My recipe for a healthy and delicious Snickers bar alternative
For me and other fitness fanatics, Halloween symbolizes the start of the challenging holiday season. The ghouls, ghosts, and goblins aren’t what make the 31st so scary - it’s constantly having to combat processed sugars, decadent desserts, and corn syrup-filled sweets that make the season spooky!
Fear not! I’m here to share healthier alternatives that can satisfy your and your family’s sweet tooth without haunting all health goals.
Halloween and sugar go hand in hand. Yet it’s no secret that excessive sugar intake is linked to serious health issues, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. With that in mind, it's essential to make the time to find ways to enjoy the festivities without overindulging in processed sugars. No, a few chocolate bars, candy corn, and Frankenstein-head marshmallows will not kill you! But finding a balance is key…
Natural sugars are the sugars that are found in foods like fruits, vegetables, and honey. They provide a healthier alternative to the highly processed sugars found in classic Halloween candies.
Unlike refined sugars, natural sugars provide our bodies with essential nutrients, fiber, and even antioxidants that are beneficial and necessary for overall well-being. Additionally, natural sugars have a significantly lower glycemic index, which means they don't cause rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. This means it’s less addictive; your body (and your kids’) won’t suffer the whip-lash-like symptoms of sugar highs and lows.
When we consume natural sugars, the body breaks them down slowly, providing a steady release of energy. This gradual process maintains stable blood sugar levels and prevents energy crashes. On the other hand, highly processed sugars, almost inescapable in store-bought candies and desserts, cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, followed by sudden drops. This rollercoaster leaves the consumer feeling not only exhausted but craving more sugar. If left unconfronted, this cycle is easy to repeat over and over again. A high intake of processed sugar can lead to unhealthy eating habits, erratic emotions, and weight gain.
However, there are a lot of store-bought options that allow us to enjoy a lower processed sugar content while still fulfilling our sweet tooth cravings! They might not be jumping off the shelves and into your cart like other brightly-colored highly-processed candies, but they’re easy to find in most grocery stores. Plus, many of these sweets are Halloween candy for vegans to enjoy, too!
This one is a popular option and might be the healthiest candy for Halloween. The higher the cocoa content, the healthier dark chocolate tends to be. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and has less sugar than milk chocolate. It's a rich and satisfying treat that curbs sweet cravings without the sugar lows.
Create your Halloween treats using natural sugars from fruits. The natural sugars in these foods can be heightened or extracted by sauteeing or cooking them on the stovetop or oven. Drizzle some melted dark chocolate over the top and they’re even harder to resist! They’re a healthy Halloween snack for preschoolers - fruit is safe for the whole family can enjoy!
Prepare homemade energy bites using ingredients like dates, nuts, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Dates are a natural sweetener and provide a chewy texture to the bites. Add some nuts for crunch and protein, and you have a delicious, guilt-free treat.
If you’ve been thinking about buying a dehydrator, now is the time to invest! Dehydrators are fantastic for creating easy-to-eat sweet snacks you can bring anywhere. If you’re looking for a little extra indulgence, dip half of each dehydrated fruit into dark chocolate and sprinkle with organic cane sugar or a little salt.
These yogurt bars have been all over Instagram recently and I am a huge fan! Not only is yogurt a great source of protein and probiotics, but Greek yogurt has a low sugar content and pairs well with dark chocolate and dehydrated fruit! Mix Greek yogurt together with pieces of dehydrated (or fresh) fruit, put dollops of the mix on a cookie sheet, and stick it in the freezer! In an hour you’ll be able to drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top and pop it back in the freezer to harden. It makes a great stand-in for ice cream.
Follow along for a few healthy Halloween ideas and my homemade Snickers recipe.
There are many store-bought, sugar-free classic candies available that provide the sweetness you crave without the high calorie or sugar content. Look for candies sweetened with natural sugar substitutes like erythritol or xylitol. Check out a list of widely-available, sugar-free hard candies.
Some brands offer organic lollipops made with natural fruit flavors, and sweetened with organic cane sugar. As organic cane sugar isn’t highly processed, it still retains many nutrients that make it a healthier alternative.
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana, or “Candyleaf”, plant. It is sweeter than sugar but contains zero calories. So if you’re trying to avoid calories altogether, candies sweetened with stevia are a great option to enjoy sweetness without the adverse health effects of processed sugars.
This is one of my all-time favorite healthy Halloween party recipes. There are only five ingredients, prep is easy, and the result is mind-bendingly glorious and seriously tastes just like one of the best candy bars: Snickers. Follow along for my mouthwatering recipe for homemade Snickers bars.
Ingredients:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as me and my friends do! Of course, not only do these ‘Snickers’ make an easy homemade healthy Halloween candy, but they also make a fantastic dessert dish at any holiday party. And yes, they really do taste just like Snickers!
My name is Susan. I started Oath & Grind for women over 50 who want to prioritize their health and fitness. If that sounds like you, please don’t hesitate to connect with my community of like-minded women!
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