With childhood obesity on the rise, kids really do not need additional calories from a bag full of candy. Chocolate candy bars, suckers, and gum are not only adding to our children’s waists, but also attributing to tooth and gum decay. With so many healthier options available, consider these alternatives to giving candy this Halloween.

Stickers – All children love stickers! You can get boxes of 1000 stickers from local dollar stores and split them among hundreds of children. With many different styles, you can offer a wide variety of sticker designs to each child. You can buy 10 boxes of stickers for what you would buy an extra large bag of candy, so you can offer kids a whole strip with the cost of a candy bar!

Bagged snacks – Most popular crackers, nuts, dried fruits and seeds come in individual serving bags. Cheese crackers with peanut butter filling and sealed bags of raisins are great alternatives to sugary offerings. With less sugar, less fat varieties, you can be giving children healthier snacks with much needed protein.

Coloring books or crayons – You can buy these items in bulk at local stores and online for a very reasonable cost. When the school year begins, you can purchase 24 count crayon boxes for as low as $.10! If you go to dollar and discount stores, you can find whole packages of coloring and activity books for very little cost, as well. Offering these items will expand a child’s imagination without expanding their waist.

Party favors or craft kits – Several online companies offer bags of 100 party favors and craft kits for a very low price. Everything the child needs to play a game, make some noise, or create a craft is included! Many times you can find these items at craft stores and discount retailers, too.

Mini Books – Paperback books can be cheap! Give the gift of reading this Halloween.

The amount of children you have knocking on your door will determine the above option you want to choose. However, any way you look at it, these ideas will give the kids more enjoyment than the few seconds they get from candy.