Trying to give out something healthy on Halloween may feel a little like adding a single solar panel to a 5-bedroom home with two SUVs in the garage, but any healthier, greener addition you can make to the evening is worth a little extra effort. So instead of heading to the nearest Wal-Mart, where the universal green labeling system has yet to make its appearance and the sugary treats are far from Fair Trade, organic and healthy, try hitting up your nearest health food store or order online.

For the classically-colored Halloween appearance, we like Sjaak’s Dark Chocolate Orange Bites, which aren’t the cheapest option at $32.95 for a one and a half pound tub, but are well worth what you pay (they’re so good, in fact, that the hardest part will be giving them up to trick-or-treaters). These chocolates are 100% organic, which means you’re not only saving the environment from exposure to pesticides (which is often required in mass quantities for chocolate growing), but that you’ll likely notice a big difference in the flavor of your hand-outs, if taste tests that rank organic chocolate as better tasting are any indication.

Just as important as what you will find in Sjaak’s Dark Chocolate Orange Bites (organic chocolate and gourmet flavors) is what you won’t find in these little foil-wrapped goodies: GMO ingredients, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, and animal ingredients. Click here to read more

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It’s hard to find a reason not to indulge in this Organic and Fair Trade Nib Brittle Dark Chocolate Bar from Theo Chocolate. Dieters can rejoice that dark chocolate has been given the green light as a super food with super health benefits. Studies have shown it can help lower blood pressure, increase free-radical fighting antioxidant levels (thank you flavanols),  improve skin texture and boost it’s resistance to UV rays.

And greenies get to feel good about Theo Chocolate’s confections, too. This bar from the 3400 Phinney collection has a 65% cacao content and contains organic roasted cocoa nibs in sweet and crunchy brittle. Sounds delicious, right? Even more important, it’s made from organic Fair Trade certified cocoa beans from Central America. Choosing organic chocolate is a great idea because you can enjoy your sweet treat knowing that pesticides weren’t used to grow the cocoa beans. Click here to read more

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Part of what holds people back from getting greener is the notion that it will mean sacrificing the things they like to have and the things they like to do;,when in reality what’s needed are modifications of the way we do things and how we buy things. So where some eco-activists might tell you flat-out not to send a no-specific-occasion card to a friend, we’re here to say that if sending a random greeting card to someone you love is something that you love to do or just something that will make their day, do it. Just do it the right way.

We like Seltzer’s simply-designed, slyly-worded cards made with thick, luxurious 100% post-consumer recycled paper and printed using vegetable-based inks, and our current favorite is the Chocolate Buddha card which features minimalist artwork of a serene Buddha meditating on the word chocolate (inside it explains that “the true meaning of life is not so hard to grasp afterall”). Yes, the card might be aimed a little more specifically at women, but it’ll please a range of people (we certainly know a few men who can really appreciate a good bar of the dark Madagascar variety). Click here to read more

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Daily Greenz #59   

With Natural Collection, you can avoid the requisite exchanging of bad gifts this year. The website offers a wide array of eco-friendly products from green gadgets to fairly traded jewelry and organic chocolates. Not only will you look good giving gifts that help the environment, but you can do it with a clear conscience, too! Check out gifts at naturalcollection.com.

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Daily Greenz #39

The organic harvest collection from Organic Bouquet is a gift basket with something for everyone.

This all organic fruit assortment includes organic oranges, dessert pears and apples. Enjoy them with handmade white cheddar cheese, crostini crackers, Davidson American Organic Teas  and a premium organic chocolate bar. The basket also comes with an array of nuts and dried fruit, blueberry jam, toffee and honey sticks. With all this organic goodness, the Organic Harvest Gift Basket is perfect for anyone on your list.

Food, flowers and plants from the Organic Bouquet site are certified by Quality Assurance International (QAI), a USDA accredited agency that verifies their products are grown sustainably.

The pictured gift basket costs $112.95; visit organicbouquet.com for more information.

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