Halloween Candy Swaps
Nothing beats the feeling of putting on a costume, pretending you are someone completely different for the night, and going door to door, collecting massive amounts of candy. For most kids, nothing is better than a sugar rush! My favorite Halloween candy would switch every year, but I remember being really fond of almond joys, butterfingers, Kit-Kat, and Twix. And, of course, Reese’s peanut butter cups. Basically anything covered in chocolate!
Nowadays these candies don’t appeal to me the way they once did. There’s something about a fine quality dark chocolate that I would take over these options any day. Luckily, there are some great options out there that have the same nostalgia, are way healthier, and use decadent dark chocolate (not the fake Hershey’s stuff).
Reese’s
I was shocked to see that Reese’s are actually one of the “healthier” options in the Halloween candy department. They are free of corn syrup AND vegetable oils. Who knew?
While there are other ingredients I’d prefer not to eat, this is actually one of the better options. However, I’ve recently come across Theo’s peanut butter cups which knock this Hershey’s option out of the water. The first ingredient is cocoa beans and they use rosemary extract to preserve the candy. Not to mention all ingredients are organic!
M&M’s
M&Ms are quite the classic. I always got a ton of them trick or treating but they were never really my favorite. If you’re a fan of them, Unreal’s Crispy Cocoa Gems are nearly identical. They have the same crunchy outside shell and soft inside chocolate that melts in your mouth.
They use natural vegetable juices to color their candy rather than artificial dyes which have been known to make kids go nuts.
Butterfinger
It’s always the things that taste the best that are the worst for us. I can’t even remember the last time I ate one, which is probably a good thing considering the first ingredient is corn syrup. Unfortunately, there is no easy dupe for these. However, it does make for a fun Halloween activity if you are staying inside this year.
I’ll be testing out this recipe from one of my favorite baking blogs, Detoxinista.
Kit Kat
Another classic chocolatey treat. I’m hear to argue that this swap is even better than a KitKat, considering it’s made with actual chocolate. I promise, real dark chocolate makes all of the difference in a candy bar. While this option is definitely healthier, keep in mind that it still does have gluten in it.
You can even feel good about purchasing this brand since the palm oil they use is sustainable sourced and their chocolate ingredients are Fair Trade Certified.
Twix
I had to save the best for last. I think this is still a favorite of mine up to this day. Luckily corn syrup isn’t the first ingredient in this one, but it’s still up there. Like Butterfingers, there is no easy dupe. You just have to do it yourself! A lot of the ingredients overlap with the Butterfingers recipe, so why not make both?
I’ll be using this Twix copycat recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. Bonus: it’s vegan and gluten free!
Starburst
Starbursts are probably one of the worst candies you can eat because they are mostly comprised of corn syrup and vegetable oil. Luckily, Smart Sweets makes a pretty good swap with better ingredients. They also make other candies like gummy bears, gummy worms, and swedish fish.
Luckily there are brands out there making “healthier” versions of our favorite candies! We can indeed indulge without consuming harmful ingredients like corn syrup and vegetable oils. Wondering why corn syrup is so bad? Check out the recent post I wrote here.
What candy are you most looking forward to trying?
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