Halloween candy season is coming upon us, and truthfully, it takes a LOT of self control to avoid it entirely. Personally, I don’t think you should! There are healthier alternatives As a nutrition coach, I’ve curated the ultimate list of healthy halloween candy so you can enjoy a guilt-free treat…or five! 😉
Halloween candy is basically unavoidable, especially if you have kiddos! Chances are, your office has some, your grocery store has some, your pharmacy has some, and maybe even your doctor’s office. Here’s the thing: you don’t need to give up Halloween candy entirely! Balance is key. I’ve curated the ultimate list of healthy & lower-calorie Halloween candy options, so you can still give your sweet tooth that fix. Check out these awesome swaps.
KIT KAT –> LITTLE SECRETS DARK CHOCOLATE WAFERS
Little Secrets Dark Chocolate Wafers are totally the perfect swap for the fan-favorite Kit Kat. These crispy treats are made with higher-quality chocolate and contain natural sea salt. They have that yummy creme on the inside, too! If you’re a fan of sweet & salty, but lean towards the sweet side, these are for you.
PEANUT M & M’S –> LITTLE SECRETS SEA SALTED PEANUT PIECES
Peanut M & M’s are my Halloween candy kryptonite, and I was so psyched when I discovered these little guys! Little Secrets also makes super yummy dark chocolate sea salt peanuts. If you’re a fan of the sweet & salty combo, these lean more towards salty but have the rich notes of dark chocolate. They’re literally half the calories of a bag of Peanut M & M’s, and they come in a pre-portioned treat sized package. What’s not to love about that?
Honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything Little Secrets makes!
SOUR PATCH KIDS –> SMART SWEETS SOUR BLAST BUDDIES
When I was a kid, I used to buy huge packs of Sour Patch Kids and bring them with me to school. I haven’t craved them in years…until I met Smart Sweets. Smart Sweets makes nearly-no-sugar gummy candies that taste JUST like the old school ones you remember! Their Sour Blast Buddies are only 100 calories per bag, and contain only 18g net carbs per bag. Pretty unbelievable.
They also make gummy bears, sour watermelon bites, peach rings, and sweet fish.
CANDY CORN –> YUM EARTH ORGANIC CANDY CORN
Candy corn is probably the most controversial of all Halloween candies. Some people love it, some people can’t stand it — but weirdly enough, I’ve never met anyone in between!
If you’re a candy corn fiend during the Halloween season, it’s really easy to rack up the calories even with the bite sized candies. They basically made out of 100% sugar and corn syrup. Yum Earth is a is an organic candy company based out of Connecticut that makes their candy corn with much healthier ingredients. It’s low-cal, organic, non-GMO, gluten free, and nut free, too!
You can get yours here.
SNICKERS –> LILY’S SALTED CARAMEL EXTRA DARK CHOCOLATE BAR
If you haven’t tried Lily’s yet… you’re seriously missing out. Lily’s chocolates have become a weekly staple for me! Lily’s makes no sugar added chocolate, perfect for both snacking and baking. I like to add some of Lily’s chocolate chips to my pancakes or oatmeal in the morning.
Lily’s Salted Caramel Extra Dark Chocolate, however, takes the cake in both the flavor & calorie departments. It ranks in at only 140 calories per serving, and is made with fair-trade, non-GMO ingredients. If you’re going to treat yourself to some high quality chocolate that fits into your meal plan, I highly recommend Lily’s!
REESE’S –> UNREAL DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND BUTTER CUPS
Finally… the holy grail of all Halloween candy. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I have no idea how they do it…. but they’re totally addictive. I remember trick or treating with my pals in elementary school, begging to trade my candy for more PB cups!
Once I grew older and started to learn about nutrition, I was pretty appalled by the calorie and ingredient content of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I searched for years for an equally-as-yummy alternative, and finally landed on UNREAL’s Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups. Each cup is only 70 calories (so much less than Reese’s), and is made with sustainably-sourced, fair-trade dark chocolate. You have got to try these!
And that’s our roundup of healthy halloween candy this year! We hope this guide helps you to enjoy some treats, and make smart decisions when it comes to snacking!