Trick-Or-Treat Candy Alternatives? (Atkins: sale, Home Depot, buying)

[peanutrach]

Originally Posted by South Jersey Styx

I want to make cupcakes this year but it would be too arduous for kids running around.

Cupcakes sound like a thoughtful idea but I am not sure how many parents are going to let their kids eat homemade cupcakes from a stranger.

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by peanutrach

Cupcakes sound like a thoughtful idea but I am not sure how many parents are going to let their kids eat homemade cupcakes from a stranger.

Yeah . . . that's part of the problem. Cookies too. When we were growing up, people did this all the time. And also handed out fresh fruit. Nowadays, if something looks tampered-with, it will be trashed.

[NOVA_almost_native]

I did not realize Carlingtonian was kidding at first; I'm sure there are people who would give out some of those things.

When I was a kid, one of our neighbors was a dentist. Guess what he gave out? Toothbrushes! And we did have a neighbor--can't remember who--who gave out full-sized candy bars at least once.

I think my favorite moment of the entire year as a kid was getting home after trick-or-treating and dumping my candy on the floor to look through it. Ahh, the choices!

[Bobcobb1950]

Spam.

[sullyguy]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

Some households do not want to give out candy cause they DO end up with the leftovers

That's what the bowl at work is for.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by sullyguy

That's what the bowl at work is for.

some folks work at home. some dont even want to have it in the house overnight. Whatever. its THEIR house. If they want to hand out toothbrushes, or quarters, or granola bars, I think the proper response from a kid is THANK YOU.

[pseudo]

Halloween is all about candy. Yup. Your good intentions will go nowhere. Have we all forgot what the holiday is all about? Good candy and lots of it. It was important that you weighed your pillowcase (yes, pillowcases are best) when you got home and perhaps even counted the unique items. In addition, awesome stories to tell at school were always welcomed. My goals each year were to get more candy than my brothers/sisters and friends. The foo-foo stuff went into the garbage - it might be full of poison. Especially the apples - hello, Snow White?

When I was a kid I remember the house that gave out full size chocolate bars and the one that gave out dollar bills (this was in Canada, before the loonie), and the simple act of him licking his fingers and ripping a bill off the 'pad-o-bills' was magic. We always hit that house and that was the starter house. It is interesting to think we only had about 3 years of halloween canvassing data (without parents) to determine our strategies before we became too old - and no one to pass those data onto.

As adults, we certainly commend your actions. As I recall my time as a trick-or-treater, those foo-foo people were avoided and their treats were thrown away (not composted!). It may be more sustainable to give non-pre-sharpened pencils.

[persnicketygal]

Last year, there were just too many kids not even saying "Trick or treat!"
I held the candy hostage until they did.
Listen, kids: You want the candy? Say the words, let me ooh and ahh over your costumes, take the candy politely and remember to say "Thank you!"

I'll tell you ... kids today!
(Love the little ones! You know what's going through their minds: "All we have to do is dress up as princesses or baseball players, ring a doorbell, hold out our bag and they give us CANDY FOR FREE??? Is this a great country or what!")

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by persnicketygal

Last year, there were just too many kids not even saying "Trick or treat!"
I held the candy hostage until they did.
Listen, kids: You want the candy? Say the words, let me ooh and ahh over your costumes, take the candy politely and remember to say "Thank you!"

I'll tell you ... kids today!
(Love the little ones! You know what's going through their minds: "All we have to do is dress up as princesses or baseball players, ring a doorbell, hold out our bag and they give us CANDY FOR FREE??? Is this a great country or what!")

Oh, but their little egos will be hurt!

[bmwguydc]

My friend's parents are both in dentistry -- well, one is an oral surgeon; and, they did give out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss in little bags. They also added a "treat," in the form of a pack of Trident, but frowned on all other sorts of candy. My friend actually asked them why they did not encourage more widespread candy use as it would have been better for business, but said parents did not find that sentiment to be even slightly amusing. How their house was not egged or TP'd, I do not know, but then again that sort of thing rarely happened where I grew up.

Having allergies, I do keep allergen-free alternatives on hand for those who need to stay away from peanuts/tree nuts, and/or dairy, but it's still candy, just on separate trays/bowls. I also have a supply of sugar free treats just in case there's someone who is diabetic who comes along.