Pretty soon the streets will be lined with children and adults alike dressed as ghosts, goblins, super heroes, and princesses all clamoring at your door or Halloween party for exciting Halloween treats. Candy and chocolate are the sweets of choice for most households, but there are alternatives that are just as fun with a small bonus- they might even be healthy, too. Here are a few other options for this year’s holiday.
Apples are sweet, colorful, and pack nutrients such as Vitamin C, fiber, and iron. See my September blog post on more apple benefits.
Hard boiled egg eyes. You can make these spooky treats by hard-boiling eggs. Once cooked and cooled, cut the egg in half, and place one drop of food coloring (see link for how to make natural green food coloring) to the center of each “eye.” Place these on a tray for eating, or put them in the center of a dish as a spooky decoration.
Popcorn is a great, healthier, less expensive alternative to regular candy, and you can make it easily in the comfort of your own home. If you don’t have an air popper, you can make it on the stove! A cup of plain popcorn is only around 50 calories. 
Directions:
- Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a covered pot with three popcorn kernels.
- Heat the oil until the three kernels pop.
- Once the three kernels have popped, add 2 tablespoons of popcorn to the pot and let pop.
- Take the pot off the heat once most of the kernels have popped.
Toppings could include:
- Cracked sea salt.
- 1 tsp. sugar and 1 tsp. chili powder for a sweet and spicy flavor.
- 1 tsp. Paprika and lemon juice (to desired taste).
- Just plain.
Check out these other great low sodium popcorn topping ideas.
For a more exciting treat you could make popcorn balls with your choice of treats mixed in and wrap in wax paper and tie off the end with an orange ribbon.
Pumpkin muffins are a great was to incorporate the fiber, Vitamin A, potassium, and antioxidant properties of pumpkin into your treats. I like to use a modified version of the King Arthur’s gluten free pumpkin muffin recipe.
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. molasses
1, 15-oz. can of pumpkin
1 ¾ cups of gluten free flour
½ cup of sugar
2 tsp. of baking powder
½ teaspoon of xanthan gum
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ cup softened butter
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375̊F, and line your muffin pan with papers. Whisk together the eggs, molasses, and pumpkin, and set aside. Mix together dry ingredients and butter, then slowly add the egg mixture. Scoop batter into your prepared pan and let sit for 10 minutes before baking 22-25 minutes.
*Use mini liners, and your guests will thank you for cutting the calories in half.
Pumpkin seeds 
are a rich source of magnesium, zinc, and plant-based omega 3’s. Save the seeds when your carving pumpkins or cooking squash, and roast them at 375̊F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Crack a little sea salt over them or serve plain.
Here are some other healthy Halloween ideas.
By Megan Carrier 
Eat Fit Health Intern
Graduate Student, Drexel University
MS in Human Nutrition
Editor Note: For those with food allergies like myself, Halloween can be a stressful time. Providing ingredient labels for homemade foods can be helpful as well as offering non-food treats for Halloween. This year the Food Allergy Research & Education’s Teal Pumpkin Project is providing awareness and safety for kids with food allergies, check the link for more info. Here are some other tips for celebrating Halloween from Kids with Food Allergies.
Have a safe and happy Halloween! Lori