Spooky Tips for a Healthy Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner.  Overindulgence is abundent, which is only matched with opportunities to choose health if a zombie hasn't devoured your healthy mind.  If you looked at every craving as an opportunity to enhance your health, would you give in? 

Often times, adult goblins can avoid sugary treats until it is brought into their home.  Parents undoubtedly feel like candy is a part of the traditions we hold in our households for our kids.  When you chose health, you changed many things about your life: the way you do things, avoiding things inconsistent with your health goals, grocery shopping differently, and even the way you think about food, work, stress, sleep and exercise.  So, what is stopping you from thinking differently about holidays?  If you joined the health revolution, don't deviate over that piece of candy.  It is not worth it! 

Here are some tips to successfully bring you through Halloween in health:

1. Buy your kids' candy for $5 or $10 and throw it away. They can use the money to buy a toy or a healthy treat and you get to avoid temptation all together.  Remember, if you don't intend to put it in your mouth, it shouldn't go in your kids' mouths either!
2. Tell your kids about the Halloween Pumpkin that will come by and leave a toy in place of the bag of candy.
3. Remind the kids that if they don't eat it all now, they'll have more for later.
4. Eat before you go out to discourage snacking while out.
5. Unwrap all the candy, throw away the sugary treats and make a collage from the candy wrappers.  (A great lesson on recycling also!)
6. Set the treats on the doorstep and take a walk around the neighborhood to take in some spookish sights.
7. Put an expiration date (e.g. two weeks) on Halloween treats and after that time, throw it away.  If you're like me, you probably end up tossing most of the uneaten Halloween candy around Easter anyways.
8. Wear a costume that makes it difficult to snack (lots of make-up or a mask that is difficult to remove).
9. Don't give out candy at all and spread the health! Instead, try handing out some of these things:
1. Stickers
2. Glow sticks
3. Creepy spider rings
4. A small toy
5. Coupon to a fun event or attractio
6. Granola bars
7. Dried fruit or fruit leathers/bars. These can come in fun shapes!
8. Healthy trail mix with dark chocolate chips (without nuts)
9. Small bags of sunflower or pumpkin seeds
10. 100% whole-grain mini cereal boxes
11. 100% fruit juice boxes
12. Wrapped cheese (e.g. Babybel)
13. Sugar-free gum
14. Snack size boxes of raisins
15. Popcorn
16. UNREAL™ Candy offers chocolate treats that taste remarkably similar to major commercial products but without artificial colors, dyes, sweeteners, preservatives, hydrogenated oils and GMOs.
17. Plum™ Kids offers individually packed USDA organic Fruit & Veggie Shredz, which taste like Sour Punch Kids Ropes.
18. ClifKids USDA organic twisted fruit ropes are gluten-free and contain no processed sugars.
19. Surf Sweets® offers a wide variety of gluten-free, organic gummies, sour bears and jelly beans.

If you need help finding ways to stay healthy over Halloween, email me at HealthyandFitLife@gmail.com.