Tricky ways to avoid a Halloween sugar binge

Tonight about 36 million 5- to 13-year-olds will pull on costumes and go door-to-door in search of candy.

At a time when childhood obesity is on the rise, Halloween poses a challenge. Doling out handfuls of high-calorie snacks can seem inappropriate. But dropping baby carrots into kids’ sacks -- well that could land you on the “trick” end of trick or treat.

“I always want to keep Halloween fun,” said dietitian Elisa Zied, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Assn. and the mother of two young children. “I eat the candy too. I just don’t eat a lot of it.”

Here’s some advice for giving out treats that, while not exactly health foods, are slightly more nutritious:

Start with dark chocolate. Most kids already love milk chocolate, but they may not have acquired the taste for dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidants, contains some iron and has the healthy fat, stearic acid. Studies suggest that stearic acid may not only be good for the heart, but also could help to control blood pressure. Some options: Hershey Dark Chocolate Kisses (which have 25 calories, about a gram of fat and no trans fat) or Dove dark chocolate (42 calories per piece, 2 grams of fat and no trans fat).

Try smaller portions. Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs provide downsized servings of Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Wheat Thins, Honey Maid Cinnamon graham crackers, Planters Peanut Butter Cookies, Kraft Cheese Nips and Ritz Snack Mix. All have 3 grams or fewer of fat (although not all are trans fat-free). Snyder’s 1-ounce pretzel bags are a sugar-free, no-fat option that clocks in at 110 calories.

Sneak in some protein. Protein helps keep blood sugar from rising, thus keeping your appetite on an even keel. A 0.67-ounce Reese’s Fast Break bar provides 2 grams of protein, 90 calories and 10 grams of sugar. But just because candy has peanuts doesn’t mean that it has a lot of protein: Two small packs of M&M;’s with peanuts have 18 grams of sugar, just 1 gram of protein and 130 calories.

Pop a surprise. Popcorn is a whole grain, and a small bag could provide one of the three daily servings recommended by the latest dietary guidelines. Consider giving out Orville Redenbacher’s Mini Bags of unpopped popcorn. Another possibility: Bearitos microwave popcorn, which contains no trans fat. Kids can then pop the corn at home and eat it with their parents.

Go fruity. Betty Crocker Tongue Track Tattoos leave electric blue marks on kids’ tongues, but are low in fat and contain some fruit and vitamin C. Kellogg’s “Finding Nemo” fruit snacks run about 80 calories per pack, contain zero fat and are made from fruit juice as well as sugar.

Registered dietitian Dave Grotto, father of three trick-or-treaters, prefers Stretch Island Fruit Leather, which is 100% fruit and organic.

Dole out calcium-rich treats. Most kids don’t get enough bone-building calcium, so here’s where you could help make a little difference. Many cereal bars, including Honey Nut Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, rival the sweetness of candy and contain the calcium found in 6 ounces of milk. Calories range from about 160 to 180 per bar, with about 4 grams of fat, 1 of them from trans fat. Other options include 4-ounce cups of shelf-stable pudding or Yoohoo Chocolate Drink; each provide 25% of the recommended daily calcium.

Make it last. “Lollipops are a great choice because they take a while to eat,” notes Zied. “Plus, they generally have very few calories, so it is a great treat to have.” Grotto often doles out Glenny’s Vitamin C lollipops, sweetened with barley malt, which raises blood sugar less than regular lollipops and is supplemented with a day’s worth of vitamin C. Find them at health food stores.