For many children, Halloween brings the promise of bagfuls of sugary candy, mountains of chocolate and other tasteful treats. It’s a once-a-year blood-sugar bonanza that, for many, is just another joyful part of growing up.

But for some children, who struggle with conditions such as gluten intolerance, diabetes and obesity, the October holiday can be a little more tricky – not to mention downright frightening for concerned parents.

Fortunately, there are several dietary alternatives out there that keep the “treat” in Halloween night while leaving the creepy calories and forbidding fats out of the bag. And to make it easier on parents, many of the more healthful options masquerade as the “real” thing, a cover-up that might help avoid resistance from children.

Healthful Halloween treats could contain the following:

– Fruit, such as raisins and apples, which provide vitamins and minerals for strong immune systems.
– Beans and popcorn, two foods that contain beneficial fiber to promote good digestion and healthy cholesterol levels.
– Soy and dark chocolate, options that offer antioxidant-rich flavonoids.
– Peanut butter and nuts, which provide essential fatty acids and are good protein sources.

Using many of the ingredients above, here are some great Halloween recipes:

Spicy Roasted Soybeans (ivillage)

Spooky Honey Popcorn Balls (ivillage)

Gluten-free Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds (RecipeZaar)

Gluten-free Kraft’s Witches’ Fingers (RecipeZaar)

Gluten-free Hot Spiced Cider (RecipeZaar)

Black Bean Dip (suite101)

Vegan Carmel Apples (365Halloween)

Spicy Bruised Bugs (365Halloween)

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 5:14 pm and is filed under Enzymes Inc..

Tags: Halloween, candy, chocolate, Healthy+Halloween, Halloween+recipes, recipe, gluten+intolerance, diabetes, obesity