A Healthy Halloween is Possible!

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Halloween is upon us, and it’s too easy to fall into the sugar craze with all the candy. It probably seems impossible to convince yourself and your kids to stay healthy during this time of the year. Well, the American Heart Association has put together a few tips and tricks for how to have a Healthy Halloween.

Lessen the Candy Craze

No reason to eliminate candy unless you have some health problems, but it’s crucial that you and your kids not eat all of that sugar at once. Here are a few tips for mixing in some healthy options during this sugar crazed time.

 

For the Trick-or-Treater

  • Have a healthy meal before going trick or treating. This is important because what kid wants to eat all of that candy when they are full.
  • Choose a smaller container for your trick-or-treater instead of a pillow bag. Also, encourage them to take only one piece of candy per house. This may be tough to do but ultimately helps reduce the amount of sugar they can eat.
  • Walk around the neighborhood versus riding on a truck or ATV. Even that little bit of exercise is essential!
  • Inspect all candy before you or your kids eat. Always look at expiration dates and confirm nothing impact your trick-or-treaters food allergies.

healthy kids snacks for halloween

 

For the Adults

  • Serve healthy snacks that are “scary” and hype up the Halloween factor. Check out a few neat ideas here.
  • Keep everyone on their feet with cool activities like a zombie dance, monster race, or pumpkin toss.
  • Cut down on sugar-sweetened beverages. Encourage water, milk, or orange juice during this time of year.
  • Be the cool house on the block with unique Halloween handouts like oranges, pretzels, trail mix, sugar-free gum, bubble makers, spider rings, and more.

 

What to do with Leftover Halloween Candy

 

Dentist buyback programs candy halloween

Dr. Curtis Chan, a dentist in Del Mar, Calif., loads up a truck with 5,456 pounds of candy to deliver to Operation Gratitude during the Halloween Candy Buyback on Nov. 8 last year. Chan personally collected 3,542 pounds of candy from patients

It seems there is always leftover candy every Haloween. Here are a few ideas what to do with the leftovers this year.

 

  • Let the kids keep 1 to 2 pieces per day for two weeks. Hopefully, at that point, you will have satisfied their candy craze!
  • “Buy Back” candy from your kids with money or activity trades like a day at the zoo or ice skating.
  • Some dentists offices have buyback programs.
  • Donate the excess candy to a homeless shelter, children’s hospital, or to the troops. A sweet treat might be just what they need during the holiday season.

 

Inspired by healthyforgood.heart.org