I haven’t been this excited about Halloween since I was a senior in high school when my parents finally let me dress up and go trick-or-treating for the first time since I was a kid, thus breaking their strict big-kids-don’t-beg-for-candy rule. I deftly talked my way into this by arguing that Halloween was an important American cultural activity for the German foreign exchange student we were hosting at the time.

I stand by that argument. Halloween is an excellent holiday.

As a kid I loved the creativity of coming up with a fun, unique costume. I dressed as everything from a princess (duh) to a witch (classic) to a movie star (glamorous as hell).

As an adult, I became rather boring. Instead of creatively coming up with a costume, I’d often tag along as an “extra” to one of my friends’ costumes (thanks, Lauren!).

This year I’m really excited to not only dress up as Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas (I even spent money on a costume this year), but also to throw a Halloween party.

So. Excited.

Of course, you might be wondering what on earth a dietitian might serve at a party for a holiday specifically devoted to all things sugar. I thought I’d share a few of the healthier, yet still Hallo-weeny, ideas I found via the almighty Internet. Here’s the menu for Saturday night:

Savory Snacks

Roasted Red Pepper Deviled Eggs

from My Recipes

Are they eggs – or pumpkins? Low carb, high protein. And (if you hadn’t heard), eggs are no longer on the outs even though they’re high in cholesterol. Read my very first blog post if you’d like to know more.

Serves 16 – Serving Size: 1 half – Nutrients per serving: 55 calories — 4g total fat — 1g saturated fat — 94mg cholesterol — 88mg sodium — 1g total carbohydrates — 0g sugar — 0g fiber — 3g protein

Roasted Chickpeas with Rosemary and Garlic

from Turning the Clock Back

Perfect for warding off any vampires. Although higher carbs, these delights are a high-quality carb that contains lots of fiber. Also (spoiler) they’re delicious!

Serves 10 – Serving Size: 1/3 c. – Nutrients per serving: 122 calories — 4g total fat — 1g saturated fat — 0g trans fat — 1mg cholesterol — 280mg sodium — 16g total carbohydrates — 1g sugar — 5g fiber — 5g protein

Baby Bell Eyeballs

from Kids Kubby

Adorably creepy, and super simple. Also, I {heart} cheese.

Serving Size: 1 cheese – Nutrients per serving: 82 calories — 6g total fat — 4g saturated fat — 0g trans fat — 20mg cholesterol — 192mg sodium — 0g total carbohydrates — 0g sugar — 0g fiber — 5g protein

Sweet Snacks

Low-Carb Pumpkin Custard

from Sugar-Free Mom

Basically the inside of a pumpkin pie. Who can argue with that?

Serves 6 – Serving Size: 1/2 c. – Nutrients per serving: 108 calories — 7g total fat — 3g saturated fat — 0g trans fat — 135mg cholesterol — 47mg sodium — 6g total carbohydrates — 3g sugar — 3g fiber — 6g protein

Sugar-Free Pumpkin Fluff

from All Recipes (make with sugar-free pudding and light Cool Whip)

This is an easy-to-make favorite. Serve with animal crackers, graham crackers, or fruit!

Serves 12 – Serving Size: 1/2 c. – Nutrients per serving: 60 calories — 2g total fat — 2g saturated fat — 0g trans fat — 0mg cholesterol — 16mg sodium — 10g total carbohydrates — 3g sugar — 1g fiber — 1g protein

Paleo Ghost Truffles

from Living Healthy with Chocolate

So cute you’ll hardly want to eat them! Although high in saturated fat, the kind that’s found in coconut is a medium-chain triglyceride (as opposed to the longer-chain triglycerides of other saturated fats), so it doesn’t have the same un-heart-healthy effects.

Serves 11 – Serving Size: 1 truffle – Nutrients per serving: 184 calories — 15g total fat — 8g saturated fat — 0g trans fat — 0mg cholesterol — 28mg sodium — 11g total carbohydrates — 6g sugar — 3g fiber — 2g protein

What kind of treats are on your list this year? Hope your Halloween is as fun as it sweet! Here’s to a little soul food and a lot of love.

With love, from Peas and Hoppiness