If you’re curious about non candy Halloween treats, I have some ideas for you! This list is crafted by a snickers-loving mom of 3 who’s on a budget and who also wants to make sure that the kiddos visiting our doorstep on Halloween walk away with a smile on their face.
As a kid, I avoided “the apple house” on Halloween. I hate to admit it, but it’s true. We avoided that house and instead walked to the neighborhood across the street where a few houses handed out FULL-SIZED candy bars. I still remember the rush of getting a full-sized snickers bar on Halloween. I dropped it into my pillowcase and gazed down at it in amazement, afraid that if I looked away, it’d disappear …like a strange Halloween trick.
Now, as an adult, with 3 very young kids who are making their own “trick or treat” memories on Halloween, I want to high-five “the apple house,” or at least the people who live there. I understand what they were wanting to do: give kids a healthy break from the candy parade. While apples are a lovely thought, I think there are other non-candy items we can pass out on Halloween that will actually have the visiting costumed cuties thrilled as they skip away from your door.
10 Affordable Non Candy Halloween Treats
Lets get to it…
Note, the prices mentioned below were documented at the time of writing this article! We’ll do our best to keep it updated, but it should give you a good ballpark/idea of where each one falls on cost. As for “affordability,” this is a relative term! Below you’ll find options that fall within several budget categories, and in the very least, I hope it helps spark some of your own creative ideas.
Fidget Toys
- Halloween and generic style
- $14 for 30 (generic) = $0.47 each
- $25 for 72 (halloween) = $0.35 each
If you’re new to the fidget toy game, allow me to introduce you! These are all the rage for the little ones I know. Lots of kids collect them, treasure them, and love them. Even fun for younger kids as a sensory toy, they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Linked above are both a Halloween design and a generic style.
Glow in the Dark Slime
- $15 for 24 pack = $0.63 each
I would have been PUMPED to get some glow in the dark slime as a kid. This option comes in 6 different neon colors and the amount is enough to generate hours of fun …that is, before you lose it under the couch, where it quickly gets tangled in an enormous amount of dog hair, and your mom (ahem, me) literally screams out loud thinking there’s a strange glowing mouse in arm’s reach.
Glow Sticks
- $9 for 100 = $0.09 each
Coming in as the lowest-priced item on our list, these glow sticks can be made into glow necklaces, swords, bracelets, anklets, you name it! This set comes in 6 colors and is a favorite of mine to let kids choose 2-3 to take with them. I especially love passing these out because it feels like it adds a bit more protection to these cuties walking around in dusk and then the dark.
Mini Play-Doh
- $17 for 42 = $0.40 each
Who doesn’t need a fresh pot of play-doh? Also at an impressive price per pot, these mini play-dohs are a fabulous option for fostering crafting and creativity between all the sugar loading.
Halloween Water Bead Balls
- $18 for 36 = $0.50 each
I just think these are so fun and can imagine them quickly becoming a favorite out of our kids’ Halloween stash. These squishy balls are filled with water beads (think festive stress ball) and come in fun shapes like pumpkins, caldrons, ghosts and more!
Glow in the Dark Bugs
- $14 for 50 = $0.28 each
Maybe it’s because I have a degree in Entomology (fun fact!), but I think this idea is the COOLEST on our list. Each glow in the dark bug comes with its own mini glow stick! I recommend bending the glow sticks before you hand them out so they’re already glowing as you drop them into your visitors bags. There are all kinds of creepy crawling options for parents to find and mistake for the real thing later. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. 🙂
Sticker Puzzles
- $9 for 42 = $0.21 each
I adore a sticker puzzle card! These are my go-to for Valentines for our girls’ friends at school, and I really like the idea of it as a Halloween gift. This set comes with Frankenstein, mummies, a witch, and even dracula. I like to think it can make a fun activity to do when kids get home or when sharing about their night with parents the next morning.
Halloween Slap Bracelets
- $11 for 48 = $0.23 each
Maybe it’s just my kids, but we love a slap bracelet in our house! This set comes with a spooky ghost, pumpkin, and more. It’s a fun treat kids can put on right away as they finish their neighborhood round.
Glow in the Dark Bouncy Balls
- $17 for 76 = $0.24 each
Bouncy balls, especially a bouncy ball that glows, are GOLD for the kids in my life. Coming in at a great price per ball, this is a fun option to let kids choose a couple. I recommend keeping them under a light between front porch visitors so they’re nice and charged (aka glowing) when you pass them out.
Finger Slingshot
- $13 for 30 = $0.43 each
This one is a wild card, but I just had to include it in this list. I think these are so freaking funny and in the very least, parents will probably get a kick out of them. These finger slingshots are in the shape of a turkey, A TURKEY. Bahahaha. These would yield hours of fun in our home.
What can you give out on Halloween that is not candy?
In addition to the ideas above, here are a few other non candy ideas that you can pass out on Halloween:
- Toothbrushes (25 individually wrapped for $14 = $0.56 each)
- Stickers (100 sheets for $12 = $0.12 each)
- Small Crayon Packs (50 sets for $12 = $0.24 each)
- Mini Coloring Book (36 for $14 = $0.39 each)
- Pencils (18 for $4 = $0.22 each)
- Cute Prayer Cards (60 for $13 = $0.22 each)
- A Good Whistle (38 for $18 = $0.50 each)
- A Juice Box (40 for $20 = $0.50 each)
- Mini Larabar (20 for $14 = $0.70 each)
- Mini Meat Stick (28 for $22 = $0.78 each)
- Mini Bubbles (32 for $12 = $0.38 each)
- Mini Watercolor Set (24 for $15 = $0.63 each)
Lastly, there’s always the option to offer your doorstep visitors a trick! I’m not much of a trickster myself, but I can imagine that a quickly-studied magic trick (think an easy card trick) would be so fun for little ones to enjoy.
What should I pass out for Halloween?
I think that the sky is the limit! Any kind of festive toy, craft, or treat is a fabulous option. That said, I do think that it’s important to stick to a few parameters. Make sure that your Halloween treats are…
- Mini-sized: Unless your heart is set on full-sized snickers, then you do what you must. Mini treats are easier for kids to carry, sort, and enjoy later.
- Not-homemade. While I appreciate the idea, if my kids came home with anything homemade from a stranger’s home, I’d have them throw it away in the name of contamination precaution.
- Something that excites you! While we do this for the kids, I also think that when the adults passing out the treat is excited, it makes it more fun for everyone. Choose something that’s neat for you, too!
What can I send to school for Halloween?
What a good question! Most schools, that I know of, require treats sent in to also be store bought (vs. homemade), so that’s something to consider. I think sending a packet of stickers, glow in the dark wands (these glow sticks), or even the mini fidget toys (Halloween and generic style) would all be a huge hit and easy for your child to carry in themselves.
Not-Sweet Halloween Treats
As for not-sweet Halloween treats to pass out, my favorites include things like: mini granola bars, granola balls (my kids love these), juice boxes, water bottles, cans of sparkling water, mini beef jerky sticks, fruit leathers, pirates booty, and more!
Safer Halloween Treats
- Safety with Halloween treats can be a moving target, depending on who you’re talking to, but speaking generally, I’m a big fan of the Teal Pumpkin Project!
- In the meantime, here’s my list of healthier candy options for Halloween.
