Are you excited for Halloween but tired of handing out the same types of candy year after year? If this seems familiar to you, I have several ideas to make this Halloween season unique and healthy.
As a dairy farmer, I wanted to do something unique to promote our industry, as well as to support fellow local farmers. While children seem to enjoy receiving candy, it is typically all that they get, so a change in treat might be just as enjoyable for them as the receiver, as it is for you the giver this season!
A couple of years ago, as I was preparing for Halloween, I had the idea that I wanted to be able to incorporate my love for the dairy industry into my Halloween treat, to not only provide a different type of treat for the kids but more often a healthier treat, all while advocating for, sharing and supporting the farm industry. That year in particular, I handed out yogurt tubes, pudding cups and string cheese. All of these items were a huge hit with the children. Many of the kids had them opened as soon as they received them. Not only do these types of treats serve as an easy snack while out trick-or-treating, but they can also easily be put in lunches throughout the week following Halloween. In subsequent years, I’ve switched it up a bit and have done individual bottles of milk paired with cookies or granola bars.
As a dairy producer, I tend to incorporate dairy however and whenever possible. There are also several other ways to be different in your treat giving this year while supporting other local producers. Some ideas for that include: apples, flavored honey sticks, apple cider chugs or even pair up with a local farm market and provide coupons to be redeemed for a bakery item, ice cream pint, etc. Not only are these very unique treats for the kids, but local producers are also being supported and their business name and product are getting more circulation.
Not only have I deviated from the typical Halloween treats the past few years, but I have been able to have several conversations with consumers because of my “different” treats as well. Most commonly, these conversations begin from them commenting on the different treat, which allows me to explain to them my involvement with farming and specifically the dairy industry. More often than not, this leads into several questions about my cows, about farming and about products that we as farmers produce.
Consumers are genuinely curious about how and where their food comes from. No matter if it’s a simple question such as “How much water does a cow drink in a day?” or a more complex question like “What are the percentages of each ingredient in a cow’s diet?” being able to make this connection for them from food to table is an opportunity I will never take for granted.
Many children and their families are not directly related to farms. With that, I feel it is extremely important to do whatever we can to support the individual farmers and the products they produce and sell. Not only are we supporting individuals and their families who dedicate their lives to feeding us, but we are also helping to bridge the gap on informing consumers where these products come from.
Some children may never get the chance on their own to go pick farm-fresh apples or get a specialty flavored milk chug, but if we provide these products for them or vouchers to go get them, it may be the perfect opportunity to open the door for educating on farm to table.
