It’s a real bummer when you’re stuck eating carrot sticks and hummus while constantly seeing images of vegan peanut butter cups and solid dark chocolate Halloween skulls. If you’re avoiding sugary treats and foods, don’t fret … there is what we like to call the “in-between treat.” It’s when we crave that dopamine response from something sweet or salty but also want to keep our overall health in check. Here are nine vegan Halloween snacks for that glorious in-between treat. 

SkinnyDipped

1 SkinnyDipped

These tasty chocolate-coated cashews and almonds are a more whole food version of the classic nut butter cup. In lieu of a sugar-spiked nut butter surrounded by a layer of chocolate, the actual nut stands for the filling while still offering a bit of chocolaty indulgence. We love the satisfying crunch of these snacks as well. The Super Dark + Sea Salt mini-packs are vegan and perfect for an everyday treat. 
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Tosi

2 Tosi

For those who crave crunch, Tosi bars will be your new favorite candy bar swap. Made simply with nuts, seeds, natural sweeteners, and sea salt, these nutty, better-for-you bars are the epitome of sweet-meets-salty goodness. The one-ounce serving is perfect for anytime nibbling. Our favorite flavors include Cashew Blueberry, Cashew Coconut, and Peanut Dark Chocolate. 
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Bare Snacks

3 Bare Snacks

Fruit becomes so much more satisfying 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 Apple to Strawberry Banana and Toasted Coconut to Chocolate Coconut. We love to mix and match! 
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UnReal

4 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 less sugar than its candy competitors (between 36-60 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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Justin’s

5 Justin’s

We’re fans of Justin’s vegan peanut butter cups, but its nut butter-covered nuts are a true contender. All four flavors are vegan: Cashew Butter Covered Cashews, Almond Butter Covered Almonds, Maple Almond Butter Almonds, and Maple Cashew Butter Covered Cashews. These won one of our highly coveted VegNews Best of Show awards at the 2019 Expo West trade show, and they just happen to be a healthy alternative to traditional vegan candy. 
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Rule Breaker Snacks

6 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, try the new Rule Breaker Bites. These mini-morsels are one-bite versions of the best-selling flavors including Birthday Cake, Deep Chocolate Brownie, and Chocolate Chunk Blondie.
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Lärabar

7 Lärabar Minis

Finally, “fun-sized” bars that actually satisfy instead of spiking a sugar craving. Larabar offers mini-sized versions of its two most indulgent flavors: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Go ahead, have one of each! 
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8 Smart Sweets

Gummy fanatic? Smart Sweets candies are low in sugar but still provide that sweet, chewy texture you crave. Unfortunately, the new gummy worms are not vegan, but the Sour Blast Buddies, Sweet Chews, Sweet Fish, Peach Rings, and Sourmelon Bites are all animal-free. At only three grams of sugar and 100 calories per bag, there’s no worry about going overboard with these kid-friendly candies. 
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Cocomels

9 Cocomels

During the fall season, we keep these limited-edition pumpkin spice caramels everywhere—in our purse, our glovebox, random dishes throughout the house—they’re that good. While on the sweeter side, each individually wrapped piece contains 30 percent less sugar than a traditional caramel. They’re rich, chewy, and perfectly spiced with the flavors of fall. We say a Cocomel a day keeps the fall blues away. 
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For more vegan Halloween treats and candies, read:
10 Vegan Halloween Candies Delivered to Your Door
30 Vegan Halloween Treats We Found at Target
The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Halloween Candy 2021

This post was originally published on VegNews.com.