THE BEST THINGS TO HAND OUT THIS HALLOWEEN

By Cozette Calderon

Halloween is just a few weeks away, but candy is already flying off the shelves. So, what’s the next best backup item to hand out to make sure you won’t wake up with a tee-peed house? Well, here are some of the kid’s new-found favorites that are even better than the candy the boring houses will hand out. Here are the top ten options:

Apples and Caramel

Apples and small caramel packets are a fan favorite snack of kids everywhere, which we know because McDonald’s hands out this snack in their Happy Meals. The apples offer the juiciness and a bit of a sourness while the caramel offers the sweet side. It still offers the bit of unhealthiness that kids’ sweet tooth craves, but it is a quick alternative when candy is running out, or you want to offer a healthier option. But what if you can’t find any small caramel packages? Or what if a kid has braces and can’t eat caramel? Here is option two:

Yogurt covered raisins

Yogurt covered raisins have a few, great positives. The raisins are individually packaged, healthier than any candy that causes cavities, and there will still be plenty in stock at the grocery store—even on halloween night…I haven’t figured out why. Kids love dried grapes with yogurt, so this is a great alternative.

Carrots with Ranch

I’m sure you’ve heard of the stereotype of kids finding carrots to be boring and disgusting. It’s only because families don’t hand out ranch packets. Kids walk all night collecting candy, so they don’t want to go home and immediately get a stomach ache. They want some healthy options in between—especially to boost their energy as they go from house to house. Carrots and ranch dressing are a palate cleanser that any kid would be grateful for.

Goldfish–Halloween edition

Okay, maybe you’re too much of a wimp to give out healthy snacks like anyone should be willing to on Halloween. Try for something a little more manageable to find, but also something that would be completely out of stock. Goldfish, like the kids eat everyday at lunch and probably have readily available, are a great alternative to candy. Kids want excitement on Halloween, and fun comes routine snacks they already know they like.

Maybe you don’t have time to go to the grocery store? You’re already at CVS, and there’s no candy or individually wrapped food options. So, here are a few alternatives.

Tooth brushes

Parents will love you for saving them the cost of a toothbrush and helping save them thousands of dollars in dentistry bills. Giving a toothbrush helps save kids’ teeth. Even better, you can give Halloween themed toothbrushes—help kids remember the funnest night of the whole year…by giving them a toothbrush with a pumpkin on it. (I saved mine from when I was 5—I just can’t part with it. And I know kids nowadays won’t be able to either.)

Okay, you have no budget. You can only use things you find around the house. The best option?

VHS tapes

Don’t act like you didn’t keep these. My mom has kept an entire box full. Kids will love getting to carry around a movie all night, getting to go home and watch it (if they have a VHS player). Even if the kids are confused as to what you gave them, you’ll win the parents affection for “being down with the times.”

Okay, maybe for some reason you didn’t keep your VHS tapes because you’re dumb. That’s okay! Here’s another idea if you have a great budget.

Iphone 13’s

The IPhone 15, would be preferable, but you might be able to get a better discount for the IPhone 13. Kids always love technology. If you were to buy around 100 IPhones, plus maybe some back up AirPods or Apple Headphones, you would have kids swarming your house for Halloween. You would literally be the talk of the town because people would be astonished you spent so much money to give children the experience of a lifetime. I mean, if you don’t do this, who will? And those poor kids will be sad when they get home and all they have is nasty Almond Joys.

Okay, maybe you hate all these ideas, and you’re scrambling in the candy aisle, but the only thing left is Almond Joys. Don’t give up quite yet. You might have to do some digging or eventually drive to a nursing home or your mom’s or grandparents house. Once you do you’ll find the holy grail that never runs dry…

Those 25 year old butterscotch candies

Remember, when picking what to hand out you don’t want to make little kids spit at your door and burst out crying. You want to be the best house on the street, and I promise that this list prepares you for that great title.