The trick-or-treating Halloween season is here! But sometimes the biggest trick of this fun-filled holiday is all that extra added sugar you’re consuming. Just take one look at the grocery store aisle and temptation sneaks in. And who can resist ripping open the candy wrappers to celebrate the spooky season?!

But if you’re looking for more treats than tricks this Halloween, look no further than these healthy Halloween tips & treats for adults. With these strategies and healthy options in hand, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying Halloween without going overboard on the sugar.

Psst.. are you a parent with sugar-obsessed young ones? Head to our parent’s survival guide to Halloween for some kid-focused Halloween tips.

Healthy Halloween Treats for Adults

Looking for a healthier way to celebrate the spooky season while still satisfying your sweet tooth? Here are some of our favorite healthy Halloween treats for adults:

Hu Chocolate Bars

This is no ordinary chocolate bar! Hu Chocolate Bars are all about using simple, minimally-processed, fair-trade, and organic ingredients. Their Milk Chocolate Bar, for example, contains only organic fair-trade cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, organic grass-fed milk, and organic fair-trade cocoa butter. No refined cane sugar or ingredients you can’t pronounce! Just simple yet mouthwateringly delicious chocolate.

Smart Sweets

If you’re a sucker for gummies, lollipops, and other various hard candies but you want to kick sugar to the curb, look no further than Smart Sweets. This woman-owned candy company makes all low-sugar, plant-based, and high-fiber sweets. Some of their candy has as little as 1 to 3 grams of sugar per bag, with 80-90% less sugar than regular candy! And thanks to natural flavors, plant-based goodness, and natural sweeteners like stevia, they also taste delicious. They have it all from sour candy bites to caramel goodies to low-sugar lollipops.

Yum Earth

Struggling with food allergies and never sure what candy you can eat? Yum Earth is all about allergy-friendly, healthy treats that are free from some of the most common allergens like peanuts, tree nuts, milk, fish, shellfish, egg, soy, wheat, and sesame. Plus their products are organic, non-GMO, and free from artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup.

UNREAL Milk Chocolate Gems

These delicious tiny chocolate bites contain no artificial flavors, coloring, or processing agents like titanium dioxide. UNREAL Milk Chocolate Gems contain only all-natural colors from foods like spirulina, beets, and turmeric. Plus they also use fair-trade-certified ingredients!

OLIPOP

Although we don’t fall into the candy category we do make a great ingredient in Halloween baked goods! Like our Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes Recipe, which makes bright orange cupcakes—perfect for turning into little pumpkins—using our OLIPOP Orange Cream soda.

Spice these orange cupcakes up with some Halloween flair by adding candy corn or other treats on top. Not only will it taste delicious, but you’ll be adding gut-supporting prebiotic fiber, botanicals, and other nutrients to your Halloween dessert!

10 Healthy Halloween Tips

1) Moderation Is Key

There’s no reason to make candy and Halloween treats off-limits. After all, who can say no to indulging in some candy corn and chocolate bars? But the key to celebrating a healthier Halloween is to enjoy all those treats in moderation. Choose one sweet treat a day and balance your sugar consumption with healthy, whole foods.

2) Fill Up First

Headed to a Halloween party where you know there will be lots of tempting treats? Eat a nutritious meal before you go. You’ll feel fuller once you arrive, which can help you skip those candies and desserts when you aren’t walking into the event hungry.

3) Practice Mindful Eating

As you’re enjoying your Halloween treats, take the time to appreciate what you’re eating. Chew slowly, take small bites, and really experience the taste, texture, and smell. You’ll enjoy your treats more, and eat fewer sugar-laden calories in the process.

4) Celebrate With Activities, Not Just Candy

Halloween isn’t just about eating candy! There’s also bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, or touring a haunted house. Take advantage of all the ways you can celebrate Halloween, especially the ones that don’t involve added sugar.

5) Rethink Your Drink

Another method of Halloween sugar moderation is to swap out one sugar-filled treat for a lower-sugar option. If you’re a major soda drinker, for example, swap out your sugary soda for OLIPOP. With only 2 to 5 grams of sugar per can, you’ll keep your added sugar intake in check when it comes time to unwrapping Halloween treats.

6) Watch Out for Sugar-Filled Cocktails

Keep an eye on your alcohol intake! For many adults, the biggest indulgence of Halloween is cocktails. And thanks to the addition of soda, simple syrup, and other sweeteners, some of these spooky cocktails have more sugar in them than a candy bar. Those sugar calories (and sugar hangovers!) can add up quickly. Alternate between sipping on a cocktail and hydrating with water. You can also be mindful of which ingredients in your cocktail contain added sugar so you can make adjustments to the recipe.

7) Donate Your Extra Candy

Didn’t get as many trick-or-treaters to your door this year? Donate your candy haul to a homeless shelter or children’s hospital, or create a care package for troops overseas. Not only will you feel good, but your stomach will thank you too.

8) Snack Wisely

The fall season offers plenty of delicious and nutritious snack options. Celebrate the fall foliage season and all things October with these healthy snack ideas:

1. Bake some homemade sweet potato fries
2. Go apple picking and enjoy your freshly picked apples for your afternoon snack
3. Whip up a healthy and filling pumpkin bread recipe
4. Head to your local farmer’s market and pick up some in-season fruits and veggies
5. Make some homemade applesauce or apple crisp
6. Throw some pumpkin seeds in the oven for a tasty snack

9) Be on the Lookout for These Ingredients

As you dig into your Halloween candy, check the back label and watch out for these not-so-good-for-you ingredients:

1. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and corn syrup
2. Partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats)
3. Artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners
4. Preservatives including sodium benzoate, sulfites (sulfur dioxide), polysorbate 60, 65, or 80, nitrites, TBHQ, and BHT/BHA

Instead, opt for these healthier labels and ingredients:

1. Natural colors like beets, turmeric, carrots, and other fruits and vegetable coloring
2. Natural sweeteners like maple syrup, stevia, fruit juice, or honey Organic and fair-trade treats

10) Store It Strategically

What’s out of sight is out of mind and the same goes for your Halloween stockpile of candy and sweet treats! If it’s out and about you’re more likely to mindlessly grab a candy bar when you’re feeling bored or hungry. Instead, store your candy in the freezer or the back of your pantry to help resist any sweet temptations.

What are your favorite Halloween tips and treats? Share your recipe and candy favorites with us on Instagram at @drinkolipop. And don’t forget to sip on one of our many low-sugar soda flavors as you enjoy the trick-or-treating season.