9 Better-for-You Halloween Candy Alternatives

Is it possible to find healthy Halloween candy alternatives without being that house on the block that hands out apples and carrot sticks? You want people to come back next year, not run away in fear of a dreary candy alternative. 

Honestly, it’s scary how much sugar trick-or-treaters consume every year. It’s OK to have the occasional splurge — balance is key — but surely there’s a better way. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite candy alternative options. But what makes these treats healthier, exactly? It’s all about the ingredient lists. Many of the following brands make balanced nutrition and organic sourcing a top priority. For you, that means you can worry less about scary side effects of high sugar intake. 

Whether it’s fruit snacks, organic dark chocolates or our signature bars, there’s a better-for-you option that won’t have your neighbors crashing from a sugar rush the morning after Halloween night. 

Like Sweets? Try Handing These Out Instead

Nothing says Halloween quite like a pumpkin pail full of yummy candy. The only problem is, that collection of treats has a spooky side. While it’s not bad to eat a few pieces here and there, too much of a good thing can end in a sour stomach or even worse results for your kids and neighbors. 

Want to be the cool house that hands out the best healthy Halloween treats without any of the tricks? Swap out your current confectionary for these sweets that won’t creep up on you: 

YumEarth Organic Halloween Candy

For a treat with no dyes, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, dairy, sesame, egg, gluten, shellfish, or fish, look no further than YumEarth Organic Halloween Candy. The variety pack comes with gummy fruits, lollipops, and chewy candy bites that will delight any costume-clad kid (or adult, for that matter). 

For other gluten-free snack options, check out this article. 

Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies With Pressed Flowers

If you want to take our beloved Peanut Butter Perfect Bar to the next level, try using this recipe to create beautiful shortbread cookies to hand out to visitors. With most of the work already being done by using our bars, you’ll have these out of the oven and into Halloween pails in no time. 

All you need for ingredients are:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 Peanut Butter Perfect Bar, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup edible flowers for decorating, such as violas, pansies, nasturtiums, and blue borage
• Fine sanding or casting sugar, for sprinkling

Almond Butter & Chocolate Bar

Ditch the Snickers bar and instead make a healthier alternative. With our Almond Butter Perfect Bar as a base, add caramel topping (made with dates), chopped almonds, and melted dark chocolate for a mouth-watering treat. To make these almond butter and chocolate bars, you’ll need:

• Almond Butter Perfect Bar
• Caramel Topping
  • 3/4 cup pitted dates
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup of water
• Chopped almonds
• Melted dark chocolate

Annie’s Organic Bunny Grahams

Annie’s has been making healthy and organic food for over 30 years, and these snacks are no exception. Whether you purchase their variety pack with cheddar squares, cheddar bunny grahams, or chocolate bunny grahams or opt for a larger pack of your favorite of the three, you won’t be let down. These  healthy Halloween treats are made with organic wheat flour and have one gram of protein in every serving, making them a tasty option you can trust. 

Mummy and Spider Web Peanut Butter Cups

Another DIY treat you can create are the cutest mummy and spider web peanut butter cups, using our dark chocolate Refrigerated Peanut Butter Cups as a base. If you’re in a hurry but still want to create a (slightly) creepy snack for trick-or-treaters, this quick recipe will fit the bill. 

Here’s what you’ll need to have handy to make 24 pieces:

• Twelve (1.4 oz) packs Perfect Snacks Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Peanut Butter Cups
• 4 -oz white chocolate baking chips
• 2 tbsp candy eyeballs, for decorating
• 2 tbsp pretzels, (optional – for making peanut butter cup spiders

Solely Organic Whole Fruit Gummies

You know what kids love? Fruit snacks. But parents don’t love the artificial sugars and flavors used in many of the leading brands. Well, Solely created a tasty alternative that’s packed with real fruit and vitamin C and free from unnecessary additives. They have delicious flavors like mango, guava, and passion fruit, options that you and your kids will both adore. 

Snack Size Perfect Bar Tombstone Dirt Cups

Another small goody that Halloween lovers will adore are these Snack Size Perfect Bar tombstone dirt cups, with a surprise ingredient: avocados! These small morsels are a healthier take on a beloved chocolate pudding dish, made easily with very little assembly. 

Add these ingredients to your shopping list so you can make this treat ASAP:

• 4 small ripe avocados
• ½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
• 2/3 cup oat milk, or milk of choice
• 2/3 cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 6 ounces 55% dark chocolate, melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 2 cups chocolate cream sandwich cookies (about 16 to 18 cookies), crushed
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, melted for writing on tombstones
• 12 whole Peanut Butter Snack Size Perfect Bar
• 1 cup of regular or sour gummy worms, optional

Joyride Red Licorice Twists

For the chewy candy lovers, there’s a better way to get a fill of your favorite red candy. Joyride makes bite-sized licorice pieces that have zero sugar, sugar alcohols, and synthetic colors, are plant-based, and a good source of fiber. This candy is also vegan and contains no gelatin, IMO, maltitol, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. They also taste great, meaning you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for quality.

SmartSweets Caramels

For a fun twist on the toffee-flavored sweets, add SmartSweets Caramels to your cart this Halloween. With only one gram of sugar, 140 calories, and no artificial sweeteners, this candy option won’t haunt you or any witches and warlocks on All Hallows’ Eve. On top of that, these caramels are gluten-free, plant-based, and naturally flavored. 

Frightening Ingredients To Keep an Eye On

While it’s OK to indulge in a high-in-sugar candy bar every so often, there’s a reason we suggest finding other options when needing a sweet treat on a regular basis: There are a lot of harmful ingredients found in these snacks that you should be aware of.

Artificial Colors

Blue 1, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40 have all been linked to cancers and can cause hyperactivity — particularly in children. These are some of the most commonly used food dyes in many popular candies, and they contain potentially dangerous substances, such as 4-aminobiphenyl, 4-aminoazobenzene, and benzidine. 

Tertiary-Butylhydroquinone

Tertiary-Butylhydroquinone — TBHQ for short — is a synthetic antioxidant that’s designed to keep food from spoiling. While it’s FDA approved, it’s still not a great element to consume. It’s used in vegetable oils, animal fats, snack crackers, noodles, fast and frozen foods, and candy. A study done by the Centers for Science in the Public Interest found that this additive increased the incidence of tumors in the rats being used for testing.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Manufactured from corn starch sourced from genetically-modified crops, this sugar replacement is linked to obesity, heart issues, arthritis, diabetes, and insulin resistance. According to Shore Gastroenterology Associates, it is associated with fatty liver disease, which can impact your weight and heart health. It also can increase the risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases. 

Camauba Wax

This chemical is used to give bubble gum its (mostly) long-lasting flavor and consistency, but it’s thought to be linked to cancerous tumors when eaten in large amounts. It can also cause allergic reactions in certain people that are sensitive to this type of wax. 

Have the Perfect Halloween With Perfect Bar

You don’t have to be the house that kids skip or pretend not to take notice of. Be the house every trick-or-treater gets excited to stop by with these delicious and healthy alternatives. With great ingredients and amazing taste to boot, parents can rest easy on Halloween night knowing that they’ve handed out a snack that won’t disappoint. 

Try our bars for yourself today to see what all the hype is about.