Healthy Halloween Tricks!

Healthy and Halloween are not usually two words that you hear together! Candy, a staple of the holiday, is usually high in sugar and calories and low in nutrients. However, some parents find it unrealistic to tell their kids not to eat sweets on Halloween. A little candy for your little monster (ghost, princess or superhero) every now and then is Ok. The key is to not go overboard; here are some ways to minimize the candy consumption and still enjoy the holiday.

• At home, hand out non-food items like fun pencils, erasers, stickers, individual Play-Doh containers, trading cards, super bouncy balls, spooky rings, or other small toy items. You could also try handing out healthy snack alternatives like Fruita-BU’s (dried, smooshed fruit), Fruit Roll-Ups, Raisins, or Popcorn.
• Make sure your child has a healthy dinner before going out trick or treating. Include veggies, whole grains and some protein to provide sustained energy and keep belly’s full!
• Always inspect all candy before eating it. Do not eat unwrapped, opened, or homemade candy or baked goods. Make sure all commercially wrapped goods are free from tampering, pinholes and are not discolored.
• Allow your child to have some candy. One way to do this is to allow your child to pick as many pieces as their age (i.e. a 5 year old gets 5 pieces of candy). Then ‘trade in’ the rest for special present-new fuzzy slippers, a board game, stuffed animal or other toy. This year I am getting my daughter a “My Little Pony” set she’s had her eye on. Have the gift handy to make the trade on Halloween night, otherwise, your child might become too attached to the candy.
• You can also ‘trade in’ the bag of collected candy for a healthier option. For example, you can find candy coated chocolates (like M&M’s) made without artificial colors, gummy bears without high fructose corn syrup, or dark chocolate bars instead of milk chocolate bars (which have more sugar than cocoa). If your children are older, they may like to pick out their own treat from the health food store, where at least if wont have partially hydrogenated oils and artificial colors in it.
• Remove the candy from your home once the dealing is done! Take it to your work, donate it to charity, or just throw it away. If it is around the house, you and your child will be eating it for weeks to come.
• Make sure your children brush and floss their teeth well anytime after eating candy, especially the sticky, gooey candy.