With Halloween just days away, chances are you’re stocking up on candy and other treats for the neighborhood’s pint-sized pirates and princesses. You’re in good company: 70 percent of U.S. households will give out candy this Halloween and more than one-third will attend a Halloween party, according to the National Retail Federation. As a whole, we’ll spend more than $2.5 billion on candy alone — eek!
[See: 10 Surprising Habits Killing Your Teeth.]
All that free candy sounds great to kids, but not to parents who know the research showing that, on any day of the week, most kids take in three times as much sugar as what’s recommended by the American Heart Association. But while kids’ sugar intake may seem scarier than a haunted house, there are ways to take some of the sweet of out of Halloween — without sacrificing the treat. Here’s how:
1. Choose fang-tastic chocolates.
For parties and handouts, choose portion-controlled “mini” or “fun-size” candies. I like Peanut M&Ms (90 calories) and Hershey’s Kisses with almonds (25 calories each) because they offer the nutritional goodness of nuts while keeping calories in check. Dark chocolate options like Heavenly Organics’ take on peppermint patties are better too. These candies contain only 50 calories each and are made from 100-percent dark chocolate (which is naturally lower in sugar and calories than milk chocolate) and are filled with organic, raw honey.
2. Opt for frightful fruit-based goodies.
Kid-friendly fruit leathers and chews or squeezable pouches are perfect in place of traditional candy. Look for those made with real fruit and no added sugars, like Stretch Island Fruit Co.’s fruit strips (less than 50 calories each) and Fruit Friends’ squeezable fruit (50 calories each). Single-serve packs of chocolate- or yogurt-covered raisins are also a delicious way to reap the health benefits of fruit.
3. Serve mystical orange milk.
For a better Halloween party beverage, skip sugary soda and energy drinks and opt for TruMoo’s “Orange Scream” — a limited-edition low-fat milk. It has 11 grams of protein, is an excellent source of vitamins A, D and calcium, and doesn’t contain any high-fructose corn syrup or growth hormones. Kids will love the classic orange cream taste and parents can feel better knowing the youngsters are drinking milk.
[See: 7 Ways to Get Calcium Beyond Milk.]
4. Sip something spook-tacular.
Water should be kids’ primary beverage, but unfortunately, in many households, it takes a backseat to soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. For a Halloween twist that will be sure to get kids drinking more naturally sugar-free H20, look for Nestle Pure Life Share-a-Scare water bottles. Each bottle, which is decorated with a frightful label, is a convenient 8 ounces, which makes it a treat for thirsty trick-or-treaters and easy to have on hand at parties.
5. Go for nightmarish nut and pumpkin bars.
Many parents have energy bars on hand for Halloween parties or even for trick-or-treaters. A better choice: KIND’s Caramel Almond Pumpkin Spice bar, which has just 5 grams of sugar — 50 percent less than a typical energy bar. It also packs a whopping 7 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein to help keep tiny tummies satisfied.
6. Swap sweets for scary treats.
In one study, Yale University researchers found that kids like receiving non-edible novelties as much as they like candy. Some of my go-to picks from the local party store include bouncy balls, Halloween-themed stickers, pencils, glow sticks, fake insects and vampire teeth. Come Monday, I’ll have one large bowl of my better-for-you treats out and another full of these tricks. The children are always torn between the options.
[See: 11 Fantastic Fall Snacks.]
7. Hand out seasonal pretzel snacks.
One of my favorite Halloween treats is individual Halloween-themed pretzel packs. The half-ounce portions are perfect for pint-sized trick-or-treaters. Each pack has 50 calories and no added sugar. What’s more, after Halloween is over, you can feel good about adding them to school lunches or including them in an after-school snack.
Editor’s note: The author has no affiliation with any of the brands mentioned.
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