While Halloween is a great time for kids and candy, my journey towards lower waste has made me rethink this classic tradition… All of that candy is wrapped in (you guessed it) plastic, which ends up in our landfills and kills our planet even more. This summer I participated in Plastic Free July, and it was quite the eye opening experience. There are so many ways you can reduce your own plastic consumption, so I thought it would be fun to share my suggestions for alternatives you can give out on Halloween instead of candy. 😀 While you might not be most popular with the children, you can feel better about yourself and your impact on the environment!
1. Fresh fruit – Fruits have natural sugar in them, so it is a great alternative to candy. I suggest apples and clementines (which you could even use frosting/edible markers to make them look like jack-o-lanterns!).
2. Cookies/Halloween treats – I know that my parents wouldn’t let me eat anything that was unwrapped, but if you know the kids that are coming to your door I suggest making some homemade goodies 🙂
3. Candy in Cardboard Boxes – These wrappers can be recycled, which makes them much better than those wrapped in plastic! 🙂
4. Dollar coins – I actually had a neighbor growing up who would give out dollar coins for an hour and then turn off their lights for the night. Instead of using the money to buy candy, they just took out the same amount of money in coins! They were definitely a memorable “treat”, so I would highly recommend. 🙂
5. Bulk Candy in mini paper bags – Again, you run the risk of parents not letting their kids eat the candy… But if you are going to a Halloween event or something, this would be a great alternative to a bag of candy (and the paper bags can be recycled!).
Love,
Jenna ♥
