Healthier Halloween TreatsBy Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers Whether your little pumpkin is still on a liquid diet or has discovered that there are even sweeter things in life, you're sure to be handing out treats this Halloween - unless you plan to scare off the little neighbors who come knocking. .If you don’t feel like contributing to tooth decay, consider giving healthier, less sugar-loaded treats to the kids (your baby's going to be one of them soon!).Halloween treats do not have to be sugar-loaded Here are some suggestions for tasty, sugar-free treats• Naturally flavored and sweetened gun or sugar-free gum • Small bags of pretzels • Small packages of nuts or raisins • Peanuts in the shell • Fruit-Roll Ups • Granola bars • Natural candies from your local natural food store are pricey but healthy. You'll find quite a variety lightly sweetened with rice syrup and other unrefined sweeteners. Halloween treats do not have to be edibleMany families are opting to hand out a non-food treat. With a little bit of thought and some clever shopping at your local dollar store or online, you can find some really nice items for a few cents each. Here are few ideas (just remember not to give any small items to children under age three):• Cool stickers or temporary tattoos • Halloween balloons, you can even rent a helium tanks and fill them on the spot • Crayons, pencils, colored chalk or fun-shaped erasers • Whistles or noise makers • Rubber spiders, worms, or other equally creepy figure • Spider, skull, or pumpkin plastic rings Halloween treats do not have to be store-boughtIf you live in a neighborhood with close friends, this is a great approach. (Most parents are trained to go through the Halloween candy and throw out anything unwrapped or homemade, so if you don't know the local families, only offer store-bought treats.). You can make bite-size cookies and bag them. Add your name and phone number to each bag; if the parent recognizes your name, they will most likely consider your treats safe.Here's a treat you can make at home and offer visitors of all ages (as long as they are well into solids). It also works as a great treat for a morning Halloween party at your child’s day care or preschool. Pumpkin cream-cheese apple slicesBeat in a bowl:8 ounces softened cream cheese2 tablespoons brown sugar1/2 cup of canned pumpkin½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spiceServe with toasted bagels and fresh apple slices. For a really special treat idea, think Customized! In Our Shop, you can use any family picture to make a box of ten unique photo lollipops or Rice Krispie treats! Still sweating that Halloween costume? We've got 8 Great Baby Costumes You Can Make Yourself!