Here's an assortment of nutrition-related Halloween tricks and treats.

1. Eat that pumpkin.

Pumpkins are great for a lot more than making jack-o'-lanterns. One cup of mashed pumpkin has 49 calories and is loaded with vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. It also has nearly 3 grams of fiber and 564 milligrams of potassium. Pumpkin also contains vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin (good for eye health), as well as iron and zinc.

2. Pumpkin seeds are yummy.

Simply wash, dry and then toast them with garlic powder, onion powder and a bit of salt and pepper. They take about 30 to 40 minutes at about 300 degrees to toast.

Pumpkin seeds are little nutrition powerhouses. They're loaded with manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin K, zinc and protein. One ounce has 158 calories, along with 8.57 grams of protein, 1.7 grams of fiber and almost 25 percent of the recommend daily value for much-needed iron. Pumpkin seeds also have phytosterols, plant sterols that can help reduce the risk of heart disease, and they help to fight cancer. Last, but certainly not least, they are a fantastic source of omega-3 essential fatty acids (which the body must obtain from food sources).

3. Know what you're eating.

Hershey's Fun Bar vs. Tootsie Rolls vs. Nestle Crunch:

Each one of those Hershey "Fun" bars has about 75 calories. A Nestle Crunch mini-bar has 60 calories, and just three pieces of Tootsie Roll Midgees have 70 calories. What about those Hershey's Special Dark miniatures? They're each 38 calories, 0.6 grams of fiber and 0.6 grams of protein.

Pez vs. Smarties vs. Candy Corn:

One (15-tablet) roll of Smarties has 25 calories and 25 grams of sugar. The candy corn has 150 calories for 20 pieces. That's 7.5 calories each — about the same as one almond, except that the almond is a nutrition powerhouse and candy corn is just junk nutrition. One roll of Pez has 35 calories and 9 grams of sugar.

4. Burn it.

When you go trick-or-treating, at least you're getting some exercise. Expect to burn about 176 calories per hour during a stroll.

5. Healthy treats exist.

Healthy treats that taste good really do exist. For instance, Ghirardelli 60 Percent Cacao Dark Chocolate Squares (10.75 grams each) have 55 calories, but they also have at least 0.75 grams fiber, 0.5 grams protein and loads of antioxidants.

Popchips are also tasty, and you get about 22 popped potato chips for 120 calories, almost double the number of fried or baked chips you'd get for the same number of calories.

And what about those Triple Chocolate Chunk VitaTops? They have only 100 calories each, along with 5 grams fiber and other nutrients. Another good choice would be Brothers All-Natural Freeze-Dried Fruit Crisps, which are nothing but freeze-dried fruit. An entire bag has only 39 calories. And last but certainly not least, Larabars mini-bars are lower in calories than other bars and are made with all-natural ingredients. They're available in Whole Foods.

6. Use the research.

According to research done at Yale University and reported in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, children are just as likely to choose toys as candy on Halloween. For the study, seven households offered 284 trick-or-treaters between the ages of 3 and 14 a choice between comparably sized toys and candies. The results showed that the children were just as likely to choose toys as candy.

7. Swap it out.

OK, you're home with your kids post-Halloween. The kids are sorting through their take. Now you're facing weeks of candy abuse. So offer something bigger than the candy, maybe something that the child has wanted for a long time. Try to make a swap.

8. Don't buy too early.

Don't buy Halloween candy too soon; that way you'll have less time to eat it before you give it away!

9. Don't enjoy.

Buy candy you don't really like so that you're not tempted to overindulge.

10. Fill up.

Make sure to fill up with a nutritious lunch or dinner before trick-or-treating so that you're less likely to dip into the candy bag.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public health advocate and founder of http://www.DietDetective.com.