50 Halloween Candy Alternatives

I imagine most parents are in agreement with the reality that Halloween is both fun and challenging. It’s super fun to see kids (and families!) costumed up and super not fun to deal with candy battles. Over the years I have experimented with all manner of candy bowls: full out traditional candy, all organic, non-candy alternatives…ultimately deciding that a mixed bowl is ideal given that food allergies are a very real thing (Violet has a tree nut allergy so our awareness has become heightened on that count) and some kids actually don’t like candy (really, I know some of these kids!). As I’m thinking about stocking up for next week, I thought it would be fun to share a list of Halloween candy alternatives. There are 50 ideas for you, and feel free to add any other favorites via the comments below!

The list is split into food and non-food items and you can offer the regularly packaged versions or many of them are available in Halloween-themed packaging/shapes. I think for the non-food items I’m going with glow sticks and slap bracelets!

Halloween candy alternatives: Food items

  1. Animal crackers

  2. Bunny grahams

  3. Cheddar bunnies

  4. Cheese crackers

  5. Chex mix

  6. Fortune cookies (Halloween themed!)

  7. Fruit leather

  8. Fruit pouches (squeezable, for younger trick or treaters)

  9. Fruit snacks

  10. Goldfish crackers

  11. Graham sticks

  12. Granola bars

  13. Gum

  14. Honey sticks

  15. Juice boxes

  16. Microwavable popcorn packs

  17. Pirate’s Booty

  18. Popcorn

  19. Popcorn balls

  20. Pretzels

  21. Pretzel crisps

  22. Rice krispie bars

  23. S’mores bars

  24. Veggie chips

  25. Yogurt covered pretzels

  26. Yogurt covered raisins

    Halloween candy alternatives: Non-food items

  27. Bouncy balls

  28. Bubbles

  29. Coins (put them in plastic eggs!)

  30. Craft kits (hit the $1 bins!)

  31. Erasers

  32. Fake fingers

  33. Fidget spinners

  34. Flashlights (mini/key chain)

  35. Gliders

  36. Glow bracelets, necklaces, or sticks

  37. Mini-notebooks

  38. Mini-puzzles

  39. Pencils

  40. Plastic fangs

  41. Play dough

  42. Slap bracelets

  43. Slime

  44. Spider or skull rings

  45. Stampers

  46. Stickers

  47. Temporary tattoos

  48. Toothbrushes (I know, I know!)

  49. Yo-yos

  50. Whoopie cushions

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