Halloween candy is a lot of fun. It’s also a lot of sugar. For some kids (and adults), it’s neither doable nor healthy, from those with diet restrictions to health conditions, and those who just don’t want to overdo their sugar intake for one spooky night.
Luckily, it’s never been a better time to consider healthier alternatives to traditional types of Halloween candy, and trick-or-treaters might even appreciate a little variety in their buckets.
EdSource’s Candy Sugar Check Table reveals that even a mini box of Nerds contains 11 grams of sugar per serving, which is 92% of your daily recommended intake. Other popular candies from Sour Patch Kids to candy corn and even Smarties have high levels of sugar.
Some might also be concerned with ingredients
and additives beyond sugar, such as food dyes. Here are some healthy alternatives to Halloween candy to satisfy that sweet tooth.
Try this instead of sugary Halloween candy
According to Vanderbilt Health, candy alternatives include healthier food options like mini boxes of raisins, single-serve popcorn packages and fruit snacks. Families can also stock their Halloween bowls with toy options like bouncy balls, stickers and bubbles, broadening from traditional candy to other treats and prizes. The party section of any major box store might have bulk prizes like these to hand out.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends healthier treats like animal-shaped graham crackers, mini bags of pretzels and individual fruit cups.
Jackie Bridson, registered dietitian at Nourish in Orlando, Florida, recommends paying attention to presentation and "themed styling" to make healthier foods seem festive and appealing. "Cut fruits into fun shapes, use themed plates and let kids help assemble their own trail mix with pretzels, popcorn, dried fruits and a few chocolate pieces so they have some ownership over their choices," she says. She recommends:
- Festive pumpkins. Peeled mandarin oranges with a small pretzel stick pushed into the top as a stem.
- Banana ghosts. Bananas cut in half crosswise, with mini chocolate chips pressed in for eyes and mouths.
- Apple monster mouths. Slice apple wedges, cut a small wedge out of the skin side to form an open mouth and spread nut butter inside. Then add sunflower seeds, sliced almonds or mini marshmallows for teeth.
- Witches' brooms. Halve string cheese sticks crosswise, make small vertical slits in the bottom for broom bristles and fan them out, then stick a pretzel stick in the top for the handle.
If candy is still a must
If kids aren’t buying the "candy alternative" plan, parents can use tricks of their own to help keep the treats under control. For example, the American Heart Association recommends feeding kids a healthy meal before trick-or-treating so they have a smaller appetite to fill up on candy.
Parents can also designate a certain number of treats they are OK with kids consuming the first night on Halloween, and then help them get excited to save the rest for another day to look forward to their treats again.
Experts recommend not stressing too much about one night of candy intake, and trying to keep the holiday festive, not restrictive, where possible.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The healthier alternatives to Halloween candy
