Marinas Menu: HAPPY HEALTHY HALLOWEEN

It is possible to make Halloween a healthier with good choices and still have all the fun of the season. We have some tips that work for the hard-to-please partier or the finicky trick-or-treater.

-Substitute soft drinks for a 50/50 mix of sparkling water and fruit juice at your celebration. It's sweet and fizzy too.

-Serve air-popped popcorn and make it tasty with some new mix-ins. Sprinkle popcorn with cinnamon and drizzled honey. For savory choices use pepper, fresh grated cheese and herbs.

-Dark chocolate is known to have real antioxidant powers and a richer flavor. Most Halloween candy is made with milk chocolate. Dark varieties usually cost a little more but it is definitely worth it.

-Check out single serve snack packs of tasty crackers and pretzels for your trick-or-treaters. There's a great variety on the market that will replace sweets.

-Decorating is everything. There are ways to make pumpkins out of peeled clementines or oranges, brooms out of string cheese and pretzels, owls out of crackers and nuts, ghosts out of banana halves and even goblins out of melons. Check out some creative ideas online or make up some of your own.

The American Heart Association has even more tips for a "Heart Healthy Halloween." Visit their site at:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/How-to-Have-a-Heart-Healthy-Halloween_UCM_317432_Article.jsp#.Vi1WzmSrQfE.

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