Halloween is known for its indulgence. But can a green, eco-friendly Halloween be any fun?

I’m all for celebrating and having a good time—especially when yummy treats are involved—but I’ve never been a huge fan of Halloween. I know, I know, it makes me sound like such a grump, but I always wonder where these commercial holidays come from, and how we end up spending billions of dollars every year on costumes and decorations that end up in the trash and candy that leaves us and our kids feeling crazy, cranky, and sick.

It turns out that back in the day, Halloween was really a pre-party for All Saints Day, a time to celebrate—you guessed it—all the saints. And, before that, the ancient Celts celebrated October 31st with a festival called Samhain, where everyone dressed up in costume to ward off ghosts. As for trick or treating, the act of giving out treats has its roots in the Middle Ages. The poor would beg for food in exchange for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day, which was on November 2nd. However, some experts say that food was left out on the front step as offerings to the dead who wander the streets trying to return to their homes. I’d argue that any of these interpretations of our overpriced, over-hyped version are a lot more interesting and possibly spookier!

But, no matter why you and your family choose to celebrate, there are ways to keep things kind—whether it’s creating less waste or enjoying tastier treats without the naughty tricks on your body.

How to make your Halloween greener:

• Participate in a Costume Swap or buy Halloween costumes and decorations used via eBay or Goodwill.
• Talk with neighbors who might be into a healthy Halloween and come up with a word or phrase that you can put on a sign in front of your house — that way, other kind parents will know that your house is serving healthy treats.
• If you’re getting candy, choose vegan candy, free of conventional palm oil, and ideally not wrapped in single-use plastic. You can also hand out non-candy goodies! Temporary tattoos, spooky stampers, Halloween stickers…all of those things can be found pre-owned on eBay.
• There used to be a book and toy called “the Switch Witch” – she’s a good witch who comes and swaps your little one’s candies for a neat toy. While the company has gone under, you can do this with any doll or even a pumpkin. Incentivize your kids to take a toy or maybe even an experience, instead of the sugar.
• Have a party and invite all your friends and their kids. Have fun decorating your place with some eco and recycled Halloween crafts. Instead of trick-or-treating, serve a kind buffet of healthier treats.
• Share stories (possibly in costume).
• When carving pumpkins, use your pumpkin seeds in a delicious recipe such as classically roasted seeds.

If your neighborhood isn’t down with a kind Halloween, but you still want to take your kids out, consider donating the candy they collect. Some people feel it’s bad to donate candy to anyone, but if they are going to eat it anyway, isn’t donating it better than wasting it? I do this with other items; for example, companies sometimes send me samples of self-care products that are filled with chemicals, and while I would never use them, I give them to someone I know is never going to buy kind cosmetics, ever. At least then I know they won’t go to waste and it prevents more chemicals from being made and purchased.

Another way to deal with Halloween candy is to unwrap and compost it. Just as you wouldn’t want to feed junky candy to your kids, it’s not the best thing to put in your soil. Personally, I wouldn’t mess up my beautiful compost with candy – no way! But that said, it’s an option if you feel conflicted about donating.