When Corey’s daughter was five, she called Lynn (her grandma) and said, “Abba, I lost my first tooth and we’re going out for dinner. Do you want to come?”

Abba of course said, “Yes.”

Then Zoe added, “And guess what I get to have?” The excitement in her voice indicated she was going to get the treat of a lifetime!

“What?”

“Salmon and broccoli!”

Seriously? Seriously.

We use this story to illustrate the fact that while adults think all any child could ever want at Halloween is a pillow case stuffed with candy, that's not always true.

And while we admit that few children would likely be happy with fish sticks and broccoli “trees,” let’s give kids some credit. There are so many healthier alternatives available these days that go far beyond apples and raisins, and that children happily welcome in their Halloween bags. (We know this is true because we've presented the alternatives to hundreds thousands of children at Green Halloween® events across the country without one single complaint!)

And besides, as we suggested in yesterday’s post, it’s not just about what you hand out, but the amount.

If you doubt kids will want alternatives to confections, how about taking a baby step this year and stick with candy – just make sure it’s made with real food, not artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. And then just hand out one.

We recommend Surf Sweets (organic gummy bears and worms), Endangered Species Chocolate “Bug Bites” (all natural and organic chocolate) and Eli’s Earth Bars or Angell Bars (organic candy bars).

But if you want to stay away from candy altogether, there are loads of healthy alternatives kids will love:

• Honest Tea (organic juice pouches)
• Nature’s Path treat sized bars (organic crispy rice treats)
• Larabar minis (nut and fruit bars)
• Stretch Island Fruit strips (made from real fruit)
• Yo’ Drops (organic freeze-dried yogurt; like pop-rocks but healthy!)
• Glee Gum minis (all-natural gum)

Whatever you are giving away, look for treats that are:

• Whole/ real food
• Organically grown ingredients
• Non-GMO
• High fructose corn syrup (HFGS) free

Find dozens of ideas for child and Earth-healthy (and healthier) goodies on www.GreenHalloween.org

Note: Via our non-profit program, Green Halloween, we work with natural food companies to make their treats and snacks available in sizes (and at a price point) suitable for Halloween. If you have a favorite snack you’d love to see packaged for the holiday, let us know and we’ll see what we can do!

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