Halloween will soon be upon us and that means an endless parade of kids at my doorstep in search of candy. Most of the time I opt for the giant-sized bag of Kit Kats or Snickers bars to keep them happy. However this year I might try something a little healthier - much to the chagrin of the neighborhood kids.

Since childhood obesity seems to be on the rise, kids probably don’t need additional calories from a bag full of candy. I decided to put together a list of healthy alternatives for the kiddies on Halloween. Manufacturers like Barbara’s Bakery, Newman’s, and Kashi make some great healthy treats but it isn’t always easy to find single-serving bags or individually wrapped snacks. Here are some other alternatives to consider giving out this Halloween:

1. Dark Chocolate - Everybody loves chocolate and dark chocolate is an excellent source of antioxidants.
2. Granola bars - This could get a little expensive if you have a lot of trick-or-treaters.
3. Trail mix
4. Yogurt or carob covered raisins.
5. Almonds, Peanuts, or other nut mixes. Peanuts in the shell work great too.
6. Pretzels
7. Fruit bars such as Fig Newton’s.
8. Cheese and cracker packages.
9. Stickers – All kids love stickers and you can get them at dollar stores fairly inexpensively.
10. Coloring books or crayons – You can buy these items in bulk fairly reasonably and offering these items may just spark their imagination instead of expanding their waist.

I suppose Halloween is the one time of year where it is OK to indulge in a little candy. However, it doesn’t have to be a scary proposition to give out healthy alternatives, and hopefully the disgruntled neighborhood kids won’t TP your house for giving out “lame” candy.