Lifestyle

5 Ways To Have A Delicious Halloween Without Packing On The Pounds

by Molly Rieger and Leah Silberman

With Halloween right around the corner, you might be stressing about how you’re going to navigate your way through this year’s sugar fest.

We get it.

This time of year, you can hardly buy milk at your local grocery store without being tempted by the two-for-one candy sales.

Well, take a deep breath, because the girls from Tovita Nutrition are here to help you plan ahead for this holiday and empower you to make conscious indulgences.

We've all experienced a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup binge. But to be honest, the pumpkin costume isn’t in the cards for you this year.

We're prefacing these strategies with a disclaimer: At Tovita, we're never about deprivation.

Deprivation is not fun, and Halloween should be 100 percent about having fun with your costume, friends, family and candy.

But just remember: When your mask comes off on November 1, your trick-or-treat candies won't come off with it.

This Halloween, we want you to have zero regrets (for the most part).

So, let’s get to it:

1. Wait until the last minute.

If you’re reading this today, we're crossing our fingers you haven’t already bought your Halloween candy.

Buying candy should be at the bottom of your to-do list. If possible, try to buy it just a day or two before the holiday.

If it’s not sitting in your pantry, you can’t eat it. It’s as simple as that.

Don’t test your willpower by holding on to candy for weeks, or even days before you plan to open it.

We all know how that will turn out.

2. Be a bit(e) individual.

Go for individually wrapped and preferably bite-sized candy.

This way, each time you dip your hand into the candy bowl, you’re indulging one bite size at a time.

Believe us when we say portion control is crucial to success.

After the first mini bag of M&M’s, you'll be less inclined to go for a second, especially when you have to open a brand new bag and see all those wrappers stacked up in the trash.

If you know your candy cravings will be inevitable, ditch the high-fructose corn syrup and go for organic sweets that are free of artificial flavors and synthetic preservatives.

Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks, YumEarth Organics Gummy Bears or Justin’s Organic Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are all clean go-tos.

But remember: The fact that these treats are made from natural ingredients doesn't give you the green light to eat them mindlessly.

They’re still candy, after all. Portion control will be one of your greatest tools for success.

3. Eat before you shop.

When it comes time to make that candy purchase, do not do it on an empty stomach.

Food shopping when you're hungry means you may already be setting yourself up for failure.

Remember that “No swimming until 30 minutes after you eat” rule you learned at summer camp once upon a time?

Well, there was a reason for it: You’re more likely to drown.

Do yourself a favor, and don’t let yourself drown in the junk food aisles.

4. Plan ahead.

You know junk food temptation will be undeniable this weekend. But you don’t have to watch from the sidelines and pout.

Prepare your favorite healthy indulgence beforehand so you can partake responsibly.

Throw together a bag of homemade trail mix with air-popped popcorn, your favorite nuts or seeds and dark chocolate chips.

If you’re a chocolate lover, good for you. You’re already ahead of the game.

Go for the dark chocolate so you treat yourself to some antioxidants, too.

If you want a little chocolate to go a long way, drizzle some over fresh fruit and keep it cold in the fridge for a sweet version of crudité.

(See below for our green banana ice cream recipe that will help you plan your sweet treat indulgence.)

5. Kiss your candy goodbye.

When Halloween is over, don’t let your candy linger. Get rid of it immediately.

If you have candy separation anxiety, try making a baked good with some of the candy.

Bake M&M cookies, or decorate a cake and give it to your neighbor.

But after that, the candy has got to go.

You’ll thank us later.

6. As for that green banana ice cream recipe...

The ingredients:

1 frozen banana ½ cup spinach ½ cup soy milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For toppings, you may use 1 tablespoon coconut flakes, 1 tablespoon flax seeds, fresh fruit, 1 teaspoon chia seeds and 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips.

The directions:

1. Add ingredients to blender. Blend until the mixture is evenly distributed and appears green (about 30 seconds). Don’t over-blend.

2. Serve in bowl or Mason jar, and top with any of the above options.

May your Halloween be happy, spooky and not-too-sugary!