How to Check Your Halloween Candy

How

Halloween is just a few weeks away, and children are already getting ready for this fun and scary day. One of the biggest traditions of Halloween is going trick-or-treating. Although this activity seems harmless, there are many things to watch out for! One of the main things is the candy. In the past, there have been cases where candy have been tampered with. People have found razors and needles in their treats, and there are stories about candy being poisoned. To prevent your Halloween from becoming too much of a real scare, here is a list of things to check for before devouring your Halloween candy.

Before Trick or Treating

	Do not eat candy while trick or treating Encourage kids not to eat any candy while they are trick-or-treating. This will prevent them from consuming any candy that you haven't personally checked for them.
	Eat a meal before trick-or-treating If kids have a meal before they go out to trick-or-treat, they will not be hungry, and will be less likely to eat any of the treat that they get.
	Children under 12 should have an adult accompany them If kids are less than 12 years old, make sure they have someone 18 or older to accompany them while they go trick-or-treating. Every child should have an emergency contact's information on them.

How to Check Your Halloween Candy

	Examine for candy that is not in its original packaging Sometimes, it is extremely obvious that candy has been repackaged. If any of the candy looks like it is not in its original package, throw it out.
	Throw away candy that have loose wrappers If candy has loose wrapping, not only can it have been tampered with (and not re-wrapped properly), but it is also more susceptible to contamination.
	Do not eat any fruits or homemade treats unless you know who made it Although homemade foods are ideally healthier, you don't know what ingredients go into them. It is also a lot easier to get food poisonign than you think, so try not to eat any unless you personally know the person or what it is made of.
	Watch out for any abnormal bumps underneath the wrapping Stray away from candies that seem to have abnormal bumps beneath the wrapping. There may be items in the candy that you don't want to be there.
	Look for any rips or holes on the wrapper This can be a sign that someone has tampered with the candy. Even if it isn't, it is not safe to eat candy that has been exposed.
	If possible, always check for the expiration date Always check to see if there is an expiration date on your candy. If there is, make sure that it hasn't already passed. Someone people may just pass out candy that has been sitting around their house for a while, not knowing that is is already expired.
	Avoid candy brands that you are unfamiliar with It's always better to be safe than sorry! If you do not know a candy brand, avoid eating it. There are a lot of foreign candies that have not pass FDA regulations.
	Avoid candies that are in twist wrappers Similar to candy that is not in its original packaging, twist wrappers are easy to tamper with without any signs.
	For smaller children, remove choking hazards such as gum, hard candy, and candies with nuts Younger children may not know that these candies are dangerous for them. Make sure you check for anything that may present as a choking hazard for them.
	Be aware of your children's allergies Take note of everything that your child is allergic too and make sure the person who is taking him/her to trick-or-treat knows them as well. Many candies have certain fruits or nuts, so make sure your child is not allergic to any of it.