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Not everyone wants candy this Halloween ā here’s what to give out or serve instead
Trick or treatā¦give us something good to eat! The haunted holiday of Halloween is synonymous with pumpkins, costumes, and candy.
While most trick-or-treaters expect to collect a sackful of chocolates, candy bars, and assorted Halloween-themed candies on October 31, not everyone hopes for Halloween candy. The best non-candy Halloween alternatives fall into two buckets: small non-food trinkets to hand out at the door, and Halloween-themed desserts and snacks ā sweet or savory ā to serve at a party or give as a treat instead of a trick.
What to Give Kids Instead of Candy?
Not all Halloween handouts have to be candy. The most popular non-candy options:
- Small toys and trinkets: Halloween stickers, plastic spider rings, slime, vampire teeth, pencils, temporary tattoos, glow-in-the-dark trinkets
- Healthier edible treats: apples, oranges, pumpkin-shaped pretzels
- Sweet but festive picks: packaged Halloween cookies, cakes, or cupcakes
Hosting a party instead of handing out candy at the door? Serve pumpkin soup or a spooky punch, and add a touch of dry ice (with care!) for a bubbling, misty cauldron effect.
Candy Alternatives for Halloween
Give ’em pumpkin to talk about with the most boo-tiful and delicious Halloween desserts, including pumpkin-shaped treats, Halloween colored bagels, and festive rice crispy treats. With desserts this cute, you may want to hand out tricks instead and keep these treats for yourself.
Halloween Cookies
Halloween is the perfect holiday for baking up Halloween cutout cookies and Halloween themed stuffed cookies. These Halloween cookies come in all spooky shapes, including giant cookie cakes, and sizes, ranging from cute cookie samplers to colossal cookie gifts.
Halloween Cupcakes
Have a Happy Halloween with creative and delicious cupcakes that take the cake this October. We have a frighteningly long list of Halloween cupcake flavors to impress every ghost and goblin.
Halloween Cakes
Let the ghoul times roll with Halloween-themed decorated cakes and cake jars. Serve up festive, dressed-up cakes like spooky layer cakes, creepy cake jars, and exploding Halloween cakes.
Halloween Snacks
Knock, Knock! Who’s there? No tricks, only the most fab-boo-lous Halloween snacks. Whether you need some finger foods, got the munchies, or are hosting a fabulous feast, you’ll have a hauntingly fun time with our Halloween party food.
Halloween Appetizers
Not all Halloween foods need to be sweet! If youāre having a Halloween party, thereās no shortage of delicious appetizers and small finger foods and side dishes that all your guests are sure to love.
Candy Alternatives FAQs
Popular non-candy handouts include small toys and trinkets (stickers, spider rings, slime, temporary tattoos, glow-in-the-dark items), healthier edible options like apples or pumpkin-shaped pretzels, and packaged Halloween-themed cookies, cakes, or cupcakes.
For a party rather than trick-or-treaters, go beyond trinkets: Halloween cookies, cupcakes, and cakes cover the sweet side, while savory options like pigs in a blanket, pot pie bites, and mini pizza bites round out the table.
Yes, fresh fruit like apples and oranges, or pumpkin-shaped pretzels, are popular lower-sugar swaps for traditional Halloween candy, both for trick-or-treaters and party guests.
Hey, Boo! America’s best bakers, confectioners, sweet shops, and food makers are whipping up the best candy alternatives for Halloween and shipping them nationwide on Goldbelly!
Read More: Best Halloween Desserts That Are Scary Good
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