{"id":1037,"date":"2025-10-30T09:24:44","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T13:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/?p=1037"},"modified":"2026-02-24T09:13:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T14:13:14","slug":"keep-halloween-safe-and-spooky-food-safety-tips-for-trick-or-treating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/2025\/10\/keep-halloween-safe-and-spooky-food-safety-tips-for-trick-or-treating\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Halloween Safe and Spooky: Food Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Halloween is almost here and that means costumes, candy, and plenty of spooky fun! As your little ghosts and goblins head out to collect treats, it\u2019s important to make sure safety comes first.
Here are a few simple tips to help keep your Halloween both fun and<\/em> safe this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trick-or-Treating Smart<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you hit the streets, talk with your kids about a few food safety rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Stick to familiar houses.<\/strong> Only visit homes of people you know and trust.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Check all treats before eating.<\/strong> Look for sealed, professionally wrapped candy or gum. Avoid anything that looks torn, opened, or unusual.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Watch for homemade treats.<\/strong> Unless you know who made them, it\u2019s best to skip homemade goodies or baked items.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Wait before eating.<\/strong> Kids often want to dig in right away, but remind them to wait until their treats have been inspected. Try serving a light snack or meal before trick-or-treating to keep hunger at bay.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Look for porch lights.<\/strong> Only approach homes with their lights on. It\u2019s a sign they\u2019re participating.
    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Check fresh fruit carefully.<\/strong> Wash any fruit, inspect for holes or punctures, and cut it open before eating.
    <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Non-Food Treat Alternatives<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Looking to offer something a little different this year? Non-food treats are a great way to include children with allergies and still spread Halloween cheer! Consider handing out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Halloween party favors or glow sticks
      <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Pencils, erasers, or stickers
      <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Trading cards or other small toys
      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      These fun alternatives help make Halloween a safe and inclusive celebration for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

       A Final Word<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Halloween should be full of laughter, creativity, and community, not worry. By taking a few extra steps to check treats and choose safe options, you can help your family enjoy the holiday with peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Wishing you a safe, spooky, and sweet Halloween! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Halloween is almost here and that means costumes, candy, and plenty of spooky fun! As your little ghosts and goblins head out to collect treats, it\u2019s important to make sure safety comes first.Here are a few simple tips to help keep your Halloween both fun and safe this year. Trick-or-Treating Smart Before you hit the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":538,"featured_media":1038,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[172,158],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-facs","category-food"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/538"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1037"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1037\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1039,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1037\/revisions\/1039"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}