Happy Halloween!

Forget the ghosts and goblins. You know what’s really spooky about Halloween? The amount of calories, fat and sugar in one grab bag of treats!

This is a tough holiday for me, because along with my red wine, I really do love chocolate. Luckily, there are some treats that aren’t quite as scary as others when it comes to the calorie content. If you still need to stock up on some last-minute treats, here are some options that can help you feel a little better if your hand finds its way into that plastic pumpkin basket to grab a treat of your own:

• York Peppermint Patties: who says you can’t enjoy a full-size candy bar without a side order of guilt? This cool treat drenched in dark chocolate is 140 calories with 2.5 grams of fat. (Compare that to a full-size Snickers bar that has 280 calories and 14 grams of fat, and you’ve got a good reason to be satisfied by all that minty goodness!)
• Mini Three Musketeer Bars: You can enjoy three minis for 24 calories and less than one gram of fat.
• Hershey Kisses: Three smooches come in at 67 calories and 4 grams of fat.
• Tootsie Roll: One piece has 26 calories and five grams of fat.
• Candy Corn: You can have a whole handful of 10 pieces for only 64 calories and 0 grams of fat.
• 100 Calorie Packs: A good alternative to candy bars, these individual packs can satisfy your sweet tooth and take the guess-work out of portion control.

One final tip: if you’re taking the kids out trick-or-treating, chew on a stick of sugar-free gum while you make the rounds. Each stick usually only packs about five calories and with the sweet fixation already in your mouth, you may not be as tempted to sneak into the kids’ goodie bags for something else.

I wish everyone a safe and Happy Halloween! Remember, even this sweet holiday doesn’t have to ruin your quest to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!