Little girl in witch costume playing in autumn park. Child having fun at Halloween trick or treat. Kids trick or treating. Toddler kid with jack-o-lantern. Children with candy bucket in fall forest.With Halloween being tomorrow, many parents are attempting preparing themselves for the onslaught of trick-or-treat candy that their children will bring home from school, parties, and making the rounds in their neighborhood on Halloween night.

While dressing up for Halloween and enjoying a few treats is a fun holiday tradition for children, parents are right to be concerned about the amount of candy their children receive and consume; according to research conducted by the CDC in 2010, one-third of children and adolescents are either overweight or battling obesity. The American Heart Association recommends men limit their added sugar to 36 grams (9 teaspoons) a day, while recommending a limit of 24 grams (6 teaspoons) a day for women, and even less for children.  Considering that the average American — adults and kids alike — consumes 21 teaspoons, or 84 grams, of sugar each day, we can assume that most of us are eating too much of the sweet stuff.

This year, why not choose to move away from handing out sugary treats to your neighborhood ghosts and goblins by offering one of these five fun alternatives instead?

  • Patterned pencils
  • Silly stickers
  • Washable tattoos
  • Free kids meal coupons
  • Halloween themed party favors

Trick-or-Treating on Halloween is a fun tradition and the treats don’t need to be limited to just sugary candy.  You might be surprised at how many parents are thankful for the alternative to candy, and who knows – you may even start a fun new no-candy tradition in your neighborhood!