The costumes aren't the only frightening part about Halloween-some seasonal favorites will make your scale shudder. And with Halloween kicking off the season of splurging, it's good to get started the smart way. Does giving up treats for Halloween make you want to scream? Then try these easy (and healthier) swaps.
1. Choose Peppermint over Peanut Butter. The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is heavenly for your taste buds but hellish for your diet. Swap a peanut butter cup for a chocolate mint patty to shave more than 5 grams of fat from your chocolate splurge. Even better, the smell of peppermint is shown to be an effective appetite suppressant.
2. Pumpkin Pie instead of Apple Turnovers. Apple turnovers are delicious fall favorites, but they're also typically loaded with butter and sugar. Go for a slice of fiber-packed pumpkin pie instead and save up to 100 calories and 5 grams of fat-but skip the whipped cream.
3. Go Dark. If your chocolate craving is out of control, try to go dark when possible. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, compounds that have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease, so you'll satisfy your sweet tooth while boosting your heart health.
4. Sticky Situation. Sure, an apple is a healthy, fiber packed snack, but when coated in a thick layer of caramel, it's a diet disaster. The average caramel apple contains around 300 calories, and add another 100 if it's topped with nuts. Reach for a caramel-apple lollipop instead. With only 60 calories, you'll get your caramel fix at a fraction of the calories.
5. Hit the Trails. Ditch the mini cookies, and choose individual servings of trail mix made with nuts, raisins or dried fruit, pretzels, and a sprinkling of chocolate pieces. This protein-packed snack will help you nix the munchies without leaving you feeling deprived.
6. Downsize. Downsizing won't only benefit your wallet; it can keep your waistline from expanding as well. Buy the miniature versions of your favorite treats-but limit yourself to one or two or you'll easily surpass the calories in the regular version. And whatever you do, don't leave a bowl of treats sitting out; it'll make mindless snacking more tempting.
