As any true candy-craver knows, trying to pass up good old school–or even new school–candy completely may only make you want it more. But if you enjoy favorite treats in moderation every day leading up to the holidays, you may be less likely to overdo it when you’re nose-to-nose with that big bowl of goodies. Here’s some everyday treats and their alternatives:
Worse: Chewy candy like Dots (150 calories and 22 grams sugar in two mini-boxes) and Fruit Gushers (90 calories and 12 grams sugar per pouch) …
Better: A chewy treat that has no calories or is naturally sweet.Try a piece of Ice Breakers gum (with no fat, calories, or sugar) or a mini-box of raisins (45 calories, 0 grams fat, 10 grams naturally occurring sugars).
Worse: Chocolate bars with high-calorie caramel and peanut butter added, like Take 5 bars (105 calories, 5.5 grams of fat and 9 grams of sugar per fun-size bar)
Better: Chocolate treats with something low-calorie added (like puffy grains). Try mini Quaker Chewy Granola Bars (60 calories, 2 grams fat, and 4 grams sugar per bar) or fun-size Nestle Crunch Bars (60 calories, 3 grams fat, 7 grams sugar).
Worse: Chocolate bars filled with caramel, toffee or coconut, like Heath Miniatures with 115 calories, 7 grams fat, and 13 grams sugar for 3 bite-size pieces
Better: Plain milk or dark chocolate fun-size bars, like Hershey’s fun-size bar (67 calories, 4 grams fat, 8 grams sugar). Bonus: You can also use these for baking or to make s’mores.
Worse: Candy bars made with white chocolate like Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme, with 73 calories, 4 grams fat, and 6.3 grams sugar per fun size bar …
Better: Dark chocolate treats, like 3 Musketeers Mint fun-size bars (63 calories, 2.3 grams fat and 9 grams sugar per bar) and Dove Dark Chocolate pieces (84 calories, 5 grams fat and 7.6 grams sugar for two foil-wrapped pieces). White chocolate not only has more saturated fat than any other type of chocolate, but lacks the healthy phytochemicals found in cocoa and dark chocolate.
Worse: Candies with sugar-sweetened peanut butter fillings, like Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins with 170 calories, 10 grams fat, and 16 grams sugar per package …
Better: Candy with whole nuts, which add protein, fiber and phytonutrients. Try peanut M&Ms, with90 calories, 5 grams fat, and 9 grams sugar per mini-pack.
Worse: Snack cakes like Ding Dongs and Hostess Scary Monster Cupcakes (180 calories and 7-9 grams of fat each) or Little Debbie Devil Squares and Cosmic Brownies (260-280 calories, and 11 grams of fat per package) …