Halloween is such a fun time of year. I love seeing all the kids dressed up and so excited. I love that it marks the beginning of the holiday season. I usually start thinking about new fall recipes that include soups and hearty foods that I haven’t considered for months. That said, it does feel like feel Halloween has become the gateway to a three month long season of over indulging in too much sugar. Something that can cause roadblocks in our pursuit of health goals.
So, how do we enjoy the Halloween season (let’s face it, it’s not just a day anymore!) without causing too much harm? Especially for our kids who love to trick or treat!
These are my favorite ways to still allow our kids (and ourselves – because, let’s face it, whether you have kids or not, that Halloween candy ends up in our offices as well) to enjoy Halloween and not make it all about the candy.
1. Offer some cold hard cash for that candy. This is what I do. For years now I have let my kids over fill their bags with all kinds of candy and then bought it from them afterwards. They keep about 10-15 pieces and make money off the rest. This one really works!
2. Host a Halloween party, haunted trail or pumpkin path instead of going trick or treating. Dressing up and being with friends is so much fun and a big part of Halloween night. Hosting means you get to decide which treats your kids (and you) pick and choose from.
3. Set boundaries and expectations on the types of candy they can and can’t consume. If they brought home a lot of candy that has dye in it, swap it out for some better options (you need to have this already picked out and available for them to choose from – see links below for some ideas). Toss out the junk!
4. Set a limit on the quantity of sugary foods kids can eat both that evening and any other time as well. Or, set reasonable limits for yourself!
5. It helps to make sure they eat something (like a good dinner) before going trick or treating. Fill them up on the good stuff and maybe you can keep them from eating too much candy that night. It doesn’t always work because face it, there seems to always be room for sugar. But, it’s worth a try at least.
Here are some of my favorite sweet treat recipes and candies that I love for Halloween:
Recipes
1. Homemade Twix Bar that is simple and quick to make but so delicious
Treats to pick up on Amazon or in stores
1. Hu chocolate gems (these are dark but they also have milk chocolate)
3. Nougat bars
I could keep the list going as there are plenty of options on the market that are healthier options than just was lines the front of the stores as we walk in but I just wanted to give you some ideas to try. Explore from the options listed above, these are brands we trust and they also have other varieties to choose from.
Wishing you a happy, healthy and safe Halloween!