The season of trick or treating and wearing scary costumes is just around the corner. Although Halloween doesn't scream health, you can keep its essence of sweetness yet hand out healthy, fun Halloween treats without feeling guilty.
If you're trying to avoid tempting seasonal sweets, it can be extra-spooky, but there's good news for your cravings: You can enjoy tasty treats without tricks.
Here are some delicious options that give you the flavors you love, but with less sugar and added nutrition.
Organic Candy
Start with organic if you are looking for healthier candy options. These sweets contain fewer chemicals and healthier ingredients. They taste similar and come in flavors to your regular favorite candies.
They may not necessarily fat or sugar-free, but organic candies consist of healthy fats from nuts and oils with natural sugars from fruit juices. They are also less likely to contain non-organic stuff like food coloring that causes possible behavioral-related issues.
Dark Chocolate
If you want to give away chocolate for those kids who are trick-or-treating at your doorstep, you can stick to dark chocolate with 72% cacao. It may taste bitter than the creamy milk chocolate, but it is much healthier.
When you’re craving chocolate, there isn’t a satisfying alternative , but dark chocolate is full of antioxidants. It also has stearic acid, which helps you stay full longer. If you’re going to get chocolate, might as well get the healthiest kind you can.
Antioxidants are today promoted as a cure all for almost everything, and with good reason! They help cells heal, they are good for the heart and lower sugar. But if antioxidant-rich dark chocolate isn’t sweet enough for you, just sprinkle some honey on it or combine it with almonds, peanut butter or peppermint.
Popcorn
Sure popcorn may not be sweet on its own, but it is one of the healthiest snacks you can have. It can be an excellent alternative to candy with a few adjustments. You can try adding toppings like chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Sure, you'll still be having sweets, but in a bare minimum. You can also try making some honey popcorn balls. Honey can replace sugar in meals, giving you a healthier option.
Pre-packaged popcorn or popcorn balls can be placed into goodie bags or given away to trick-or-treaters instead of candy. They are a satisfying snack that will help to refrain you from reaching further into the candy bin since they are sweet and salty.
Fruit Snacks
Go for fresh fruits since they are naturally sweeter. It is an excellent choice for processed candy. You can also do tons with it, like fruit salad, or have it dry it for a tasty snack. Go for the ones with no artificial sugar added when dried for the best result.
You can also opt for individually packaged fruits, which also makes them perfect goodie bags and bowls. Be on the lookout for fruit snacks that use fruit juices to sweeten and color gummy treats. You should steer clear of products that use artificial colors and flavors.
Also, give apple slices a try! These slices will be a simple and easy way to hand out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. If you want to keep it more festive, you can look for varieties with peanut butter or caramel dipping sauce.
If you're not going trick-or-treating, it's still tough to avoid candy during this time of year. However you’re celebrating the holiday, you can satisfy your sugar cravings and still be reasonably healthy by opting for these healthy alternatives. After Halloween is over, you can hire a professional house cleaning service to help you out with the spooky mess.
