During the fall there are tons of festivals, local fairs, and parties that serve sweet delicious treats. October is the peak candy-apple season, but if you want to avoid lots of sugar, which are full of empty calories and cause weight gain, what should you choose? Healthy options can be almost nonexistent, but you don’t have to sacrifice creativity for taste, so here are a few healthy options you can try:

1. Roasted/grilled Corn – Fresh corn is sweet and when paired with a small amount of salt, it can offer both a sweet and salty deliciousness that kids and adults will enjoy. Get the recipe: Roasted/Grilled Corn

2. Pumpkin muffins – Instead of choosing a cupcake topped with icing, try a muffin! Muffins are usually sweet and tasty, but are also packed with fiber and vitamins our bodies need. Get the recipe: Pumpkin Muffins

3. Dark Chocolate dipped fruit – Candy is yummy, but it isn’t the best option for our teeth. A healthy alternative is fruit. Almost any fruit can be dipped but some popular choices are apples, strawberries, oranges, or peaches. Another option is to dip dried fruit; however, look for the healthiest dried fruit that doesn’t have added sugar. Get the recipe: Dark Chocolate-Dipped Fruit

4. Fruit Kabobs – According to the USDA’s food guidelines, almost one-fourth of our plates should contain fruit. Kids and adults can easily get their daily fruit allowances using fruit kabobs. Using seasonal fruits will give you the freshest kabobs. Fall seasonal fruits are apples, grapes, pears and figs. Get the recipe: Fruit Kabobs

5. Apple Moons – Apples covered with peanut or almond butter sprinkled with granola make a great quick, bite-sized snack. Get the recipe: Apple Moons

6. Homemade Trail Mix – Fruits, grains, nuts, and seeds are good sources of fiber. By making your own trail mix you’ll be able to control the amount of sugar it contains. Get the recipe: Homemade Trail Mix

7. Oatmeal Cookies – Just because oatmeal cookies contain oatmeal doesn’t automatically make them healthy. However, if you want a cookie that contains vitamins oatmeal cookies are one of the best options. Get the recipe: Oatmeal Cookies

8. Dried Apples – A food dehydrator can be a great way to create your own fun treats, but even if you don’t have a dehydrator you can dry out fruits and create edible snacks by baking them. Get the recipe: Dried Apples

9. Spiders on a Log – This is a twist on the traditional kid favorite “ants on a log.” Remember many people have nut allergies, so consider using an almond or sunflower seed spread to bind your edible critters onto the celery stalks. Fun fact, did you know almonds are not nuts, they are actually edible seeds? Get the recipe: Spiders on a Log

10. Sweet Potato Jack-o-lantern Fries – This yummy baked snack is packed with nutrients and they look rather enchanting too! This snack offers easy cleanup and kids can come up with their own designs. The easiest option would be to cut the sweet potatoes thin and use a cookie-cutter to create the internal shape. Get the recipe: Sweet Potato Fries

The key to eating healthy snacks is portion control. Many of these options are not necessarily health foods, but eat them in moderation and you will be able to enjoy the natural vitamins and minerals the treats contain!