Are you envisioning yourself spending Halloween trying to read the labels on a bag full of miniature candies? Do you dread having arguments over throwing out candy that contains animal products? Read more…Do you find yourself wondering what body part is used to make those candy corns so solid? Many vegan parents wonder how to avoid flesh and dairy products on Halloween. Here are a couple of “tricks” to help get you through the festivities without too much stress.
If your kids are young and not yet influenced by older siblings, you can make the focus of Halloween be handing out the treats while enjoying seeing all the trick-or-treaters. Until the age of 4 or 5, this is often excitement enough as the night’s events can be scary to young children.
Hand out toys instead of sweets. I usually toss a few inexpensive Halloween party favors into their bags. Although I am not wild about purchasing cheap plastic toys, I figure doing so is better than handing out sweets that are loaded with unhealthy ingredients. Many vegan sweets are made from high fructose corn syrup, dyes and other items you won’t find on plants.
My friend Karin had a great idea: she takes her kids trick or treating around the neighborhood and then lets them swap their candy with her for a toy.
For older kids, plan or attend a Halloween party where you have more control over what is available to eat. If the party includes non-vegans, make sure to prepare a special family favorite to keep your kids happy vegan monsters.
Tagged: vegan parenting, what do vegans eat?