The Ultimate Guide to A Healthy Halloween

Trick-or-treating season is almost here! With Halloween being a sugarfest, it can be tricky to navigate for the health-minded parent. I created this Ultimate Guide to A Healthy Halloween to help you avoid the stress while keeping your kids’ options as healthy as possible.

This guide has a list of 39 healthier candies and sweets (plus some non-candy items) to help you find great options for you and your kiddos. I’ve also included my favorite tip for switching out all the sugar-packed candy your kids bring home with these healthy parent-approved alternatives!

Since having kids, my feelings about Halloween have become complicated. It’s beyond cute to see my kids dressed up. When they were little, getting dressed up was enough for them (they didn’t even know candy was part of the holiday). But they’re older now and want to trick-or-treat, bringing home bags upon bags of candy.

My least favorite thing about traditional trick-or-treating is how binge-y and extreme it can be. After all, it’s centered around kids scarfing down unnatural amounts of sugar in a short amount of time. My aim every year is to bring more moderation to this holiday tradition. I don’t want my kids to feel like they’re missing out on the fun, but I also know the harmful impact that tons of processed sugar, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives has on them.

Here’s the thing: we know that processed sugar is bad for our health, right? But we may not realize how much it truly impacts our bodies.

Sugar contributes to:

• Weight gain
• Cavities
• Acne
• High cholesterol
• And long-term health problems like type 2 diabetes, cancer, liver disease, heart disease, dementia, mood disorders, and metabolic issues.

Sugar is the new tobacco! It’s highly addictive. In fact, sugar actually activates the same neurotransmitters as cocaine and heroin.

The stimulation of these neural pathways is reinforced every time we eat sweets, which hard-wires the brain over time to crave sugar on a regular basis.

And sugar isn’t the only problem with “mainstream” candy. Tons of popular sweets, like Skittles, contain a red dye that’s now banned in California. This dye (red dye number 3) is linked to several serious health problems – including cancer. I’ve personally seen how chemical dyes impact my kids’ behavior. And as Oprah says, “When we know better we can do better.”

With all that said, I approach Halloween with the mindset of moderation. I want my kids to enjoy Halloween without feeling like they’re missing out or feeling restricted.

My strategy is to let my kids pick a certain number of pieces of candy from their stash to keep (minus the candy that has dyes or allergens they can’t tolerate). Also, while we’re trick-or-treating, I have a bag of alternative treats that they can actively swap out, like trading M&M’s for a low-sugar organic vegan chocolate. One year I brought dried mangos and all the kids in our group wanted them more than candy!

When we get home, we put the candy we’re not going to eat aside for the “Switch Witch,” who comes in the middle of the night to switch it out for a non-candy gift.

This guide is intended to help parents navigate Halloween with their kiddos, but we all know who ends up eating the leftover candy in the house! This list of healthy Halloween treats is a great opportunity for us adults to uplevel this holiday as well.

Our Ultimate Healthy Halloween Guide

🍫 Chocolate Treats

• Hu Chocolate Minis – Made with just three ingredients, these paleo-friendly gems prove that less really is more.
• Unreal Chocolate Gems – Vibrant candy shells colored naturally with spirulina, turmeric, and beets instead of synthetic dyes.
• The Good Chocolate (Zero Refined Sugar) – Sweetened with a unique trio of mesquite powder (high in fiber and protein with a low glycemic index), stevia, and erythritol.
• OCHO Organic Minis – Small-batch organic chocolates featuring handmade fillings like caramel and peanut butter.
• ChocZero Minis – Monk fruit-sweetened chocolate that captures the nostalgic flavors of classic candy bars without dairy, gluten, or sugar alcohols.
• SkinnyDipped Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – A protein-packed upgrade to the classic favorite with 6g of protein per serving and 40% less sugar.
• Heavenly Organics Mint Chocolate Honey Patties – Dark chocolate shells filled with raw organic honey infused with pure peppermint essential oil. No refined sugars, here!
• Hu Chocolate-Covered Cashews – Whole roasted cashews dipped in 70% dark chocolate with only four ingredients.
• Hail Merry Meyer Lemon Cups – Bright, citrusy plant-based tarts with an almond flour crust and creamy coconut filling.
• Almond Butter–Stuffed Chocolate Dates – Medjool dates (nature’s candy!) filled with creamy almond butter and dipped in dark chocolate.
• Navitas Superfood Chocolate Brownie Bites – Dense, fudgy bites made from dates and raw cacao.

🍪 Cookies, Bites & Sweet Snacks

• Siete Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies – Grain-free cookies made with almond flour, cassava, and coconut that taste like the real deal.
• MadeGood Mini Cookie Packs – Allergy-friendly cookies with a full serving of vegetables baked right in. Top-8-allergen-free, so they’re also safe for classroom treats.
• Emmy’s Organics Coconut Crunch’ems – Lightly-sweetened coconut cookies with a satisfying crunch and just 1g of sugar per serving. Made from organic coconut and sweetened with monk fruit.
• Max Sweets Max Mallows – Fluffy, zero-sugar marshmallows sweetened with allulose and monk fruit that actually toast and melt.
• Skout Bars – Simple organic bars made with dates, nuts, and whole food ingredients.

🍭 Candy & Gummies

• SmartSweets Gummies – Chewy gummy candies with only 3g of sugar per bag (compared to 30g+ in traditional gummies). Sweetened with plant-based alternatives and packed with fiber.
• YumEarth Gummies or Lollipops – Organic fruit-flavored treats colored with real fruit and vegetable juices. Free from the top allergens and made without high-fructose corn syrup.
• Simply Real Gummies – Soft gummies made with real fruit juice and natural flavors. Gelatin-free (vegan-friendly!) while still delivering that classic gummy texture kids love.
• Solely Mango Gummies – Just two ingredients: organic mango and vitamin C. Nothing else.
• Honey Sticks – Pure, raw honey in a convenient straw.

🍎 Fruit-Based Snacks

• That’s It Mini Fruit Bars – Literally just fruit pressed into bars. Two ingredients max (like apple + blueberry). No added sugar, preservatives, or anything else hiding in there.
• Bear Fruit Roll-Ups or Minis – 100% fruit leather made from fruit puree with no concentrates or added sugars.
• Solely Dried Mangos – Single-ingredient snacking at its finest. Just organic mangos, dried.
• Mavuno Harvest Dried Tropical Mix – Fair-trade dried tropical fruits (mango, pineapple, banana) with no sulfites or added sugars.
• Natierra Organic Freeze-Dried Strawberries – Crunchy, intensely flavored strawberries with all the nutrition of fresh berries!
• Organic Applesauce Squeeze Pouches – Unsweetened, organic applesauce in a portable pouch.
• Box of Raisins – The OG naturally sweet snack. Portion-controlled, shelf-stable, and packed with iron and antioxidants. Sometimes the classics are classics for a reason.
• Whole Fruit (like apples and bananas) – Nature’s original packaging. Zero waste, maximum nutrition, and the most affordable option that teaches kids to appreciate real food in its simplest form.

🥨 Savory & Crunchy Snacks

• LesserEvil Popcorn Snack Packs – Organic popcorn popped in avocado or coconut oil with clean seasonings..
• Dang Organic Coconut Chips – Toasted coconut chips that are crispy, slightly sweet, and packed with healthy fats. Made from just coconut, coconut sugar, and salt.
• Biena Organic Roasted Chickpeas – Crunchy, protein-rich chickpeas in flavors like Sea Salt and Ranch. Satisfies that chip craving with a dose of plant-based protein and fiber.
• Nature’s Garden Organic Trail Mix Snack Packs – Thoughtfully curated mixes of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit with options rich in omega-3s and heart-healthy fats.
• Quinn Peanut Butter Pretzels – Gluten-free pretzels made from whole grains and filled with creamy peanut butter.
• The New Primal Mini Meat Sticks – 100% all-natural chicken/turkey with zero sugar.

🎃 5 Non-Food Swaps (Non-Edible Surprises)

• Glow Bracelets, Necklaces, or Clips – The excitement of Halloween without the sugar rush. Kids love the novelty, and they’ll actually use these all night long while trick-or-treating.
• Mini Bubbles – Great for outdoor play and a hit with kids of all ages (plus, no choking hazards or allergens to worry about).
• Temporary Tattoos or Sticker Sheets – Creative fun that extends beyond Halloween night. Kids can personalize their belongings or decorate themselves without any food reactions.
• Seed Packets (Pumpkin, Wildflowers) – A gift that keeps giving. Plant them in spring and watch Halloween memories bloom (literally)! Teaches kids about gardening and patience.
• Small Wooden or Paper Toys – Mini puzzles, spinners, or notepads that spark creativity and imagination. Screen-free fun that’s actually engaging, not just clutter.

Do you have any favorite healthier Halloween finds? Comment and share what’s working in your house. Your discoveries might just make it into next year’s guide!

Wishing you a Happy & Healthy Halloween,

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