A Healthy Halloween...Is It Possible?

Candy…chocolate…chips…Oh My!!

Those are only some of the treats that are in store for many kids tomorrow night. Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year for everyone. It is a time when the spookiness of witches, black cats and ghosts are balanced with the sweetness of sugar. While the dressing up and pumpkin carving may seem like a lot of fun, all the candy and sugar can have a negative effect our health.

Here are ways to create a healthier Halloween for you and your family:

• Enjoy a good dinner before the trick-or-treating begins! Making sure that everyone gets a hearty meal filled with protein and a variety of vegetables can really help to curb their appetite before heading out to collect treats. It will also help to balance their blood sugar so they experience less of a “sugar high” and crash if they decide to indulge.

• Make Halloween about more than the candy. Bring the emphasis of the holiday away from getting as much candy as possible and more towards different activities. With the days leading up to and after the holiday, organize a variety of activities such as Halloween crafts, dressing up, family games, Halloween themed healthy treats, etc, that the whole family can do together.

• Hydration, Hydration, Hydration. Make sure you encourage your kids to drink a lot of water on the days leading up to Halloween and bring a water bottle with you for trick-or-treating. Many kids spend the night running around the neighbourhood so having water readily available will keep them hydrated all night and compliment their candy intake.

• Don’t forget the jacket. In the past, weather on Halloween night has ranged from warm and dry to freezing and snowy. Layers are key! Make sure you and your children are dressed appropriately for the weather to decrease the risk of getting sick and maximize fun.

• Be sure to sort through the candy before consumption. It is important to go through the candy collected before you or your child consumes it. Look for candies that aren’t in wrapped packages, damaged packages, or chip bags with no air in them (could indicate a hole in the bag). Separate this candy from the well packaged treats and throw them out to prevent anyone from ingesting sometime bad. This is a good activity to do with your kids so they learn what to look out for too.

• Have a Candy Plan. We know that kids put in a lot of work to collect the candy (we’ve all been there). Create a candy plan with your family stating how many pieces they can have Halloween night and how much they can eat each day after. It is better to spread the sweet treats out throughout the day to prevent the quick rise and fall of blood sugar.

• Have a limit to how long the candy will last. Enjoying more processed sugar for a few days isn’t going to take a huge toll on your child’s health. Let your kids enjoy their treats for 3-5 days after collected and then get back to healthy snacks. It is best not to have the candy out on the counter for kids to grab whenever they want. It will help you regulate their intake better if it’s not in sight and they have to ask for it. It will also keep you from snacking on it when no one is looking.

• Trade treats for toys. Is there a small toy that your child has been asking for? Is there a certain small activity that you have wanted to do with your family? Some parents give their kids the option of choosing 5 pieces of candy that they want from their stash and then trading in the rest for a small non-sugar item. This gives the child something to look forward too after the candy is collected other than just eating it.

All in all, Halloween is only ONE DAY of the entire year and one day of candy isn’t going to have a detrimental impact on one’s overall health…as long as the candy binging stops there. The bottom line is to HAVE FUN, enjoy the time you spend with your family, and at the end of the night…don’t forget to brush your teeth!

If you or your child do happen to get sick this Halloween, there are many ways in which naturopathic medicine can help. Email kristinwootton.nd@gmail.com to book an appointment today and see how a Naturopathic Doctor can help your family.