When we think of Halloween, we think of probably the most wasteful holiday of the year. Cheap costumes, single-use decorations, plastic glitter, and endless amounts of candy wrappers. We’re making efforts on all fronts by thrifting or borrowing costumes, sticking to pumpkins for décor and disposing of them responsibly (here in Manitoba, the deer love them!), but what about the main focus of the season; those little fun sized treats that hit the supermarket shelves in September and hang around our pantries until January? These plastic wrapped noms are delightful to eat but at the cost of packaging that ends up in a landfill, contributing to the exact crisis that we’re trying to fight. We’ve thought long and hard about ways to get around this and you’ll be pleased to know that it’s actually very easy! Here are our top Earth-friendly Halloween Treat ideas!
BOXES ARE BETTER!
OK so we know raisins are boring BUT there are a few brands who still package their mini products in cardboard like Nerds, Junior Mints, and Dots! Cardboard can be recycled in most places, making this type of treat especially nice. Just be sure for this, and all our options, to make sure to educate your kiddos about recycling responsibly!
CANS FOR THE CLIMATE!
Trick or treaters tend to have a love/hate relationship with canned sodas for Halloween; they really do tend to weigh down your bag quickly but HOLY MOLY a whole can of soda?! What a haul! Soda cans are, of course, recyclable, and you can even take this a step further if you are an uber green enthusiast by selecting a more healthy option or supporting brands that have earth-friendly core values. Make sure to also be mindful of the packaging the cans come in; avoid the plastic-bound cans and opt for the cardboard box packaging instead.
FOILING US FOR YEARS!
Foil-wrapped chocolates are a fantastic alternative to hand out at Halloween that has totally recyclable packaging! We’ve become a bit passive (as a society) to packaging and especially for tiny treats, everything tends to get tossed in the bin. BUT have you ever paused to think about the massive amounts of foil wrapped chocolates that get consumed around theme holidays especially (think valentine hearts, Hershey kisses, little pumpkin balls, gold coins, mini Santa’s)? We hope this also serves as a habit-change prompt for other holidays! Before you toss it in the bin, make sure it’s the right bin!
HAND-BOMB IT
We saved the highest effort option for last because, well, time is precious, ya know? But if you can manage to turn this into a fun family activity then big ups from us! We’re fans of these Lunchskins recyclable & sealable paper sandwich bags; they come in fun prints and are cheaper than sourcing a fancy burlap or reusable bag (that will probably not get reused…those tiny baggies aren’t good for much!). Fill them with homemade treats, bulk candy, or whatever that beautiful green brain of yours can come up with!