Even if you don’t have kids that are old enough to trick-or-treat yet, you may still be affected by the sugar-fest that is Halloween.
If you plan on handing out candy, going to a Halloween party, taking your little ones out for half an hour of candy-collecting or going grocery shopping in the next week, you’ll be faced with sugar-laden treats that will be screaming your name.
Here’s how to enjoy your favourite treats within reason and teach your kids about moderation:
1. Don’t fall victim to the See-Food Syndrome in the grocery store: Grocery stores are clever- they like to position those huge piles of Halloween candy conveniently when you first walk into the grocery store and your cart is empty AND where you can’t help but stare at them when you’re waiting at the check-out. It isn’t really necessary to purchase Halloween candy before–well–Halloween. If it’s in the house, it’s more likely that you and your family will eat it.
2. Don’t hand out your favourite treats: I always buy licorice and other chewy, gummy candies to hand out to kids on Halloween because I know that I won’t be tempted to eat a lot of it, if any. If I were to buy anything chocolate, that would be a different story. There may not be anything left over for those poor trick-or-treaters.
3. Pour it out and sort it out: When you arrive home with your child’s little sack full of goodies, before you do anything, pour it out and sort it out. Get rid of any sketchy candies that you don’t recognize or that don’t have proper wrappers and keep the good ones. If you want to go a step further, divide the treats up into little baggies with three to four candies per bag to help with portion control, or, if you want to get rid of it all together but feel bad tossing it, donate it to your local food bank or bring it to work.
4. Let your little ones enjoy the fruits of their labour! Let them pick two to three candies to try out (who knows- they may not even like them!) and join in and enjoy some yourself. Forbidding them from having any candy may just increase their desire for it. Enjoying fun-foods like candy and chocolate once in a while (even if that means a little everyday) is normal and it’s important that they don’t label these foods as “bad” foods. What I’ve heard from most Moms is that their kids seem to grow bored with their candy after a few days if it’s not restricted and rationed like crazy.
What are your thoughts and experiences with Halloween? I’m a newbie, so bring on your advice and ideas!
Leave a Comment