Candy Safety Check: What to Look For and Throw Out of Your Children’s Halloween Bags

Be cautious of what your kids collect trick-or-treating!  With the large amount of candy handed out and consumed, parents should take extra precautions. Ensure that you check your children’s treat bags before they start eating it and discard anything that may not be safe. *Parent Tip: Try to get your children to eat a healthy dinner prior to trick-or-treating to avoid having them snacking on candy before you can check it.

After trick-or-treating, take your child’s Halloween candy bucket and spread it out on the counter so you can skim and sort treats before they are consumed. Things to look for:

UNRECOGNIZED CANDY WRAPPERS

Look for candy wrappers you do not recognize, unlike the well-known candies such as Reeses, Snickers, and KitKat. Don’t allow your child to eat anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. Anything else that seems or looks unusual is also something to double check.

WRAPPERS THAT ARE RIPPED, TORN, OR OPEN

Any candy that may have been opened, including a corner being torn or wrappers that seem to be partially open, are not only susceptible to germs from other candy wrappers but may not be safe treats.

CANDY THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN TAMPERED WITH OR LOOKS SUSPICIOUS

If something appears off, toss it! Candy that is in a strange wrapper may have been re-wrapped and has a higher chance of tampering. Discard and continue checking. Also check wrappers for signs of tampering, such as tiny pinholes.

HOMEMADE GOODS

While getting baked goods from neighbors, friends, and family is fun, receiving any homemade treat while trick-or-treating from an unknown house or person may not be safe. From food-handling hygiene to food allergy concerns, toss anything that you recognize as homemade or instruct your children not to accept these treats.

FOOD ALLERGIES

If your trick-or-treaters have food allergies, make sure to check the label and discard any candy that may cause an allergic reaction. Candy you do not recognize or know the ingredients of should be thrown out. Some candy may not contain tree nuts; however, they could have been manufactured in a factory that produces other products with nuts.

AGE-APPROPRIATE CANDIES

For younger children, it’s important to check for and discard certain types of hazardous candy. Remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, or hard candies, as these treats can be hard to eat or may cause problems. These items will be better off in the trash or given to someone older.

OTHER TREAT TYPES

Your child may receive other treats, such as small toys or face paints. Ensure that any small toys are removed from young childrens’ trick or treat bags and check other treats for tampering.

SAFETY FIRST

By taking five minutes to conduct a candy safety check for kids during Halloween, you can enjoy the fun of trick-or-treating while ensuring kids stay safe. Overall, it’s better to toss a few pieces of candy in the trash than risk the health and safety of anyone in your home.