Healthy Halloween Treats
In our 2021 blog, Exercise Equivalents of Halloween Candy, we discussed how scary high the caloric and sugar intake can be just by having a piece of fun-sized candy here and a piece there; it’s easy to overindulge without even realizing! So we compiled a list of all your Halloween cheat treats, and indicated approximately how much time you’d have to spend running, cycling, lifting, and sparring those calories away. It was as scary as a Haunted House on Halloween!
This year we are pivoting and providing you with a list of healthy (but creative) snacks that will get you and your kids in the mood for Halloween while keeping your sugar levels to a minimum.
Green Apple Monsters: These goofy apple monster mouths are fun to make and a hit with kids and adults alike! They're perfect for a healthy Halloween treat and are ready in just a few minutes. Green apples, which help you promote bone strength and density; sliced cheddar cheese; organic peanut butter; pumpkin seeds; and candy eyes are all you need to achieve this monstrous snack.
Frankenstein Kiwis: Kiwis are known to support heart and digestive health, as well as strengthen your immunity. These Franken-Kiwis are known to be a delicious healthy alternative to a handful of Skittles. After you’ve cut one end off your kiwi so your little monster will sit flat, use a vegetable peeler to remove the fuzzy skin from about the bottom two-thirds of the kiwi. As you get near the top, pull the skin away in little jaggedy bits, so that it looks like Frankenstein’s spooki-liciously messy hairdo! Add dried wild blueberries for eyes and pretzel sticks for arms and a mouth. Franken-kiwi is born!
Banana Ghosts: Create this healthy snack with just three ingredients: bananas, which are rich in a variety of nutrients and antioxidants; vanilla yogurt; and mini chocolate chips. Just dip the banana in the yogurt and freeze! Add the chocolate chip face. Can you boo-lieve how easy these ghosts are to make?
Strawberry Mummies: Decorate healthy sweet strawberries with frosting and candy eyes to make spooky mummy berries.
Witch’s Broomsticks: Cut string cheese sticks in thirds (about 1 ½" each). Make lengthwise cuts around the cheese stick to about half way up. In the uncut end of the cheese, insert a pretzel stick. Bind with a piece of chive. Cut off extra chive.
Babybel Monsters: Gently separate the red wax from the cheese around the opening. Use scissors to snip patterns. For the eyes, either rest the eye on the cheese round OR, if desired, to secure the eyes, use a toothpick to dab light corn syrup on the back of the candy eyes and attach.
Please know that we’re not here to rain on anyone’s candy parade; definitely enjoy some of the scary good sweet stuff…just keep moderation in mind and do try some of these alternative snacks to reduce the mini candy bar cravings.
Want to learn more about sustainable nutrition and food substitutions? Check out the nutrition offerings at Success Studio.