One of the most festive times of the year for children is upon us. It’s important to encourage our kids’ participation in seasonal traditions like trick-or-treating. As parents we can still plan to assure that they practice balanced eating habits. What are you handing out on Halloween? Give healthy food treats a try, the kids won’t even know what their missing.

Rethink the treats

Let’s think outside the box and find supplemental Halloween treats for trick-or-treaters. The calories in “bite size” candies add up quickly. On average the miniature chocolate bar contains roughly over 300 calories a piece. What can we provide to offset all the sugar? There are options that contain vitamins, minerals and fiber.

The options

The possibilities for healthy food treats are endless and individually wrapped items are best.

The following is a list of In-Shape’s Halloween suggestions:

Cereal bars

Trail mix snacks

Low-fat crackers with cheese or peanut butter filling

Animal crackers

Gold fish crackers

Graham crackers

Cracker jacks

Beef or turkey jerky

Sugar-free gum or hard candy

Gummy candies made with real juice

Juice boxes (100% juice)

Snack pack pudding

The “better” candies

If you opt to keep a few candy treats, mix-it-up with ones that are the lowest in fat and sugar content per serving. The better choices are: 3 Musketeers, 100 Grand Bar, Butterfinger, Milky Way, Raisinets and York Peppermint Patties.