Dietitian Tips for Halloween Treats + Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Halloween is fast approaching! Here at Culina Health, our dietitians are all about that all-foods-fit philosophy. We truly believe that all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle. And yes – that includes Halloween candy! In addition to the power of food to help transform our health, we also love the traditions and emotional or social connections that come with foods. Many of us have special memories of eating Halloween treats as kids, and look forward to enjoying a bit of candy as adults too! 

That being said, we wanted to equip you with some of our top tips for enjoying that Halloween candy in a mindful, blood sugar friendly way that’s not going to leave you feeling unwell afterwards. Nobody has time for sugar highs, energy crashes, and blood sugar chaos!

Tips to keep you feeling good around Halloween

You may be wondering, “Is it even possible to enjoy Halloween—and the candy that comes with it—in a mindful way?” Of course! Mindful eating is simply the act of paying attention, without judgment, when we consume a meal or snack. First, getting in touch with our hunger and fullness cues helps us regulate how much we eat. Before you grab a handful of candy, try pausing for a moment, and check in with yourself. Which one of these pieces do you love and which ones are not as fun? Which ones will give you the biggest satisfaction? Instead of focusing on the candy you “shouldn’t eat,” focus on the ones you really love and moderate your intake of those. 

Some questions to ask while eating: Does this taste good to me? Am I enjoying this? And remember, Halloween is more than just candy corn, it’s about the people, the costumes and the opportunities for fun! During the season, stick to solid nutrition habits such as consuming regular meals and drinking plenty of water to help keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable. Read on for more tips to help yourself prepare!

1. Eat balanced, protein-filled meals throughout the day

Just because you’re planning on indulging in some sugary treats doesn’t mean you should skip meals to proactively “make up” for what you ate. Make sure to include protein, healthy fats and fiber in all of your meals. For breakfast, that might look like a veggie omelet with a piece of whole grain toast. For lunch, salads with beans or lentils of your choice and olive oil are easy and nutritious. And for dinner, have something nourishing like turkey chili with lots of vegetables and a side of wild rice. For mouthwatering meal suggestions and a helpful checklist of nutritional components to include, you can refer to our free Balanced Plate resource. 

2. Don’t let yourself get too hungry

If you eat lunch at noon, and dinner isn’t until 7pm, include an afternoon snack. If you don’t, you’ll likely reach the point of ravenous hunger and be more likely to overindulge to the point of feeling ill. At that point of extreme hunger, anyone would reach for a big handful of candy. Some protein-packed snack combos we love that’ll keep you feeling satiated until dinnertime, are a cheese stick and grapes, or cottage cheese with blueberries and cinnamon!

3. Move your body

Put that energy you’ve built up to good use by incorporating some movement on Halloween—and yes, trick-or-treating counts as movement! If you’re not on the trick-or-treat circuit this year, here are a few other festive ideas:

• Have your friends over for a spooky-season dance party.
• Bundle up and go out for a leaf-peeping walk or jog—or better yet, make it a Halloween decoration scavenger hunt! First person to spot a 6-foot-skeleton lawn ornament wins.
• Wear your favorite festive Halloween clothes to a workout class or yoga session.
• Tackle some yard work for the perfect mix of strength and cardio. Rake leaves or rearrange some backyard furniture for some productive *and* health-promoting movement. Don’t forget to stretch first!

4. After Halloween, move on to business as usual

Enjoying some candy on Halloween is not going to change your life, good or bad, so you do not have to “make up for it” the next day. Eat your meals and snacks as you normally would. Maybe sneak in some extra water. Move your body. And remember that a few pieces of candy are negligible in the grand scheme of things.

A Halloween treat the whole family can enjoy

If you are looking to change things up this year and make a healthy Halloween treat to enjoy, we’ve got you covered. These homemade peanut butter cups are a low-sugar, high-protein dessert and even pack some healthy fat! What’s more, these smart sweets require only 4 ingredients and take 20 minutes to make.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Recipe FAQ

1. Why is this a healthier recipe compared to traditional peanut butter cups? 

Using natural peanut butter eliminates the added sugar often found in regular peanut butter. This recipe also does not call for additional sugar to be added, like most peanut cup recipes, and instead relies on the natural sweetness of the peanut butter and chocolate chips. 

2. Can I use almond butter or another kind of nut butter instead of peanut butter?

Sure! Using almond, sunflower or cashew butter will all work, but may significantly change the flavor profile.

3. Can I make a nut-free version of this treat?

There are numerous nut-free butters out there: Soy butter, Sunbutter, tahini, granola butter (made from oats) or chickpea butter will all work. WOWbutter is made in a peanut-free, tree nut-free facility and tastes very similar to peanut butter.

Holiday Season Support from Registered Dietitians

Whether you’re looking to develop sustainable eating habits that will take you through the holidays—and beyond!—or looking to improve your labs or chronic condition symptoms, the team at Culina Health is here for you. Get matched with a registered dietitian today, and you could pay as little as $0 out of pocket with insurance!