Halloween is a time for costumes, pumpkins, scary movies, parties, and candy. Excess sugar contributes to obesity, hyperactivity, diabetes and more, but candy in small quantities once a year can be a real treat. For healthier Halloween party treats you can prepare nutritious tasty munchies with very little effort. You don't want to be the spoil-sport or bad guy in the neighborhood so a little candy is ok - just make sure you balance it out with healthy munchies.

Candy corn does not count as a vegetable!  Healthy fall produce from your farmers' market can help you create fun and creepy snacks. Apples and apple cider, honey, almonds, nut butters, dried fruits, whole wheat breads, pumpkins, and more can be found there.

Skip the fats and sugar. Add fiber, vitamins, and minerals with fruits and vegetables disguised as creepy crawly bugs and monster faces.

Arachnids: With two round crackers, some lo-fat peanut or almond butter, pretzel sticks and raisins you can make creepy-looking spiders. 

Black-and-orange dip: Buy or prepare black-bean dip, and serve with sweet potato chips and orange bell pepper strips. 

Witches' teeth: Core and quarter an apple. Remove wedge from skin side of each quarter to form a mouth. Insert variously shaped and sized slivered almonds for teeth.

Sand-witches: Spook up ordinary sandwiches by making them into Halloween shapes with cookie cutters. Choose whole-wheat bread and healthy fillings such as natural (no sugar added) peanut butter, fruit preserves, turkey slices, and so on.

(The above ideas came from about.com. Check it out.)

Rasp-Buried Apple Cider
10 cups apple cider or apple juice
1-1/2 cups fresh red raspberries
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
5 inches of stick cinnamon

In a large saucepan, combine apple cider, raspberries, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove mixture from heat. Strain berries and cinnamon from mixture through a piece of cheesecloth. Cover until serving time. To serve, heat cider mixture until warm. 

Haunted Apples
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
4 firm tart apples, such as Granny Smith

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl mix the raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Wash and core the apples using an apple corer or a small knife. In a baking dish, arrange apples, tops up. Fill each apple with 1/4 raisin mixture. Pour water into the baking dish to the depth of 1/2 inch. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Baste the apples once or twice with the cooking liquid. The apples are done when they still hold their shape and yield to a knife when pierced. Serve apples when cooled.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
2 cups pumpkin seeds
3 to 4 teaspoons melted butter or oil
Salt to taste (try seasoned salt, garlic salt, or other herb blends for a different taste)

Preheat oven to 300°F. Clean seeds. It’s ok to leave a little of the pulp or string on the seeds but remove the excess. Toss the pumpkin seeds with melted butter or oil and the seasonings. Spread to a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Healthy fall recipes can be found at PCFMA.