12 Cleaner (healthier) Packaged Halloween Snacks
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Yes, our kids can still enjoy the fun of Halloween without eating franken foods.
This doesn’t mean they will miss out on sugar or treats in fact it’s anything but. I’ve talked and written extensively about excitatory compounds in foods, addictive flavor/texture combinations as well as the effects that artificial colors and flavors can have on the developing brain. I’ve also spoken at length about chronic disease in children being its own epidemic yet respected the importance of finding good/better/best options when choosing our day-to-day foods.
And though Halloween is only a once a year holiday, in our household we still seek out foods that contain a bit less sugar, no high fructose corn syrup, gluten, or anything artificial, since it proves consistency and dedication that my kids are beginning to notice.
I promise they're still tasty!
Speaking of cleaner snacks, be sure to check out my 22 top picks for all around healthier packaged snacks here.
12 Cleaner (healthier) Packaged Halloween Treats
1.Unreal Snacks(lower sugar) Instead of using non caloric sweeteners in a product, just use less sugar in general.
Love the “snickers” variety since it tackles the sweet tooth without being sickeningly sweet.
2. Skout Organic Bars- I put these in the sweets category because they contain more sugar gram for gram than other varieties, though the ingredients themselves are ideal.
3. Peaceful fruits dots & Fruit Stickers
Tommy’s new favorite thing. All made with real fruit!
4. Little Secrets (shhhhhh, it’s like peanut M&Ms w no artificial colors)
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5. Hu Kitchen- My go-to for chocolate snacks. Love putting a few of the gems into the kids’ lunches. Their simple chocolate bars are also great for Halloween time. Made with organic, unrefined coconut sugar.
6. Dr John’s Healthy Sweets Lollipops
Our dentist actually gives these out! Sweetened mostly with xylitol (some erythritol & stevia), these are so much better for the teeth and have super fun flavors with no artificial colors.
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7. Solely Whole Fruit Gummies
Sugar comes from whole, organic fruits with a whopping dose of vitamin C.
8. Justin’s peanut butter cups
Made with organic peanut butter and TbHQ free! T -Butylhydroquinone is a preservative that’s in Recess bars with links to immunological & neurological symptoms and potentially cancer-causing (1). Justin’s is simply providing a cleaner option.
9. Theo dark chocolate
Just a good all around tasty organic dark chocolate bar.
Honorable mentions
These are candies we haven’t taste-tested too much in our house, though the reviews are positive and ingredients prove better than similar products.
These might be a good choice for someone watching sugar or carbohydrates. Sweetened w allulose and monkfruit.
11. Lilys Gummy worms- allulose & erythritol and uses natural pigments for color. Made with corn fiber (24g) so not to be overeaten, especially if you don’t tolerate corn products.
12. Sweet Fish
If fish is your thing, this has similar ingredients as above.
Bonus+
Little secrets Dark Chocolate Mini crispy wafers
If you are not gluten free, these can be a good substitution for a kit kat. They also have a “twix bar” variety.
And be sure to check out these other products that pass the test….
References
Gharavi N, El-Kadi AOS. tert-Butylhydroquinone is a novel aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand. Drug Metab Dispos. 2005;33(3):365-372.