The fall season brings an amazing amount of fun activities
for you and your family. From the excitement of Halloween, to school fall
festivals, kids and parents alike look forward to the cool weather and family
memories. Unfortunately, Halloween and fall festivals can also do a number on
your child’s teeth. Hard candies, sweet treats and sugary snacks can be
cavities waiting to happen. Handing out Halloween candy doesn't mean you have
to hand out oral health disasters. There are a number of healthy alternatives
to the candy bars and licorice- some that trick-or-treaters might even enjoy
more than the sugar rush. The days of handing out apple slices and pennies to
avoid contributing to tooth destruction are gone! Take a look at some of these
creative trick-or-treat alternatives that will leave all the little ghosts and
ghouls smiling throughout the year.
Applesauce Pouches
Applesauce is still a sweet treat, and not nearly as hard on
the teeth. Not only that, they’re portable, affordable and a great way to avoid
the mess of some other treats. You can get a pack of 48 pouches for about 35
dollars on Amazon,
which is enough to give all the trick-or-treaters something healthy to smile
about.
Mini LaraBars
Larabars are gluten free, vegan, kosher and only have about 8-11 grams of sugar per bar. They also come in mini form, making them perfect to hand out on Halloween. The great thing about these treats is that the kids won’t even know they’re healthy! LaraBars have flavors such as cherry pie, apple pie and cashew cookie and are just as delicious as the other mini candy bars that will be weighing down their bag. If you can’t find LaraBars, or they’re a little too pricey for you, granola bars of any kind will be a better choice than chocolate.
Vegan Rice Crispy Treats
Rice crispy treats are a delicious sweet treat for trick-or-treaters,
but you don’t have to use all the sugary marshmallow to make them amazing.
There are a number of recipes you can follow which swap out a few classic
ingredients for something a little healthier in order to create the perfect
Halloween snack. By using brown rice syrup instead of marshmallow, brown rice
crisps instead of white rice and coconut oil instead of butter- you can make
delicious, healthy treats that many claim are better than the original. Check
out one of the recipes here.
Sugar Free Gum
While sugar free gum may not be the most exciting item in
your child’s bag, it’s still a quality alternative to all the junk they’ll be
getting. You can get tasty sugar free gum such as Dubble
Bubble and throw a few pieces in along with other healthy treats. Parents
will appreciate the lack of sugar, and the kids (especially those kids who love their chewing gum) will be happy
with a full bag of “candy.”
Toys
If you want to skip the food items altogether, many parents
have opted to hand out toys instead. There are a number of items you can get in
bulk for cheap such as pencils, erasers, stickers, mini water guns, temporary
tattoos, mini play dough, sidewalk chalk, bouncing balls, bubbles and more. The
possibilities are endless and none of these things will land your child in the
dentist’s chair. If you’re thinking of skipping the candy and handing out toys,
head to your local dollar store to find amazing deals on bulk items.
There’s also the option of handing out pre-made veggie and
fruit snacks, however this may only be a good idea if you’re close with the
surrounding neighbors. Parents are often a little leery of pre-prepared snacks
and the time and money you spent might simply end up in the trash. These days
there really are dozens of candy alternatives that don’t skimp on the flavor.
Do your own research to find what works best for you and your family, have fun
with it, and get everyone involved. Keep in mind that most trick-or-treaters
will be over-flowing with the sugary stuff- so its good practice as a parent
and oral health advocate to provide something that will keep their smiles
healthy throughout the year.
Dr. Robert F. McGrail | Fredericksburg, VA Dentist
(540) 373-3066
609 Jefferson Highway, Suite 101
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
www.RobertMcGrailDDS.com
(540) 373-3066
609 Jefferson Highway, Suite 101
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
www.RobertMcGrailDDS.com
