October 10, 2018 | Category: Uncategorized

Healthy alternatives keep your body full and happy this October.

No matter what costumes your children — or maybe even your ghoulfriends — wear, when the Halloween candy comes out, everyone becomes a goblin.

Blame it on the sugar. Most of the treats distributed on All Hallow’s Eve throw our bodies into a sugar rush, which often ends in a crash. In fact, studies have linked high sugar intake to a greater risk of depression, increased joint pain and faster skin aging.

All of which truly sound more terrifying than the ghosts and ghouls haunting your neighborhood this month.

But, keep calm. There is a way to trick and treat yo’ self. We put together a list of healthy options so you can trade in the candy bars and gummies for alternatives that will still keep a smile on everyone’s face.

Breakfast

We often get told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day — so don’t skip out this Halloween just because you can’t figure out how to satisfy that sweet tooth. This recipe from Healthful Pursuit will spice up your morning yogurt bowl while still packing a nutritional punch.

While it calls for non-dairy yogurt, you can swamp it out for Greek, if that better suits your taste buds. But, the best thing about this “smoothie” is that the spinach adds volume, color and minerals to the brew. One cup of the raw leafy green contains vitamins A, K, C and other B vitamins. It also meets some of your daily iron needs, and is an excellent source of fiber.

But, it isn’t just the spinach that gives this potion its power. Flax seeds have been called one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet — and there’s some evidence that they can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. So, don’t feel guilty about consuming this Halloween treat.

If you’re looking for something a bit more portable or kid friendly, try these silly apple bites from Fork and Beans.

Snacks

Forget everything your parents ever told you about playing with your food and get creative with these ghoulish ideas. Turn your oranges into pumpkins and your bananas into ghosts with this recipe from Keep Recipes.

Super Healthy Kids combines crunchy vegetables with smooth cheese sticks to create witches brooms. (Pretzels can be substituted for the celery and carrots.) These brooms can be made in a matter of minutes — and can help fill children up with veggies and protein before going trick or treating.

Lunch

Pinterest offers plenty of fangtastic options for your Halloween menu, but a couple of our favorites are the Monster Pita Pizza from Eating Well and the pimento cheese bat sandwiches from Delish.

Neither one require baking, which means they are easy to throw together Halloween morning for the kids or even yourself (no judgment here).  Plus, the avocados in the guacamole on the Pita Pizza give you a dose of healthy fats, which reduces inflammation and the risk of heart disease.

Dinner

This quick recipe for eyeball pasta by Spend with Pennies can be ready in 30 minutes or less with some earlier prep. That way, you don’t have to worry about cooking and applying (and re-applying, let’s be honest) that Halloween makeup.

If you want something a little fancier, serve this squash soup. The recipe still comes together in less than an hour — and who wouldn’t have a gourd time using pumpkins as bowls? We love the idea.

Then, after dinner, you can clean out the inside of your pumpkins, rub the inside with cinnamon, add a few cloves in the flesh – and create a pumpkin pot-pourri. Just light a candle inside and enjoy the fresh autumn scent!

Send an email to marketing@giconsultants.com to share your photos and experiences with these recipes — or send us your own favorites — that we can feature on our social media! We’d love to hear from you.