Healthy Trick Or Treat Snacks

Gone are the days when you can prepare homemade goodies to pass out to trick-or-treaters. Many parents will not allow their children to eat treats that have not been individually wrapped by the manufacturer due to safety issues. This may reduce your options, but certainly does not severely limit them. There are many healthy snacks that you can pass out to the costumed little ones who come knocking at your door this Halloween.

Juice Boxes

A box of 100 percent fruit juice is a healthy alternative to candy. Pure fruit juice is packed with vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and potassium; it is naturally sweet. Another advantage of passing out 100 percent fruit juice is that the little trick-or-treaters can quench their thirsts as they walk from door to door. Select small boxes of juice to avoid weighing the children's treat buckets down too much. Juice pouches are often lighter than boxes if you cannot find small servings of juice.

String Cheese

String cheese is a favorite snack for many children and you can use that to your advantage on Halloween. A stick of cheese is a nutritious treat idea that supplies a healthy dose of calcium for strong bones, as well as some protein for energy for the night of trick-or-treating ahead. Chill the string cheese ahead of time so it remains fresh for an hour or so after you begin passing it out.

Breakfast Cereal Boxes

Dry cereal is another healthy snack that many children enjoy. Most brands of cereal offer their most popular varieties in individual serving size boxes, which make a nutritious snack for passing out to your trick-or-treaters. Choose boxes of cereal that are low in sugar and fortified with key nutrients like iron and vitamin D. Another advantage of boxes of cereal is that they are lightweight and small enough so that they don't take up too much room in the children's Halloween buckets.

Sugar-Free Gum

If you feel like you are ruining the costumed children's fun by not passing out candy, sugar-free gum is a better option than a chocolate bar. Choose several different flavors of gum and pass 1 or 2 pieces to each trick-or-treater. Make sure that the gum you choose has each piece individually wrapped. Sugar-free candy is another option if you cannot bring yourself to offer anything but the traditional candy treat.

Dried Fruit

Many children cringe at the thought of getting a box of raisins in their Halloween bucket, but many other types of dried fruit exist that they may welcome. Dried berries and apricots are alternatives, as well as banana chips. Look for a type of dried fruit without added sugar or fat to keep the Halloween treat more nutritious.