How to Hand Out Halloween Candy to Trick-or-Treaters

Help kids have a sugary (and spooky) Halloween night with these tips

Co-authored by Michelle Cousins and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: November 1, 2024 Fact Checked

Even if you’re getting too old to trick-or-treat, handing out candy to kids is still a really fun way to celebrate the Halloween season. With the right treats and a fun attitude, you can make Halloween night one to remember for any trick-or-treater who stops by, and we’re here to help you out! Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through the proper way to hand out treats and how much candy to give everyone.

How much candy should you give trick-or-treaters?

Hand out 2-3 pieces of small candy (or 1 full-size piece) per kid to make their Halloween. To prepare, buy 2 to 3 large variety packs of candy as well as some non-food treats like stickers or pencils. When it’s time for trick-or-treating, turn on your porch light to hand out pieces or let kids choose from the bowl.

1

Get candy and other treats to hand out.

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Buy variety packs of candy for a good mix of different treats. Choose a couple of assorted bags from popular candy brands, like Hershey, Mars, or Nestle. Try to have a good mix of chocolatey and fruity candy so anyone who stops by for trick-or-treating can get something that they like.
- How much candy should you get? Usually 2-3 large variety bags are enough, but it depends on how many trick-or-treaters visit your neighborhood. Ask your neighbors how much candy they usually get for Halloween for a better idea of what to buy.
- What is the most popular Halloween candy? Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the most popular candy, but other favorites include Snickers, M&Ms, Kit Kat, Hershey bars, Twix, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst, Butterfinger, and Skittles.
- Less popular candies include candy corn, black licorice, suckers, Tootsie Rolls, and circus peanuts.
- If you want to give out different food instead of candy, hand out bags of chips or pretzels, fruit snacks, raisins, or drink pouches.
- Provide some non-food options as well. Give out Halloween-themed pencils, stickers, or small toys.
- Avoid handing out homemade treats because parents may be concerned about food safety and not allow their children to eat them.

2

Wear a costume to show your Halloween spirit.

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Kids will love getting treats from someone in costume. Even if you aren’t planning on going trick-or-treating yourself, put on a costume to celebrate Halloween. Choose something kids can easily recognize, like a classic witch or ghost, or something sweet and silly, like a big animal or a cowboy/cowgirl.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have a Halloween costume, look through your closet and see if you can combine any clothes into a simple costume, like your favorite character from a TV show.
- If you dress up as something scary, pop out and try to scare groups of older trick-or-treaters. Just avoid scaring young kids so they can have a fun night.

3

Turn on your porch light for trick-or-treaters.

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The porch light signals that you’re home and giving out treats. Most trick-or-treaters won’t come up to your house unless they know someone’s home. When it’s time for trick-or-treating to start, flip your light on.^{[2]
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- What time does trick-or-treating start? Trick-or-treating times depend on where you live, so search online for the name of your city and “trick-or-treating” to find the specific start times. Typically, trick-or-treating begins in the late afternoon or evening around sunset (around 5:30 or 6:00).
- You can also set out carved jack-o-lanterns and other fun Halloween decorations, like fake cobwebs, skeletons, and ghosts, to attract trick-or-treaters to your home.

4

Greet trick-or-treaters when they stop by.

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Open the door with a smile and your bowl of candy ready. When you open up to a group of trick-or-treaters, they’ll say “Trick or treat!” and hold out their candy bags. You can say something like “Happy Halloween!” or “Wow, look at your costumes!”, or you can just simply smile and hold out your candy bowl.
- Sit out on your porch or in your yard to hand out candy if you don’t want people knocking on your door throughout the night.
- While you’re waiting for trick or treaters, put on a scary movie or some fun Halloween music to get into the Halloween spirit.
- Add Halloween streamers or decorations around your door so it looks spooky if trick-or-treaters peek inside.

5

Let kids pick their own candy from the bowl.

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Give trick-or-treaters a chance to choose their favorite candies. Hold your bowl of treats out for anyone who stops by, and let them find a few pieces of candy that they like. Just make sure you limit how much they take and remind them that other trick-or-treaters are stopping by too.^{[3]
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- How much candy should you give kids on Halloween? Usually, 2-3 pieces of mini or fun-sized candy or a single full-sized bar is enough. If you have a lot of extra candy near the end of the night, don’t be afraid to let trick-or-treaters grab a handful from the bowl.^{[4]
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- Use a themed bowl to add an extra spooky element. Try an orange and black decorative bowl, a hollowed-out pumpkin, or a prank bowl with a zombie hand that moves when they reach for a piece of candy.

6

Or, hand out candy to control how much kids take.

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Limit how much candy people take if you’re worried about running out. If you’re getting low on candy or just want to make sure your stash lasts through the night, hand the candy out yourself. You can ask kids what candies they want, or just grab 1 or 2 random pieces from your bowl and place them in each trick-or-treater’s bag.
- If there’s a line of trick-or-treaters at your home, handing out candy yourself is also quicker because kids aren’t spending time digging through the bowl.

7

Wish kids a happy Halloween as they leave.

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A spirited goodbye can help trick-or-treaters enjoy the rest of their night. As kids turn thank you and turn to leave, say something like “You’re welcome! Happy Halloween!” or wish them a nice night.
- If you want, you can even give them tips about the rest of the neighborhood, too! For example, you could say something like, “Make sure to go all the way to the end of the block. That house still has a lot of candy left!”

8

Leave candy out if you don’t want to answer your door.

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A self-serve bowl of candy lets kids trick-or-treat without interrupting you. You can still hand out candy even if you’ll be out and about on Halloween night! Turn on your porch light and set a bowl of treats on the front step for trick-or-treaters. Put out a Halloween sign that says “Please take one” to discourage people from grabbing too many.
- If you’ll still be home, watch the candy bowl from inside to monitor what people are taking. If you see someone taking a large amount from the bowl, just pop your head out and ask them to only take a few pieces.

9

Turn off your porch light when you want to stop.

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Turn off the lights when you’re ready to go to bed. When not as many trick-or-treaters are showing up to your home or if you’re just feeling tired, simply turn off your lights to tell kids that you’re done handing out candy for the night.^{[5]
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- When does trick-or-treating end? Trick-or-treating usually ends in the early evening, but it varies on where you live. Look up your area’s trick-or-treating hours online so you know when to stop. Many towns stop trick-or-treating by 9:00pm.
- If someone rings your doorbell after you’ve turned off your lights, you can still answer the door, but you don’t have to. They should assume that you’re not home, or that you’ve gone to sleep.

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Question

How much candy should I pass out on Halloween night?

Community Answer

You should prepare 2-3 big bags of candy beforehand. If each trick-or-treater is given one or two pieces of candy, the candy will last the entire night.

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How can I identify if a child has a food allergy?

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You can ask the child or their guardian directly. Providing a variety of candy options, including non-food treats, helps ensure every child can safely participate. Also, note that a teal pumpkin or bucket often signals that a child has a food allergy, as part of the 'Teal Pumpkin Project'.

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How can I check Halloween candy for safety?

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After trick-or-treating, carefully inspect all candy for signs of tampering. Look for unusual discoloration, strange smells, or anything that appears out of place. Also, check for damaged, torn, or previously opened wrappers. If you notice any of these suspicious signs, it is safest to discard the candy.

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Tips

If you forgot to get candy or just don’t want to have trick-or-treaters come to your home all night, just leave your porch light off or leave out a sign that you’re out of candy.

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Be mindful of kids with food allergies or other conditions that keep them from eating candy. Keep some non-food alternatives to hand out so every kid that stops by can get a treat from you!

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Warnings

Never invite a stranger into your home. If you need to grab more candy, tell them you’ll be right back and close the door.

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