Tricks With Treats : There Are Fun, Low-Fat Ways to Enjoy Halloween Traditions

Many parents are alarmed at the brimming bags of candy their kids dump on the kitchen table every Halloween. Not only is the candy bad for little bodies and teeth, but many adults also find themselves tempted by the lure of these fattening sweets.

Parents have reason to be concerned, says registered dietitian Geeta Sikand, clinical coordinator at the Center for Sports and Wellness, Mission Hospital, where she specializes in pediatric nutrition counseling.

“Popular candies that contain chocolate and nuts are extremely high in fat,” she says. “For instance, there are 12 grams of fat in just two peanut butter cups, which amounts to 48% of calories from fat. And six chocolate kisses contain 8.25 grams of fat, which is 51% of calories from fat.

“The typical candy bar is very high in fat and not at all heart-healthy,” agrees Connie Kerr, communications director for the Orange County Chapter of the American Heart Assn. The Heart Assn. suggests that children over 2 and adults get no more than 30% of their daily calories from fat.

Candy may be part of the reason the average child gets 35% to 36% of calories from fat. Although this doesn’t sound like much over the 30% limit, and kids seem resilient, the truth is the extra fat does matter, says Sikand, who is also a clinical instructor in medicine at UC Irvine College of Medicine, where she works in cholesterol research.

“Hardening of the arteries isn’t something that pops up at the age of 40 or 50,” she says. “Thickening of the artery walls due to a high blood cholesterol level may begin early in childhood and progress slowly through adulthood. Research has shown that children with high cholesterol are more likely to be adults with high cholesterol, so early prevention is critical.”

Although Halloween is traditionally a high-fat affair, it is possible to make it a more healthful holiday for everyone. Keep the following tips in mind:

* Opt for low-fat candies. “Candies such as gumdrops, licorice, jawbreakers, hard mints, jellybeans, candy corn, Blow Pops and Fruit Roll-Ups are all very low in fat,” says Sharon Rank, a nutrition consultant in Laguna Beach who works with small food companies and restaurants to help them improve the nutritional content of foods and prepare for new FDA labeling laws.

Although these candies aren’t good from a dental standpoint because of their high sugar content, they are better fat-wise, says Sikand, who notes that 20 pieces of candy corn contain just 0.6 grams of fat; Lifesavers have zero grams of fat, as do Fruit Roll-Ups.

* Try sugar-free candy. Save your kid’s teeth by choosing candies made without sugar. Many are sweetened with sorbitol, which is a sugar alcohol that is absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream, says Sikand, who says that it still has calories but won’t damage teeth.

* Consider sweet alternatives. There’s no rule that says you have to dole out candy at Halloween. There are lots of tasty, nutritious alternatives, experts say. “Many healthy low-sugar, low-fat, high complex carbohydrate snacks make great Halloween treats,” Sikand says.

Some prepackaged products that are great to give out at the door include fat-free granola bars. You can find many flavors, including raspberry, blueberry and apple cinnamon. Before purchasing, though, carefully read the labels.

“Some granola bars are high in fat,” warns Sikand, who says to look for bars that have one gram of fat or less. The first ingredient should be a whole grain such as brown rice or oats. And if the product is sweetened with concentrated fruit juices, instead of sugar, even better, because fruit juice brings with it additional nutritional benefits.

Fig bars also come in small packages and tend to be nutritious. Remember to look for bars that contain no more than one gram of fat each. Other nutritional alternatives that come prepackaged include raisins, popcorn, pretzels and even caramel-coated popcorn, says Rank, who notes that popcorn and raisins contain some fiber.

Other great treats include apples, frozen grapes, which Kerr says can be passed off as “eyeballs,” dried fruit, such as apricots and figs, graham crackers and mini-rice cakes, which come in a variety of tasty flavors.

* Try non-foods. “It’s not always necessary to give something edible for Halloween,” says Kerr, who notes that children love to receive more lasting treats such as small toys.

“Last year I experimented by offering the kids who came to my door a choice between a basket with candy and one with small gifts such as decorated pencils and erasers, stickers and little stamps,” she says. “Nine out of 10 of the kids chose the non-food items.”

Other great choices include the popular friendship bracelets, plastic rings, hair bands and barrettes, toy cars, little books and puzzles and even small change.

* Bake good-for-you treats. Make Halloween a special occasion by baking healthy treats with your children. “Get kids involved in the preparation of nutritional treats and they’re more likely to be interested in eating what you’ve made,” says Sikand, who works with overweight children.

Line a 9-inch-by-13-inch-by-2-inch pan with wax paper. Some easy-to-make Halloween treats include puffed rice and marshmallows. Melt 40 large marshmallows or four cups of minis with one-quarter cup of margarine. Then mix this with four cups of puffed rice and press the mixture into the pan. “This treat is fairly low in fat, and the (puffed) rice is a complex carbohydrate,” Rank says.

Or try pumpkin cupcakes. “Start with a spice cake mix and add three eggs or six egg whites,” Rank said. “Then mix in one-third cup of oil, or one-third cup of nonfat yogurt if you wish to avoid oil, and half a cup of canned pumpkin pie spice. From there follow the cake mix directions, except exclude the water.”

Another tasty fun-to-make treat is dried pumpkin seeds. After you cut a pumpkin and extract the seeds, clean them with water, pat them dry and spread them evenly on a cookie sheet that has been lightly covered with canola oil. Then bake them at 375 degrees until lightly browned.

* Choose healthful beverages. Instead of adding to candy overloads by letting your kids drink sodas and sweet punches, try options such as milk or festive apple cider, which both provide vitamins and minerals.

* Eat well otherwise. “Sweets should be eaten in addition to a well-balanced meal, not in place of it,” Sikand says. “Candy has no nutritional value and shouldn’t be used as a replacement food.”

Offset the high-sugar, high-fat candy your children eat at Halloween by providing them with meals that are high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat.

* Candy’s not all bad. “Candy in the diet is fine, as long as it’s eaten in moderation,” Rank says. “Don’t label candy as taboo, because that promotes extreme outlooks regarding food, which can lead to unhealthy thought processes about eating.”

Many dietitians suggest letting children eat a certain amount of candy throughout the day. Offering one piece after lunch and another after dinner often works well.