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The Candy-Lover's Guide to a Guilt-Free Halloween

Posted Wed, Oct 08, 2008, 12:24 pm PDT

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Halloween is on the way, but even scarier than the ghosts and goblins that go along with this spooky holiday are the INSANE amounts of fat and calories in the CANDY. Here's Hungry Girl's handy-dandy guide to get you through this sweets-packed season...

Recommended by Hungry Girl...

Here's what we suggest handing out. They're popular and aren't TOO frightening in the calorie and fat departments:

Twizzlers, individually wrapped - 40 calories, 0.25g fat
Individually wrapped vines are KEY here, peeps!

Caramel Apple Pops - 60 calories, 0.5g fat
These are INCREDIBLE. 'Nuf said.

Smarties - 25 calories, 0g fat (per roll)
It's hard to overdo it with Smarties, even if you LOVE 'em.

Dum Dum Pops - 25 calories, 0g fat
These are tiny, yet they last a long time and are super-low in calories. YES!

Mini AirHeads - 45 calories, 0.5g fat
So low in fat, chewy, sweet and satisfying!

Blow Pops - 60 calories, 0g fat
It's a lollipop. It's bubblegum. Fun, fun, fun!

And while we DO NOT recommend keeping bulk amounts of chocolate in the house, if you ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY insist on giving it out, here's what we recommend:

Milky Way Minis - 38 calories, 1.4g fat (per Mini, NOT Fun Size!)
Light. Low-fat. Love 'em.

3 Musketeers Minis - 24 calories, 0.7g fat (again, per MINI!)
No, you can't have THREE of 'em for those stats...

Tootsie Roll Midgees - 23 calories, 0.5g fat
Chewy chocolate in bite-sized chunks? Fantastic!

Five Steps to Survival!

1. The best thing you can do (BY FAR) for Halloween is to ONLY have candy around that doesn't tempt you. Dislike chocolate mint? Buy Peppermint Patties. Like candy corn? Buy lollies. Be strategic, folks!

2. Stock up on decadent snacks that are diet-friendly. This way you'll have something on-hand for when the inevitable cravings strike. We're stocking up on Jell-O Sugar Free Pudding Snacks and the new cake-flavored Yoplait Light yogurts (click here for a cute video on those!).

3. Don't sit by the bowl! You KNOW that if you do, your hand will be in the candy bowl all night long! Keep it right by the door, and resist the urge to grab a piece for yourself every time the kiddies come by.

4. Once it starts to get later in the evening and the stream of children has slowed to a trickle, give out more candy per kid. They'll be stoked and you won't have sweet temptation staring you down.

5. Once the kids are all done for the night, for goodness sake, PUT THE CANDY AWAY! Don't let it hang out on the kitchen counter all weekend because, if you're like us, seeing it makes you want it more. Don't put it with your regular snack food either. In fact, we recommend bringing the leftovers to work and setting them out in a bowl. Just don't leave that bowl at YOUR desk!

A Scary-Good (and Simple) Snack

HG's Big Bag of Choco-Popped Madness
Approx. 200 calories, 6g fat

Ingredients:
One 94% fat-free mini bag microwave popcorn, popped
One fun-size bag plain M&M's

Directions:
Toss these two ingredients together, and enjoy every bite of this sweet and crunchy treat. Put on a scary movie and have fun viewing and chewing!

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74 Comments

1. Posted by mom2acat on Wed, Oct 08, 2008, 2:04 pm PDT

I love the sweet and salty combo of popcorn and M & M's!
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2. Posted by websteralec1 on Wed, Oct 08, 2008, 3:11 pm PDT

omg these tios r really good and i love that yogurt!
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3. Posted by Jamie on Thu, Oct 09, 2008, 6:03 am PDT

How about giving out snacks like raisins or non-food treats like stickers or small toys? We decided not to even hand out candy or treats this year. My son and I will go trick-or-treating, we'll pick through his loot and just throw away the stuff that he doesn't like (or that I think he doesn't need) and then we won't have any candy lying around the house. But the tip about having healthy snacks around the house is great and dead on. You'll eat whatever is available and easy to grab. Maybe sure that you have fresh fruits and veggies already cut up and ready to grab in the fridge. And nuts are a great source of protein and easy to munch.
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4. Posted by silancedogz on Thu, Oct 09, 2008, 6:41 am PDT

Dang, Jamie, your house sounds like nonstop fun. You know, you CAN ration out your kid's candy haul without sucking all of the joy out of Halloween. My parents did this, and I don't remember ever eating myself into sugar toxicity. Here's a hint to keep your house egg-and-toilet-paper free: stick to giving out candy. Stickers and raisins and cheap toys made in China tick trick-or-treaters off royally.
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5. Posted by GrammarGirl95 on Thu, Oct 09, 2008, 3:44 pm PDT

When I was a kid, we'd sort through my loot and my dad would eat all the stuff I didn't like. My mom would put the rest of it in a ziploc bag and hide it somewhere I couldn't find. Then she'd ration it out to me day by day. Ah, I wish Mom were still here to ration out my treats! At any rate, last year I bought candy that I don't really like (it was probably Sweet Tarts) and gave that out. It worked like a charm.
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6. Posted by Renee on Thu, Oct 09, 2008, 5:23 pm PDT

Jamie, Forgive my bluntness, but you're sounding like the Scrooge of Halloween. Raisins? Stickers? It's all about the candy. It's a once a year splurge...live a little. More importantly, let your son go a little wild. It won't hurt him. Trust me! Don't take him trick or treating then confiscate his loot. That's just mean. Ration it, but don't take it. If you can't let him keep his candy, don't go trick or treating. This is about making memories. What memory do you want your son to have of Halloween? As for giving out raisins, you are sure to be branded by the neighborhood kids. I'm guessing you're not all that much into being the cool mom, but remember, your son has to face all the neighborhood kids and their boxes of raisins. Try to find the balance between being the cool mom and the sensible square mom.
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7. Posted by Lynn M on Fri, Oct 10, 2008, 7:15 am PDT

Renee, I couldn't agree with you more!! Kids DO NOT want raisins.
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8. Posted by escapedlhp on Fri, Oct 10, 2008, 11:04 am PDT

Jamie- What the heck- I certainly hope we dont live in your hood. Raisins?? You might find those mixed in with the eggs and toilet paper!!! It's once a year for cryin out loud!
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9. Posted by Lisa on Fri, Oct 10, 2008, 1:53 pm PDT

Oh, also. I would've loved raisins as a kid. However, I'm probably the only one. =)
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10. Posted by Zach on Sat, Oct 11, 2008, 10:00 pm PDT

some people used to give out handfuls of pennies. it was kind of gross, but pretty nice...i guess :/
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11. Posted by Obii on Sun, Oct 12, 2008, 10:18 am PDT

Wow, I didn't know smarties had no fat :3 I think I just found my new favorite candy! :3
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12. Posted by Stariko-Tasuki No Miko on Mon, Oct 13, 2008, 9:32 am PDT

While I can see what Jamie is on about, I predict hers will be the house with the most eggs, t.p. and shaving cream.
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13. Posted by Michelle H on Mon, Oct 13, 2008, 11:28 pm PDT

Smarties ARE my favorite!! Hurray! As for kids and candy....Let them have a bit of fun!! I used to share my candy as a kid and it was fun to trade among my friends. Not to mention my parents had first dibs on their favorite candies... But now that I am older and in between the kid age and the mom age, it is probably a good idea to ration out the candy each day. I bet in a few weeks they will forget how much candy they had and after giving them only a few pieces a day you can probably just toss the rest of it and no one will know! I do think though kids need to have a healthier lifestyle, but Halloween is not the time to enforce strict dietary restrictions. Every diet needs a little wiggle room!!!
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14. Posted by CaliKitty on Tue, Oct 14, 2008, 1:58 pm PDT

Its a no brainer that I didnt think of: buy candy you dont like. Thats going to be harder than it sounds! Looks like the kids will be getting york pepermint patties this year.
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15. Posted by molochswife on Tue, Oct 14, 2008, 6:10 pm PDT

RAISINS???!!! I would have SOOO egged your house!! Maybe lit a bag of poop on fire on your porch and rang the bell. Ok, I would not personally do this, but I would have found some crazy boy who would. Probably would have filled the bag too. ( I knew some GROSS guys.
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16. Posted by molochswife on Tue, Oct 14, 2008, 6:10 pm PDT

RAISINS???!!! I would have SOOO egged your house!! Maybe lit a bag of poop on fire on your porch and rang the bell. Ok, I would not personally do this, but I would have found some crazy boy who would. Probably would have filled the bag too. ( I knew some GROSS guys.
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17. Posted by grahamlala on Tue, Oct 14, 2008, 7:55 pm PDT

Seriously...no raisins.
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18. Posted by lilybean on Wed, Oct 15, 2008, 7:57 am PDT

During the entire month of October my family gives up fast food and in return I let them have all of their Halloween Candy. The girls eat about half dad eats some and the rest is usally thrown away about 2 weeks before Christmas to make room for stocking stuffers. Raisins are made to be covered with yogurt or chocolate!!!
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19. Posted by Denise L on Wed, Oct 15, 2008, 9:07 am PDT

Wow, really? Where did you guys grow up? I thought egging and stuff on Halloween because you didn't like the treats was an urban legend. Where I come from it means people hate you for some larger reason (and getting TP-ed actually means you're really popular. Go figure.)
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20. Posted by grillcook4u2 on Wed, Oct 15, 2008, 11:07 am PDT

JUST LOVE THE IDEAS GIVEN ABOUT HALLOWEEN CANDYS. NOW I KNOW THE "BETTER" CHOICES TO PUT IN TREAT BAGS FOR MY DAUGHTERS CLASS PARTY.
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21. Posted by kristieleepuffen on Wed, Oct 15, 2008, 12:40 pm PDT

Good god, I think we still have left over candy from Halloween 1991 in my house somewhere which goes to show how little we cared for the sweets. I did like the chips people gave out, better yet, the old ladies giving out their social security in dollar bills for the kids. Please, for your health, if you cannot control yourself from consuming a whole bowl of candy, get youself to a nutritionist or therapist or both. Sweet cravings can be satisfied from one piece of candy or even fruit, but eating the things like they are going out of style is probably a sign of depression.
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22. Posted by Nann on Thu, Oct 16, 2008, 7:55 am PDT

This year I am passing out Pretzels, low in calories and even if I am tempted I can fit it into my plan.
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23. Posted by Tin Man on Fri, Oct 17, 2008, 7:30 am PDT

Haha how about this hand out candy as usual when the last trick or treater has left throw out the candy thats left. Then ya let your kid trick or treat with a bag (you figure out how big), and when it is full they're done. Let them eat it or trade it or whatever - dont ration and dont take it. It's theirs! And if ya have a little too much candy don't beat yourself up too much - just make a conscious effort to cut back in other areas or be more active for a bit to compensate. I think one of our biggest problems anymore is that we obsess so much about every detail that we forget this is life and it's supposed to be FUN. We only get one shot at this guys- live a little!
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24. Posted by paigejessica@ymail.com on Fri, Oct 17, 2008, 6:04 pm PDT

IM MY HOUSE HALLOWEEN IS A BIG DEAL A WAY FOR THE KIDS TO HAVE FUN AND GET CREATIVE WITH COSTUMES. CANDY IS JUST A PERK. I GO THREW MY KIDS CANDY I HAVE TWO TODDLERS SO WHAT ONE DOESNT LIKE THE OTHER WANTS. I DONT LET THEM EAT IT ALL AT ONCE BUT HALLOWEEN NIGHT I DO LET THEM EAT QUITE A BIT. KIDS ARE KIDS FEED THEM HEALTHY NOT ALOT OF FASTFOOD BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOT TO LET THEM GO FOR IT. ONCE A YEAR IS NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM FAT. ABOUT THE BUYING CANDY YOU DONT LIKE IS A GREAT IDEA EVERY YEAR I BUY LOTS DIFFER THINGS AND EVERY YEAR ITS THE SAMETHING I EAT IT ALL BEFORE HALLOWEEN NIGHT SO I HAVE TO BUY MORE.THIS YEAR I THINK ILL TRY THAT TRICK AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPONS!
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25. Posted by Chad O on Sat, Oct 18, 2008, 9:08 am PDT

Come on people halloween comes once a year, lighten up and have some REAL candy...sheesh
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26. Posted by Mrs. Scooter on Sat, Oct 18, 2008, 9:29 am PDT

We always hand out little tubs of playdough! They are super cool and my DD is too little for candy so I think fun stuff that all ages can enjoy is cool! Around here they have a dentist that pays $1 per pound of candy so we always take the stuff that we don't like up there and turn it in. My kids get the money and the candy gets shipped to the troops. It is a great way to share Halloween with everyone!
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27. Posted by Debra J on Sat, Oct 18, 2008, 10:27 am PDT

Love all your ideas... I have a problem too with candy on the counter and the kids in the neighborhood know to hit my house quickly cause my husband and I always give a handful of treats at the very beginning so that we dont have any left overs... I really love Mrs. Scooter idea too about sending the candy to the troops keep up the great work! Boots First!!!
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28. Posted by JANICE V on Sat, Oct 18, 2008, 10:48 am PDT

excellent ideas, interesting comments.
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29. Posted by Brandie H on Sat, Oct 18, 2008, 11:03 am PDT

good lord people lay off jaime so what if she picks through her sons candy stash she didn't say she took it all just the really bad stuff so there would not be leftovers besides if you grow up not eating sweets whats the worse that could happen you would be healthy and you won't miss what you never had
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30. Posted by villavillain on Sat, Oct 18, 2008, 11:07 am PDT

We usually get all the candy together, their loot & leftovers, and I let them have some. They eat a few pieces over the next few days, and, since my daughter;s birthday is in November, we hide the rest (they forget about it anyway) and save it for goodie bags for her birthday party. We do keep out the Hallowe'en-specific treats, since that looks kind of funky. It keeps it away from my hands - whooo!
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