Kids from 5 to 95 love Halloween. What other day of the year can you
dress up like a superhero, beg your neighbors for candy and not get
arrested? Well, if you want to treat those trick-or-treaters right,
check out our tips and tricks for great Halloween treats. You just might
find something your little goblins will love to snack on all year!
The Bagged Candy
We all know how nervous parents can get when a stranger gives their
children homemade treats, so if you're expecting a mixed crowd (kids you
know and kids you don't), make sure to keep a supply of bagged, wrapped
candy available.
Some popular favorites include packaged popcorn balls, Hershey's
Miniatures®, candy corn, lollipops, Halloween-themed Marshmallow Peeps®,
Snickers® candy bars, small packets of Halloween-themed Oreo® cookies or
just about any candy in miniature form. Just make sure it's prepackaged
and the parents of your neighborhood ghosts will rest easy.
Homemade Treats
A handmade confection is always a treat, no matter what time of year. So
why not try making a little something special for the costumed creatures
you know well?
If you're in short supply of ideas, try a few of our favorites:
•
Classic Caramel Apples
•
Frighteningly Good Fudge
•
Fiendish Fortune Cookies (Make sure to include a ghoulish message and/or
color the cookies with black or red food color.)
•
Worms and Dirt Dessert
•
Nutty Caramel Corn
•
Devilish Brownie Burgers
•
Rocky Horror Dessert Pizza
Note: If you're too busy to make something truly homemade, spring for a
roll of Halloween-themed refrigerator cookies at your local supermarket.
Just slice, bake and wrap them before the trick-or-treaters arrive on
your doorstep.
Alternative Treats
Chocolate and sticky caramels aren't for everyone.
If you'd rather give your neighborhood kids a different kind of treat,
try handing out gift certificates for something delicious at your local
ice cream parlor or a meal at the neighborhood fast-food joint, pizza
place, movie theater or arcade. To make this a more economical option,
talk to the manager of the shop and ask about receiving a volume
discount.
Another alternative to doling out candy is to offer up stickers, wax
lips, small puzzles, coloring books or sticker books. These are
especially handy when your trick-or-treaters are a little on the young
side.
Whatever you do, have a safe and happy holiday!
