This guest blog is by Kaylie Teague.
Halloween is notorious for splurging on candy, sweets, and treats. Here are some ideas to keep you feeling energized and healthy this Halloween.
If you’re going to a party, have a healthy snack before you go. If you crunch on an apple or enjoy some almonds on your way over, you’ll be less likely to overdo it on the food at the party.
Another tip for party-goers is to start and fill up with the healthy stuff on one plate and then come back to enjoy 1-2 tasty treats.
If you’re throwing a party, offer something healthy. People will appreciate the combination of savory and sweet. You can keep it Halloween-themed with clementines or oranges with jack-o-lantern faces drawn on with permanent marker, cheese sticks with ghost faces drawn on the plastic wrappers, or carrots that have finger creases and nails carved in!
Trick-or-Treat Bags:
While some kids might look at you like you’re crazy, some kids might welcome this! Try having some fresh whole fruit in a basket along with candy. Apples, pears, bananas, and clementines make great and grab-able treats!
For something that blends in a little better with fun-sized candy, try offering small boxes of raisins, squeezable applesauce packs, and small bags of nuts! Small granola bars or kids protein bars are other great options.
If you are set on giving out candies, have no fear! Here are some of the healthier candy options you can confidently pass out to kids in your neighborhood. In the snack size serving, all of these are under 100 calories and no more than 3 grams of fat: York Peppermint Patty, Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Bar, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, and Snickers.
Kaylie Teague is a registered dietitian intern at UNC-Greensboro in North Carolina. Her blog is skinnymuffinrecipes.com.