Healthier Halloween Candy

Halloween is upon us, which means your house is probably FILLED with miniature chocolate bars, jawbreakers and all kinds of other treats ready to be given out. Unfortunately, the sugar-filled and unhealthy candy we give out to kids is just that; sugar-filled and unhealthy. You don't want to be the house that gives out pretzels or raisins because that's not what the kids want. Fortunately, there are some healthier candy choices that are under 100 calories, 10 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar per serving. That way it's good for your trick-or-treaters and for you because you know that there's going to be leftover candy that you're either going to have to throw away or eat yourself.

1. Twizzlers: This low-fat treat comes in not only regular size but in an adorable fun size version as well. Two of these have less than 50 calories and a whopping 0 grams of fat!

2. Peanut M&Ms: Like potato chips, it's hard to eat just one of these delicious treats. Luckily, the snack-size bag, which contains about 7 or 8 pieces, limits your intake so you don't have to feel bad about finishing it. Not only is one bag under 100 calories with less than 5 grams of fat but they also provide fiber, protein and some calcium as well.

3. Hershey's Special Dark: What is Halloween without chocolate?! Fortunately, dark chocolate boosts immunity via the antioxidant properties it contains. Two miniature bars packs about 90 calories and about 5 grams of fat.

4. Tootsie Rolls: The Tootsie roll has been around for years and always seem to resurface around Halloween time. Three mini rolls contains about 70 calories and under 2 grams of fat, so you can snack and not feel guilty about it.

5. Reese's Peanut Butter Mini Cups: These little cups are addicting and they definitely make it hard to stick to the serving size. Peeling off the wrappers of the normal size cups can be quite the process, luckily the mini cups come unwrapped and in mini packages. Two mini cups contain about 90 calories with less than 6 grams of fat--try to opt for the dark chocolate to get those extra antioxidants.

6. Payday: Despite what people say, one fun size bar doesn't pack a huge punch on the waistline with only 90 calories, 5 grams of fat. Since the bar is covered in peanuts, you also are getting 2 grams of fiber and about 7 grams of protein.

7. Mounds: This chocolate-covered coconut treat comes in a fun-size, of course, which only has about 80 calories, less than 5 grams of fat and the coconut really changes up the normal chocolate and peanut butter bars.

8. 3 Musketeers: Fluffy and light enough to float away as the commercials boast, two minis are less than 50 calories and about 8 grams of sugar to make them the right choice.

9. Tootsie Roll Pops: Getting to the center of one of these guys can be quite the feat, with only 60 calories and 0 grams of fat--one of these pops is the perfect treat to give out this Halloween. You get the lollipop aspect as well as the tootsie roll in the center!

10. Kit Kats: Gimme a break--one package of Kit Kats only packs 70 calories with less than 4 grams of fat! Low in calories and fat due to the crunchy and light wafer middle!

11. Raisinetes: Some kids may sneer at raisins being given out on Halloween, but the combo of chocolate and raisins has less than 70 calories and less than 3 grams of fat for a snack-sized bag (about 40 pieces). Also, these guys come in dark chocolate, so get those antioxidants!!

12. Jolly Ranchers: These hard candies can keep your mouth busy for minutes and they are savory but two of these guys will cost you about 50 calories and 8 grams of sugar.

13. Nestle Crunch: Similar to Kit Kats, crunch bars contain little crispies which don't contain extra calories. One fun-size bar has 60 calories and 3 grams of fat--which makes it one of the lightest candy bars on the list.

14. Dum Dum Lollipops: Flavors range from cream soda to cotton candy so what's not to love?! One of these little pops has only 20 calories, 0 grams of fat and less than 4 grams of sugar!!

15. Air Heads: One mini Air Head has under 50 calories and 7 grams of sugar--not to mention the array of flavors!!

16. Mike & Ikes: Chewy, fruity and low calorie too!! One fun-size box of these comes in at 50 calories and 0 grams of fat!! They also contain some real fruit juice as well, unlike other fruity candies.

17. Sweet Tarts: They will make your mouth-pucker. Three mini packs (6 pieces) run you about 30 calories with 0 grams of fat. Hardly satisfying, but if you want something sweet with a little sour, this treat is great!

18. Heath Bar: Mixed in with ice cream or just on its own--one snack-size bar has about 80 calories and less than 5 grams of fat.

19. Almond Joy: This coconut-filled candy is similar to Mounds--but for those who are looking for something a little nutty, Almond Joys are the choice for you, and you also get a dose of fiber and unsaturated fat via the almonds.

20. Smarties: Although they will not make you smarter, one roll is only 25 calories, 0 grams of fat and 5 grams of sugar.

From this list, you can see that there are tons of healthier candy options to hand out this Halloween! Have fun, be safe and enjoy the holiday whether you're trick-or-treating or handing out candy.

ENJOY!!

Hot Drinks to Warm You Up

Hey everyone, I apologize for not posting for awhile. I have been busy lately working, but that's no excuse not to find time to post for my followers. I will do better in the future to get you guys recipes and fun posts for the fall/winter season.

As the temperature is dropping and the weather is getting more and more miserable (cold), people often turn to hot drinks such as coffee, hot chocolate and teas to warm them up. In this post I will be giving advice on what to get to keep you warm for the fall/winter season. (DISCLAIMER: I am not a coffee drinker, I do not like the taste. The only coffee I like is Pumpkin coffee, in which case I usually have not more than 5 cups per season.)

Green Tea: I always have a box of Bigelow Green Tea in the cubbard because I am a HUGE fan of tea. Green tea, while hot and warming also has many health benefits. The facts are that is is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients which can improve brain health, lower risk of cancer and even fat loss. One of the key ingredients in green tea is actually caffeine, so it is like coffee without all the nasty calories and the 'jitters'. The antioxidants in green tea can also lower ones risk of cancer, but adding milk to your tea can lowers the antioxidant power of the tea, thus decreasing the preventative effects of the tea. I try to have tea whenever possible, and green tea is definitely my go-to for the colder seasons.

Coffee...black: From the majority of people I know, I can comfortably say that 10% of you drink your coffee literally black, with nothing else in it. Everyone else adds their sugar, cream, milk, spices, mixtures and whatever else; I'm not too sure, I'm not a coffee-drinker. The best advice I can give to you in this category is to order your coffee black and put in your own fixings. As a franchise such as Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks or anything other place alike, adds excessive amounts of what you ask for. If you haven't noticed, the last time you asked for 'a little whipped cream' on your low-fat chai latte, and they gave you some whipped cream with a little bit of latte underneath. I have nothing against the people who work at these stores, but sometimes they don't listen. Bottom line, add your milk, sugar, creamer, what-have-you yourself; that way you get the right amount.

Hot Chocolate: I am not a chocolate-fan at all, but I can honestly say that Dunkin Donuts does it right, I don't know what they put in there, but it is damn delicious. But for a small cup you're getting about 220 calories. By making some simple switches you can make your hot chocolate choice a little healthier; use a nut milk such as almond or another dairy-free option because of the boost of protein you get while also adding different flavors. Use unsweetened cacao to save some calories, use natural sweeteners such as honey, agave, maple sugar and more. Lastly, add warm spices to your hot coco, such as cinnamon, cardamon and ginger.

Spiced Apple Cider: For you alcohol-lovers out there, here is a hot drink that is sure to warm you up from the inside out. Not only is this drink delicious, but it is also fat-free and can be ready in less than 20 minutes. The health benefits of this drink are that it is blood clot lowering and has blood sugar lowering abilities. I found a recipe I like from Health.com via Spiced Apple Cider. Try it out and enjoy the deliciousness, minus the calories.

Hot Toddy: This warm drink is not only festive but also lower in calories than other drinks such as spiked hot chocolate, hot buttered rum or egg-nog. The citrus, honey and cinnamon working together have even been said to help get over a cold or two. I found a recipe for this delicious recipe on Popsugar.com via Hot Toddy Recipe.

While the weather continues to be sucky and miserable enjoy some hot beverages, but remember that there is such a thing as drinking your calories. Be mindful of what you are putting into your body!!

ENJOY!!