It can feel a little dull snacking on carrot sticks and hummus when your feed is filled with vegan peanut butter cups and dark chocolate Halloween skulls. But if you’re cutting back on sugary treats, there’s still plenty of room for what we like to call the “in-between treat.” It’s that sweet (or salty) bite that satisfies a craving while still keeping things a little lighter. Here are 16 vegan Halloween snacks perfect for that in-between moment.
Is vegan Halloween candy healthy?
Like their animal-based counterparts, most vegan candy isn’t exactly nutrient-packed—they’re treats, after all. “Just because it has the term ‘vegan’ slapped on the label does not necessarily mean it is healthy,” explains Blair Persyn, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC. “There are also many types of mainstream candies that are accidentally vegan but [are] still ultra-processed and full of sugar. Any type of candy—whether vegan or not—will be high in sugar and should be enjoyed in moderation.” Aside from being high in sugar and calories, candy is also light on essential vitamins and minerals.
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That said, there’s plenty of space between crunching on an apple and finishing off a full-sized bag of Skittles. The vegan candy options below land somewhere in the middle: they’re lighter on sugar, offer a bit more nutrition, and are often less processed than the standard mass-produced sweets we all know and love.
16 healthier Halloween treats
Reach for these healthier Halloween treats come October 31.
SkinnyDipped
1 SkinnyDipped
These tasty chocolate-coated cashews and almonds are a more whole-foods version of the classic nut butter cup. Satisfyingly crunchy, these snacks provide a true, unadulterated nutty flavor with a bit of chocolate indulgence. SkinnyDipped also makes low-sugar nut butter cups, but unfortunately, they contain dairy.
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Justin’s
2 Justin’s
We’re fans of Justin’s vegan peanut butter cups, but when we’re looking for a lower-sugar treat, we reach for the individual nut butter packs. It’s just like taking a generous spoonful out of the jar, but with built-in portion control. Still have peanut butter cups on the brain? The Super Dark line of nut butter cups naturally contains less sugar thanks to their 80 percent cacao content.
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SmartSweets
3 SmartSweets
Gummy fanatic? SmartSweets candy is low in sugar but still provides that sweet, chewy texture you crave. Unfortunately, the gummy worms are not vegan, but the Sour Blast Buddies, Sweet Fish, Peach Rings, Sourmelon Bites, Caramels, Jolly Gems, Red Twists, and Cola Gummy are all animal-free. At only three grams of sugar (or less) and 100 calories per bag, there’s no worry about going overboard with this kid-friendly candy.
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Cocomels
4 Cocomels
We keep these caramels everywhere—in our purse, our glovebox, and random dishes throughout the house. Yes, they’re that good. While on the sweeter side, each individually wrapped piece contains coconut sugar instead of cane sugar. We say a Cocomel a day keeps the fall blues away.
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Unreal
5 Unreal
When you’re craving candy and a healthier alternative simply won’t do, reach for a handful of Unreal goodies. The vegan-friendly company has reformulated many of its bite-sized treats to offer a sweet option with less sugar than its candy competitors (between 36 and 60 percent less, depending on the variety). Vegan options include Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, and Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups. Note: the Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems are also vegan, but they have yet to be reworked with less sugar.
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YumEarth
6YumEarth
For a classic candy taste, you can’t go wrong with YumEarth. This candy brand boasts an array of organic vegan candy options ranging from dairy-free M&M-style chocolate gems to lollipops, fruit chews, and more. The portion controlled snack packs contain 100 calories or less, depending on the candy. Note: according to the brand, all of YumEarth’s candy treats are suitable for vegans, except for its gummy bears.
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Rule Breaker
7 Rule Breaker
If houses passed out these chickpea-based blondies in our trick-or-treating days, we would have been over the moon. These tender, chewy blondies are more of an after-dinner treat than a snack, but with chickpeas as the first ingredient, their nutritional profile is far superior in comparison to a candy bar. For a bit of sweetness here and there, the new Rule Breaker Bites are just the thing. These mini-morsels are one-bite versions of the best-selling flavors, including birthday cake, chocolate brownie, and pumpkin spice.
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Rule Breaker
Partake
8 Partake
Some prefer cookies to candy, but handing out loose cookies on Halloween is generally frowned upon. Enter: the Partake snack pack. These mini chocolate chip morsels are free of the top nine allergens, making them safe for all trick-or-treaters. Still have leftovers after the last ghost and goblin have gone? Pour yourself a bowl of non-dairy milk and eat these like cereal.
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Fruit Riot
9 Fruit Riot
These may be grapes, but they’re unlike any grapes you’ve ever had before. Fruit Riot’s low-calorie frozen grapes pack a tongue-twisting sour punch, thanks to a candy coating and a splash of lemon juice.
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Maxine’s Heavenly
10Maxine’s Heavenly
Soft, oaty, and studded with chocolate chips, these wholesome cookies contain far less sugar than a king-size candy bar. Maxine’s delightfully soft cookies are made with ingredients parents can feel good about: gluten-free oats, dates, flaxseed, and organic coconut nectar, just to name a few. And with flavors like Chocolate Chocolate Chunk, cinnamon oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter chocolate chunk, they’re an instant hit with the kiddos.
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Maxine’s Heavenly
11 MadeGood
MadeGood’s soft-baked cookie pouches are a Halloween win for both kids and adults, so it’s worth keeping your pantry stocked. They’re tasty, wholesome, and gluten-free.
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Trubar
12 Trubar
Okay, it’s technically a protein bar—but hear us out. Trubar isn’t your standard “healthy” pick-me-up. These bars taste sweet enough to pass for candy and come in flavors like Whole Lotta Macchiato, Daydreaming About Donuts, and Strawberry Shorty Got Cake.
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Lärabar
13 Lärabar Minis
Finally, “fun-sized” bars that actually satisfy instead of spiking a sugar craving. Lärabar offers mini-sized versions of its most indulgent flavors: peanut butter chocolate chip, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookie dough, and double dark chocolate. Go ahead, have one of each!
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Lil Bucks
14 Lil Bucks
Sure, it’s granola—but don’t let that fool you. Lil Bucks’ Clusterbucks are organic, nut-free, packed with fiber, and taste just like birthday cake. What’s not to love? Other candy-inspired flavors include Snickerdoodle and Chocolate Sea Salt.
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Rind
15Rind
Fruit is nature’s candy, but Rind made it just a little bit better. The brand is known for its skin-on, upcycled dried fruit chips and chewies. Those who gravitate to gummy candy will enjoy the chewy versions of these chips. Straw-Peary is one of our favorite flavors, but we also love Cocoa Berry and Toasted Vanilla Sea Salt Coconut Crisps.
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Bare
16Bare
Fruit becomes candy when dehydrated and transformed into a crispy snack you can grab by the fistful. This natural snacking company has been around for years, but we finally realized that its spiced apple, banana, and coconut chips actually stand in for a decent Halloween treat. Flavors range from Cinnamon to Granny Smith to Simply Banana. We love to mix and match.
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This post was originally published on VegNews.com.