Most kids would rather find a chocolate bar in their Halloween bucket than a packet of raisins. And who can blame them? Half the fun of trick or treating is coming home with a pile of candy and sorting through the favorites.
Still, a Halloween treat doesn’t need to be packed with sugar to earn a place in that bucket. Some well-known candies come in smaller portions, and a lot of other snacks offer the crunch, chocolate or fruity sweetness kids enjoy.
So what can you hand out that feels like a treat rather than a healthy snack disguised as one? Here are 10 ideas worth considering, including a few that might disappear faster than you expect.
1. Mini Milk Chocolate Bars
Chocolate is probably the last thing you would expect to see on a list of healthier Halloween treats, but a small, plain chocolate bar can be a great choice. Kids get the candy they came for, and the smaller size helps keep portions under control.
Hershey’s Miniatures and other individually wrapped chocolates are easy to find around Halloween. Plain milk chocolate is a better pick than varieties stuffed with caramel, toffee or other sticky fillings that can cling to teeth.
Chocolate also has an advantage over some other Halloween favorites. It generally washes away from teeth more easily than sticky gummies and caramel, which can remain in contact with tooth surfaces for longer. The American Dental Association recommends chocolate as one of the better candy choices for Halloween.
Of course, milk chocolate still contains added sugar. The idea is to offer a small treat rather than pretending that chocolate treats are healthy.
2. Mini Peanut Butter Cups
Reese’s peanut butter cups are already a Halloween favorite, so there is little chance of kids turning them down. The miniature versions offer the same chocolate and peanut butter combination in a smaller portion, making them a reasonable alternative to oversized candy bars.
Peanut butter provides some protein and fat, although the sugar and chocolate in these cups mean they still belong firmly in the candy category. Choose individually wrapped miniatures and pay attention to serving sizes, since several tiny cups can quickly add up to the equivalent of a larger treat.
Peanut allergies are the main concern. Even small amounts can cause a serious reaction in some children, so keep a separate selection of peanut-free treats available. Check the labels carefully, since other chocolates may also contain peanuts or carry warnings about shared manufacturing equipment.
3. Freeze-Dried Strawberries
Fresh strawberries are delicious, but they would probably end up squashed at the bottom of a Halloween bucket. Freeze-dried strawberries solve that problem. They are light, crispy and surprisingly sweet, with a crunch that makes them feel closer to candy than ordinary fruit.
Look for small, sealed packets that contain 100% strawberries without added sugar. The fruit retains some of its fiber and nutrients, including vitamin C, although the amount varies by product. Some brands also sell freeze-dried strawberry and banana mixes for kids who prefer a little variety.
One thing worth checking is the ingredient list. Freeze-dried fruit needs no extra sweetener to taste good, but certain fruit snacks contain added sugar or flavored coatings. Plain strawberries are generally the better choice.
Individual packets can cost more than miniature chocolate bars, especially when bought in large quantities. For a Halloween party or a smaller neighborhood , however, they offer a sweet alternative that children can eat straight from the bag, and you don’t have to feel guilty about that.
4. Mini Pretzel Bags
After a few handfuls of chocolate and gummy candy, something salty can be a good change. Mini pretzel bags give kids a crunchy snack, and the little packets fit easily alongside the rest of their Halloween haul.
Plain pretzels usually contain very little added sugar, making them a good alternative to another packet of sweets. Snyder’s of Hanover and other popular brands sell individually packaged pretzels, so there is no need to divide a large bag into smaller portions yourself.
Salt is the main thing to watch. Sodium levels vary between brands, and flavored pretzels can contain considerably more than plain varieties. Check the nutrition label and choose smaller packets with a reasonable amount of sodium per serving.
Most traditional pretzels contain wheat, so they are unsuitable for children with wheat allergies or celiac disease. Keep a gluten-free alternative available if you expect children with dietary restrictions.
5. Unsweetened Applesauce Pouches
Handing out an apple on Halloween might earn you a few disappointed looks, but applesauce pouches have a better chance. Kids can squeeze the sweet fruit puree straight from the packet, and there is no peeling, slicing or spoon required.
GoGo squeeZ and other brands offer unsweetened applesauce in flavors such as apple cinnamon and apple strawberry. Many contain no added sugar, with their sweetness coming naturally from the fruit. Look for packages labeled unsweetened and check the added sugars information on the nutrition label before buying.
Applesauce also provides some nutrients and a little fiber, although whole apples generally contain more fiber per serving.
6. Mini Cheese Cracker Packs
Some kids would happily swap a handful of Halloween treats for a packet of Goldfish crackers. Others might reach for Cheez-It before touching another chocolate bar. Both are familiar snacks, and their small, colorful packages look perfectly at home in a Halloween treat bucket.
Cheese crackers offer a break from all the sweets, and most original varieties contain little added sugar. They also have that satisfying crunch kids enjoy, so handing them out hardly feels like replacing candy with something from the health food aisle.
For a little Halloween variety, offer cheese crackers alongside chocolate and fruit snacks. Some children might surprise you by choosing the crackers first, especially after a night full of sugary treats.
7. Fruit Strips Without Added Sugar
Fruit strips have one advantage over most healthy Halloween treats. They look and taste enough like candy that kids might never think to question them. Unwrap a strawberry or mango strip, and you get a sweet, chewy snack that feels remarkably similar to a fruit gummy.
Brands such as Stretch Island and BEAR make fruit snacks with relatively simple ingredient lists. Some varieties contain fruit purees or juices without added sugar, although recipes differ. Check the package carefully, since a picture of strawberries on the front says very little about what is actually inside.
There is a catch, particularly for dental health. Fruit strips can be sticky, and their natural sugars still matter for teeth. Some also contain concentrated fruit juices or acidic ingredients. Chewy sweets that cling to teeth deserve the same caution as other sticky Halloween treats, even when the sugar comes entirely from fruit.
For trick or treating, choose individually wrapped strips with well-known fruit flavors. Strawberry, raspberry and mango are the most popular ones.
8. Mini Animal Cracker Packs
Remember the little boxes of animal crackers with a string handle? They still make a pretty decent Halloween treat, especially for younger kids who enjoy picking out the lions, elephants and bears before eating them.
Animal crackers taste sweet without the heavy frosting or chocolate coating found on many cookies. Some versions generally contain less added sugar than frosted cookies, although the exact amount depends on the brand. Barnum’s Animals and Stauffer’s are two popular options, and smaller snack packages are easier to distribute than the traditional large boxes.
Skip the frosted versions covered in pink and white icing if lower sugar is the goal. A quick look at the added sugar content on the nutrition label can reveal surprising differences between otherwise similar cookies.
9. Cinnamon Apple Chips
Apple chips might sound suspiciously healthy for Halloween, but the thin, crispy slices are close to a sweet snack. Cinnamon gives them a flavor reminiscent of apple pie, especially when the apples have been dried without added sugar.
Bare and other snack brands sell crunchy apple chips made primarily from apples, sometimes with cinnamon. A small packet can contain an entire apple with much of the water removed. The result is a sweeter, more concentrated flavor than fresh apple slices.
Choose varieties made with apples and cinnamon rather than those coated in sugar. Dried apples retain some fiber, although the amount varies with the preparation method and portion size. They also contain natural sugars, so a large bag is hardly the equivalent of eating unlimited fresh fruit.
Apple chips can break into pieces inside a Halloween bucket, but the sealed packages keep everything together. Their crisp texture suits older children who enjoy crunchy snacks. Hard dried fruit pieces can be difficult for toddlers to chew safely, so leave them out of treat bags for very young children.
10. Halloween Stickers and Temporary Tattoos
Who decided every Halloween treat had to be edible? A sheet of ghost stickers that glow in the dark or a temporary tattoo with a grinning skeleton can be just as entertaining as another piece of candy. Better yet, kids can enjoy them long after Halloween night.
Look for small Halloween sticker sheets, temporary tattoos or mini activity cards sold in party favor multipacks. Pumpkins, black cats, bats and silly monsters are easy choices. Some children will happily decorate their notebooks, water bottles or school supplies with whatever they collect.
Nonfood treats are perfect for children with allergies. The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages people to offer alternatives to candy, so children with food allergies can participate in Halloween without having to worry about every ingredient.
Keep the stickers and tattoos in a separate bowl from the food, and choose products with age-appropriate safety labels. Tiny decorative items that could be swallowed are unsuitable for younger children.
For a house expecting plenty of trick or treaters, a bowl with chocolate, a few healthier snacks and some Halloween stickers gives children several choices. Some will grab the chocolate immediately, but others might be more excited about a dark skeleton that glows in the dark they can stick on their bedroom door.
The Bottom Line
Video: Riley Health dietitian, Taylor Parrish shares some interesting ideas for making healthy Halloween treats by yourself. Perfect for people willing to spend more time preparing treats for kids.
Healthier Halloween treats can still include chocolate, cookies and other sweets children enjoy. Smaller portions, snacks with less added sugar and a few nonfood surprises offer some variety without making Halloween feel like an ordinary school day.
Parents should pay attention to how often children eat their candy, too. Having sweets after a meal is generally better for teeth than snacking on them throughout the day. Regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste also matters, especially for families who face problems with access to dental care.
Checking Halloween treats before children eat them is equally important. Damaged wrappers, undeclared allergens and choking hazards deserve attention. The recent recall of Halloween chocolate eyeballs over undeclared milk shows why even packaged candy deserves a closer look.
And if children prefer a miniature chocolate bar over a packet of dried strawberries, that’s perfectly fine. Halloween comes once a year, and a few favorite sweets can fit into a healthy diet. The goal is to offer better choices without taking the fun out of the holiday.
