Anybody handing out popcorn balls wrapped in wax paper? Caramel apples? Home-baked cookies or brownies?
I’ve never had the verve to do it, but I remember LOVING the homemade popcorn balls when I was a kid. My parents didn’t make them, so they were a rare, once-a-year treat.
My mom made me throw out any any homemade treats after trick or treating. That was in the 1970’s.
I can’t imagine any parent allowing a kid to eat homemade sweets unless it came from a very trusted friend or neighbor.
A shame because it would be fun handing out caramel apples. I used to make them with my kids when they were young.
There was an old couple on the street behind us that always handed out two homemade cookies in a sandwich baggie. I never had a problem letting my kid eat them, and saw plenty of other kids munching them too.
Homemade treats would probably be a hit with people we actually know, or are at least in nodding acquaintance with, but would most likely get thrown out by everyone else.
We had to throw out all fruit, homemade treats, pixie sticks we got in our bags. Too many razor blades in apples and all that.
Wasn’t the “razor blades in food stuffs” an urban legend debunked by snopes? If I remember correctly, the only people to ever pull that stunt were actual relatives of the targeted kids.
As to the OP, when I was small there was an older woman down my street who made popcorn balls. That’s the only time I ever got those and boy, did I love her for it.
Ever find any?
Nah, never found any problem goodies.
It is interesting that parents will shy away from natural goodies at halloween from their neighbors, but they and their kids will glom up whatever’s being served in the grocery store aisles on Saturday mornings from a complete stranger.
I don’t think my neighbors would be too freaked out. I may try it next year … Rice Krispie treats or something with a little sticker that says “made by PandaBear77” or or something.
I don’t think it’d be much a problem - a moot point since nobody trick-or-treats in this area anyway. (The mall is warm, snow-free, and offers kids the lowest door-to-door time of anywhere).
As a kid I can only recall a few neighbours putting in the effort to do that. The one that did it the longest made some great caramel popcorn balls in plastic sandwich bags, with one of those little return address labels in it for any touchy parents.
I would only give homemade stuff to the kids whose families we know well. I wouldn’t bother with people we don’t really know because I’m sure they would throw it out.
IMHO it is not done any more. Parents may politely allow people to put these things in the trick-or-treat bag, but as soon as they get home, the loot gets sorted and anything not sealed in a factory get’s chucked. Standard practice for as long as I can remember, even tho it is a nice gesture. People providing treats pretty much know this by now, and do not waste their efforts with apples, etc. Think about if a lot of people did it, you would not be able to remember who provided what, and who was trustworthy and all that.
My kids are nearing the edge of the age of not wanting to trick-or-treat any more (favoring parties), and I do/did the above. I also throw away anything I do not want them to consume (due to it’s sugary or nastiness factor), sealed or not.
I don’t have kids yet so my opinion might change, but I’d have no problem letting my kid eat homemade treats.
I personally am way too lazy to ever do it myself but perhaps it’s a good idea if it means the kids won’t actually get to enjoy the candy.
Muahahaha.
Back when my kids were trick-or-treating, if I had served home-baked goodies, somebody would’ve called the cops on me.
Glad to see things have changed (or been different all along in other places).
Um, pretty freaked out; considering the fact that since I’ve moved into my neighborhood I’ve done nothing but darken my house and close my blinds on Halloween (and thus giving out nothing). So I would think most of the parents would intervene and not even let their kids keep my “treats”, fearing some wicked plot to poison the snot-nosed little fucks. 
For a non-American here, for those that have answered in the negative, why would you not let them eat something homemade?
Is it it really from some fear of poisoning? Deliberately or just accidental food poisoning fears?
There are some links up-thread to snopes and other sites; basically, back in the 80’s there was a huge urban legend of people putting razorblades and pins and needles and poison into apples and other non-packaged candy. I can’t read those links from work, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a total urban legend.
No, for me it’s a cleanliness thing. I have no idea how clean the neighbors keep their kitchens so it just squicks me out a little.
I first read this as if you gave out hand goodies for Halloween… like fingers.