Trick-or-treating is the best fun a kid can have on Halloween.

When we reach the teenage years, or beyond, we are too old to go door to door asking for candy on Halloween.

This is the best alternative to traditional trick-or-treating:

Here is a great way to have as much fun as trick-or-treating, while making a difference.

It includes all the best elements of trick-or-treating: friends, costumes and asking neighbors for treats.

Minus the candy.

Trick-or-treating for canned goods to donate to the food bank. 

Yep, we simply asked the folks we were trick-or-treating for canned goods. We explained that we’ll be donating the food to the food bank. Everyone we asked had some extra canned goods right in their cupboard and were happy to help. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s perfect timing.

We borrowed a grocery cart from a neighborhood thrift store. They were happy to loan it. And when we were done with our Halloween shenanigans, we returned it. Just ask. It’s that simple.

If it seems like acquiring a grocery cart is a pain, don’t worry, it’s not necessary. Simply use reusable cloth grocery bags.

This is not necessarily fun for only grown ups either.

Kids can do it too! Instead of traditional trick-or treating they can trick-or-treat for canned goods. Who really needs all that candy anyway?

When we trick-or-treated for canned good last Halloween, we filled up the entire grocery cart, returned the cart and donated the canned good to a local food bank. They couldn’t have been more pleased and we had the time of our life.

Because trick-or-treating does not have to be something we outgrow.

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Relephant:

We’re Never Too Old for Fun: Halloween Edition.

Author: Ashleigh Hitchcock

Photo: courtesy of author, Elephant Journal