Better Halloween Treats – Without Fear of Getting Vandalized

I was a good girl: loved my mama, loved Jesus, and America, too… I never trashed anyone’s yard with toilet paper, shaving cream, eggs, or pumpkin guts on Halloween night. But I did hear about other kids at school doing it, mostly because they disapproved of what the homeowner was giving out to trick-or-treaters, like raisins or toothbrushes. Thanks to some great brands and their PR agencies, I’ve been able to assemble a collection of healthier Halloween treats to give out this year that kids should really like. If you come trick-or-treating at our house this year, you’ll get to choose from the following…

Stop Zombie Mouth! Plants Vs. Zombies Trading Cards

I recently joined up with #PopCapMoms on a joint campaign between the American Dental Association and PopCap’s popular Plants Vs. Zombies game for Stop Zombie Mouth. My trick-or-treaters will have the option of choosing either an edible snack (keep reading) or a packet of 5 PvZ trading cards that include a free game code that provides a free full version download of Plants Vs. Zombies, a game my whole family loves to play…and I may be slightly addicted to it.

I opened the carton of trading cards when it arrived via FedEx the other day, and I let TJ open a pack. Of course, then he found a zombie checklist, and he was determined to collect a full set. Since we had 50 packs and we rarely see more than a dozen trick-or-treaters, I reluctantly said okay…having him set aside the duplicates in case I needed to make up my own packs of 5 in case we did run out of unopened packs. But we still have more than half of the packs unopened, and they should last the night!

You can print out your own zombie cards to give out (or keep!) at StopZombieMouth.com – free game downloads last longer than candy, too!

Funny Face Dried Cranberries

My son and husband both enjoy dried cranberries, so I had no problem telling Funny Face we’d try out their flavored dried cranberries. We got some Freckle Face Strawberry and Choo Choo Cherry flavored dried cranberries. Sweet and delicious, Funny Face dried cranberries are also a good source of fiber: a whopping 14g per 1/3 cup serving! I let TJ choose them as a serving of fruit (which they are) and he loves them. Why not give kids the choice? (We also got a Funny Face kids t-shirt that TJ wears to bed, a reusable shopping bag, a mini beach-ball, a chip clip, and a ton of stickers with our dried cranberries. They’re good about making things fun for kids!) More fun than giving out raisins on Halloween!

HINT Water

It’s up to you whether or not you want to give something like HINT Water out to trick-or-treaters or just let your own little monster take some along to stay hydrated, but there may be some thirsty little ghouls and goblins out there who would be happy for a nice drink after making the rounds in your neighborhood. We got to try a variety of different HINT Water flavors: Watermelon, Raspberry-Lime, Blackberry, and Pomegranate Tangerine. The first one TJ tried was the Watermelon flavor, straight out of the shipping box, and he said it just tasted like plain water. After popping it in the refrigerator for a while, it tasted more like watermelon once it was cold. (Helpful hint there!)

HINT Water is an unsweetened fruit essence water with zero calories, zero sugars, and zero artificial flavors or preservatives.

You always need something to wash down the candy from the evening’s haul, right?

Health Warrior Chia Bars

Although I remember chia as something that grew into a funny looking animal when I was a kid, Health Warrior tells me more about their Chia Bars.

Chia is one of the world’s best sources of whole-food, plant-based protein and all-natural, long-lasting energy. It’s also hydrophilic, which is just a fancy scientific way of saying it can absorb up to ten times its weight in water, so you stay hydrated and full. [Chia Bars] have only 100 calories and 5g of sugar per serving. And best of all, there are actual health BENEFITS to eating them: Chia provides six times more calcium than whole milk, six times more protein than soy, 15 times more magnesium than broccoli does, twice the fiber then bran flakes, and nearly nine times the amount of omega-3s than found in salmon.

I received some samples of Chia Bars to try out and give out to trick-or-treaters. Out of Peanut Butter Chocolate, Coconut, and Acai Berry, I decided to try the coconut flavor first. I really liked the flavor, but I had issues with the texture of the chia seeds.  Since food texture is something I struggle with, having Asperger’s, I don’t feel it would be a problem for most other people. Kids love granola bars, and these are very similar…just far more nutritious.

Are you trying to hand out healthier treats this Halloween? What are some of the things you’re going to be handing out?

Christina Gleason (976 Posts)

That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.