Halloween is a holiday for children, full of costumes, parties and treats! As parents, we need to “take back the night” with some boundaries over this night of sugar!
It goes without saying the children under the age of 13 should have parental supervision while Trick or Treating, however here are some tips to let the kids enjoy their candy in moderation.
- Choose appropriate size trick or treat bags. A small child should not use a king size pillow case as their bag, rather a plastic pumpkin or smaller bag especially made for collecting their treats!
- Make sure that everyone has a healthy dinner before going Trick or Treating. This may lessen the chance that they will snack on goodies before returning home.
- Inspect all candy. Candy should be in its original wrapper. Discard “homemade” candy or treats, unless you know who made them.
- Put a limit on the number of pieces of candy allowed each day.
- Pair candy with a healthy snack. For example; a mini Snickers bar and apple slices.
- Keep the candy “out of reach”.
- Implement the tradition of the “Great Pumpkin” or the “Halloween Fairy”, who comes in the middle of the night and takes the candy and leaves behind a small toy.
- Collect left over candy and take to a food pantry or make goodie bags to send to our soldiers over-seas.
If you will be staying home and answering the door for the little ghouls and goblins, you can stock up on options that are healthier for the kiddos as well as for you.
- Buy candy you do not like. That way it won’t be as tempting for you.
- Give small packages of pretzels, animal crackers, raisins, sugar-free gum, or packages of low fat popcorn or hot chocolate.
- Try a non-food approach…kids love stickers, tattoos, pencils, bubbles or spider rings.
Whether you have children or not Halloween candy is everywhere. It is at work, at stores at the bank and will be on sale come November 1st. It is important to be aware of how many calories those “fun size” chocolate bars have. Halloween is just the beginning of the high calorie holidays between now and the end of the year!
Trick or Treat Calories…
3 mini peanut butter cups…108 calories
1 small package of peanut M&M’s…108 calories
Fun size 3 Musketeers…73 calories
Fun size Milky Way…81 calories
Fun size Snickers…71 calories
Fun size Butterfinger…96 calories
Regular size Tootsie Roll…140 calories
Fun size Starburst…171 calories
Even though they are small, these “treats” can add up big. Remember that an extra 100 calories a day can mean a 10 pound weight gain in a year! So enjoy your treats in moderation and here’s to a Healthy Halloween!
By: Tarie Beldin, RD, LD