by Holle Abee

Kids love October 31. From dressing up in their favorite costume to trick-or-treating to attending spooky parties, Halloween is one of the best times of the year for most children. Unfortunately, the foods generally associated with these fall festivities can be really scary. But by substituting healthier snacks for high-fat, high-calorie candies and other goodies, your little ghosts and goblins can enjoy Halloween foods and get beneficial nutrients at the same time. Check out the following:

Toasted pumpkin seeds: Reserve the seeds after carving your pumpkin and soak in water for two hours. Dry thoroughly, place in a single layer on a large cookie sheet, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Taco dip: In a pie plate or on a platter, layer fat-free refried beans, fat-free sour cream, salsa and low-fat shredded cheese. Top with chopped black olives. Turn the dish into a cat’s face: Cut out 2 triangles from a green bell pepper for eyes, and one from a red bell pepper for a nose. Use thin strips of green onions to make the whiskers. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Mini-jack-o-lantern dip: Blend plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream with an envelope of ranch dressing mix. Hollow out an orange bell pepper and cut out eyes, a nose, and a mouth so that it resembles a jack-o-lantern. Serve the dip in the pepper, along with carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery sticks and cherry tomatoes.

Eyeball eggs: Cut boiled eggs in half crosswise and place cut side down on a platter. Mix low-fat mayonnaise with red food coloring and place in a syringe or small plastic bag with one tiny hole in the corner. Pipe the red mayo onto the eggs to make “blood vessels,” then top each egg with an olive slice to make the irises.

Low-fat popcorn balls: In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup omega-3 margarine, 2 teaspoons water, 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 cup fat-free marshmallows. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Add 5 quarts of air-popped corn and stir until coated. Shape into balls using buttered hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and tie with orange and black ribbon.

Caramel apple slices: Slice red and green apples and toss with lemon juice to avoid browning. Serve with sugar-free or fat-free caramel sauce.

Gummy worm cups: Make sugar-free orange gelatin according to package directions and pour into small, clear plastic cups. When partially set, place gummy worms into the cups. For each cup, leave a worm only partially submerged, as if it’s trying to crawl out. Add chocolate sprinkles or crumbled chocolate cookies for “dirt,” if desired.

Pumpkin cheese ball: Mix 8 ounces softened low-fat cream cheese, 2 cups low-fat shredded cheddar, 1/4 cup diced green onions, 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper, and garlic salt, ground red pepper and black pepper to taste. Form into a pumpkin shape. Use bits of bell pepper or black olives to make the eyes, nose, and mouth. Make a stem from a strip of the green onion. Serve with whole wheat crackers.

Hot spiced cider: Heat apple cider, whole cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Serve in mugs with a cinnamon stick stirrer.

Ghostwiches: Using thin sandwich bread, make sandwiches from meat, peanut butter or chicken salad. Cut into ghosts with ghost-shaped cookie cutters. Use bits of olives to make eyes and mouths.

Barbie dogs: Cook turkey sausage links and cut into 1-inch pieces. Serve with warm barbecue sauce and toothpicks.