Usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Halloween is candy. Unfortunately, a lot of people have a special diet or allergies and can’t eat a ton of candy. And let’s be honest, that much sugar isn’t really a great idea for anyone.
Here are a few non food alternatives:
- Stickers
- Bubbles
- Tattoos
- Coloring books
- Crayons
- Craft kits
- Spider rings
All of these can be purchased at a party store or Amazon, but I like the selection (and low price) at Oriental Trading Company
http://m.orientaltrading.com
Since I have a huge yarn addiction, I also crochet some non sense to throw in the treat bucket.

This is little pin only takes a couple of minutes to make. I have never actually written a pattern before so please bear with me.
Row 1 : with orange chain 4, dc 12 times in the first chain and join with a slip stitch to the first dc. Fasten off
Row 2 : with green yarn, sc in the first 2 st, chain 1 and turn.
Row 3: sc in both sc and fasten off
Add a pin or clip to the back.


This one takes a little longer, but it’s so stinking cute.
Round 1: with orange yarn chain 2, 6 sc in second chain, join to first chain
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc, join to first sc
Round 3: 2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next sc, repeat around and join to first sc
Round 4 – 10 : sc in each sc, join to first sc
Round 11: decrease sc in first sc, sc in next sc repeat around, join to first sc
Round 12: decrease sc around, join to first sc, fasten off leaving a 12 inch tail
Weave tail into last row and pull tight. With a yarn needle, make big stitches starting at the top and ending at the bottom, pull tight to create the sections. Repeat 6 times. I’m not really explaining this very well. Hopefully the pictures will give you a better idea of what I mean.
Stem:
Round 1: with green, chain 2, 6 sc in first chain, chain 1
Round 2 and 3: sc in each chain, fasten off and sew to the top of the pumpkin
Healthier Food Options
- Zombie Boogers — Air popped popcorn with matcha
- Oranges with jack o lantern faces drawn on the front
- Homemade gummies sweetened with juice
- Mozzarella sticks decorated like mummies
- Jello packs can be decorated with construction paper and pipe cleaners to look like bats, witches, pumpkins, ghosts, spiders, etc.
- Juice boxes
The fun part of this is that your kids can help to prepare them. It’s a fun activity that can pass the time until the trick or treating starts. I know that a lot of people are afraid of going door to door to strangers houses. However, I think that having neighborhood trick or treating is a great idea. It gives you a chance to interact with your neighbors and bond with the kids. I like that N knows everyone in our little subdivision because he refuses to talk to strangers. If he was lost or needed help he would talk to one of them. It also gives us the chance to explain what to expect from him. The older generation didn’t really have a lot of contact with special needs children. If they only saw him randomly crying at the grocery store because someone took all the blue carts, then they would label him as a brat. Now that they know what autism really is, they understand what he is struggling with. It’s nice to know that they are all looking out for him and actually get excited when he was able to hug them last year.
It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes an informed village to raise a special needs child.