Healthy Halloween Tips
When you think of Halloween, images of sugary candy and treats may come to mind. Could the words “healthy” and “Halloween” actually go together? Can Halloween be educational and less indulgent? It may be a challenge, but we’re here to offer better-for-you alternatives when it comes to a healthier Halloween celebration.
Try these tips to reduce tummy aches and cut back on sugar:
1. Take the focus off of trick-or-treating or limit the time spent collecting candy. We know most children look forward to indulging in candy, filling them up in buckets or bags. Try planning a spooky game night or making a fall craft on the night of Halloween after a limited amount of candy collection. Let the candy be part of the night but not the main event.
2. Practice moderation when it comes to candy eating. Set a limit with your children and stick to it. Let them sort and choose three to five favorites. Then put the rest away for special treat times. You can also consider a candy donation to local charities or find a local dentist buy back program.
3. Make the candy collection educational. Have the kids sort them by colors and types. Count them out by ones, twos, fives and even tens. Let them practice math skills instead of just eating them right away. Organize a candy trade play date and let your children trade out pieces they don’t want with others who may want them. Talk about how trade works for different materials.
4. Set the healthy example. If you want to see more healthy candy options, then be the person who offers better choices. Consider handing out small bottles of water to keep kids from being thirsty on their walk. Offer trail mix, popcorn, baked chip bags or at least give out dark chocolate, a healthier option with less sugar than typical milk chocolate. You could also consider giving out a toy instead of candy, such as a bouncy ball or party favor.
5. Put candy out of sight and not within easy reach. If you find you have too much high-calorie candy on hand after Halloween, then do yourself a favor and put it away. Place the candy in the highest point of your cupboard or shelves. Don’t leave it out where it’s easy to grab every few minutes or hours.
Other good habits you can practice include only letting your children eat a piece if they ate all their dinner. You can save pieces to hand out if your child was particularly helpful, kind and well behaved on a certain day.
It’s no trick, but rather a treat to offer these holiday wellness tips. We hope these suggestions help you and your loved ones have a healthy, safe Halloween.
