Halloween is a celebration that almost all kids look forward to. After all, they get to dress up as fun, scary characters and collect tons of candies. But this is also an occasion where grownups need to be very careful about what their children eat. Unfortunately, many parents don’t think much about the kids gorging on all the high calorie, fatty, sugary treats during Halloween.
“That may be true if your child normally eats pretty healthy, does not seem to be negatively impacted by the candy from a performance or physical perspective and regulates their consumption fairly reasonably… However, you may have a child who is sensitive to candy consumption, has a tendency to overeat and has a hard time self-regulating, and struggles making healthy choices. Parents will need to figure out the best approach for their kids based on several factors,” El Paso Times quotes nutrition expert Raquel Garzon.
Unfortunately, many parents don’t think much about the kids gorging on all the high calorie, fatty, sugary treats during Halloween. (Image: Via Pixabay)
Cut down the sugar at Halloween
Some candies contain very high levels of sugar. These should be avoided at all costs. Just ensure that they are sweet enough that the kids go along with the taste. In addition, if you will be providing sweetened drinks, try using raw fruit juices rather than something loaded with sugar. There are also sweets available in the market that do not use sugar at all. For instance, dried mango slices dusted with cinnamon powder can provide some fun and different experience to the kids. Some healthy alternatives include sugar-free gum, squeezable yogurt tubes, nuts, clementines, juice boxes, and so on.
Feed your child well
Kids might end up eating all the candy they have collected from their trick-or-treat adventure. This should be controlled. A good way to do this is by feeding your child well before they go out for the night. Prepare a nutritious meal that will fill up their stomach. This will ensure that they won’t have much of an appetite for the sweets. At best, they will limit themselves to just a few yummy treats. And as a parent, that is a victory.
Opt for small size candies
When buying candies, opt for small-sized ones. Children usually have a tendency to hoard up as many candies as they can during Halloween. They are likely to be happy with three bite-sized sweets as compared to a single candy bar even though the latter might have more content in it. You can take advantage of this tendency to limit candy consumption. But in case your child cannot be fooled into choosing bite-sized candies over big bars of chocolate, opt for low-fat candy bars.
Bribe them
If your child is adamant about eating all the candies at one go and you are unable to do anything about it, consider bribing them with better treats in the future. For instance, if they want to eat all six candy bars in a single sitting, promise them that you will provide an extra candy bar by the end of the week (or some other incentive) if they spread out the six bars for the next six days. If they agree, do not trust them to stick to their word. Instead, collect all six candy bars and give it one by one over the six days. And remember to honor your word by providing the promised incentive.
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