With the chance to dress up in costume and stock up on sweets,
Halloween is the highlight of the year for many kids - from
toddlers to teens.
But since it's high season for candy, it can also be an
exasperating time for parents who encourage kids to eat healthy
foods and make sweets a limited part of a balanced and nutritious
diet.
On the one hand, you want to let kids indulge and enjoy the
holiday. On the other, you don't want to undermine all the work
you do the rest of the year maintaining a balanced diet and a
healthy lifestyle. And you don't want to confuse kids with
mixed messages.
KidsHealth asked parents to share how they handle Halloween, and
286 responded to the survey. Most mom and dads - 82% - set limits
using a variety of strategies to keep kids from going overboard on
the Halloween treats.
Many parents said that after letting kids indulge in some treats
right after trick-or-treating, they limit their kids to a certain
number of pieces each day or put the candy stash out of reach and
out of sight. Then kids have to ask for it - that is, if they
remember that it's there!
One parent tried to limit the amount of sweets while also making
sure that it was served up alongside something healthy. "They
are allowed to select three items per day from the bag stored in
the refrigerator, and they must have a glass of milk or water for
each treat. After a week, they usually lose interest in the candy -
maybe just coming from the fridge it doesn't taste as good or
is harder to chew with the item being cold. Or by the time it comes
to room temperature, they've gotten full!"
Of parents who try to limit treats, most - 83% - said that they
successfully kept their kids from overindulging. Those who said
that their efforts failed cited a variety of reasons - from kids
finding parents' secret hiding places to kids creating secret
hiding places of their own. Other parents said that a big obstacle
was having different caregivers for kids, from grandparents to
babysitters, with different rules for the candy.
Just 15% of parents said that they offered trick-or-treaters
healthy non-candy alternatives, ranging from bags of pretzels to
small toys like yo-yos and temporary tattoos. About 37% said that
they offered toys
and
candy. Nearly half of all parents - 49% - just gave out candy.
Tips From Other Parents
Parents had a number of good tips to share about candy-limiting
schemes that had worked in their houses, ranging from using the
candy for craft projects to trades with their kids' dentists for
small toys.
Here are some other tips from moms and dads:
- "Feed them before they go out to discourage snacking
while out."
- "Tell them about the Halloween Pumpkin that will come by
and leave a toy in place of the bag of candy."
- "Toss out the most brightly colored candy!"
- "Let kids know ahead of time the limits and reasons for
those limits."
- "Remind the kids that if they don't eat it all now,
they'll have more for later. Encourage sharing the candy with
friends. Not only does it thin out the candy supply, it enforces
sharing."
More Tips and Tactics
Use your best judgment given what you know about your
child's personality and eating habits. Before kids go
trick-or-treating, try to serve a healthy meal so they're not
hungry when the candy starts coming in.
Kids who generally eat just a couple of pieces and save the rest
might be trusted to decide how much to eat. But if your child tends
to overdo it, consider setting limits.
Other insights for handling Halloween treats:
- Consider being somewhat lenient about candy eating on
Halloween, within reason, and talk about how the rest of the
candy will be handled. Candy and snacks shouldn't get in the
way of kids eating healthy meals.
- If a child is overweight - or you'd just like to reduce
the Halloween stash - consider buying back some or all of the
remaining Halloween candy. This acknowledges that the candy
belongs to the child and provides a treat in the form of a little
spending money.
- Be a role model by eating Halloween candy in moderation
yourself. To help avoid temptation, buy your candy at the last
minute and get rid of any leftovers.
- Encourage your child to be mindful of the amount of candy and
snacks eaten - and to stop before feeling full or sick.
Here are some ideas for alternatives to candy to give to
trick-or-treaters who come to your door:
- non-food treats, like stickers, toys, temporary tattoos,
false teeth, little bottles of bubbles and small games, like tiny
decks of cards (party-supply stores can be great sources for
these)
- snacks such as small bags of pretzels, sugar-free gum, trail
mix, small boxes of raisins, and popcorn
- sugar-free candy
- small boxes of cereal
Steer clear of any snacks or toys - like small plastic objects -
that could pose choking hazards to very young children.
And remember that Halloween, like other holidays, is a single
day on the calendar. If your family eats sensibly during the rest
of the year, it will have a more lasting impact than a few days of
overindulgence.
Reviewed by:
Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: October 2006
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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