Whether your little pumpkin is still on a liquid diet or has discovered that there are even sweeter things in life, you're sure to be handing out treats this Halloween - unless you plan to scare off the little neighbors who come knocking. .If you don’t feel like contributing to tooth decay, consider giving healthier, less sugar-loaded treats to the kids (your baby's going to be one of them soon!).

Halloween treats do not have to be sugar-loaded
Here are some suggestions for tasty, sugar-free treats
•    Naturally flavored and sweetened gun or sugar-free gum
•    Small bags of pretzels
•    Small packages of nuts or raisins
•    Peanuts in the shell
•    Fruit-Roll Ups
•    Granola bars
•    Natural candies from your local natural food store are pricey but healthy. You'll find quite a variety lightly sweetened with rice syrup and other unrefined sweeteners.

Halloween treats do not have to be edible
Many families are opting to hand out a non-food treat. With a little bit of thought and some clever shopping at your local dollar store or online, you can find some really nice items for a few cents each. Here are few ideas (just remember not to give any small items to children under age three):
•    Cool stickers or temporary tattoos
•    Halloween balloons, you can even rent a helium tanks and fill them on the spot
•    Crayons, pencils, colored chalk or fun-shaped erasers
•    Whistles or noise makers
•    Rubber spiders, worms, or other equally creepy figure
•    Spider, skull, or pumpkin plastic rings

Halloween treats do not have to be store-bought
If you live in a neighborhood with close friends, this is a great approach. (Most parents are trained to go through the Halloween candy and throw out anything unwrapped or homemade, so if you don't know the local families, only offer store-bought treats.). You can make bite-size cookies and bag them. Add your name and phone number to each bag; if the parent recognizes your name, they will most likely consider your treats safe.
Here's a treat you can make at home and offer visitors of all ages (as long as they are well into solids). It also works as a great treat for a morning Halloween party at your child’s day care or preschool.

Pumpkin cream-cheese apple slices
Beat in a bowl:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup of canned pumpkin
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Serve with toasted bagels and fresh apple slices.


For a really special treat idea, think Customized!  In Our Shop, you can use any family picture to make a box of ten unique photo lollipops  or Rice Krispie treats!

Still sweating that Halloween costume? We've got 8 Great Baby Costumes You Can Make Yourself!