-sized serving.  They come in a box of 20 for less than $4 and are so delicious.  In fact, I just finished one myself just now and they are wrapped in Halloween colors.

-Megan-

Ha ha.   My kids actually like the fruit snacks and raisins. Guess they are odd?  The even got juice boxes from a couple people last year and thought they were neat because it was something they don't get on a normal basis.  Plus they needed something to wash down all that loot!  I definitely think the pencils etc are good.  Kids go crazy over those cheapo spider rings and stuff.

I saw little Halloween-decorated bags of pretzels at the store the other day.

=^..^=  MOLLY

Thanks for the ideas! I think I'm gonna go to Target or Wal-Mart and gt those toys you were talking about. I'll just make a basket filled with "goodies," Things like crayons, mini playdoes, spider rings, hard candy (I hate hard candy so it won't temp me) and other stuff that only comes at halloween. I love Halloween, this should be fun!

Some years, I have given pencils and other things like spider rings which are big hits among children and teenagers.  Some years, I give nickels and dimes.  The years that I buy candy, kids can take it or leave it regardless how expensive or how big the candy bars are.  So don't buy candy that you like and have some left over to tempt you later. 

id reccomend handing out tootsie roll pops. they're only 60 calories which isnt bad for a lollypop(and tootsie roll middle:) that will last you at least 5 minutes depending on how fast you eat it haha.

i take them to school all the time.

I always get something that the kids like but I don't.  This year it's Smartees.  I wouldn't eat them if you paid me. 

If you don't want to give them candy, kids like stickers.  I found a bunch in the dollar store and cut up the sheets so each kid will get 3 stickers.

I agree with clairelaine.  If you don't want a mutiny among the trick or treaters as they watch you drop a box of raisins or a few pennies in their sacks, find a candy that you absolutely wouldn't eat. 

My weakness is chocolate, so I make sure I hand out a variety of fruity treats instead.  The kids are happy, I'm happy, and no trick or treaters are egging or toilet-papering my house.

 

-Lauren

Last year I gave out small packages of Play-Doh....zero calories.

http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails .php?isid=1585

 

I dont know if that link will work or you might have to copy and paste it into your browser but it's very helpful if you are making treats at home for yourself for the holiday!

HungryGirl made the cutest Meringue Ghosts and Witches brooms that won't break your calorie bank. I think I might make the ghosts just because :)

Original Post by cellulitedelight:

I'm going to beat up whoever said raisins.   

Hahaha!  Thanks for the laugh... I was thinking the same thing!