Halloween Candy Guide

Everyone loves Halloween sweets. How can you say no to the endless abundance of (free!) fun-sized candy bars and loads of home-baked goodies around every turn? I love Halloween candy just as much as anyone, but if you are like me and are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, then Halloween can be a horror movie come true for your fitness goals! It doesn’t have to be scary, even if you’re determined to stick with your diet plan for muscle building or fat loss you can still give in to  your candy cravings without too much damage by choosing wisely. 

The #1 key is portion control – anything is excess, even if it is carrot sticks, will derail your diet and leave you with an upset stomach. So don’t think you can over-indulge pain-free. Stick to a single serving size of your chosen treat and enjoy it slowly. 

It also helps to understand which types of candy will be your best options in terms of overall nutrition as well as the calorie content they provide. I give you the Top Ten Health(ier) Treats for Halloween, so you can enjoy the Halloween season and navigate Candyland as easily as you know your way around the weight room.  All the options on this list have less than 200 calories per serving and are listed in increasing saturated fat content. 

1. Gummi Bears (8 gummi bears): 57 calories, 0 g fat. 

Gummi bears are as cute as they sweet and chewy – indulge in their adorable deliciousness without a single gram of fat. 

2. Blow Pop (1 pop):
60 calories, 0 g fat. 

As a bonus, your mouth will stay busy chewing the gum after you’re done with the candy for a long-lasting treat. 

3. Candy Corn (22 pieces):
140 calories, 0 g fat. 

The Halloween classic - Indulge in bright, pretty Halloween specialties guilt-free because they’re fat-free, too! You can spread out your 22 pieces throughout the day and enjoy them for hours. 

4. Skittles (1 fun-size bag of Skittles):
80 calories. 1 g fat. 

Enjoy fruity, chewy Skittles when you’re not craving chocolate. Fun fact? Each Skittle has about 5 calories. 

5. York Peppermint Patties (3 patties): 140 calories, 3 g fat. 

Refresh your palate with a few minty York Peppermint Patties. They can help make your mouth feel fresh and clean, discouraging you from eating more sweets. 

6. Caramels (5 caramels): 160 calories, 3.5 g fat. 

Caramel apples are a calorie-bomb – you’re easily eating a meal’s worth of calories, and a day’s worth of sugar, all under the illusion of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Get your caramel fix with 5 of these minis instead!

7. Whoppers (18 Whoppers): 180 calories, 7 g fat. 

They’re lower in fat than traditional chocolate candies, and you can savor the milky malted flavor of 18 of these little gems. 

8. Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (3 cups):
132 calories, 8 g fat. 

In my opinion, these are worth every single gram of fat! Be sure to take 3 and walk away from the bowl to avoid temptation.

9. Fun-size Snickers Bars (2 bars): Two fun-size Snickers: 160 calories, 8 g fat. 

As an added benefit you’ll also get nuts in the Snickers bar, which is a healthy source of dietary fat.

10. Raisinets (1 package Raisinets, 1.58 ounces): 190 calories, 8 g fat. 

The chewy chocolate texture of these make them especially satisfying, and all that chewing makes them longer lasting than other treats, plus they also boasts less fat than other chocolate candies. 

A pretty good line-up to choose from don’t you think? Now that you’ve got the facts, you’re armed and ready to get the treat without the trick. Choose your treats wisely this Halloween and you can still come out with your six-pack intact! Boo-yah.