Sweet Alternatives to Halloween Candy That Are Waaaay Better-for-You!
Halloween is approaching, and that means grocery stores and drugstores have candy and chocolate everywhere. It’s pretty hard to say no, right? Luckily, there are a couple of great options for healthier sweet treats to enjoy for Halloween (and whenever the craving strikes, let’s be honest!), all of which won’t set you back in your wellness goals or cost you hundreds of calories and added sugar.
Plus, these sweet alternatives even have ample protein and other nutrients to fill you up, so you can squash that craving in one shot without the need to rummage through the candy bowl for more treats. And it’s easy to whip up in minutes, so you won’t need to worry about inconvenience with making a dessert from scratch. Here are a couple of options to keep in mind.
Quest Peanut Butter Cups
Peanut butter cups are great, but oftentimes, the big brands you know of don’t include usable macronutrients like protein, fiber or fat. Instead they load their cups with sugar and let you deal with the crashes afterward. And since they’re basically sugar cups, you can trigger the addiction response and keep going back for more.
Luckily, Quest Peanut Butter Cups are out now and taste like the real deal, but with less than 1g of sugar and 11g of protein per pack. And these aren’t just some dry, tasteless knockoff that will leave you wanting the original, sugar-fueled peanut butter cups. They’re rich and creamy, taste like an indulgent chocolate peanut butter treat, but with virtually no sugar. And because the protein content isn’t super high, you can enjoy a little more without feeling too full.
Melted Protein Bar With Whip or Ice Cream
You know eating a protein bar after a workout can be great for getting that protein quick, or for breakfast, when you’re short on time and can’t sit down for a meal, but you can actually make it a sweet snack or dessert by heating it up in the microwave.
Try microwaving a Quest Protein bar for 15 seconds. You’ll be amazed at how it transforms the taste and texture. If you’re feeling really adventurous, top your heated-up bar with a dollop of low-carb ice cream or whipped cream. You get an instant dessert with lots of protein—20 grams or more and still the same sweet, dessert-tasting flavors, like brownies, cheesecake, lemon bars and more. It gives them that gooey texture you search for in a baked good, but without all the sugar and bad fats.
5-Minute Cookies
You can totally use protein bars to make cookies and avoid the delay in and effort with baking them in the oven from scratch—this trick just needs a 5-minute stay in the oven.
Try cutting up your Quest bars and baking them in the oven for five minutes at 400 degrees for a batch of quick cookies that taste decadent and sweet, but actually have a good dose of protein and few grams of carbs and sugar in each bite. Simply cut them into small squares, place them about 2-3 inches apart and bake. Enjoy hot!
Sundae With Chopped Protein Bar or PB Cups
You can make a sundae with low-carb ice cream and top with healthy toppings like nuts, banana, nut butter, shredded unsweetened coconut and more, as well as chopped up Quest PB cups or pieces of a protein bar. You can slice and create squares or bites from one bar, where you’ll get a great amount of protein and fiber, too.
Chocolate Coated Protein Bar Bites
You can also chop up a protein bar to create bite-sized pieces and then dip them in melted chocolate (go for unsweetened or low sugar dark chocolate varieties—this is better for your health and higher in antioxidants!), before setting them in the freezer to create a cold boating. You’ll always have a chocolate covered bite ready for when the craving strikes!
