Halloween is here! As parents, many of us face the yearly challenge of a pillowcase full of treats or candies that lands on our kitchen table or living room floor, whether it is this year or in years to come. The question is: how will you handle it? Will you let your children have a candy free-for-all so it disappears quickly, or will you allow just one or two treats per day to make it last until Christmas? Maybe you’ll make the treats disappear in other ways, like encouraging your children to trade them for non-candy alternatives or even donating the haul.
Last year, my son was still young enough not to fully grasp what was going on. Candy hadn’t yet become the main attraction for Halloween. Instead, he was just excited to put on his “Superman” costume and head out for trick-or-treating.
How you choose to manage Halloween candy as a parent is personal. There’s no single “right” way to do it. But why should we be concerned about our children consuming lots of candy? If sugary treats are eaten too frequently and in large amounts, they can contribute to poor dental health, displace nutrient-dense foods, and lead to unhealthy weight gain.
So, how can we teach our children about “treats” in general?
As a dietitian and mom, I take the approach that there are NO BAD FOODS, JUST BAD DIETS. What matters most is what we do between this Halloween and the next – what happens on October 31 is only one day. Fun foods like candy and chocolate are delicious (let’s be honest!), and if we restrict them too much, they can become even more tempting.
This year, my son has a better idea of what Halloween is all about. And while part of me feels the urge to put on my “dietitian hat” and play the “Treats Police”, I try not to. I don’t want to take the joy of Halloween away from him. Instead, I use this time to teach him how to manage his treat intake on his own, both now and in the future, so he doesn’t feel the need to sneak, hide, or overeat treats. My goal is to use this fun holiday to help him build a healthy relationship with food.
Here’s what I’ve done now that my son has reached the stage where candy takes priority over cute costumes.
THE LAST MINUTE BUYER
Grocery stores are clever, they position huge piles of Halloween candy right at the entrance when your cart is empty AND where you can’t help but see them as you wait in the checkout lane. Therefore, I wait until the day before (or maybe a week) before Halloween to buy candy. This way, I don’t have to deal with the “SEE-FOOD SYNDROME“. I also make sure to buy least favourite treats to hand out – lollipop, gummy candies, smarties, etc. If I were to buy chocolate, well, that would be a different story.
If your favourite candies/treats are in the house, you and your family are more likely to eat them ALL. Remember: Out of sight, out of mind; In your sight, in your mind.
FULE UP BEFORE TRICK-OR-TREATING
Start the day with a wholesome, filling breakfast; encourage a healthy lunch, and make sure to serve a balanced dinner to fill their tummies before heading out for trick-or-treating. This way, you can prevent your children from turning into “candy monster” by the time they come home.
POUR IT OUT AND SORT IT OUT
Use a small bucket or bag and limit the number of houses your children visit, so their candy collection starts out smaller. Once you’re back home with your child’s little sack of goodies, before you do anything, pour it out and sort it out together. Have them separate “the favourites” from “the least favourite”, and ask if they’d like to share any with will you. This is a great opportunity to teach them to be “picky” about their choices. Observe how much they consume without making any comments or rules, you may be surprised how many children can self-regulate and eat only a few pieces.
SWITCH WITCH
Children can choose a few of their favourite candies and then leave the rest out for the “Switch Witch” who takes it away and replaces it with a desired toy or non-food gift, such as movie tickets, books, crayons or cash for older kids. Also, some families have their children donate extra candy to a local food bank or dental office.
LET THEM ENJOY
On Halloween night, I let my son pick two or three candies to try. For older children, you might allow them to enjoy as much as they want.
Forbidding them from having any candy can sometimes increase their desire for it.
Trust me, your child may surprise you by having a few pieces, then choosing to save the rest, or by gorging until they feel a little sick. Enjoying fun foods like candy and chocolate occasionally (even daily in moderation) is normal, and it’s important that children don’t label these foods as “bad” foods. This approach reduces the likelihood of them sneaking or over-indulging on candy when you’re not around.
And remember, one night of indulging in treats won’t affect their long-term nutritional status or weight. Often, the children seem to grow bored with their candy after a few days if it’s not overly restricted or rationed.
BOTTOM LINE
How can you make sure Halloween isn’t a nightmare for you or your children? Think of it as a perfect opportunity to teach them about MODERATION, BALANCE, MINDFUL indulging.
Happy Halloween !!