The Ultimate List of Eco-Friendly Halloween Candies

Happy Spooky Season! One of the scariest things about the holidays is the amount of waste that comes with the celebrations. So, let’s talk about how to avoid some of that waste this year with some eco-friendly candy options!

Before we get too far into it, I highly encourage you to shop small where possible. Smaller brands are inherently better for the planet and you can learn more about that in this video.

Plus, Nestle, Cadbury, Hershey, all of those big candy makers are notorious for slave and unethical labor. It’s best to avoid that as much as possible for obvious reasons.

Not to mention, it’s near impossible to find the perfect brand. Some brands aren’t vegan, some brands still use plastic, some still use palm oil, some aren’t certified B-Corp or Fairtrade. It’s a lot to ask a brand to be 100% perfect so pick what resonates with you a find a brand that meets your personal standards.

What is zero waste anyway?

I feel like this needs to be a disclaimer, if not, many of you would read this and think “why in the world is Emma recommending candy in plastic?!”

That’s because zero waste is broad. I also use it interchangeably with things like eco and low waste. You can learn more about the nuance of zero waste in this video.

So, that means some of these will be eco in terms of packaging. Maybe they’re made of bioplastic or fully recyclable or even package-free!

It might also mean it’s eco in terms of ingredients but not necessarily packaging. Perhaps it’s vegan or is certified Fairtrade or maybe even made from food waste.

That being said, I wanted to make this list as inclusive as possible in terms of what you have access to, what your priorities are, and quite frankly, what kind of candy you like!

At the end of the day, most conventional candy is going to be packaged in non-recyclable plastic. Still, enjoy that candy if you prefer, but please don’t wishcycle it. Don’t place it in your recycling bin!

Bulk candy?

First, let’s talk about bulk candy. This isn’t the most sanitary option for trick-or-treat. I wouldn’t want to dip my hands into a bowl followed by a grubby child or someone who is sick. But, I do like this option for at-home use. If you just want to snack on candy this Halloween season, head to the bulk store to get the most eco-candy available. It’s package free and you can probably find something vegan, low cost, and perhaps even Fairtrade since most bulk stores focus on all aspects of sustainability.

But how do I find a bulk store? You can head to Google Maps and search for things like “bulk store” or “refill store” or “zero waste store” in your area. Or you can try the Eco Rate app to find one near you.

That being said, bulk stores are still not all that common nor are they a great option if you’re passing out candy for trick-or-treat. So let’s see what other candy options you might have available locally or that you could order online.

Eco-friendly packaging

If you know me, you know I love to dive into as much nuance as I can. And this category is nuanced. Every single type of packaging we are about to discuss has its own pros and cons. You can learn more about them in this video.

But there are a few categories here:

paper
foil
the least amount of packaging
Bioplastic

First, paper packaging. This is even common amongst mainstream brands like Milk Duds, Mike & Ikes, Sweet Tarts, and more. But, as I say all the time, it’s best to shop small. These brands just HAPPEN to be in paper. They don’t care about the environment.

So, here are some eco brands that come in paper:

Alter Eco chocolate bars (and aluminum, too): $4.50 each
Jcoco chocolates (and aluminum, too): $12 each
Simply Gum: $16 for a 6-pack
Glee Gum has many flavors: $16 a box

Next, metal packaging. This is your most recyclable option, but even then, it has to be clean and foil has to be crumpled into a ball around the size of your fist in order to be recycled correctly. As always, check your local rules for recycling. Some options here might be Reese’s cups minis (though they still contain that little wax liner, too), gold coins, or other small foil-wrapped chocolates.

Here are some brands on the eco-side:

Simply Mints: $16 for a 6-pack

You could also opt for candy that has the least amount of packaging. I’ve seen some candy that is situated in a hard plastic shell and then individually wrapped and then wrapped in a larger bag. So much waste! So, browse the shelf for a bag of candy that contains the least amount of packaging like Dum-Dums. They only contain a paper stick and a wax paper wrapper. Neither of these is recyclable, but paper is not a terrible material and it is quite small compared to other brands.

Lastly here is bioplastic. This is not going to be commonly found with brands like Twizzlers or M&Ms, but it is quite common amongst eco-brands. Mars Candy actually debuted a bioplastic-wrapped Snickers bar in Europe in 2016 (?!?) which was news to me! I’m still unsure if their current wrappers are bioplastic, though. But, it’s still not a great brand so here are a few examples of eco-brands that use bioplastic packaging:

Alter Eco truffles (paper box and individually wrapped in bioplastic): $55 for 60 truffles
Climate Candy (more about them below)

Made from food waste

Food waste is a huge problem which you can learn more about in this video. So, let’s do our part at home to reduce food waste and also support brands who are doing the same!

If you want to try your hand at making candy at home, might I suggest candied citrus peels? They are so easy to make and taste like sour candy. There are plenty of recipes online that I follow. What a great way to eat a part of the fruit you normally throw out!

A brand I have loved for years is Climate Candy. They rescue unused candies from farms and turn them into candies that are not only planet-friendly but are not so bad for your health since they contain real fruit. Enjoy them for $30 for a 12-pack!
Looking for a savory option? Check out Confetti Snacks. They also use food waste but instead, dehydrate rescued veggies into snack chips. You can get 36 mini packs for $108 (a little expensive…).
Spudsy makes potato chips from rescued potatoes and sweet potatoes. They’re currently out of stock so I’m not sure the price!
Eat Candid uses food waste but they also use eco-friendly packaging and are vegan. Check out this cool brand for $7 a bag
Pulp Pantry makes food waste chips, a great savory option for trick-or-treaters, starting at $20 for 8 snack bags

Vegan

Choosing vegan food is fundamentally better for the planet than non-vegan. Plus, I know many of you ARE vegan and want some options. You can check out this full list here from several years ago that contains many mainstream brands that are vegan. A few of these options are:

Smarties
Oreos
Swedish Fish
Twizzlers
Sour Patch Kids
Dots (yay for paper!)
Skittles
and more!

But, as always, let’s shop small as much as possible with these brands:

Natural Candy Store has many individually wrapped vegan candies for all holiday occasions starting at $3 a piece
Yum Earth is totally vegan and also certified organic. Plus, they have candies for all occasions all year round such as suckers, gummies, and more starting at $7 a bag
Unreal Foods are also completely vegan AND Fairtrade AND gluten-free! They have candies for all events starting at $10 a bag
Surf Sweets is not only vegan but also allergen friendly, dyed naturally, and certified organic. I like this option for all your fruity and gummy needs starting at $6 a bag

Fairtrade or other certification

You may be wondering what all of these certifications mean: Fairtrade, Organic, B Corp, and more. Well, good news, I break it down fully in this video. In short, these certifications help ensure that companies are true to their word about their commitments to the planet and people. It certifies that your candy is made ethically and environmentally responsibly. These certifications are great to look for on all your products all year long!

I would be surprised to find any mainstream brands in this category. They’re mainstream and so cheap because they cut corners. So, here are some small and ethical brands to support this Halloween:

Equal Exchange chocolate minis are certified Organic, plus their dark chocolate is vegan: $42 for 150 mini bars
Ocho Candy is certified Fairtrade with several vegan options starting at $4 a pack
Tony’s Chocolonely is Fairtrade committed to ending chocolate farming slave labor and offers full size and mini chocolate bars starting at $6 for 14 pieces
Sun & Swell makes fun treat bars in flavors like brownie and apple pie perfect for fall. They are vegan and certified B Corp starting at $22 for 12 bars
Candy Kittens are certified B-corp and palm oil-free for $60 for a variety pack
TCHO chocolates are also B-corp certified and are $12 a bar
Smart Sweets are certified organic at $30 for a pack of 12
Black Forest gummy bears are also organic at a variety of prices for a variety of sizes

Non-candy things you can pass out

You simply don’t have to pass out candy to avoid the waste. But if you still want that community aspect of trick-or-treat, try passing out something else! My friend Krys did this last year: pass out mini sodas and water bottles! Yes, the mini water bottles are still plastic, but hey, at least they’re recyclable! To really ensure that your items will get recycled, offer up a trash and recycling station in your driveway or on your porch to help reduce litter in your neighborhood and also encourage proper recycling.

Another idea is to pass out whole fruits like apples, oranges, kiwis, and more. Are kids going to love this? Probably not. I’d be curious to see how popular it is. Though I did see on TikTok last year some guy passing out whole potatoes and the kids when nuts over it. Maybe he was onto something.

You could also pass out anything that is useful such as Halloween-themed mini notepads, pencils, and things of that nature. Avoid junk items like plastic rings and cheap toys that will break or not be used long-term.

Recycling candy waste

I said up top that candy wrappers cannot be recycled…curbside, that is. They CAN be recycled through programs like Terracycle. Terracycle is a company that recycled odds and ends. The catch is you have to order a box, collect the items, and mail it in yourself. If you’re dedicated enough, this is a really cool option to reduce candy waste. You could even set up the bin in your driveway this trick-or-treat and collect wrappers for your whole neighborhood!

Get your recycling box here!

Once again, PLEASE do not wishcycle and put these wrappers in your curbside recycling bin. I know the environmental guilt is telling you to do that, but wishcycling does more harm than good. Just throw it away and take another eco-action to offset the waste if that will help clear your conscious a bit. No one is perfect, don’t sweat a little plastic waste for some happiness.