Feature Articles Food, Fitness, and Holidays
Managing Halloween and the Candy Monster
Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D., Former
Nutritional Sciences Specialist,
College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of
Missouri-Columbia
Think of Halloween as a great occasion to play dress up
extraordinaire, and try to take a moderate stand on the candy.
Preference for sweet foods is not a human failing--it's simply
human nature. Candy is fine in moderation, and kids and adults
love it. However, it's difficult to eat anything in moderation
in our society! Halloween candy usually hits grocery store
shelves two months prior to the event, and it's hard to resist
the tempting shiny packages of bite-sized treats. Candy is
mostly sugar and fat, so we have to realize that it contributes
calories with few nutrients. It's a far cry from a health food,
but it is a part of the holiday. Here are some suggestions for
managing a happy and healthy Halloween:
- Wait and buy candy later rather than sooner. We won't eat
what we don't bring home.
- Feed kids a healthy meal before they go out
trick-or-treating so they won't replace dinner with candy.
- Make sure children brush their teeth well after enjoying
their loot. Candy won't cause juvenile delinquency, but it
will cause tooth decay.
- Offer alternatives. Hand out pencils, rings, bracelets,
stickers, plastic snakes, sugarless gum --all those things
that we typically give kids in birthday goodie bags. Just be
careful of choking hazards with young kids.
- If you're hosting a Halloween party, make it a seasonal
festival--serve pumpkin muffins, spiced apple cider, and have
the kids dunk for apples. There are plenty of games and
activities that don't involve candy-- decorate little
pumpkins, hold a costume contest, visit haunted houses or show
a spooky movie (not too scary) with some fresh popped
popcorn.
- Host a pre-trick or treat Halloween dinner with spooky
background music. Hand out a printed menu with gory
descriptions of kids' favorite foods. For example, spaghetti
and marinara sauce with shredded cheese becomes "brains with
blood and pus." Kids really love the idea of eating "gross"
food on Halloween, but parents know they are eating a
healthful dinner, regardless of it's name. Nutrient-rich
cranberry juice mixed with apple cider and orange juice
becomes "murky blood." (Drink up, children!!!)
- Limit the houses that children visit. Give them a two to
three block radius, so they are able to gather a moderate
amount of treats only from known neighbors and friends.
With a "no big deal" approach candy is enjoyable, but its not forbidden fruit. It helps to remember that sweet treats have been enjoyed throughout the ages.
Last update: Thursday, July 06, 2006
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