Provided by: Alison Held, Clinical Nutritionist 

Besides goblins, haunted houses and face paints, Halloween invites us into to a haunting season of sugar coated treats. Sugar can wreak havoc on your immune system, impact the health of your bones, and add on unwanted weight. Avoid getting swept up in the candy aisle by following these simple, wholesome and nutritious tips:

1)   Handout non-food items: stock up on stickers, fun pens, glow sticks or party favors to hand out to the trick or treaters. The kids will be excited to add something new to their bags and you'll be promoting healthier choices.

 2)   Select nutritious treats: enjoy leftovers that are healthy versus full bags of miniature snickers that are hard to resist. Some ideas include pretzels, applesauce packs, good quality dark chocolate, or boxes of raisins.

3)   Portion control: If you do have unhealthy leftovers (or too much candy was collected by your children), freeze most of the contents and reserve for special occasions. An even better idea is to give some or all of the goodies away.

4)   Green party: Instead of venturing out on Halloween night, host a green party where absolutely no sugary indulgences are allowed. Instead, make eyeball soup and other fun surprises. A healthier night will still make for a memorable holiday!