5 Healthy and Fun Halloween Treats
Who says Halloween has to be unhealthy? (Photos: Demand Media Studios)
After Christmas, Halloween is the next most popular holiday of the year. Why? One word: Candy! Americans spend more than $2 billion dollars on Halloween treats, according to IBISWorld. About three-quarters of U.S. homes will be handing out candy (or other goodies) to pint-sized pirates and princesses, and some 72 percent of both young and old say chocolate is their all-time favorite Halloween treat. This year, try these five goblin and ghoul-pleasing treats – and a few tricks – that aren’t (nutritionally) scary.
1. Treats for Toys and Treasures
After kids have a chance to take stock and revel in all of their Halloween treats, some parents offer a trade-in program that includes the option of selling some of their candy back for money or toys or other things their child really wants. For example, you could say that every 10 or 20 pieces given up, equals a new toy. As an added bonus, you can create an event out of packaging up their extra candy and taking it to a local children’s hospital, homeless shelter or food kitchen. Ghoulishly Great Bonus: Getting children involved in giving back can be a great life lesson.
2. In the Dark … Chocolate
Dark chocolate naturally contains more beneficial antioxidants and less added sugars – that’s why it has a stronger flavor and is less sweet than milk chocolate. While the vast majority of miniature and fun-size chocolates are made with milk chocolate, there are a few dark options for those in the know.
Related: 10 Low-Sugar Treats for No-Guilt Snacking
For example, Endangered Species Non-GMO Project Verified Dark Chocolate Bug Bites is one of the best picks. Ghoulishly Great Facts: Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Bug Bites (one piece) 50 calories, 2.5 grams of saturated fat and 2.5 grams of sugar.
3. Haunted Hershey’s Kisses
Hershey’s Kisses are a great option for Halloween because of their diminutive portion size. Choose Kisses with Almonds as you’ll get the nutrients present in almonds in addition to the chocolate. Ghoulishly Great Facts: Hershey’s Kisses (one piece) 20 calories, one gram of fat and 2.5 grams of sugar.
4. Bloodcurdling Bunny Grahams
Perfect for tiny hands, Annie’s Bunny Graham Friends snack packs are delicious Honey, Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate grahams with a crispy crunch made with eight grams of whole grains and two grams of protein per pack. Ghoulishly Great Facts: Annie’s Bunny Graham Friends (one-ounce pack) 120 calories, four grams of fat (zero grams of saturated fat) and seven grams of sugar.
Related: The 11 Coffee Drinks You Should Avoid
5. Frightening Fruit Leathers
Kiddos are accustomed to receiving sweet goodies on Halloween but that doesn’t mean they have to be chock-full of questionable ingredients. Stretch Island Fruit Leathers are made with fruit purees (and that’s it). Each strip has a quarter-cup of fruit. They’re available in sweet and tart flavors including Autumn Apple, Abundant Apricot, Ripened Raspberry, Harvest Grape and Orchard Cherry. Ghoulishly Great Facts: Stretch Island Fruit Co. Fruit Leathers (one strip) about 50 calories, 10 grams of fiber and zero grams of fat.
The original article “10 Healthy and Fun Halloween Treats to Hand Out“ appeared on LIVESTRONG.COM.
By Julie Upton, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D.
More from LIVESTRONG.COM:
The Ultimate Guide to Natural Sweeteners
