Keenan has been asking me how many days left until Halloween for the past three weeks! Since he doesn’t get candy very often (if at all!), he definitely takes full advantage of trick-or-treating! But, Halloween doesn’t have to be the most unhealthy, candy-filled day of the year.
Here are my five simple tips that I follow to make the day a healthier one…
1. The candy isn’t everything! Instead of buying 8 large bags of candy, I buy four bags and four bags of healthier treats, such as fruit snacks, raisins, granola bars or rice krispie treats. I combine everything in a large bowl so the candy is mixed in with the healthier things.
2. Forget about it! If we have any candy leftover after the last trick-or-treater has gone, I immediately throw it away or donate it. If it’s in the house, we will all be too tempted to eat it!
3. Indulge wisely. I’m not much of a candy person, but I LOVE reeces pieces peanut butter cups. I allow myself two cups, eating one immediately and saving one for the next day, as a treat to look forward to. If I saved a handful, I would be too tempted to eat them all in one sitting!
4. Healthy treats are good, too! While we pass out candy, I always make sure to have some healthy treats to munch on, such as popcorn, nuts, trail mix, freshly chopped veggies, fruit and/or homemade cookies. By having the healthy snacks out, we are all less tempted to indulge in the candy!
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff! If I do indulge in a little more candy than I anticipated, I don’t beat myself up about it. I get back on track with my healthy eating the next day. In the grand scheme of things, a few pieces of candy isn’t going to matter!
Questions:
What do you give out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween?
Do you have any healthy tips to add?
