Eating a healthy diet is rewarding until the holidays arrive. Halloween is just around the corner and stores are filled to the brim with candy. Most traditional treats don’t work for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, so should you forget about Halloween altogether?
Absolutely not. It’s time to get your favorite candy bowl out of storage. Use these 10 Halloween candy alternatives to join in the autumn fun without sacrificing your health or lifestyle.
1. Try Organic Lollipops
Classic lollipops use synthetic sugars to sweeten your tastebuds, but sugar can cause multiple health issues. When it doesn’t spike your blood sugar and cause weight gain, it creates a sugar addition that can rot your teeth.
Organic lollipops are much healthier and safer. Pick a few of your favorite flavors filled with all-natural sweeteners and no artificial ingredients.
2. Enjoy Sugar-Free Gum
Most big-name gum brands are vegan and vegetarian certified, so opt for packs without sugar. You’ll barely taste the difference and the trick or treaters at your door will love to trade flavors after they get home.
3. Give Out Fake Mustaches
You don’t have to limit your Halloween giveaway treats to sweets. Make the fun last a little longer by handing fake mustaches to the kids at your door. Wear one yourself to prank someone at work or an unsuspecting family member.
4. Provide Bags of Pretzels
Pretzels are another savory treat everyone loves. Most of the time, they’re a great vegetarian and vegan snack. Check the label before you buy any. Sometimes they contain milk and eggs, which wouldn’t be vegan-friendly.
5. Make Mini Popcorn Balls
Many people grew up making popcorn balls for Halloween. Make some of your own in all your favorite flavors. All you need are ingredients like:
- Spooky spices
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Marshmallows
- Butter
Vegans can sub coconut oil and vegan marshmallows for the last two ingredients. Eat them as a holiday dessert or give them away wrapped in cute packaging.
6. Crack a Few Glowsticks
Kids venture out on Halloween night to collect their candy, but even the moonlight might not be enough to make the shadows less scary. Crack a few glowsticks and give them away. Swirls of every color will dance away down your street.
7. Bake Pumpkin Muffins
Embrace the spirit of fall and bake vegan pumpkin muffins for early Halloween treats. It only takes a few minutes to have a dozen sweet muffins cooling on your counter. Give them away to friends and family with your favorite additions, like chopped almonds or shredded coconut.
8. Dip Strawberries in Chocolate
Who can say no to chocolate-covered strawberries? As long as they’re dairy-free, vegans can enjoy them too! Nibble on a few while you wait for trick or treaters to come to your door. If you have leftovers, they’ll stay fresh in the fridge for a few days, and they can tide you over as you avoid all the big-name candy that goes on sale after Halloween.
9. Savor Some Caramel Apples
Traditional caramel candies use butter and milk, but that shouldn’t keep you away from the sticky, chewy goodness of caramel apples. Buy a few simple ingredients to make a vegan caramel sauce and dip your favorite kind of apples. Sprinkle them with cinnamon or a pumpkin spice mix before they cool to play with the flavor.
10. Whip Up Homemade M&Ms
When you miss scooping up a handful of colorful M&Ms during your favorite scary movie, throw together homemade M&Ms with vegan-approved ingredients. It’s a no-bake solution to your latest candy cravings. Use your sweetener of choice if you want to keep things sugar-free.
Although you might want to give these out to neighborhood children, they might be better treats to keep at home. If they get too warm, they might melt and mix colors in giveaway baggies. Store yours in the fridge so they last at least a few days.
Get Creative This Year
Use these ten Halloween candy alternatives to transform your holiday experience this year. A little creativity and a few kitchen adventures will open your world to the possibilities of a candy-free celebration.
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