Eat THIS, Not THAT!

When I was a kid, I thought trick or treating on Halloween was the BEST THING EVER!  I got to dress up in a goofy costume (I was usually a “hobo”), roam the neighborhood for hours with my friends AND get free candy.  Best thing ever, right?

Luckily, Halloween was only one day a year because the amount of candy I would bring home was staggering…..I would be stocked up for weeks!  Little did I know that all of that candy was chock full of artificial colors, preservatives and a TON of sugar.

Clearly, Halloween candy is not the best thing for you, especially if you’re trying to reach a health goal, but that doesn’t mean you have to give it up completely.

As a nutritional health coach, I believe there is always a way to find a healthier version of something you love and sweet treats are no exception.  Rather than giving up the candy I loved as a kid, I make sure the sweet treats I’m eating are made with high quality (preferably organic) ingredients while also being free of refined sugar and artificial flavors.

If this sounds too good to be true, keep reading because I’ve found some tasty treats that are sure to satisfy all your cravings!

If you crave Nestle’s Crunch, try Hu Vanilla Crunch Dark Chocolate bars.  Hu is my absolute favorite chocolate bar.  These bars are made with organic chocolate and this one has puffed quinoa for crunch.  They are dairy free, refined sugar free and loaded with goodness!  They’ve got some great seasonal flavored bars as well.

If you crave Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, try Lily’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.  These cups are made with fair trade, non-GMO ingredients and sweetened with Stevia instead of cane sugar.   If you don’t like peanut butter, you might try Almond Butter Keto Cups instead.

If you crave SweeTarts, try Glee Tarts.   These little gems are sugar free and they look just like Smarties (if you remember what those look like).  They come in fun flavors like Meyer lemon, passion fruit, pineapple and cherry and they use red beets and turmeric for coloring.  How cool is that?

If you crave White Chocolate, try Evolved Keto White Chocolate Bar.  I know that dark chocolate tends to get all the glory but this bar will not disappoint.  It’s made with five whole food ingredients and it’s dairy free.  If white chocolate is not your thing, Evolved makes some great dark chocolate bars as well.

If you crave Gummy Bears, try SmartSweets Fruity Gummy Bears.  If you love fruity, chewy candy, you will love these.  They are sweetened with monk fruit and use fruit and vegetable juice for color.  SmartSweets also makes sour gummies, Swedish fish and licorice.

If you crave York Peppermint Patties, try Honey Mamas Oregon Mint bar.   These bars are made with organic honey, organic cacao and heirloom peppermint oil.  I also love Heavenly Organics Mint chocolate honey patties.  These cuties are made with dark chocolate, raw honey and peppermint oil.  They come in individual packets so you can be sure you won’t overindulge.  At least you can try not to overindulge!

There’s something so nostalgic about Halloween candy and I know it can be hard to resist, especially this time of year.  When you follow my recommendations to “eat this, not that,” you can indulge in the season and feel good about what you’re eating.

Enjoy 🙂

P.S.  You can find most, if not all of these products at Sprouts, Natural Grocers or Whole Foods.  And, of course, you can buy them online.