Mata intern, Michelle, has some advice for a fair trade Halloween.
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It’s one of the few times that we can all tap into our inner child, dress up, and eat lots of candy. And who doesn’t love candy? But recently I learned that much of the chocolate handed out to children on Halloween is produced using child labor. (For more information, click here.) Let’s ensure that all children have a truly happy Halloween by supporting fair trade chocolate producers and avoiding chocolate that uses child labor.
How about making your own fair trade chocolate covered caramels?
For Caramel: For Chocolate Covering:
1 1/2 cups fair trade brown sugar 1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup milk 25 grams fair trade chocolate
6 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
Melt chocolate and honey in a saucepan over boiling water. Set aside.
Combine sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla in a pot and boil. Lower heat and cover for 3 minutes.
Uncover and allow to boil until mixture reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour into a pan lined with foil that has been greased.
Pour melted chocolate mixture on top. Allow to cool naturally.
Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Need to buy some fair trade chocolate? Check out Green America’s chocolate scorecard. The following responsible chocolate companies sell chocolate minis – perfect for handing out to your trick-or-treaters this Halloween:
Alter-Eco Chocolate Minis: alterecofoods.com/products/chocolate
Coco-Zen Chocolate “Halloween shapes” & Minis: coco-zen.com
Divine Chocolate Medallions: divinechocolateusa.com
Endangered Species Chocolate Organic Bites: chocolatebar.com
Equal Exchange Organic Chocolate Minis: equalexchange.coop/chocolate-bars
Mama Ganache Scary Skulls, Mini Pumpkins, & Chocolate Disks: mama-ganache.com
Have a happy Halloween!!