Though I always complain about the full-to-bursting sacks of candy my kids bring home on Halloween night, they just wouldn't be as excited by carrot sticks and apple slices. With that in mind, I try to buy treats from companies who take great care to make yummy things with better ingredients and no artificial dyes or fake flavors.
Fortunately, a lot of these higher-quality treats can be found on the shelves of your local stores, like Whole Foods and Target, making it even easier to stock up in this week before the big day. But hurry--we all know the good stuff sells out first. -Christina
Surf Sweets yummy Fruity Bears are ready for Halloween in little snack-sized packages. Yes, they are chewy and sweet, but they are also made with organic fruit juices and sweeteners, have no artificial colors, corn syrups or GMO's, and are nut-free, vegan, and gluten-free. Great treat that most kids can safely enjoy. (spotted in Whole Foods)
Another favorite in fruit chews, Annie's Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks are made with a day's worth of Vitamin C packed into them, and are missing GMOs, artificial flavors, synthetic colors, or preservatives. (spotted in Whole Foods)
Prefer your bunnies to be crunchy? Annie's Halloween Bunny Grahams come in honey and chocolate flavors made with organic wheat. Love how the normally beige bunny gets all dressed up in orange for a spookier-looking mix. (spotted in Target) [Ed: My daughter just saw this picture and said, "I love those!"]
Can't imagine not handing out the old favorites like peanut butter cups or caramel-and-nougat chocolate bars? Check out Unreal's five snack-sized candies (also at top) which are made in the U.S. using grass-fed dairy and non-GMO ingredients. And I love that the coloring on the candy-coated chocolates comes from vegetables and spices, but--shhhh! Don't tell the kids. (spotted at Target but also now at convenience stores everywhere)
Sweet and salty and crunchy, Angie's Popcorn (in original and cinnamon-sugar) is addictively delicious. Good news? You can hand out these mini bags while munching from your own bigger bag. With only four simple ingredients, their corn is Non-GMO Project Verified too. (spotted in Target, Whole Foods, and natural supermarkets)
Endangered Species Milk Chocolates contain nothing but ethically sourced milk chocolate with almost 50% cocoa content. Even on Halloween, sometimes simple is better. (spotted at Whole Foods, dark chocolate treats available too)
No high-fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, no fake preservatives or flavors, no sodium, and even no fats. But Clif Kid Halloween ZFruit Ropes do have a great fruity taste and even some Vitamin C to help fend off scary germs. (spotted at Target and widely available online)
With their totally delicious flavors from organic fruit juice, like watermelon, blueberry, and pomegranate, Yummy Earth's Organic Lollipops are already a top pick for those of us who want a nut-free treat to hand out at the door. With 40 pops in a bag that costs less than the Starbucks latte I grab on my way out of the store, this is one I won't even mind if the kids take two. (spotted at Whole Foods and Target)
You'll find loads of Halloween picks, from candy to costumes to decorations, in our Halloween Collection.
