While Halloween is only one day a year, Halloween treats last much longer. Stores start stocking candy weeks in advance and the goodies usually linger long after the spider webs are taken down.  Here are some tips to celebrate the season with a little more nutrition health than horror:

Procrastinate! If you celebrate, wait until the day before to buy the goodies for your trick-or-treaters.  That way you won’t be so tempted to taste weeks in advance and stores never run out of Halloween candy. In fact, they usually stock too much — day-after candy sales are legendary.

Snack Smart. Don’t trick yourself by making office treats your snack.  Even if the calories are the same in the mini candy bar as the apple and Mini Babybel cheese, the nutrition is different.  Unlike candy, the fruit and cheese provides protein and fiber to keep you feeling fuller, longer and provides key nutrients like fiber and calcium to keep you healthy. That’s not to say you can’t get into the fall spirit and have sweets once in a while, just don’t make it your go-to food when hunger hits. It’s also a great time to enjoy healthy seasonally-inspired snacks – like a half cup of cooked squash with a The Laughing Cow Light French Onion Wedge.

Get Creative. Frankenstein cupcakes, “mud” with gummy worms, tombstone cookies: you’re likely to see these and similar party staples at your Halloween gatherings.  Offer to bring your own dish and make it   festive without being sickly sweet.  Try serving green and orange sliced peppers with a black bean dip.  Make mini cornbread “cupcakes” and use The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Wedge as “frosting” and garnish with an olive eyeball.  No time for food prep?  Toss together some roasted pumpkin seeds with dried cranberries for an easy seasonal treat.

What are some other ways you avoid sweets during Halloween season?

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