NANCY CHEN

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7 healthy-ish treats to eat this Halloween (& for the rest of the year)

Time is flying. I can't believe it's already almost Halloween/November/Daylight Savings Time. And best of all? It's Scorpio Season aka I am #thriving.

Beyond scrambling for last-minute Halloween costumes, I have this weird nostalgia (it always happens in the fall) about Halloween. I remember going around with pillow sacks; my sister and I going our separate ways and then reconvening at the end of the night to compile, sort, and claim candies.

My favorites were always Reese's (hellooooo life-long PB lover here), Twix (crunch crunch), and peanut M&Ms. Basically anything with chocolate and a good crunch factor.

Now, there's a plethora of much healthier treats that you can enjoy (and hand out!) on Halloween. Sure, they're more expensive than your giant Costco bag of assorted candies, but stockpile these before (or after, for that sale price!) and enjoy them all year long, because we all know things are better in mini-sizes ;)

1. Unreal Snacks Dark Chocolate

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These chocolates are one of my favorites. They're the grown up version of Reese's or M&M's — there are dark chocolate candy "gems", dark chocolate and almond butter, dark chocolate with quinoa crisps...the list goes on and on. Perfectly satisfying without being cloyingly sweet — the best kind of candy.

2. Perfect Bar Minis

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Sure, these are technically snack bars (protein bars? meal replacement bars?), but the fact that they come in mini-sizes is a huge win. The fact that they're Halloween-themed is another win.

Keep these around sometimes you only need a half or a quarter of a Perfect Bar pre-workout or just as something sweet after dinner, but don't want to rip open a whole new bar and save it (especially since they need to be refrigerated).

3. Enjoy Life Chocolates

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The ultimate allergen-free candy. Nut free, dairy free, soy free, wheat free... nothing except chocolate (made from rice milk) and cacao butter in here. I especially love the dark chocolate minis — they're rich and perfect for a single serving treat. They're also great for adding on top of warm cauli oat bowls or sweet potatoes! 

4. VT Smoke Minis

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OK, you caught me. These aren't sweets and they aren't necessarily Halloween-themed. But still — who doesn't crave salty and sweet? These minis are perfect for on-the-go protein that you can definitely enjoy year-round.

5. AlterEco Truffles

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Another chocolate fav, AlterEco truffles are like Godiva truffles but better. There are fun flavors (salted caramel! mint! sea salt!) and since they're individually wrapped, they're great for bringing with you everywhere so you'll never be chocolate-less.

6. Yum Earth Candy Corn

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Some people hate candy corn. I actually dig it. It's basically all sugar, but treat yo'self, right? You can use them as a fun bowl topping (see Holly's bomb bowl here), dessert topping, or just as a party treat.

Protip: If you like popcorn, add these in for a salty and sweet combo!

7. Annie's Organic Fruit Snacks

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Not only does Annie's make fantastic mac 'n cheese, but they also make some pretty great fruit snacks. Anyone who was a fan of the Welch's snacks or even Gushers as a kid will love these — they're cute, sweet, and fun.

Now it's your turn! What was your favorite candy as a kid? Have you tried any of these?