Are there fun Halloween candy alternatives to give the trick-or-treaters at your front door? Absolutely. It might be non-candy, not edible Halloween treats or Halloween healthy choice treats instead of sweet treats. So what do you give your Halloween guests knocking at the front door?
Will you disappoint the kids if you offer Halloween Candy alternatives? For what it is worth, kids have built up the idea of sweet treats being offered at every door, but there are some great alternatives that kids WILL like just as much. Just give them a little time to adjust to not being handed candy upon request. Frankly, most of the parents will be thanking you as they won’t have to worry about limiting how much candy the kids can eat.
If you are looking to offer non-candy edible treats, it is important to remember that the packaging needs to be tamper proof. If you are looking to give a not edible Halloween treat, you could offer it individually or let the kids pick from a big pile (which is especially cool if they love a certain color, design or character.)
Table of Contents
The Big List of Halloween Candy Alternatives
Little Airplane Kits
Mini airplanes are perfect to give away on Halloween and a great alternative to candy. The little glider airplanes are made of very thin wood, actually fly and fun to put together. You can find these cool items in bulk at local stores and the kids love them.
Mini Juice Boxes
Everyone gets thirsty, even on Halloween. There is something to be said about offering a mini box juice drink. Be it juice, milk or another liquid, parents can quickly approve the item as it’s tamper proof and easy to consume. Plus, if you want, you could offer an organic choice as a Halloween candy alternative.
Dried Fruit Leather and Shaped Fruit Treats
Fruit items are always a hit with the kids. As it goes, there are many Halloween candy alternatives that are real fruit based. From fruit leather to shaped fruit gummy treats, the kids love these items. Of course, the treats can be purchased individually packages in small quantities so you can quick shove the treats in the treat-or-treaters buckets for the kids to enjoy later.
Bouncy Balls
Kids love the operated toy machines at the front of the grocers. You know the ones that cost a quarter or two and after cranking the knob a bouncing ball comes down the chute to reveal the purchased color. Kids love bouncy balls and thankfully they are very inexpensive in bulk. Don’t be surprised that you will be the talk of the neighborhood when kids find out you re given away the bouncing balls!
Local Honey Sticks
Honey sticks are a sweet treat with some added benefits. Truth is most kids haven’t ever tasted honey sticks and many would be open to the opportunity. You can find great deals on honey sticks at the local natural food grocers or better yet, find a local beekeeper near you that might sell the honey sticks (also called honey straws) in bulk.
Halloween Stickers
The list of Halloween Candy Alternatives isn’t complete without pointing out a few stickers will make any kids gleeful. You could go with more traditional Halloween themed stickers – like black cats, pumpkins and witches. Or go with a theme like BTS, colorful unicorns or anything else your heart might desire. Kids love stickers and they will love getting a choice to take home a few when trick or treating at your door.
Apple Cider Packets and Hot Chocolate Packets
Giving the kids a packet of apple cider and/or hot chocolate might not be the first thing one thinks of when trick or treating, but it is practical and fun. Getting home (or even the next day) the kids can make their own drink and enjoy it to the last sip. It’s a perfect Halloween Candy Alternative and you could even offer packets that are no sugar, low sugar, or different flavors.
Plastic Keychains
Giving out key chains might sound weird, but the kids will love them. Believe it or not, there are so many inexpensive, fun designs of keychains that each one is a very unique idea. There are even Halloween keychains and flashlight keychain. Wondering if this sounds practical since the kids don’t own a car? Well, kids love putting keychains on their backpacks and zippered clothing to be fashionable at school!
Organic Candy: Sweet or Not
If you are feeling like Halloween just isn’t Halloween without candy, then you might want to consider candy that is low sugar, no sugar or organic. The local natural foods store has a number of options for people who love candy, but prefer not to eat certain ingredients.
Fake Mustaches and Plastic Eyeball Glasses
Halloween is all about dressing up. What kid doesn’t love to wear the plastic fake mustaches and those crazy glasses with eyeballs? Sold in packs, everyone who stops by your door might just get the urge to include some facial hair with their costume. Even if they don’t put on their new ‘staches immediate, it’s a little toy that is fun to play with for days to come!
Bubbles, Bubbles and More Bubbles
Who doesn’t like bubbles? Even at all the theme parks in America there are bubble bottles outside of all the rides. A perfect Halloween candy alternative, there are mini bottles of bubbles with wands you can give out to kids on Halloween night. Plus, the kids will have endless fun (or fun until the bubble solution runs out) for days to come.
Mini Journals and Blank Artist Books
Encouraging kids to draw and write doesn’t always need to be at school. A fun and practical Halloween candy alternative to give out on Halloween could be mini journals and little black artist books. Sold inexpensively at departments stores, the kids will have a chance to create at their leisure.
Light Up Rings
If it lights up, kids are interested. Perhaps that’s why the blinking light up rings are so much fun. Inexpensive and available in many colors, the kids will want to choose their treat when they see the bling available to take home. Plus, the rings are great for girls and boys, making this Halloween candy alternative fun for everyone.
Halloween Pens and Pencils
If you are thinking about something very inexpensive and cool, maybe you should check out the Halloween themed pens and pencils sold in bulk for your guests. From spooky images printed on the side to erasers in shapes, the writing instruments you can purchase will be a hit for your front door visitors on Halloween.
Temporary Halloween Tattoos
Kids love tattoos (well, technically so do adults) and what better way to enjoy a unique image than offer a temporary Halloween tat for the taking? Sold in rolls, the temporary tattoos are easy to put on, fun for the kids and something that everyone can agree could be removed at the next bath. Offering a couple Halloween temporary tattoos to your trick-or-treaters will be a huge hit and a perfect Halloween candy alternative.
Lego Minifigures
Know a kid who will turn down a Lego Minifigure? It’s doubtful. The mini Lego people come in a variety of individuals, offer a look at different occupations and there are even some monster figures too. If you decide to offer up mini Lego people, keep in mind the kids will want to choose their favorite. Or you could purchase the surprise packs in bulk so they don’t know which mini Lego people figure they get until they put it together at home.
Mini Popcorn Packs
Popcorn is always a hit with the kids. There are a number of ways you could offer it as a Halloween candy alternative. You could give out individual packs of pre-popped popcorn. Or you could give out packs of unpopped popcorn that could be made with parental supervision. Both ways allow you to give out Halloween varieties (or not.)
Vampire Teeth
Don’t let the kids walk about without an extra pair of fangs! Vampire teeth are fun for the kids and the adults might enjoy a pair too. These holiday themed teeth are a perfect Halloween candy alternative, don’t be surprised to see the kids flash a quick smile at you when walking down the street a few days later wearing their sharp looking fangs.
Halloween Fortune Cookies
Kids will be thrilled to have messages offering a vampire’s wise words or a ghoulish message from beyond. Halloween fortune cookies are a new Halloween treat that is part familiar and part unique. Sold at bakeries, you can find a big bag of these cookies with a number of one-of-a-kind sayings.
Glow Bracelets
Glow in the dark items are a delightful Halloween candy alternative. You could go with glow sticks, glow bracelets, glow necklaces or anything else that might glow. Typically sold in bulk, the fun kids have with the glowing items will be seen way past Halloween!
Stretchy Skeletons, Pumpkins and Witches
Remember as a kid seeing Stretch Armstrong? Small stretchy plastic items are always fun. Make them a little Halloween-ish and it’s the perfect thing to give away at your front door. Typically there are different designs to offer the kids, but don’t be surprised if the skeletons are chosen first. They are just too cool!
Mini Halloween Yo-yos
Have you considered Halloween themed yo-yos as a Halloween candy alternative? Yo-yos are fun and universal. It really doesn’t matter how old you are (or how young) and yo-yo tricks are always in style. There are mini Halloween yo-yos which are perfect for smaller fingers. Consider getting different colors to give to your trick-or-treaters.
Halloween Whistles
Let the whistling begin! Unless the trick-or-treaters live right next door, consider offering a tool for the kids to make some noise with Halloween whistles. Loud, sometimes annoying and over the top fun, you might be the only whistle giver on Halloween. Depending on how often you hear it in November, it might not be such a bad thing!
Spooky Halloween Rings – Spiders, Ghosts and Witch Faces
Put some spooky fun on the fingers of the kids! Halloween rings are mostly made of plastic and very inexpensive to buy. Sold as party favors, kids love to pick out their own ring and wear it proudly. It’s a fun, low cost Halloween candy alternative.
When talking about Halloween candy alternatives, it’s important to share a few ideas that will not be appreciated by the kids as well as others. Trail mix, nuts and raisins should be avoided. The first two offer concerns for parents caring for children with serious allergies and most likely will be discarded. As for raisins, kids never forget people who offer a mini box of raisins. What!?! Where I live now, every child where Mrs. Jones’ lives and they avoid her home during Halloween. Trick-or-treating at her house is disappointing, according to one young neighbor. I guess raisins just seem wrong to the kids…
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