Check Candy at Halloween

Trick-or-treating on Halloween is a cherished tradition in North America and the United Kingdom, where it's also called Halloween. However, trick-or-treaters and their parents should be aware that there is always a possibility that someone may tamper with Halloween candy. A responsible adult should examine all Halloween treats before children eat them. Checking Halloween candy includes looking for evidence of tampering and throwing away treats that appear suspicious or have been handmade by strangers.

Steps

  1. Tell trick-or-treaters not to eat anything they receive until they get home.
    • Warn the youngsters that you or another trusted adult must check their candy before they can eat it. Emphasize the importance of this without frightening the children and ruining their enjoyment of trick-or-treating.
    • Caution youngsters not to drink any beverages offered to them while trick-or-treating.
    • If you think children will be extremely tempted to eat their candy before they get home, send them out with a snack in case they get hungry. If you have to, offer them candy from the bowl you will be giving out. Make sure they can tell the difference between your candy and the rest of their candy (perhaps put it in a Zip-Lock baggie!)
  2. Examine candy and treats in a room with bright lights as soon as the trick-or-treaters arrive home. Look for anything that doesn't seem right, including the following:
    • Lumps or bulges under the wrappers
    • Punctures or pinholes in wrappers or boxes
    • Ripped wrappers
    • Loose wrappers
    • Discolored or stained wrappers or boxes
    • Foreign objects poking from the candy
    • Candy that isn't in the original box or wrapper
    • Treats that are in unsealed boxes or partly unwrapped wrappers
    • Mismatched candy in packages containing multiple pieces. Look for candies that are a different size or color from all the others.
    • Candy brands or manufacturers that you've never heard of.
    • Candy that has a strange or unpleasant smell.
    • Candy that has passed its expiration date.
  3. Throw away any candy that may have been tampered with or that doesn't look right for any reason.
  4. Throw away candy in twist wrappers, because it can be tampered with and then re-wrapped. Examples are chocolate logs, hard candies, and bubble gum.
  5. Check fruit by washing and slicing it into small pieces. Cutting the fruit allows you to efficiently look for any concealed hazards such as needles, razor blades or glass shards.
    • Look for punctures or pinpricks before you wash and slice fruit.
    • Discard fruit given by strangers.
  6. Throw away all homemade treats given by strangers. Examples include popcorn balls, caramel apples, or baked goods like cookies or brownies.
  7. Take the remaining Halloween treats for x-ray tests at local medical facilities. Some hospitals and doctors' offices offer this free service on Halloween night or the next day.
  8. Contact police if you find tainted Halloween candy or treats.

Tips

  • Serve a meal to children before they leave for trick-or-treating. This will make them less tempted to snack on Halloween candy before they get home.
  • Consider not giving out candy containing common allergens, or, if you do, include it in an assortment of candy for children who know they're allergic.
  • Only save brand-name lollipops (like Dum-Dums or Tootsie pops), and not ones that could possibly be home-made and then tainted. As always, help your kids check them when they are unwrapped.
  • If your children are on the older end, remind them to just not take peanut-butter candy (Twix, Reese's,) to begin with.
  • Tell children to restrict their trick-or-treating to the local neighborhood. This will limit the number of strangers they encounter on Halloween.
  • If you're unsure of the candy brand, look it up online. If no brand exists, it's probably homemade.
  • Encourage your children to take candy that they've eaten before. The purpose of this is that, when they unwrap it, they'll know if it doesn't look right and you'll have told them to bring this to your attention.
  • If your children have dietary needs (nuts, dairy, vegetarian etc.), make it especially clear to them that they should never eat candy before having an adult read the label.

Related Articles

  • Resist Halloween Treats
  • Have a Great Time When Trick or Treating
  • Get Trick or Treaters to Come to Your House
  • Make Leftover Halloween Candy Brownies

Sources and Citations

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