Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Holidays
Healthy Trick or Treating
Karma Metzgar, C.F.C.S. Former Northwest Regional Nutrition Specialist, Nodaway County Extension Center, University of Missouri Extension
When the trick or treaters ring your doorbell, what will
you have for them that’s healthy?
My colleague, Melinda Hemmelgarn, Former Resource Network
Coordinator with University of Missouri Extension in
Columbia, shared some thoughts about healthy trick or
treating that I believe you will enjoy.
Halloween is one of Melinda’s favorite holidays. In the
past she has dressed up like a gypsy and tells kids’
fortunes looking into a big black bowling ball.
She says, "It’s a wonderful time to see the future. I
tell the kids I see lots of people who love them. I see them
exercising, eating lots of healthy foods, and graduating
from high school. I see them growing up healthy and strong,
doing well in school, getting wonderful grades and
completing assignments."
For Halloween parties, Melinda suggests to focus on a
harvest theme. Offer kids fruits and vegetables of the
season: pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, hot
apple cider, popcorn, or baked apples. For a party activity
try pumpkin decorating or pinning a heart on a scarecrow.
Face painting and temporary tattoos are also great
activities. For fun, let the children paint you!
For trick or treat bags, try erasers, money (pennies are
heavy and jingle like a chain), pencils, markers, crayons,
paint brushes, pages from coloring books, stickers,
toothbrushes, bookmarks, used books, whistles, etc. While
some treats fit all ages, small items need to be limited to
kids over age 3.
Healthy foods for the ghosts and goblins could be cereal
bars, individual juice drinks, pudding, popcorn, apples,
bananas, oranges, snack packets, raisins, peanuts, cereal,
or crackers and cheese.
If you don’t want to break tradition and believe candy is
the best treat, choose candies that are lower in fat. Candy
should not be forbidden and restricted. Children must learn
about moderation and frequency so that we don’t teach
patterns of hoarding or becoming obsessed. As parents we
must make sure that children know when sweets are
appropriate in their diet. Perhaps it’s as part of a certain
meal, as a snack with a fruit, etc. Each family must define
their guidelines and all family members abide.
We also must teach that tooth brushing and flossing are extremely important after eating sweets or any foods that stick to the teeth. Candies do far more damage to our teeth than they do to wrecking our diet or behavior.
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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