5 Worst Halloween Treats
Chocolate coins are not a favorite in my house.
One of the topics of conversation among kids in the neighborhood on Halloween always centers around which homes give out the best candy, the full-size Snickers, Milky Ways, and Tootsie Pops.
While I am always thankful that people take time out of their day to offer candy to my kids and make Halloween fun, honestly there are some treats given out that they should just keep. You know those treats that aren’t treats at all…we’ve all been there in seeing something dropped into our children’s trick-or-treat bag and cringing just a little.
Here is a round-up of five worst treats to give out on Halloween:
Hard Candy Balls
How many times can we say choking hazard? Who in their right mind is going to give a two-year-old a big grape circular ball of hard candy? Just don’t do it!
Candy With Wrappers In Other Languages
Have you ever seen those cheap, brightly colored, softish wads of unidentifiable toffee-consistency candy pieces that aren’t in English?I have no actual idea what they are made of or where they come from, so if I can’t read or identify it, my child’s not eating it. Those go directly into the garbage.
Pennies
It’s not so much the pennies that are bad, because of course, money is always good. It’s just that placing pennies in the same bag with candy and cookies is kinda gross. The pennies and their accompanying germs mix all around with the candies that may be eaten. (I throw out any opened candy, but pizzerias give out zeppolis and bakeries hand out cookies, which my kids love, and I don’t want them contaminated.)
Generic Chocolate Coins
They have practically no taste and God only knows where they came from either. They usually end up in the toss out pile.
Old Toys
There is a person or two who regularly hands out old McDonald’s and Burger King toys, along with other small trinkets that are used. Not only do I not want more junky toys, but I really do not want any grimy, used toys that should have been thrown away, not given away.
What Halloween treats do you dread? Which ones immediately go into the trash at your house?
Image: Stockxchng/mama
Ensure your Happy Halloween at home with these 12 Movie-Inspired Recipes!
Thank you for not putting this in slideshow form.
Yes, thank you!
Bit O’Honey, Circus Peanuts, and Bible verses.
Those Bible tracts are the worst. Really? You think it’s ethically fine to evangelize to my minor children without my permission? Guess, what? You’re an ass! Those people need to just turn off the damn porch light.
Agreed on the Bible tracts. . . That is really annoying. If I want you to tell my kid the “good” news, I’ll bring them to your church. If you don’t want to hand out candy, turn off your porch light!
Anyone else had Unicef money solicitors at your door on Halloween masquerading as trick-o-treating kids?
It’s all crap! Does anyone else hate Halloween and just wishes it would go away? I am trying so hard to have my kid eat healthy, wholesome food. I know this is “just once a year” but it’s not, because there’s always so “special” pseudo-cultural thing that necessitates a junk food treat. The crap people give out (even the “good stuff” snickers, m&ms, all that) is really garbage candy anyway and while I can let my preschooler eat one or two pieces now and throw the rest out (or donate it, but why would I want to donate poison) when she’s older she’s not going to go for that, and so I have to tell her just NO she can’t have it…but, I don’t want her to be ostracized or an outsider from peers and culture…its a conundrum. I really hate Halloween, though. On top of all that you have to go through so much effort for the costumes, too…or else just buy more made in China garbage…it stinks to high heaven.
Aren’t all “fun sized” (not fun) candies sort of choking hazards for two year olds? If we’re going to base Halloween candy choices on things that aren’t choking hazards for two year olds we are going to be kind of limited. I always assume people trick or treating with toddlers are really getting the candy for themselves. That’s my plan anyway.
Aside from that I agree with your list (and also appreciate the lack of slide show) but I am actually kind of pro bad candy. Half the fun of trick or treating is sorting, trading, negotiating. It wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without the pennies, apples and dental floss to try and pawn off on your little brother.
Seriously? Bible verses? Sometimes I can’t tell if you guys are kidding…
And I’d like to add my voice to the chorus of thanks for not putting this in a slideshow format.
We actually do end up throwing away a great deal of our Halloween candy; our kids love going trick or treating and they love the idea of the candy, but they tend to forget about it after a few days (as do their parents) and, when we remember, we’re over it so it gets chucked.
“Seriously? Bible verses? Sometimes I can’t tell if you guys are kidding…” The tracts are far worse. It’s usually a little cartoon pamphlet made to appeal to children. Animated satan and jesus teeling kids to choose the path or risk eternal hellfire. Delightful. :/ We have one neighbor who hands them out every year and it’s become become part of our post-Halloween tradition to mock them.
Our area has many Asian families, and several times last year at preschool my son was given treats with no English at all on the packaging. We invariably said thanks, brought the stuff home, and then pitched it. Thank you for making me feel a little less of a loon for doing so, but if I can’t identify it, nobody here is eating it.
You forgot to include candy that includes nuts or was made in the same factory w/nut based candy. Although no one in my family has a nut allergy, there are a lot of kids who do and one should try and consider that when purchasing Halloween candy to give out.
Shrill, judgmental, fearful, pointlessly bitchy. All of the worst elements of Babble rolled into one piece.
Thats why we do the trunk or treat that is sponsored by the fire department.