Halloween is just around the corner and you know what that means...CANDY. You can barely escape it. It's everywhere: at the grocery store, your office, in advertisements. You probably have a big bowl of it at home just waiting to be gobbled up by trick-or-treaters.
It's not always realistic to abstain from all the treats that will be popping up between now and the end of the year. And it's OK to have a piece of candy every now again, especially as a reward after a a great workout. Just make sure that one piece doesn't turn into ten. And don't forget, not all candy is created equal. So, if you're going to treat yourself this October 31, take a look at these five options.
1. 3 Musketeers
The fun-size bar has only 63 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 11 grams of sugar, which isn't too bad when you're talking about a chocolate bar. 3 Musketeers are a perfect snack because instead of being packed with caramel, the bar is infused with a lighter nougat.
2. York Peppermint Patty
The York Peppermint Patty contains just 165 calories for a full-sized bar with 3 grams of fat and 27 grams of sugar. Compared to other full-size candy bars, this one is significantly lower in calories.
3. Peanut M&Ms
Your kids might not be a huge fan of this version of the M&M, so why not save them for yourself! One fun-sized bag of peanut M&Ms has 90 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 9 grams of sugar. Plus, peanuts have protein--so it's not all bad for you.
4. Jolly Ranchers
If chocolate isn't your thing, Jolly Ranchers are a great alternative. Three of these sweet candies contain 70 calories, 0 fat and 11 grams of sugar. If you're looking for candy that will last a while, suck on Jolly Ranchers for a delicious treat.
5. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
For the same reason why Peanut M&Ms aren't a bad choice, the peanut butter in Reese's will help you feel fuller longer than some other options. Just be careful--remember portion control because those mini peanut butter cups can add up quickly and so can those calories.
6. Dum Dums Lollipops
If you're looking for something sweet and sugary but don't want to waste a day's worth of calories in one sitting, lollipops are a great choice. Lollipops are portion controlled and take time to eat (unless you're biting them of course). Even though the sugar content is high, Dum Dums still have less sugar than chewy caramel candies.
Nicole Kennedy is a healthy living blogger and publicist living in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Nicole's blog, Simply Nicole, documents her daily life occurrences as she balances working full-time, blogging, training for races, practicing yoga, eating healthy and planning her wedding. You can connect with Nicole via Facebook and Twitter for real-time blog updates, tips and tricks to living a healthy lifestyle, and more!
