Halloween Tricks for Treats

The following is courtesy of Karen Kuzma, Registered Dietitian. Listed below are some tips to keep in mind while surviving the Halloween Holiday without eating 5 pounds worth of sugary treats! (the following was written with kids in mind... but the same goes for adults!)

Halloween Tricks for Treats

Halloween means bags filled with sugary, sticky, chocolaty candy.

This can be frightening for many parents who worry about their kids’ eating habits. Here are some tips from the Registered Dietitian Karen Kuzma to help fit those Halloween treats into your child’s healthy diet:

• Halloween is a fun night for kids, so enjoy small portions of candy.

• Eat before you trick-or-treat. Serve your child a nutritious meal or snack before going trick-or-treating so he/she won’t dig into the bag of candy before he/she gets home.

• Teach your kids that “treats” are at the top of the Food Guide Pyramid and can fit into a healthful meal after all the other food groups have been consumed. Eat candy as part of a well-balanced meal instead of as snack in-between meals.

• Divide candy into weekly and daily portions - when it’s all gone, they need to wait until the next day or week. Let your kids pick out a few of their favorite candy pieces to have each day. Remember, parents are in charge of what kids eat.

• Large amounts of candy can be frozen to help with portion control.

• Remind your kids to brush and floss after eating candy.

Healthy Halloween Treats

Cheese and cracker packages
Chewing gum
Boxes of animal crackers
Cheese sticks
Juice boxes (100% fruit juice)
Granola or cereal bars
Small packages of pretzels and popcorn
Small packages of sunflower seeds or nuts
Packages of instant cocoa mix
Peanuts in the shell
Dried fruit
Individual cereal boxes
Fortune cookies
Balloons
Stickers
Crayons
Comic or coloring books
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Pencils
Colored chalk
Erasers
Silly Putty or bubbles
Whistles
Trading cards
Rubber spiders or worms

Karen Kuzma, Registered Dietitian