The Institute for Vibrant Living - You're source for a vibrant life

Don’t Let Spooky Eating Habits Spoil The Halloween Spirit

 Loading ...

• Share/Save

Contrary to popular belief, Halloween does not have to be a nutritional nightmare. With a little planning and a lot of creativity you can conjure up a vast array of tantalizing treats that will delight little ghosts and goblins without compromising your commitment to their good health.

If you are having a Halloween party at your home, try to focus more on the fun than on the food. Make sure the party includes active games that will allow children to get at least 45 minutes of exercise. Help children express their creativity by letting them decorate their own small individual pumpkins. Show them how to make their own trick or treat bags using stencils, crayons and recycled paper.

When snack time comes around serve healthy, fun treats. Use your cookie cutters to create pumpkin-shaped sandwiches out of whole wheat bread. Serve some sliced apples with peanut butter and crunchy fresh veggies with a low-fat dip. Since it wouldn’t be Halloween without something sweet on the menu, serve fresh popcorn balls coated with honey or make some carob candy and mold it into spooky shapes.

If you are expecting trick-or-treaters in your neighborhood, give away small bags of pretzels, popcorn, pumpkin seeds, granola bars, trail mix or small boxes of raisins instead of candy. Dried fruit, juice boxes, sugarless gum and pre-packed cheese and crackers are also good alternatives to sugary treats. Fresh fruit is always a good choice for young ghouls and goblins. (Make sure you buy the fruit locally to support local farmers.)

If your children are going out trick or treating, serve them a nutritious meal beforehand so they won’t be tempted to snack on the goodies they collect. Make sure they wear brightly colored costumes and carry flashlights so that they are easily seen by motorists. Avoid costumes that are too long or that limit the child’s visibility. Help your child develop a costume theme that incorporates face painting instead of masks.

Make sure that they understand not to eat anything they have been given until they get home and you have a chance to inspect it. Throw away any commercially wrapped treats with signs of tampering such as tears in wrappers, tiny pinholes, unusual appearance or discoloration.

Then, ration the treats so that your children won’t be overloaded with sugar. Some parents are tempted to ban sweets altogether from their children’s lives. This is not a good idea because it may make sweet treats all the more alluring. Have a healthy, fun bedtime snack awaiting them when they return from trick or treating so they won’t be as inclined to binge on candy.

Good nutrition is a year round lesson. Help kids enjoy Halloween without overindulging. If you and your family eat sensibly all year, then your kids will know how to make wise decisions no matter what time of year it is.