Last Updated October 1, 2024

Halloween was my favorite holiday growing up. I loved dressing up and all the fun creative decorating that goes along with Halloween.

Unfortunately, like most over “consumerized” holidays, Halloween can come with a lot of plastic. One report estimates that retailers sell 300,000 tons of candy during Halloween week. That is A LOT of plastic candy wrapper. What can you do to avoid plastic during Halloween? Great question. Same thing we do to avoid it in general. By searching the bulk bins, shopping second-hand, and getting creative! Follow these tips for a plastic-free Halloween!

Plastic-Free Candy

Finding candy that’s completely plastic-free is difficult. Especially, when looking for individually portioned pieces and on a budget. But here are some options.

Bulk Section Candy

The bulk section can be hit or miss for Halloween candy. While I’ve seen foil wrapped peanut butter cups before, not all bulk bins carry the same items. Also, because of COVID, your local bulk bins might still be closed. But it’s worth checking out if you’re already there.

Look for foil or wax-paper wrapped items. By getting them in the bulk bins you avoid the large plastic bag they’d normally be packaged in! Plus, you decide how much you purchase. Here’s some wax paper wrapped taffy:

For a reminder on how to shop in bulk, check out this post:

Ghiradelli Chocolate Bars

Ghiradelli chocolate bars are foil wrapped and then packaged in a thick paperboard. But they are not cheap. So, unless you only have a few trick-or-treaters, have a large budget, or want to be the block hero this option doesn’t work for everyone. I still remember as a kid the house that would give king-sized candy bars…we talked about that house for weeks after Halloween!

Bags of Candy

You can find all these options at any big chain store, but it will come in a plastic bag. This is the next best option–just one large plastic bag instead of lots of tiny plastic wrappers in addition to a large plastic bag. Each of these items are individually wrapped in a non-plastic material.

First, we have the paper box option. This includes Milk Duds, Junior Mints, Nerds, etc.

Next, we have the foil wrapped option. These include Reese’s peanut butter cups, Rolos, and Hershey Kisses.

Finally, we have the wax paper wrapped options. These include Tootsie rolls, Tootsie pops, Starburst and etc.

Non-Candy Options

You can also consider giving non-candy options. I remember getting pencils as a child. With so much candy, a pencil can be a novelty, especially when it has the right characters on it. I’m pretty sure if you stick to Marvel Super Heroes and other well-known characters you’ll have happy trick-or-treaters.

For more options for Halloween treats, check out this post:

Decorations

Pumpkins and dried corn make great decorations and they can last you through Thanksgiving! After that they can be composted. We had a pumpkin that lasted us until March!

Also, skip the fake spider webs when decorating outdoors. Not only can birds and insects become tangled in them but they’re also made of plastic.

If you’re crafty, you can make ghosts out of an old sheet or T-shirt, or paper bats to hang on the walls. Or search your local thrift store for spooky decorations you can’t make.

For more on Halloween decorations, check out this post:

Costumes

A Halloween costume is usually worn once and then pushed to the back of the closet until you move. It’s wasteful and takes up closet space! To top it off, most costumes are made from cheap synthetic materials like polyester which is essentially plastic. As I mentioned in 5 Ways to Reduce Microplastic Pollution, synthetic materials shed plastic microfibers when washed. So, what are some of the best ways to avoid plastic when searching for a costume?

Similar to the steps I talked about in 11 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Wardrobe, if you need a costume, don’t start by running to Party City or searching on Amazon. Instead of buying a new costume, first check your closet. Is there something you can put together to make a costume?

Grab black pants, a black shirt, black gloves and tie a black shirt over your head and voila, you’re Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala! The best part is there’s a face mask built into your costume! 😛 Robyn Schall wasn’t dressing up for Halloween but I thought her video was hilarious:

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A post shared by Robyn Schall (@robynschallcomic)

If that’s not your style, there are plenty of people or characters you can be wearing all black clothes and simple additions including:

• Former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg
• Former Tech CEO Elizabeth Holmes
• Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s
• Wednesday from the Adams Family

Or last year I try raided my child’s sticker drawer and put them on my face to be Olivia Rodrigo on her Sour album!

If you keep a minimal closet and can’t find anything, try a friend’s closet? Maybe you have a friend that loves Renaissance Fairs or goes to Comic Con every year. I was in color guard in high school and had a gorgeous white toga dress with flames painted on the bottom. It came in handy during college for the one toga party I attended!

If your friends are no help, try making a costume. One year my friends and I dressed up like the Fanta Girls or “Fantanas“. All homemade costumes.

Yes, I’m holding a plastic bottle. This was 2005 and I’m allowed a past life, and yes, Orange is a dude. 😛

Finally, if you’ve exhausted all the closets, and aren’t too crafty, try secondhand shopping. My local thrift store had two huge racks full of Halloween costumes. And they were generally $5 – 10! That’s less than half what you would spend buying a new costume.

This Victorian vampire costume was only $9.99! Best of all, no plastic packaging, no shipping costs or waste!

I also found this adorable penguin costume:

And a small Spiderman costume:

Party

If you’re throwing a Halloween Party, consider these tips:

• Pick handheld foods like tacos, sandwiches, or pizza so you don’t need utensils
• Serve individual desserts such as cupcakes, donuts, and cookies, instead of a cake which will require utensils
• Serve food on reusable plates
• Serve drinks in reusable cups
• Choose drinks in glass bottles or aluminum cans
• Set up a bussing station for people to drop off their dirty dishes
• Put a recycling bin and compost bin out

For more ideas on a plastic-free party, check out this post:

What do you think? Can you have a Plastic-Free Halloween? What are your ideas for avoid waste during Halloween? Tell me in the comments!

For related and random posts, check out:

• Plastic-Free Dental Care
• 5 Ways to Upcycle Pumpkins