The Weight Watchers guide to Halloween candy

Who hasn't dipped into the kids’ Halloween bags after bedtime — including that supply set aside to “donate?” Or, bought five too many bags of clearance candy the day after? Whether you have one treat or many this Halloween, knowledge is your best ally. Here’s how to navigate all the sugar, plus a handy cheat sheet with points values for all your favorites in the Weight Watchers Points® program.

Don’t let a few pieces of candy throw you off track. Here’s how to take part in the treats while maintaining your weight-loss momentum, according to Meghan Cowan, RDN, LDN, nutrition program lead at Weight Watchers.

Tip #1: Decide before you dig in.

Pick your 2–3 favorites, put them on a plate or in a bowl, and put the rest away. Eating straight out of the bag or a big bowl makes it really easy for “I’ll just have a couple” to turn into 12 without really noticing.

Tip #2: Set up your environment for success.

Out of sight, out of mind actually works. Keep candy in a cabinet or opaque container rather than sitting on the counter or your desk. If you have to go get it, it becomes more of a choice instead of something you mindlessly reach for.

Tip #3: Actually enjoy it.

Sit down, unwrap it, and take your time eating it. When we're eating candy distracted in front of the TV or while scrolling, it's easy to barely register that we even ate it — and then immediately want more.

Tip #4: Be strategic about what you buy.

If you're handing out candy, buy something you're not personally as interested in, or wait until closer to Halloween to buy it so it's not sitting in your pantry for two weeks.

Tip #5: Don't skip meals to “save room.”

Showing up to Halloween hungry is probably one of the easiest ways to overdo it. Eat your normal, balanced meals and let the candy be part of the day rather than turning it into dinner.

Tip #6: Don't fall into the “I'll restart Monday” mindset.

If you eat more than you planned, that's okay. Just go back to your normal routine at your next meal. No compensating, no guilt, and no need to “start over.”

If you’re trying to choose the healthiest candy, you could look at the nutrition facts on the back of the wrapper or bag and try to just wing it by the calories, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, sugars, and more. By checking the candy’s points in the WW app, though, you get one number that rolls all that nutritional intel together. Here’s some high-level guidance based on the type of the candy:

Chocolate classics

If you’re looking for just a taste, a mini 3 Musketeers or a single Hershey’s Kiss are your best bets at just 2 and 1 points each, respectively. 

Can’t decide between fun size and mini? Smaller is usually better, but for 1 extra points value you could go for a Nestlé Crunch fun-size bar for 4 points, whereas a mini is 3 points. 

When you know you won’t be satisfied with anything less than full size, tear open a York Peppermint Pattie, at 9 points values per one 1.4 oz pattie.

Something sweet 

If all you want is a sweet end to your day, you’ll find the most value in two mini Tootsie Roll Midgees, or one Twizzlers snack size, Dum-Dum Pop, Jolly Rancher, or miniature Tootsie Roll Pop for 1 points value each. If you’re a licorice fan, you can opt for a Twizzlers snack-size pack for 2 points per pack.

Screenshot this or print it so it’s easy to make in-the-moment candy decisions.