The Right Treat is Tricky on Halloween

A favorite observance of mine – Halloween – has come and gone.  I realized this year, though, that an issue arose for me with this celebration, revolving (not surprisingly) around food.  I’ve overcome my aversion to the waste that’s sometimes associated with the slicing and dicing of pumpkins.  It’s not out of the question to save the eyes and noses and other carved out pieces of a jack-o-lantern for pastries, soups or other fall recipes.  This year, however, I noticed more than ever the talk of candy.

 

Coworkers in my office who have children bemoaned the pending burden of gallons of sweets taken in by their pint-sized pirates, witches, and assorted superheroes during trick-or-treating.  In light of the epidemic status that childhood obesity has reached, I started considering other options. Some parents cache the candy, only meting out a little at a time.  Others buy, steal, or cajole the candy from their kids.  This year, though, would be different for me, for the costumed throngs in my neighborhood, and for their parents.  I’d be proactive and offer a healthy alternative!

 

But, what to give?  I balked at the thought of being “that guy.” You know, the slightly suspicious person in the neighborhood who gives out apples; or the lame-o who gives out granola bars; or the weirdo giving out homemade snacks.  And, toothbrushes, pencils, or cheap plastic toys are just dumb (no offense to the neighborhood dentist – they’re expected to give toothbrushes).  Before I left the office, the idea struck – true brilliance, I thought!

 

There I was, on my porch dressed appropriately as a scarecrow, reminding myself repeatedly, “Don’t fear the Reper-cussions” – really, what tricks could the little monsters invent that I couldn’t handle?  I have a garden hose, a cell phone, good insurance, and a nearly endless supply of counter-attack ammunition from my own chicken flock.

 

I never got to field test my idea (or my defenses), since I didn’t get a single ghost or goblin at my door (odd, considering we gave out high-dollar candy last year).  But, I do intend to try again next Halloween with, instead of chocolates and packets of sweet tarts, packets of snow pea seeds.  And, seeds for culinary herbs, and baby carrots, and a few native flowers, and even pumpkins!  Yes, seed packets – that was my stroke of brilliance.

 

Maybe I still would have gotten labeled as “that guy” in the neighborhood.  And, perhaps I would have had to extinguish the burning bag of doggie droppings on the front steps.  But possibly I would have inspired a couple kids to try getting their hands in the dirt, and to try growing their own healthy snacks.  Yeah, maybe.

 

I welcome feedback, by the way, on what other parents have done to curb the oversupply of candy; and, what kids might like instead of gobs of goo laden with high fructose corn syrup and “natural and artificial flavors and colors.”