How to Have a Healthy Halloween
Halloween is typically thought of as a time to fill up with candy and other goodies. While this might seem fun, those sugary foods can increase your risk of health problems, including
tooth decay, diabetes, and heart problems. Instead of making this holiday all about sweets, turn it into a healthy one for you and your family. The following tips can help you enjoy a happy and healthy Halloween this year.
Stay Active
Being physically active is easy to do on Halloween if you’re taking your kids trick or treating. You can make it even more active by walking everywhere rather than driving to different streets or neighborhoods. For a fun challenge, see how many houses you can visit. Just make sure you have good walking shoes on, as well as flashlights for when it gets dark out. Being on your feet on Halloween as much as possible is a great way to get exercise.
Eat Before Halloween Festivities
Whether you’re taking the kids trick or treating or heading to a party for Halloween, eating beforehand can help curb your craving for sweets. Instead of having Halloween candy or other festive goodies, fill up on a healthy meal. Enjoying Halloween festivities with a full stomach means you’ll be less likely to reach for some chocolate or other sugary treats when you’re out.
Make Healthy Holiday Snacks
Having bags of candy or other sweets around can make it tempting to eat them as quick snacks. Consider making fun and healthy holiday snacks to keep around instead. Use carrot sticks, bananas, and other fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible to make these goodies. When you have these nutritious holiday snacks around, you can easily enjoy them as a snack.
Pass Out Healthier Items
If you are giving out treats to kids on Halloween, you don’t have to pass out sugary candy. Healthier options for trick or treaters are available, such as snack-sized bags of popcorn or
pretzels, sugar-free gum, and even sugar-free or low-sugar juice boxes. You can also hand out non-food items, such as friendship bracelets, stickers, crayons, or glow sticks. Kids will mostly be getting candy when they go trick or treating, so handing out healthier items at your door helps cut down on the number of sugary treats they end up with.
Watch What You Drink
Having a healthy Halloween doesn’t only mean avoiding sugary foods. You should also make sure you avoid sugary drinks, such as soda. If you’re staying home passing out candy or going to a Halloween festivity, choose a non-sweetened beverage to drink. If you’ll be taking your kids trick or treating, bring bottled water with you for when you get thirsty.
Give Away Leftover Candy
If you have leftover candy from Halloween, you don’t have to make sure you eat it all. You might be able to give your leftover candy to a dentist in your area. Some dentists will buy back leftover candy from people or do a trade-in program. This helps lower the risk of children getting cavities from eating too many sweets. You can also look online for food banks that accept donations of unopened candy, or for charities that accept them for deployed troops.
With these tips, you can have a healthy Halloween without feeling like you’re missing out on the spirit of the holiday.
