Healthy and Green Halloween tips

The Halloween season is fast approaching, now is the perfect time to plan ahead for a safe and healthy holiday. It can be challenge with school parties, grocery stores promoting candy, and all the marketing for costumes and sweets... but we have found some great tips for managing the 'sweets and treats' of the season with new healthy ideas and ways to start some new earth-friendly Halloween traditions.

Here are some of our favorite tips and resources to make your Halloween healthy and a bit greener, from healthier treats to green Halloween costumes ideas to safety tips.

Halloween Costumes- healthy & green

Tomorrow is National Costume Swap Day! Watch this Good Morning America video about the event. Learn more about Green Halloween event or find a Halloween Costume Swap near you.

Healthy Child Organization shares some information about chemicals in Halloween makeup

From The Sierra Club- Tips on avoiding chemicals in kids' Halloween costumes

Halloween Safety Tips - guidelines to help keep your little trick or treaters safe on Halloween.

Halloween Treats- too much sugar!

According to the US Census Bureau, the Average American eats 25 pounds of candy every year with a large portion of that eaten during Halloween time.

If your child eats 12 treats that is about equal to 30 packets of sugar. Now, who would give their child 30 packets of sugar. It adds up quickly, all that sugar hidden in a small piece of candy.

Approximately 2 teaspoons of sugar in each:

• Goobers
• Twix
• Almond Joy
• Approximately 2.5 teaspoons of sugar in each:
• Snickers
• Reese’s peanut butter cup
• Raisenettes
• Kit Kat
• Nestles Butterfinger
• Tropical Dots

• 3 Musketeers
• 100 Grand

• Milky Way
• O’Henry
• Junior Mints

Nourish Interactive's 70 low and no sugar Halloween Treat ideas - PDF

Halloween Party Food Tips

Quick tips to enjoy Halloween season fruits

10 Ways to Avoid Halloween Sugar Overload

Making kids' party food healthier

Recipes for the Halloween Season

Planning for a Healthier Halloween

Pumpkin facts and recipes by Mommy Dietitian

Tips that Scare Away Cavities -promoting a healthy Halloween by American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

Fun related links:

Top 10 Scientific uses for Leftover Candy

Farm to Table Pages- worksheets and coloring pages celebrating the seasonal harvest!

Nutrition theme kids' Halloween Printables