It’s that time of year again…stores are pushing bags upon bags of that infamous Halloween candy. Sure, they’re festive & wrapped in devilishly attractive orange & black packaging, but don’t be tricked into buying extra treats filled with shocking amounts of sugar and a ton of chemical ingredients you can’t even pronounce. With Oct. 31st a mere two weeks away, I shudder to think about the mountain of artificially colored & sweetened candy that will be at our family’s fingertips. So, I figure it’s no better time than the present to showcase some new healthy snack options to hit the market — call it a little pre-Halloween damage control. Best of all:  everything here is kid-friendly and portable for life on-the-go! Stock up on these healthy offerings to provide a quick hunger-curbing option to reach for over all that leftover Halloween candy:

Thrive by GoMacro:  GoMacro is a family-owned vegan company that was started by a mother-daughter team on their organic farm in Southwest Wisconsin. While you may be familiar with their original MacroBars, they have launched a delicious new line of plant-based bars called Thrive.Thrive are made up of a superfood ancient grain blend, are all less than 200 calories and provide plant-based protein, essential fatty acids, and prebiotic fiber to fuel your body and mind. Like all GoMacro products, Thrive are USDA-Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Gluten-Free certified, 100% Vegan, and soy-free. Thrive is currently available to purchase online and will become available at Whole Foods Market locations this month.  *Special discount for Blog Joie de Vivre readers:  Use code Thrive30 for 30% off of your purchase for Thrive at GoMacro’s online store.

HOPE Foods hummus:  Whatever your tastebuds are craving, HOPE has tons of mouthwatering flavors to give you total satisfaction. Featuring unique flavors such as Spicy Avocado, Chocolate, Thai Coconut Curry and more, this label has pioneered adventurous flavors in the hummus category.
A healthy alternative to other fattening dips on the market, HOPE makes a terrific snack for the whole family. Eat it with pita chips, vegetables or try one of their mouth-watering recipes — from mashed potatoes to jalapeño cilantro cornbread, the possibilities are endless! Organic, dairy-free, and vegan-approved, this creamy hummus dip uses a state of the art High Pressure Processing (HPP) technique. Instead of using heat pasteurization which can fill hummus with tons of unwanted preservatives, they ensure the best quality hummus by using cold-pressure technology. You can find HOPE hummus at natural grocers like Whole Foods Market & Sprouts, as well as many conventional retailers like Safeway & Price Chopper.

Crispy Fruit:  Have you tried a bag of these freeze-dried fruit snacks from Crispy Green? There’s just one nutritious ingredient in every bag:  fruit. That’s right, 100% pure fruit, nothing else. Their freeze-drying process produces delicate slices that snack like a chip, but contain the perfect balance of flavor & nutrients provided by mother nature – making it both delicious AND healthy.
Lightweight and long-lasting (no refrigeration necessary), the all-natural, Non-GMO Project-verified snack is ideal for Halloween, but also perfect for school lunches and extracurricular activities for kids (and parents) constantly on the go. There are NO skeletons in the closet here – Crispy Fruit has no cholesterol or fat, no added sugar, is free of additives and preservatives, is nut-free, Kosher certified and has a long shelf life. Crispy Fruit is available online and in retailers such as The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter, ShopRite, Safeway and selected Whole Foods Markets.