Just about the time school started – and as soon as the “back to school” sales were over – retailers started filling their shelves with candy for Halloween.
And for good reason, it seems.
In total, approximately $1.9 billion (or 598 million pounds) of candy is sold during the Halloween season. Halloween is the biggest season for chocolate candy, with nearly 90 million pounds of chocolate candy sold during Halloween week. By comparison, nearly 65 million pounds of chocolate candy is sold during the week leading up to Easter and only 48 million pounds of chocolate candy is sold during Valentine’s week.
This year that massive pile of corn syrup, artificial dye, and palm oil made me feel like I was being totally hypocritical.
Every day, at GoodFood World, we try to find ways to connect our readers to good food. Halloween candy mostly isn’t good food!
So this year, I had to decide to either opt out of the whole event or at least try to find something more in line with our mission.
Whole Foods came to the rescue with a bag of individually wrapped Fair Trade chocolates and a bag of individual packets of Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks.
I’m still conflicted though. Are these really “good food” for kids? Are we just perpetuating a commercial “buy-a-thon” and encouraging kids to beg for sweets?
I’d much rather make homemade popcorn balls or fudge like we got when we were kids. Unfortunately not one single child would have accepted it…
Next year?
I just may skip it!
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Source: U.S. Consumers Say Boo To Store Brand Candy on Halloween