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Fun alternatives to Halloween candy that trick-or-treaters won’t hate

"Treats" that aren't candy to hand out this Halloween

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pumpkins with a trick or treat sign
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There is quite a bit of excitement wrapped up in Halloween, and it’s not just for the cool costumes. Kids just love going trick-or-treating to stockpile that delicious candy. Parents, of course, don’t exactly adore the sugar rush that comes with it or the added calories when they dig into the treats.

Not all kids are thrilled about trick-or-treating, though. Many children have food allergies, intolerances, and other medical issues that don’t allow them to partake in the annual fall ritual. Some opt out of trick-or-treating altogether. Others go for the excitement of being with friends and throw or give away what they collect.

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In recent years, the Teal Pumpkin Project has offered trick-or-treaters an alternative. Homes with a teal pumpkin on the doorstep or a sign on the door tell trick-or-treaters that this house offers candy alternatives for Halloween. Often homes participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project offer candy alternatives as well as sweet treats. Many times, kids without allergies go for the candy alternatives, too. If you’ve been thinking about candy alternatives for Halloween this fall, we’ve got a deliciously fun list of options that just might make your house the most popular on the street on October 31.

Candy alternatives for Halloween

Kids in various costumes receiving trick or treat candy.
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

If you have a child with food allergies or intolerances, you understand how difficult Halloween can be for many kids. Watching others dive into their candy can be quite frustrating and maddening for children who can’t partake. Some can shrug it off and head out to trick-or-treat anyway, knowing they can’t eat anything.

For many, though, Halloween can be a sad holiday instead of an exciting one. That’s what makes candy alternatives for Halloween a great option. Trick-or-treaters who can’t eat candy still get to bring something home in their bags. So, if you want cool ideas for Halloween candy alternatives, we’ve got easy and inexpensive trick-or-treat options.

Halloween bracelets

Bracelets have always been a hit for kids and not just at summer camp. Thanks to Taylor Swift, bracelets have become even more popular. Halloween bracelets can be a cool alternative to candy for trick-or-treaters. Spooky or cute bracelets from slap to beaded to silicone are available in bulk online.

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Rubber duckies

Rubber Duckie is the one for Ernie and for lots of kiddos. So, if you want an alternative to sweet treats this Halloween, order a 100-pack of duckies to give out instead of those Hershey bars.

Halloween squishies

Kids just love those squishies and they can never have enough. Stock your Halloween bowl with an assortment of squishies to give out.

Bouncy balls

Another kid fav is bouncy balls. Yes, they are super annoying to parents and teachers, but they give kids quite a bit of fun. Bouncy balls are sold in bulk and Amazon even has Halloween bouncy balls that glow in the dark. Now, that’s cool.

Halloween mini pop bubbles

Another big hit with the kiddos is those pop bubble fidgets. Popping those plastic bubbles over and over again is oddly satisfying, which is one of the reasons kids love playing with them. So, stock the trick-or-treat bucket with some Halloween-themed mini pop bubbles.

Matchbox cars

Children of all ages, even tweens, love Matchbox cars. They will definitely drive away quickly if you’re giving them out this Halloween. You can find Matchbox cars or mini cars online and at local dollar stores.

Play-Doh

This squishy toy never gets old and kids of all ages get a kick out of playing with it. Just like other candy alternatives for Halloween, you can purchase mini Play-Doh cans in bulk.

Glow sticks

Kids, tweens, and teens enjoy glow sticks. On Halloween, glow sticks are an awesome accessory for trick-or-treaters, especially in the dark. So, toss some into your trick-or-treat bowl this Halloween.

More candy alternatives for Halloween

A group of kids in Halloween costumes running outside.
Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

If you’re looking for more options to put in your cauldron this Halloween that don’t have sugar, consider these.

  • Halloween stickers
  • Halloween bookmarks
  • Mini Halloween coloring books
  • Mini crayons
  • Spider rings
  • Glow-in-the-dark eyeballs
  • Halloween pencils
  • Halloween mini slinkies
  • Halloween erasers
  • Halloween bubble jars
  • Halloween tattoos
  • Finger skateboards
  • Lip balm
  • Scrunchies
  • Water bottle stickers
  • Mini Rubik’s Cubes

Bags of Halloween candy have been popping into stores for weeks now. So, you’ve probably noticed the amount of candy inside is less and the price is more. This makes candy alternatives for Halloween even more attractive. The Teal Pumpkin Project began in 2012 as a way to help kids with food allergies and intolerances enjoy the Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating, too.

Even if your children don’t have food allergies or intolerances, you may want to fill your Halloween bowl with candy alternatives. It’s a wonderful way to make Halloween fun for all. You can also do a combo with one bowl of candy alternatives and one with the traditional M&Ms, Hershey bars, and KitKats. If you do, you’ll see that many of the kids immediately opt for the candy alternatives. Buying in bulk at dollar stores, superstores, and online makes candy alternatives cost effective. You can store any leftovers for next year, unlike candy.

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