Candy, gumdrops, sugar highs, tooth decay, sticky fingers—oh my! October 31st maybe the night when goblins, witches and ghosts pop out of the woods, but it does not have to be the time to spoil your healthy eating habits. True, one candy bar won’t pop the button off your costume, but indulging in the many sweet treats this time of year—pumpkin pies, chocolate bars, candy apples, apple cider—can loosen the belt a notch.
Here are a few healthy Halloween party snacks that will make skipping the candy easier:
Go nuts
So, you’re a peanut butter and chocolate fan? How about cutting out half the calories and tossing in some nutritional value by omitting the chocolate and going for the nuts? No, it's not a crazy idea. Peanuts have the omega-3 fatty acids which are good fuel to stimulate the brain—a perfect treat for big or little monsters. Plus, peanuts are unprocessed foods, meaning no artificial sweeteners, no added sugars and no fillers—all natural and festive at the same time. Just set out a few bowls of nuts or pass out bagged peanuts (still in their shells) to the guests at your Halloween bash.
Deep seeded nutrition
Craving pumpkins this holiday season? Go for it! There are a lot of perks to pumpkin-lovin'. For one, pumpkins are a blank canvas waiting to be transformed into Jack-O-Lanterns; and second, the seeds found inside Mr. Jack-O-Lantern are yummy and healthy! Consider roasting up a batch of the pumpkin seeds with a dash of salt, a hint of cinnamon and a touch of agave nectar to use for a goulish good-time treat. Howstuffworks.com lists pumpkins seeds as a substitute snack instead of the typical candy choice. According to the site, pumpkin seeds are pumping with magnesium and zinc—which means that your party guests or tricker –or- treaters will be strengthening their brains and muscles with each seed digested.
Healthy bars
Okay, so nuts and seeds can be good, but they really aren't the same as biting into a candy bar. How about biting into a granola bar or all-natural protein bar instead? Sure, you'll need to read the label when it comes to any bar—just because a bar's supposed to be healthy doesn’t mean it really is (many bars are high in sugar). Howstuffworks.com suggests reaching for Clif or Kashi brand cereal bars—these bars have chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, and more packed inside each bar. Odwalla Bars are another healthy choice. Whichever option you choose, bars are great alternatives for sweet and tasty snacks. And if you choose them wisely, they can be rich in both fiber and protein.
Cookie monsters
It turns out that chocolate and peanut butter can be a healthy match made in the cemetery if you have the right recipe. Alicia Silverstone’s recipe for a healthy cookie called, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups is a healthy alternative to everyone’s favorite candy combination. These cups have the flavorful taste found in a traditional Reese Peanut Butter Cup, but with more wholesome ingredients. Silverstone’s recipe calls for low sugar graham crackers, low fat peanut butter, soy milk, and chopped nuts of choice. With essentially no oven cook time these peanut butter delights will be ready faster than you can say Hocus Pocus.
Need one more sweet treat idea for your Halloween guests? Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroons are the perfect goody to indulge in after a night of spookable fun. At 60 calories a pop and less than three grams of fat, what witch wouldn't want to bake herself a batch? These macaroons are made from egg whites, unsweetened chocolate, hazelnut fibers and a tad cup of sugar—creating these prime chocolaty treats will trump any Kit Kat candy bar!
Header image credit: WordRidden, http://www.flickr.com/photos/wordridden/284901102/sizes/z/
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