I love candy as much as the next person, but the number of obese and diabetic children these days is so very frightening that I’m planning to give out healthier Halloween alternatives this year. I just don’t want to be a part of the problem.

So what’s in the goodie bags I’ll be passing out? 

1.  Premium chocolate. The good stuff, made with real cocoa and cocoa butter, not hydrogenated oil. A small piece or two, not a giant bar.

2. A McDonald’s gift certificate for apple dippers. Never buy fries again!

3. Halloween-themed stickers and temporary tattoos.

4. Party-store toys like hacky sacks and yo-yos. Exercise!!

5. Craisins: Yes, they’re sweetened. But they’re also loaded with phyto-nutrients and antioxidants, including proanthocyanidins, which may help scare off the bacteria that cause cavities.

6. Sugarless gum: Did you know it actually helps clean your mouth after eating sweets?

So what’s in YOUR treat bag? 

Stacey Singer writes the On Call blog for PalmBeachPost.com and has been writing about health, science, biotech, consumer issues and government for nearly two decades. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, her education has focused on both science writing and American industrial history.
• E-mail Stacey Singer