On Halloween, we take a day to abandon the rules and indulge in a few too many sweets, drinks and costumed antics. And why shouldn’t we? It’s just one day a year. Or at least, it used to be.
Halloween has changed quite a bit over the years, transitioning from a holiday of scary movies and carving pumpkins to one that revolves primarily around consuming sugar. But the truly frightening fact is that our modern eating habits have made every day like Halloween. Both kids and adults in the US consume about 81 grams of sugar per day, every day [1]. That’s over 3x more sugar than we need.
And on Halloween, it gets even scarier. The average American consumes about 3.4 lbs of candy on Halloween alone—and the average child eats 7000 calories of candy in just one day [2]! Not only is this unhealthy, but it can also make Halloween a living hell of tummy aches and mood swings.
What can you do to ensure your family stays healthy without taking the tricks or treats out of Halloween? Try incorporating these sweet, spooky and healthy Halloween treats into your next monster mash.
What are Superfoods?
Superfoods are like the superheroes of the nutritional world. While most healthy foods like fruits, veggies and grains contain nutrients you need, superfoods are especially densely packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats and more.
In short, superfoods are super healthy. And they’re not all kale and quinoa either. There are plenty of superfoods that are creamy, starchy, sweet and crispy—perfect for daily snacking or indulging your Halloween sweet tooth.
Another great thing about superfoods? They are often filling (unlike sugary sweets). That means the more superfoods you indulge in, the fewer sweets you (and your kids) will want to eat. Most superfoods also tend to be low in calories, so you can grab handfuls from your Halloween basket without feeling ghoulish guilt. But which superfoods will satisfy your candy cravings on All Hallow’s Eve? And how can you prep them so that kids will choose them over chocolate?
Spooky Superfoods: Scary Good (and Healthy) Halloween Treats
These scary good superfood treats are sure to satisfy even the most monstrous of candy cravings. They’re so devilishly tasty, you may be tempted to eat them year-round.
Pumpkin
Even a zombie is smart enough to know that pumpkin snacks on Halloween are a no-brainer. Besides being festive, pumpkin is also a freakishly potent superfood, packed with vitamins A, B and C and minerals calcium, potassium and magnesium. Studies have found that pumpkin protects the heart, lowers blood pressure and boosts immunity [3]. It’s also filling, so it’ll keep those sugar urges at bay.
Unfortunately, most pumpkin treats on shelves are made with artificial “pumpkin spice” flavoring and no real pumpkin goodness at all. Instead of shopping for pumpkin-flavored things, buy natural (unsweetened) canned pumpkin. Or, use the pumpkin pulp from your jack-o-lantern to make your own purée. Then, you can add super-powered pumpkin to all sorts of tasty treats like cookies, breads, pies and soups. Try these simple pumpkin treats this Halloween:
- Jack-o-lantern Muffins: Make pumpkin muffins without refined sugar by adding honey or maple syrup. Then, frost with orange icing and add chocolate chips to create jack-o-lantern faces.
- Pumpkin Biscuits: Follow a standard biscuit recipe but add ¾ cup of pumpkin purée into the mix. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and add icing or maple syrup for a sweet, buttery and satiating dessert.
Sweet Potato
This classic autumn superfood is more of a Thanksgiving staple than a Halloween treat, but that definitely needs to change. Sweet potatoes combine two of the greatest things ever—sweets and potatoes! And, they’re unbelievably healthy.
Sweet potatoes are loaded with almost all of the nutrients your body needs, including a ridiculous amount of minerals. They’re also a great source of antioxidants, meaning they help your body fight free radicals and keep your cells safe.* Research has found that sweet potato is anti-inflammatory, protects the liver, improves cognition and promotes a healthy gut [4]. And that’s just a quick glance at this superfood’s superpowers. So, how do you transform this potato into a Halloween favorite?
- Sweet Potato Witch Fingers: Cut sweet potatoes into long, finger-shaped pieces, season them and bake until crispy. Attach almond slices at the tips to resemble fingernails.
- Sweet Potato Jack-o-lantern Chips: Common varieties of sweet potatoes have rich orange flesh—the perfect color for Halloween! Cut into thin slices and carve out triangle eyes and grins. Bake until crispy and serve with sea salt.
Autumn Berries
You might think of berries as a summer treat, but autumn is the perfect time to indulge in blackberries, cherries and cranberries. Berries are some of the most antioxidant-rich foods. Like sweet potatoes, they help neutralize toxins from your body that seek to damage your cells.* Berries are also great sources of vitamins C and K as well as minerals like potassium and magnesium.
One special thing about berries is their high concentration of prebiotics—nutrients that nurture your gut microbiome. Studies have found that berries are among the top healthiest foods you can eat. They have major benefits for the heart, gut, immune system and nervous systems [5]. And the best thing about berries? They’re basically candy already! Stock up on Halloween and cut your processed sugar stash with nature’s candy.
- Dried cranberries: Kids adore snacking on dried cranberries—they’re like raisins with even more flavor. You can buy these at the store pre-dried and eat them by the handful. They also make great additions to cookies, muffins, salads and more.
- Bloody punch: Kids won’t eat healthy food? Why not drink it then? Purée berries and add it to Sprite or sparkling water. The effect looks delightfully spooky and tastes sugary enough to keep Halloween tricks at bay.
Supplements to Support a Happy Halloween (and Beyond)
America’s sugar obsession is growing year after year, and Halloween is the sweet and spooky celebration that tops it all. The idea of replacing some sweets with superfoods is a good one, but it might not be realistic for everyone. Let’s be real—it’s a lot easier and less time-consuming to satisfy trick-or-treaters with candy than with homemade superfood treats. If you don’t manage to convince your family to switch to superfoods, you can still make sure they get all of their vitamins and minerals with supplements. Here are a few that are especially important during a sugar binge:
- Multivitamin: It’s a good idea to take a multivitamin every day, but it’s even more important when you replace the healthy foods in your diet with peanut butter cups and chocolate bars. A multivitamin won’t cancel the sugar, but it’ll help make up for the nutritional deficit. Make sure your candy-chowing kids take a kids multivitamin.
- Blood Sugar Complex: Processed sugars send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride. Over time, this can reduce your insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.* A blood sugar balance supplement supports healthy blood sugar levels and can even reduce sugar cravings.*
- Curcumin: Remember those powerful antioxidants in berries and sweet potatoes? You won’t get those from sweets. In fact, eating more sugar results in more cell-attacking free radicals [6]. So, if you’re planning a sugar massacre on Halloween, take a superfood antioxidant supplement like curcumin to fight the toxic invaders that haunt your cells.
- Pre+Probiotic: Sugary snacks wreak havoc on your gut microbiome and cause tummy aches that would make a werewolf howl. Prebiotics and probiotics can relieve bloating and indigestion by populating your gut with healthy bacteria.* They also support healthy immune function, weight management, and even clear skin.*
Don't Let Sugar Snatch Your Halloween
There’s nothing quite like unwrapping your favorite candy bar on Halloween and digging into some sugary goodness. But when October gets taken over by sugar, like body snatchers coming for our spooky traditions, it can leave Halloween feeling a little hollow.
This holiday used to be about scary stories, hay rides, pumpkins and costumes. There’s so much more to enjoy than just candy. And when we eat too much sugar, we often don’t have the stomach to do much else. So, adding superfoods to Halloween isn’t just about staying healthy. It’s about resurrecting the spirit of Halloween for you and your family and spending more time enjoying the spooky traditions you love. With these healthy Halloween treats and the right supplements on your side, you’ll stay healthy enough to roam the streets for years to come.
FAQ
Superfoods are foods that are particularly rich in nutrients and beneficial compounds such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats. They are considered ‘super’ because they contain higher concentrations of essential nutrients than most other foods, and they’re often linked to a variety of health benefits, including improved immune function, reduced inflammation, and enhanced heart health. Superfoods don’t have a strict scientific definition, but they are generally recognized for their health-promoting properties.
Sugar consumption is particularly concerning during Halloween because both children and adults tend to consume a significant amount of candy, which is high in sugar. Excessive sugar intake can lead to immediate negative effects like tummy aches and mood swings, as well as long-term health issues such as increased risk of diabetes, obesity, and dental problems.
Pumpkin is a versatile superfood that can be used in various Halloween treats due to its high content of vitamins and minerals. You can use pumpkin purée to make healthier versions of traditional treats, such as muffins and biscuits, which not only add nutritional value but also keep with the Halloween theme.
Families can reduce sugar consumption by focusing on fun activities that don’t center around candy, such as costume contests, pumpkin carving, and storytelling. Offering healthier treat options and using superfoods creatively can also help maintain the festive spirit without relying solely on sugary candy.
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
- https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/the-haunting-facts-of-eating-too-much-sugar
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/truth-about-the-great-pumpkin-its-good-for-you/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9495970/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8747047/
- https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2000/08/4839.html
