Tip #1: Make your own treats, without the refined sugar. Sugar can hide under many different names, like corn syrup, honey, fruit juice and refined grains like wheat and rice. It’s best to avoid these highly processed forms of sugar in favor of naturally sweet whole foods like organic pumpkin, dates or bananas. Create decadent desserts with unrefined sugars as an occasional treat.

Tip #2: Carve pumpkins. Take the focus away from the candy by spending time together as a family carving pumpkins! Pumpkins aren’t just an outlet for your creativity. They’re also a very nutrient-dense vegetable: roast the seeds for a healthy sugar-free snack.

Tip #3: Host a party or movie night. If you host, you can control the food.

Tip #4: Hand out Halloween toys instead of candy as treats. Trick-or-treating is a great tradition, but not all of the treats have to be packed with sugar. Hand out glow sticks, spider rings or Halloween-themed stickers to the kids that visit you this year.

Tip #5:  Eat a healthy meal. Make sure that before heading out to trick or treating or to a costume party that you fill up on healthy food so that the temptation is not as great!

Create new traditions this year and get your whole family on board! With a little bit of planning, you can enjoy a healthy and sugar-free Halloween.