have a healthy halloween

by Joanna Hill-Kennedy

Can you believe that Halloween is almost here again? You and your family can truly have a healthy Halloween this year. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Prepare a hearty, nutritious meal before your kids go trick-or-treating—that way their little tummies will be filled and they will be less likely to eat too much candy. Foods that make you feel full include legumes like dried beans and peas or a bean soup. High fiber foods such as whole grain breads and pastas are good, and of course so are plenty of vegetables.

2. Have healthier Halloween treats available, like fresh fruit salad with low-fat strawberry yogurt (as a dipping sauce) or air-popped “light” microwavable popcorn. For your trick or treaters, try pre-packaged dried fruit mix, reduced fat granola bars, 100% juice boxes, or pretzels. Also, to prevent extra calories and cavities, have packages of sugar-free gum and hard candies on hand for little hobgoblins.

3. Prepare healthy Halloween snacks. See the recipes for Stuffed Apples and Whole-Grain Power Treats in our “Light, Local, and Luscious” section. Try them out—you and your kids will probably love them!

4. Provide toys and games to your kids and other trick-or-treaters. Halloween does not always have to be about eating candy. Kids can choose from neat stuff such as rubber spiders or worms, glow-in-the dark stars and moons, stickers, crayons and colored chalk, pencil toppers, whistles, or miniature maze games.

5. Seize the day! Halloween is a great time to enjoy your kids and their trick or treating activities while walking together as exercise. (Just be sure to walk in a well-lit and well-known neighborhood.) And remember that it’s OK to let your kids indulge in some candy as long as you explain that they can only eat “x” amount. Besides, by the time your kids eat your healthy Halloween supper and snacks, there won’t be much more room for candy.

6. When home from trick-or-treating, look through the candy bag to make sure that all candy received is sealed and wrapped. Throw out any unwrapped or partially unwrapped candy or any with a torn wrapper. It is also important to remove any choking hazards for young children (nuts, hard chewing gum, or small toys).

7. Just before bedtime, make sure your kids thoroughly brush and floss their teeth. It will help their oral health and prevent them from eating more candy.

8. Donate leftover candy. Set aside a portion of candy to take to a local soup kitchen or city mission. Although there is not much nutritional value to candy, it can help the less fortunate feel cared about and teach your children the gift of giving.