Nutrition News to Chew On

Hauntingly Healthy Halloween Tips

Looking for a way to add some balance and a bit of healthy fun to your Halloween celebration? Worried about what the sugar will do to your kids? Well, here are a few tips to help you enjoy the festivities and learn a trick or two along the way.

Trick or Treat Tips

Here are some tips to control the candy craze and provide for a bit of fun along the way (adapted from Communicating Food for Health Newsletter: http://www.foodandhealth.com):

1. Buy Wise: it’s OK to procrastinate at Halloween - buy your candy at the last minute to avoid temptation. Buy less than what you think you need so you aren't eating leftovers. Try non-candy or healthier food treats like stickers, pencils, crayons, raisins, granola bars, etc.

2. Eat Well: feed yourself and family a good dinner. Try to have dinner ready earlier than usual to get ready for evening activities. After trick or treating, offer a cup of non-fat or 1% milk with the treats.

3. Walk: take a long walk around your neighborhood and enjoy the decorations and your neighbors.

4. Sort: when the candy comes home, sort through it to weed out anything looking suspicious. Kids can make a game of sorting the treats by color, size, or even fat or calorie content; see how the loot stacks up and play a few sorting games before the eating begins. Have the kids discard or give away what they don't like so there is no temptation to eat it.

5. Limit: set limits on the treats consumed - perhaps kids can pick a few pieces from each sorted pile. Also limit the amount of time kids are out – or take a smaller container to hold the “loot” and when it is full, it’s time to check the “goods.”

6. Store: out of sight, out of mind – store the treats in an “out of the way” place.

Focus on the fun of it!

Sugar and activity: Have you heard, or thought, that too much sugar makes kids jittery? Well, the science doesn’t say it. Many studies have found that sugars or other sweeteners (syrup, honey) do not cause hyperactivity or other activity disorders. Maybe the excitement of the costume, party and friends lead to the feisty behavior. But, while sugar may not be the culprit in the behavior game, it is linked to cavities and calories - and too many calories, regardless of where they come from, can lead to too many pounds. So the key this Halloween is to strike a balance between hauntingly fun, and hauntingly healthy.