If there’s anything we’ve learned over these last many months, it’s that our health is as precious as our happiness.
Whether your little ones are hitting the neighborhoods or celebrating at home, sweets are an expected part of Halloween fun. But at a time when healthy lifestyle choices have never been more important, sugary treats are even less attractive.
While we wouldn’t recommend handing out carrot sticks and broccoli to little ghosts and goblins at your door (but they’re great for parties), there are healthier alternatives when it comes to sweets. Interestingly, one can apply the same rule to candy that they do in making food choices: items that more closely resemble whole foods, organic choices and items with lower sugar are tasty and at least, a little better for you.
When it comes to chocolate, go dark. White chocolate is not really chocolate at all, just a super sweet mix of cocoa butter (fat) and sugar. And while milk chocolate is ubiquitous, dark chocolate at least provides a hint of antioxidants and less sugar.
Add nuts. Unless there are food allergies, candies that contain nuts are slightly better than chocolate alone.
Go organic. Sweets with organic ingredients or sweetened with natural sugar alternatives such as honey or agave are healthier choices.
Avoid gummies and hard candies. These are really just sugar delivery systems with no nutritional value.
Of course, if your children are trick-or-treating, they’ll likely come home with treats that run the gamut of sugar content. Part of the fun of Halloween, of course, is in the days afterward as kids work through their haul. Encouraging them to ration their consumption might be a hard sell, but when they realize their candy (and enjoyment) will last longer, they might just be convinced!
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