Sun-Maid Is Still Trying To Make Halloween Raisins A Thing

When you think back to your days of trick-or-treating, your mind probably casts back to the extreme highs and lows on the block: the house that gave out full chocolate bars or cans of soda, the houses that actually trusted neighborhood kids to heed the "take one" sign taped to the bowl on the porch, and of course, the family that gave out little boxes of raisins instead of candy in some futile attempt to keep the holiday healthy. Even the family handing out pennies was preferable to the raisin people.

But Sun-Maid's not going anywhere this October. In fact, according to a press release, the company is only getting more creative in marketing raisins as a hot Halloween must-have:

Just in time for the traditionally candy-filled holiday, Sun-Maid reveals a whole new alternative to chocolate peanut butter cups – raisins made covered in peanut butter flavor for its yogurt-covered raisin treats – in both Chocolate and Peanut Butter Yogurt as well as PB&J flavor mashups. For those looking for a festive addition to a treat bag or bowl – Sun-Maid is also releasing limited edition glow-in-the-dark packaging for its Sour Raisin Snacks in a variety of flavors, and yogurt covered raisins.

So, we've got yogurt-covered raisins in multiple flavors, and sour raisin snacks in a fluorescent bag, both of which are (presumably) preferable to receiving a lump of plain raisins in a tiny cardboard box. From a sugar perspective, raisins aren't that much better than candy to begin with, and adding both sour and yogurt coatings (?) really doesn't sell them as the healthier alternative. You do get to say you provided fruit, though, so Sun-Maid is at least providing some festive straws for parents to grasp at.

The press release also asked real moms to share some fun alternatives to trick-or-treating, such as hanging treats from a clothesline in the yard and having kids pluck them from the clothespins instead of a bucket. Whether or not this is a useful suggestion from a public health standpoint, it would be cute to watch kids leap up to grab at candy just out of reach.