A Dietitian's 3 Tips for a Healthy Halloween
3 Simple Tips for Healthy Treating
1. Make Healthy Halloween Themed Snacks: Use fruits or veggies to carve spooky treats. This activity encourages healthy eating by making fruits and veggies more fun for the little ones.
2. Give Out "Tricks" Instead of Treats: On Halloween night, reduce the sugar load by giving out fun toys instead of treats: glow necklaces and bracelets, stickers, colorful pencils, Halloween erasers, bubbles, and mini notepads.
3. Pick the Favorites, Sell the Rest: Let your kid(s) choose their favorites, then have them sell the rest either to you or check if your local dentist is having a Halloween Candy Buyback Program.
Lastly, while encouraging healthier choices on Halloween night can reduce the sugar intake, what’s most important is to realize that this is a single day and that the most important impact on nutrition and health is the everyday routine.
For printable handouts that include a healthy Halloween recipe for your patients, please see these downloads: Healthy Treating & Silly Apple Bites.