Moderate your child's candy consumption, don't make it off limits
The Halloween holiday is celebrated enthusiastically by children. Indeed, with its focus on costumes, fun and treats, Halloween is fun for everyone! As parents and caregivers, we can embrace the holiday as an opportunity to demonstrate good eating practices.
An important lesson we can teach our children is that no foods – not even candy – need to be completely off limits. It is well recognized that restricting foods can lead to an increased desire to consume the forbidden food. In worst case scenarios, restriction can lead to negative thoughts about these foods in the future while negatively affecting relationships with food.
Therefore, as adults, we need to understand that although there are foods of a higher nutrition quality than candies, we should not restrict children from eating them, instead, as caregivers, we should encourage moderate consumption during Halloween.
Tips to encourage moderate candy consumption on Halloween
Provide a nutrient-dense a snack or meal before a Halloween celebration.
Try including the following nutrients as part of the meal or snack to promote satiety while reducing chances of overindulging on candies:
- Fiber-rich foods, including oats, whole wheat tortillas, whole wheat bread, nuts, seeds, whole fruits and/or vegetables.
- Protein from meat, eggs, soy, nuts, dairy or legumes.
Portion sweet treats in bite-size morsels to encourage portion control.
Some ideas to include are:
- mini brownies
- small cookies
- mini cupcakes
- mini donuts
- mini pies
- etc.
Make your own Halloween fun and healthy sweet treats.
Some recipe ideas to try with your family:
Other tips to keep Halloween celebration healthy, fun and safe!!
Incorporate exercise by planning a fun Halloween family activity such as the following:- Walking instead of driving from house to house.
- Setting a goal for the number of houses or streets you'll visit while trick-or-treating.
Check expiration dates and inspect all edibles before allowing children to eat them. Don't let children eat anything with questionable or unknown ingredients, especially if they have food allergies.
Plan the amount of candy they'll be allowed to accept at each house, keep, and eat!! If they're old enough, let them help decide what to do with excess candy. Options can include discarding or donating surplus candy.
Resources
American Heart Association. (2016, October 17). How to have a healthy Halloween. www.heart.org. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-to-have-a-healthy-halloween
Rollins, B. Y., Loken, E., Savage, J. S., & Birch, L. L. (2014). Effects of restriction on children's intake differ by child temperament, food reinforcement, and parent's chronic use of restriction. Appetite, 73, 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.10.005