What’s not to like about Halloween? Whether you are a fan of the creative costumes, the super-spooky stories or the loads of sweet treats, there really is something that everyone can enjoy about the holiday. Unfortunately, it seems that we’ve been overindulging with candy over the past couple of years, and it’s starting to show. In fact, recent studies have found that the average American consumes 25 pounds of candy per year, with Halloween candy making up the largest portion of seasonal consumption. With candy being one of the most iconic elements of Halloween, how are you supposed to cut it out of your party? Below are some ideas to help you cut the sugar while still giving your guests a treat this Halloween.

Veg Out With Your Party Guests

Despite what you may have been told in the past, there are actually quite a few ways that you can use fruits and vegetables to create healthy Halloween party snacks. Most obviously, instead of serving candy packed with refined sugar, try putting out some treats that incorporate dried fruit. Just as sweet, if not sweeter than candy, dried fruit offers similar flavors and textures to everyone’s favorite candies. With its huge range of uses, dried fruit allows you to create a ton of satisfying party snacks that won’t overdo it with the calories.

One great idea is the classic “ants on a log” treat that combines celery, peanut butter and raisins to create the illusion of ants walking across a log. For a vegetable snack, try arranging some veggies on a platter to look like a skeleton. Let your creativity run wild, and you’ll be surprised at how healthy you can make the snacks at your party. You can even recreate classic Halloween characters and symbols with just fruits or veggies.

Chocolate’s Dark Side

A cornerstone of Halloween candy is, of course, chocolate. However, we don’t necessarily have to abandon chocolate to have a healthier Halloween party. We often forget that there is more to chocolate than the sweet milky stuff that we see in trick-or-treat bags every year. Dark chocolate actually has quite a few health benefits when eaten in moderation and as part of a balanced diet. Dark chocolate is a great source of antioxidants and has been connected to lower blood pressure and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

One easy way to incorporate dark chocolate is to make chocolate-dipped fruit. These treats have the perfect amount of sweetness and deep chocolate flavor to satisfy your guests. If you can’t resist some of the more traditional chocolatey goodies like cookies and cake, try substituting dark chocolate for milk chocolate. You will be surprised at how much sugar and fat you’ll end up cutting from the recipe and how much rich chocolatey flavor you’ll end up adding.

A Protein Poltergeist

After all the sweet snacks you give your guests, they are going to want something more substantial and savory. Thankfully, there are loads of protein-packed snacks to fuel your party. Why not try a low-carb cauliflower pizza with melted mozzarella ghosts, or pretzel broomsticks with string-cheese bristles. Along with these conventional snacks, you can also add a protein punch to any treat by using our Hydrolyzed Collagen peptides blend. This unflavored collagen mix can be added to almost anything you want to serve your guests without affecting the flavor of the dish. Even though they can’t taste it, they are sure to reap quite a few health benefits like lubricated joints, improved skin hydration, rebuilt muscle and improved bone density.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways that you can put a healthy spin on your Halloween party without sacrificing the fun of the holiday. We hope that with these fun suggestions, you’ll not only create healthy habits for yourself and your family, but also introduce your party guests to these healthy options as well. Of course, Protein Essentials is always here to help you make health and wellness an integral part of your life, no matter the season. Who would have thought that Halloween party snacks could actually make you healthier? What are some ways you like to make your Halloween snacks healthy? Share with us in the comments below.