It’s that time of year again when trick-or-treaters are preparing to come door-to-door to fill their buckets with sugary sweets. While plenty of bowls will be full of every kind of candy imaginable, you may be thinking about other options that offer fun and excitement without the potential for cavities. Here are 10 Halloween candy alternatives you don’t have to feel guilty about handing out and young costume-wearers will love.
Why It’s Best Not to Contribute to the Sugar Rush
It’s natural for kids to crave candy at Halloween, especially if it’s not a normal treat within the home. In moderation, a few pieces are fine, but proper oral hygiene habits should always be practiced after consumption. However, too much sugar is a recipe for disaster. Because trick-or-treating usually leads to an evening of binge-eating sugary sweets, kids may crash into bed without brushing or flossing to remove harmful particles and other “sugar bugs.” Since most parents won’t let their children eat their entire bucket in one sitting, the candy continues to sit around until every last piece is eaten.
So, what happens? The more sugar a child consumes, the greater their risk for tooth decay and cavities. As it sits on their teeth, bacteria and harmful acids begin to break down tooth enamel, causing dental caries to form. What is left is a small hole that requires a pediatric dentist to recommend a dental filling or dental crown depending on its severity.
10 Halloween Candy Alternatives Kids Will Love
The grocery aisles full of chocolate, sour, gummy, and peanut candies may be flying off the shelves this Halloween, but if you’d prefer to avoid contributing to the potential cavity-induced sugar rush, here are some alternatives to consider:
- Bookmarks: Promote a love for reading with festive holiday bookmarks.
- Glow bracelets: Kids can add these to their costume ensemble while out trick-or-treating.
- Stickers: What kid doesn’t love stickers? With so many characters to choose from, they’re cheap and a fan favorite.
- Bottles of water: Help keep kids hydrated while they’re out trick-or-treating by providing miniature bottles of water!
- Temporary tattoos: Kids will love showing off their favorite Halloween-themed tattoos to their friends at school.
- Activity pads: These fun-filled games, puzzles, and coloring pages can keep kids occupied much longer than a few pieces of candy can!
- Play-doh: Let kids mold and sculpt their favorite characters with colorful Play-Doh!
- Mini snacks: Instead of sugary candy, pass out small snack bags. Whether it’s pretzels, cheesy crackers, or raisins, these are better alternatives.
- Vampire teeth: Kids will enjoy putting these in their mouths to scare their parents and friends this Halloween.
- Slime: This one is sure to be a favorite among trick-or-treaters, as they can spend hours playing with this goopy, colorful toy.
Make Halloween less about the candy and more about the fun this year! With so many great alternatives to choose from, you’re guaranteed to make young witches and werewolves smile.
About the Author
At Brush Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Mira Albert leads a team of pediatric dentists who make it possible for little ones to achieve healthier smiles. Offering a fun and exciting environment filled with kid-friendly amenities, we believe in helping children become enthusiastic about oral hygiene while keeping parents informed of ways they can work to improve and help their children maintain healthier teeth and gums at home. If you are looking for tips or suggestions to get your child excited about optimal oral hygiene, especially around this time of year, contact us at (630) 504-2223.