Halloween Tricky Treats

During Halloween, it seems like kids and adults alike care more about the candy than the costumes! Here are a few favorite treats at Halloween time that pack a lot of calories.
Pumpkin Flavored Baked Goods- Pumpkin itself is a healthful food. Plain pumpkin puree contains a dose of vitamin A and fiber for a small amount of calories. But pair it with sugar, cream cheese frosting, shortening and butter and you've got a high-cal treat dressed in a healthy-looking orange outfit!
Trick:You can bake your own pumpkin treats using less sugar and fat, plus whole-grain goodness. Use a mini muffin tin to help with keep your portions in check and steer clear of these seasonal baked goods!
Hot Seasonal Beverages- Sometimes there is noting more enjoyable than sipping a hot drink on a crisp fall day. Many coffee joints offer special seasonal beverages during the holidays. While plain coffee is low-cal, seasonal lattes and drinks contain a lot of sugar, and most boast a heavy dose of cream, too.
Trick: Order a small beverage (if you must) and lighten the load by requesting fat free milk and holding any whipped topping. Freshly brewed tea can be a great alternative that is virtually calorie- free.
Caramel Apple- Yes, it's obvious. If you cover a healthy fruit with sugar, it becomes a less healthy choice. Simple caramel apple seem innocent, but they can pack 300 calories onto that little wooden stick!
Trick: Enjoy your apples by cutting them into wedges and dipping them into low fat caramel dip, fat free vanilla yogurt or peanut butter.
Chocolate Fun Size Candies- At an average of about 100 calories a pop, these popular fun-size treats can really add up! Sure they're smaller, but how often do you stop after just one!
Trick: Start reading fun-size labels before throwing out the package so that you're no eating blindly; these calories do count. Fun size peppermint patties and Twizzles have about half of the calories of the average chocolate bar but keep in mind these can still add up!

Don't make excuses about desserts or baked treats being "healthful" just because apple or pumpkin is in the name and monitor your intake of tiny-size treats, which can easily add up to BIG numbers of calories. Think about what these seasonal treats are doing for your body and put your label reading skills to work and stay in control of your choices!