Healthy Halloween--Is it possible?

Healthy Halloween or any holiday for that matter is totally possible, and I even say it's ok to have a little treat too, just don't go overboard!  

Here are my suggestions to keep it all in balance:  

• Make sure to eat a healthy meal before heading out, then you won't be as tempted to eat your weight in candy! 

• Trick or Treat the old fashion way--WALK house to house.  It amazes me to see how many families drive their child house to house these days!  

• Keep some of your favorites (not many as a treat), then freeze them or better yet donate them to the local food bank, or to our troops serving overseas through a program called Operation Gratitude Halloween Candy Buy Back Program. 

Additionally, here are some healthy alternative options for Halloween treats you may not know about! 

A healthier alternative to Reese's & Snickers: Figamajigs are “as delicious as a candy bar,” but they’re made from figs and covered in antioxidant-rich dark chocolate. Even better, they give you a boost of 5 grams of fiber.

A healthier alternative to M&Ms & Skittles: Although they are somewhat higher in calories, coated chocolate SunDrops candies contain no artificial colors or flavors or preservatives.

A healthier alternative to Twix & KitKats: Qbel Double Dark Chocolate Wafer Bars, which are covered in high-antioxidant 70% dark chocolate, will shave off another 40 calories and save you 80 milligrams of sodium (versus Twix). Bonus: You’ll get 10 percent of your daily-recommended iron intake.

A healthier alternative to Jolly Ranchers & Starbursts: Real fruit sweetens and flavors gelatin-free Seitenbacher gummy treats, which even come in a seasonally right “Vampires Lunch” pack.

A healthier alternative to Smarties & Sweet Tarts: While not as powdery sweet as a mouthful of Smarties, it’s true, Panda licorice (which gets its sweetness from molasses) contains no artificial ingredients, and it comes in individually wrapped, portion-controlled pouches that may help prevent overindulging.

A healthier alternative to Milky Way or PayDay: Try satisfying your chocolate cravings with Organic Dark Chocolate Bug Bites. While they won’t save you much in the way of calories or grams of fat, they’re made with heart-healthy, antioxidant-packed organic fair-trade chocolate. Candy doesn’t get much more virtuous than that.

A healthier alternative Mounds or Almond Joy: Go for an old-fashioned coconut macaroon, recommends Laura Garrett, RD, a diabetes educator. “If you look at the fat and sugar, they are probably equal, but the macaroons are made with egg whites, which offer you a little protein.”

A healthier alternative to Candied or Caramel Apples: If you want to steer clear of red dye, add a little protein and heart-healthy fat, andbe kinder to your teeth; try substituting apple slices with a smear of peanut butter. Just don’t attempt to hand them out to trick-or-treaters.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!  Hope these tips help! 

Other alternatives:

Here are the WORST Halloween candies: In no particular order:

1. Twix- There are about 300 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 14 grams of fat in a standard Twix. 300 calories of boring.
2. Milk Duds- Contain no milk. This candy is a sticky liar.
3. Whoppers- These malty little balls are also liars. You may think they are chocolate covered, but there is no chocolate in the formula.
4. M&Ms- You’d think the simple pleasures would just be freaking chocolate nubs covered in candy shells, but no, they’re little sugar and corn syrup fakers.
5. Sour Patch Kids- These sugary little acidic guys are rotting your teeth by breaking down your precious tooth enamel.
6. Milky Way- How are there 21 ingredients in these things? Also 31 grams of sugar. And 9 grams of fat.
7. Baby Ruth- Are these even good? A two ounce Baby Ruth is about 275 calories and 32 grams of sugar. This seems shockingly high. How do they fit it all in?
8. 3 Musketeers- 40 grams of sugar. 40 grams of sugar. 40 grams of sugar.
9. Candy Corn- 150 calories per ounce of disgusting waxy abominations poorly masquerading as corn.
10. Skittles- ”Taste the rainbow?” Apparently the rainbow tastes like a butt because it needs 47 grams of sugar to be appealing.

(Source for the Worst Candies: http://www.blisstree.com/2013/10/30/food/10-worst-kinds-halloween-candy-body/#ixzz2jFEcLvId)