A Very Vegan Halloween
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Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love watching the leaves change on the trees, bundling up in a cozy sweater, and having an excuse to eat all things pumpkin. But most of all, I love Halloween. I love seeing children in their creative costumes, I love watching the Worst Witch and Nightmare Before Christmas, I love celebrating the Celtic New Year of Samhain with friends and family, and I love all the spooky and spectacular decorations for the season. But, being vegan during the holiday season can cause some challenges for children and adults alike.
My little lamb is only 15 months old, so we have not entered the realm of trick-or-treating for candy yet, but one day this will be our reality. My husband and I have started to discuss how to handle the situation when it comes time. Do we let our children go door to door around our neighborhood (which weirds us out a little bit)? Do we stick to events like trunk-or-treating? Do we skip the trick-or-treat part and have a party instead? Or maybe we just let our children showcase their costumes at events and parades in our area. No matter what we choose, though, we still will face the obstacle of vegan and non-vegan food going into their little Halloween bags.
Fortunately, there are a lot of mainstream candies that are vegan. Here are some examples according to peta.org and vegnews.com:
Airheads
Cry Babies
Dum-Dums
Fun dip
Bottle Caps
Dots
Fireballs
Pixy Sticks
Jujyfruits
Smarties
Charms Blow Pops
Nerds
Sour Patch Kids
Swedish Fish
Sweet Tarts
Now & Laters
Twizzlers
Skittles
Mary Jane’s
Peanut Chews (original Dark)
Jolly Rancher hard candies
Other companies that produce vegan candy that are organic, non-GMO, or just a bit healthier, include:
*Yummy Earth Organics: Organic Pops, Fruit Snacks, Sour Beans
*Spun Paradise Organic Cotton Candy
*Newman’s Own licorice twists
*Go Max Go Candy Bars (Mahalo and Twilight are my favorites)
*Enjoy Life Rice Milk Boom Choco Boom Candy Bars (So good!)
*Endangered Species Candy Bars (Most are vegan)
*Clif Bars (Most are Vegan)
*Annie’s Organic Fruit Snacks
If you plan on trick-or-treating with your vegan children, have a conversation ahead of time about vegan candy options. Most people have a variety of candy in their bowl to choose from, and this way they can make good choices. If your children are too young to read candy labels, go with them and help them pick out the candy. Because of the growing number of food allergies, most people are providing options for children beyond the normal chocolate bars, but if you do end up with a surplus of milk chocolate or gelatin based candies, you can always donate what you won’t eat. There are many organizations that will take your candy, including:
Operation Gratitude: They send candy to our troops.
Halloween Candy Buy Back is supported by local dentists and other local businesses that also send candy to tour troops. They buy the candy from the children with money, toothbrushes, toys, etc…
Ronald McDonald House locations will take candy donations that will be given to the children and their families that stay at their locations while receiving medical treatment. Just call ahead to your local chapter to make sure they are taking donations.
Have you heard of the Switch Witch? It is kind of like Elf on the Shelf, but not nearly as creepy. You can get the doll and book, or just tell the tale to your children about how the Switch Witch needs your candy to heat her home and run their witchy world. In exchange for the candy they collect, they leave a present. There are different variations of this story, but the idea is that you use the Switch Witch to take the candy in a creative way for young children, and then donate it to an organization.
There are so many ways to celebrate the holiday’s vegan style without your children feeling left out. You may not be able to indulge in the apple cider doughnuts and hot chocolate they provide at the local hayrides, but there is no reason why you can’t make your own vegan version at home and bring it with you! Your children can still indulge in many of the mainstream candies, but be open with them in advance about the fact that there will be some things they won’t be eating. If your children have a chocolate tooth, make sure you have some of their favorite vegan chocolate candy on hand to swap out with the Snickers and Hersey Bars they might get in their bags. Promote the idea of giving to our soldiers or other needy children and donate the candy, or have your children kindly refuse any non-vegan candy that they are offered. Find what works for you and yours.
For those who are not vegan, try to have some vegan options for children in your bowl of candy. Whether your vegan or not, remember that many vegan candy options are also safer for children with nut allergies as well, so make sure you are looking out for those children too. Don’t forget that there are also a plethora of non-food options for trick-or-treaters. How about Halloween themed bookmarks, pencils, or little toys? Get creative and be considerate!
Have a safe and Happy Halloween and Samhain!
Love, Laughter, & Light,
