FitSugar

Do You Know Your Tricky Treats?

Michele Bell — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 07:00:31 PDT

Before you step out this Halloween, it may be good to know what's a trick and what's a treat. Some candies may not look as bad as the others but their sugar content could blast the others out of the water. Come take my quiz to see how prepared you are for the monstrous mash of candy that's about to hit your kitchen counter.

Flickr user terren in Virginia

Take the Quiz

Halloween Candy Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:30:57 PDT

Who isn't tempted by a little fun-sized trick-o-treating candy? From the tiny Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to the Snickers bar you can wrap your hand around, there are Halloween candy jars everywhere these days. Remember, the little indulgences add up - just because they're small doesn't mean they are calorie-free. Take a look at the chart below and see how your fave candy stacks up.

1 treat size (fun size)	Calories	Fat (g)	Sugar (g)
Snickers	72	3.7	7
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup	80	4.5	7
Almond Joy	91	5.1	9.2
Reese's Nutrageous	95	5.5	7.5

If you don't see the candy you crave,

Halloween Candy Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:00:19 PDT

What is it about Halloween candy that makes it so enticing? All those miniature, bite-size, chocolatey morsels in brightly colored packages are so hard to resist. To prevent myself from eating half a bag of treats, I like to wait to buy my candy until the day before Halloween, and I also give out candy I hate. But when my girls come home with their trick-or-treat bags, a few pieces can't hurt, right? Unfortunately, all those little bites add up, so just to give you an idea, I've put together this breakdown.

The calorie content in this chart is based on one piece of Halloween "snack" or "fun"-size candy, not the full-size servings found in the candy aisle. The good news is that on most bags of bulk candy, the serving size includes two to three pieces or packets of each, so there's nothing wrong with indulging in a few of your favorites.

1 treat size (fun size)	Calories	Fat (g)	Sugar (g)
Snickers	71	3.6	7.6
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup	88	5.2	8
Reese's Caramel Cup	100	5	11
Reese's Nutrageous	95	5.5	7.5

If you don't see the candy you crave,

Halloween Survival Guide: Candy Breakdown

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:45:00 PDT

I have a love-hate relationship with Halloween. I love going pumpkin picking, making jack-o-lanterns, roasting pumpkin seeds, and creating costumes. Oh, who am I kidding? I also love the candy, the bags of tiny bite-sized servings are my weakness. To keep my candy intake in check, I buy my candy a few days before Halloween and buy the candy I don't like.

How bad are these tasty little morsels, really? A few bites can't hurt, right? To see how many calories haunt your favorite Halloween candy,

read more The calorie content in this chart is based on one piece of Halloween ‘snack’ or ‘fun’ size candy, not full size servings found in the candy aisle. The good news is that on most bags of candy, the serving size includes 2-3 pieces/bags/packets of each. I guess those candy companies know how "fun" those fun packs really are.

1 treat size (fun size)	Calories	Fat (g)	Sugar (g)
Snickers	71	3.6	7.6
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup	88	5.2	8
Reese's Caramel Cup	100	5	11
Reese's Nutrageous	95	5.5	7.5
Milky Way	77	2.9	10.2
Butterfinger	85	3.5	8.5
Almond Joy	91	5.1	9.2
Milk Duds	40	2	6.3
M&Ms	90	4	11.5
Peanut M&Ms	93	4.7	9.1
Nestle's Crunch	51.3	2.7	5.6
Peppermint Pattie	47	1	8.6
Kit Kat	73	3.7	.67
Dots	70	0	11
Skittles	80	.8	15
Jelly Belly Jellybeans	35	0	7
3 Musketeers	63.3	2	10
Milky Way	75	3	10
Hershey's Bar	66.7	4	7.7
Take 5	105	5.5	9
100 Grand	95	4	11
Nerds	50	0	12
Whoppers	100	4	13
Mike & Ike	50	0	9
SweeTarts	10	0	2.4

Knowing the calorie count of some of my favorite treats, I don't feel so bad about stealing a few pieces of my daughters' candy. Source

What 100 Calories Really Look Like: Halloween Candy

Jenny Sugar — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:08:56 PDT

Halloween candy has been on sale for weeks, and although you may shudder to enter a holiday season overflowing with sweets, Halloween candy might just be a tiny blessing in disguise. The small "fun size" bars and packets offer up controlled serving sizes, giving you a tiny taste of the sweet you crave without going overboard. Since portion control and moderation are both key when enjoying Halloween candy, here's a little visual to help you see exactly what 100 calories of your faves look like.

Soleil Moon Frye Shares Her Favorite Birthday Party Tips

Guest Writer — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:33:02 PDT

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Soleil Moon Frye, Target's mommy ambassador, author of Happy Chaos, and mom to Poet, 6, and Jagger, 3. This week Soleil shares her tips on bringing her kids into the kitchen.

I'm a huge holiday person, and birthday celebrations are especially important to me. It's not about the presents - my favorite memories from childhood birthdays are of my mom showering me with attention, filling the day with my favorite foods, and making me feel special and loved.

I'm not sure anything will ever top Johnny Depp crashing my 12th birthday (a special surprise from a mutual friend), but I'm determined to create similarly unforgettable birthday experiences for my girls.

For Poet’s fifth birthday, we had a Grease-themed party and went for a full-out, '50s-style event. It’s possible to be elaborate without being expensive - for the Grease party I found discounted Halloween costumes and spandex pants online, then scooped up festive and affordable party supply essentials at Target. My friends set up a makeup station and sprayed the girls' hair into wild Grease-era styles. If you’re willing to play DJ on your iPod, a dance party is free!

Here are some other fun, budget-friendly ideas:

DIY goodie bags: Fill large mason jars with candy and let kids decorate brown paper to-go sacks with stamps and stickers.
Treasure hunt: Scatter little toys and treats around the yard or park, and send the kids to go find them. Works every time!
Crafts: Buy a bunch of inexpensive picture frames and let the kids decorate them with paint, stickers, and glitter. If you’re a fan of Polaroid cameras like I am, snap photos of each guest with the birthday boy or girl to go in frames as a memory of the day.
Philanthropy: It's never too early to introduce kids to the concept of giving back and instill a sense of compassion and awareness. Have guests bring toys for kids in need or donate the crafts made at the party to a local children’s hospital.

Keep reading for Soleil's tips for ensuring smooth sailing at your party!