Image by: Brett Neilson
Halloween is an amazing time for kids – they get to dress up in a crazy costume and eat a load of candy – but it’s also an exceptionally consumerist time of year. Even those of us who don’t have kids bulk-buy chocolates and candy, decorate our house to the nines and dress up in costumes to keep in the spirit.
Now, if you’re eco-conscious then you’ve probably got your biodegradable designer kitchen decorations sorted, along with a great recipe to make use of the innards of your jack o’lanterns, and a repurposed Halloween outfit with cruelty-free face paints to boot. But what do you do about the candy issue?
Many candy manufacturers are notorious for being unethical, paying unfair trade prices for ingredients produced by trafficked laborers, and animal testing the products or the ingredients. Clearly, this is not something we want to support.
And whilst we want to give out cruelty-free treats this Halloween, making your own isn’t always the solution – not only is baking time-consuming, many parents are in the habit of throwing out homemade or unsealed goods in their children’s trick or treat collection due to safety concerns – though frustratingly this does mean you do need to give away things in plastic wrappers!
So what candy can you give trick or treaters that are ethical as well as yummy? Here are five ideas…
1. Endangered Species Milk Chocolate Halloween Treats
Yummy squares of milk chocolate, produced ethically with all natural ingredients, this is chocolate that will make you feel good about giving. The company gives 10% of its net profits back to do good, supporting habitat, species and humanity. As a bonus, you get 160 pieces for $44.99, so just one lot will get you through the whole of Halloween!
2. Yummy Earth Sour Jelly Beans Snack Packs
These tongue-tantalizing jelly beans are not just any normal candy. These are all-natural and made with no fats, nuts, gluten or animal products, plus one bag gives little ones 100% of their vitamin C RDA. They are produced by workers paid a fair wage, so you can be sure you’re giving your money to a responsible company. You can get 50 Sour Bean Snack Packs for $19.99, so it’s cost effective too!
3. Divine Milk Chocolate Coins
Completely fair trade chocolate where all ingredients are ethically sourced, these coins are a little pricey, but the company you’re buying from makes it worth it. 45% of Divine is owned by the farmers that produce the ingredients, meaning that not only do they get a fair price for their ingredients, they also get a share of the profit. You can buy 30 bags for $88.70 – though these are fairly large, so just break up the nets and give a few to each trick or treater.
4. Sjaak’s Organic Halloween Orange Bites
Made by a family company with a penchant for great chocolate, these orange foil-wrapped chocolates not only look Halloween-y but taste it too – with dark chocolate covering an orange filling. All chocolate is organic and fair trade, supporting sustainable agriculture, and isn’t overly pricey at $33.00 for just under 100 pieces.
5. Sweet Earth Trick or Treat Chocolates
Yummy discs of organic, fair trade chocolate in Halloween inspired packaging, these will please the fussiest of trick or treaters. The company also aims to do good by supporting several charities and projects to do with cocoa farming and the communities that surround it. You can get a 100 piece bag for $50.00.
Do you buy any other eco-friendly candy for Halloween that we need to know about?
Image Source | celebrations.com
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