Have a Vegan Halloween

Yes, I made my own pumpkin head, and you can, too!

Enjoying Halloween usually means gorging on candy that was either brought home by your kids after trick-or-treating or that was laying around at work.  Most chocolate Halloween candy is made using milk chocolate.  Candy makers use milk chocolate because it is the most inexpensive type of chocolate and is easy to work with.  But there’s good news for candy lovers who want to go vegan; dark chocolate is not off limits because it does not contain milk!

You can be a vegan and still enjoy all the dark chocolate you want.  Dark chocolate is a more decadent type of chocolate that is pure cocoa.  As with other types of premium specialty foods, a little bit goes a long way with dark chocolate, so one tidbit can be slowly savored in the same amount of time it would take you to wolf down five or six mini Snickers. 

Keep in mind that many candies contain gelatin, which is made using fat from pigs or other animals.  Look for candies that do not contain gelatin or shellac (the shiny outer coating found on Skittles, for example). 

If you like candies like Starburst, substitute with Mamba, another type of fruit chew that does not contain animal fat.  

For your next campfire marshmallow roast, look for Pangea or Sweet & Sara vegan marshmallows.  Again, these do not contain animal fat and are healthier than real marshmallows.

If you must indulge, think about making a healthier Halloween snack, like toasted pumpkin seeds.  Making toasted pumpkin seeds is an activity you can share with kids, and the flavor possibilities are endless.

Here's a recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds.