10 Tips for a Healthy Halloween
October 23, 2014Have a Healthy Halloween!
It is here! The candy holiday of Halloween. It seemed as though Halloween started shortly before Labor Day. The big bags of those cute little candy bars lined the aisles of stores in early September. It can be difficult to have a healthy Halloween! It is easy for anyone, including our young trick-or-treaters, to be drawn to them since they are so small. Just one (two, three, or more) won't be a big deal, right? Wrong! Sugar is not a part of any healthy food choices for adults or our children.
The issue of overweight and obese children is more of a concern today than ever before. Below are some tips to make the candy holiday a healthy Halloween.
Tips for Halloween
1. Make sure your trick-or-treaters have a full tummy from eating a healthy dinner before trick-or-treating
2. Practice a healthy Halloween yourself by giving out non-food treats. Give out stickers, small bottles of bubbles, or other goodies you can pick up at local party supply stores or online.
3. Give out healthier food alternatives such as small boxes of raisins, juice boxes, cereal, or small bags of pretzels. Twizzlers, peppermint patties, and Three Musketeer bars have fewer calories and fat than most of the other popular candy choices. Check out the 411 of Halloween candy and the activity required to balance it out.
4. Allow your children a set number of pieces on a specific number of days. Set out those selections aside and dispose of the rest of the Halloween haul. Take the candy to work, donate to a school or church, food pantry, senior citizen home, or other local organizations.
5. Buy the Halloween haul from your children. Consider buying some (or all) of their Halloween candy. You could give them spending money in exchange for the candy or buy a favorite toy, iTunes card, or movie. Other non-food, non-money treats you could offer are staying up late, having a sleep-over with a friend, or going to their favorite park to play. You can point out that this transaction will provide more long-term enjoyment than the candy.
6. Avoid the temptation for both you and your children. If you're handing out candy, buy yours at the last minute and purchase one that your kids don't like. After the candy holiday of Halloween is over, get rid of any remaining candy.
7. Store candy in the refrigerator, freezer, or out of sight and out of their reach. Many times, kids will forget about it if it isn't in their clear view and easily accessible.
8. For any Halloween candy eaten, make sure that it is after a healthy dinner and with a glass of milk or other nutritional beverage.
9. Create a lesson in giving with Halloween candy. Make a family project of packaging up their candy to donate to Operation Gratitude. Operation Gratitude provides care packages for U.S. troops, veterans, wounded warriors, and military children. Talk with your children the importance of giving to others and their efforts from their trick-or-treating will put a smile on many faces.
10. Throw your own Halloween party! You can be creative with the snacks, treats, and games that your trick-or-treaters and their friends enjoy.
Even though the candy holiday of Halloween is right around the corner, it is still just one day out of 365 days in a year. If you and your family eat healthy the rest of the year, Halloween can become a day of moderation, donation, and fun with your own children.
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cathy Wilson, PCC, BCC, had RNY surgery in 2001 and lost 147 pounds. Cathy is a regular contributor to the OH Blog and authored the "Mind Matters" column in ObesityHelp Magazine. Cathy is a licensed pilot and loves flying. She is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC).Read more articles by Cathy! |
