There are countless ways to do Halloween in DC, whether you attend a costume party or trick-or-treat on Embassy Row. Some things about Halloween, though, never change—including the large amounts of candy available around every corner. Temptation rearing its ugly head everywhere on Halloween can be a real struggle for those of us trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but fear not! There are ways to make Halloween candy work for everyone. Consider the following tips when you empty your sack of sweets onto your bed after a long night of hard work (and play):
How do I decide between candies?
- Milk chocolate vs. Dark chocolate:
- Trying to choose between the better of two goods—especially in the case of chocolate—is never easy. But when push comes to shove, dark chocolate has blood pressure lowering powers and antioxidants that white and milk chocolate simply don’t. So in this battle, choose a fun-size Hershey dark chocolate bar (~64 calories) or a Lindt dark chocolate truffle (~74 calories) to satisfy a craving for pure, unadulterated chocolate.
- Snickers vs. 3 Musketeers
- If it’s a specialized candy you crave, a 3 Musketeers bar (~64 calories for a fun size or ~73 calories for 3 minis) has fewer calories than a Snickers bar (~80 calories for a fun size). The main culprit in the Snickers is the nuts, which are a satisfying and healthy treat on their own but lose their health halo when ensconced in caramel or chocolate. The whipped, fluffy, and airy 3 Musketeers bar allows for a longer, sweeter indulgence and wins this battle.
- Reese’s Cup vs. Peanut Butter M&Ms
- Let’s be honest, peanut butter and chocolate are simply a match made in heaven, and the existence of an entire market dedicated to peanut-y, chocolate-y goodness only reinforces this point. If it’s a sweet match like this you crave, a Reese’s Cup (~105 calories) or a fun-sized Peanut M&Ms pouch (~90 calories) would be comparable choices.
These are just a few ways to go about choosing which candies you think are worth the bite and which ones are just plain scary. If you aren’t waiting until you get back to your dorm to indulge and want to go out feeling prepared to distinguish the better candies from the baddies, here are a few more candy choices that are about 100 calories or less:
- 1 two-piece, fun-sized Kit-Kat bar: 70 calories
- 4 Hershey kisses: 89 calories
- Two Twix mini (not fun size!) bars: 100 calories
- 1 Butterfinger fun-sized bar: 100 calories
- 1 Crunch fun-sized bar: 60 calories
- 1 York snack-sized Peppermint Patty: 60 calories
- 1 snack-sized Almond Joy: 80 calories
- 2 squares of Dove milk chocolate: 88 calories
- 1 fun-sized Milky Way: 80 calories
- 4 Tootsie Rolls: 93 calories.
Halloween is a day where many people choose to indulge in their favorite candies that they don’t necessarily consume every day. If you’re trying though to enjoy in moderation, remember these tips for making better choices!
The only thing harder than having to decide between Halloween candies? Choosing your costume. Sexy government shutdown anyone?