TRICK OR TREAT: STRATEGIES FOR A HEALTHIER HALLOWEEN

Trick or treat? These days, we might as well just say treat, as Halloween has become synonymous with candy, sweets and other calorie-dense and nutrient-deficient snacks. The trick? Trying to avoid overindulging on them.

These treats are not simply out there, they are everywhere. They’re at work, at the checkout counter, or maybe you’ve already dipped into your own supply you bought to hand out on Halloween.

If you’re trying to avoid the binge this spooky season, it’s a good idea to plan ahead with healthier snacks. Knowing you have a ready stash of your own more sensible sweets and treats will make it easier to pass right on by the candy bowl or limit yourself to just one or two items from your kids’ Halloween bags.

Healthy Halloween treats

When looking at alternative choices, look for whole, unprocessed ingredients that are high in nutrients, including phytonutrients:

• Fresh fruits, such as apples and oranges
• Fruit snacks made with real fruit juice
• Dried fruits, such as raisins or mangos

Even better, make a trail mix. Rather than the typical recipe loaded with refined sugars, choose ingredients filled with phytonutrients, like almonds, golden raisins, coconut chips and plain, dark chocolate pieces. (The darker the chocolate, the more the antioxidants!)

Simply combine all the ingredients in a bag or bowl and enjoy!

[RELATED: Why color matters in your fruits and vegetables]

Healthy Halloween snacks

Whole fruits and chopped vegetables are an easy, healthy snack to eat out of hand, but when your coworkers are unwrapping your favorite candy bar, it’s no fun crunching on celery or an apple. Try keeping a stash of alternatives in your desk, like homemade protein bars, Nutrilite™ Wellness Bars or XS™ Energy Bars.

The variety of flavors should help fill that need for something sweet and chewy and make it easier to say no to the Halloween bounty. Here’s how one Nutrilite Wellness Bar compares to a popular chocolate bar filled with nuts, caramel and nougat that tempts you at every grocery store checkout aisle and vending machine:

Nutrilite Coconut Almond Wellness Bar:

• 180 calories
• 8g of protein
• 5g of sugar

Popular candy bar:

• 280 calories
• 4g of protein
• 29g of sugar

[RELATED: Not all bars are created equal]

Focus on portion control

Ever snacked on chips or crackers right out of the bag and suddenly realized you were close to consuming the entire thing? Pre-portioned items can help curb the mindless munching of larger containers. Here are a few suggestions to keep your portions under control:

Packages of peanut butter cracker sandwiches

Mini rice cereal bars or granola bars

Individual serving sized bags of popcorn or other snacks. (Slim Popcorn, Whole Grain Tortilla Chips by BodyKey™ or XS™ Protein Crisps are a great option.)

Learn more

With these strategies you can feed your sweet tooth or meet the need for something chewy or crunchy without going overboard on the Halloween treats. Want a bonus tip?

When you buy your own candy to hand out, make sure it’s something you don’t like to avoid even more temptation! Do you have a healthy Halloween tip or recipe that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below.