From cute and spooky costumes to buckets of candy, Halloween can be one of the sweetest nights of the year for both kids and parents alike. Trick-or-treating and fond memories aside, however, it’s important that we limit both our and our kids’ sugar intake this Halloween to stay healthy and keep our immune system working at its best. To help you overcome the downsides of too much sugar while still having a great time, we’ve listed four easy ways to limit sugar this Halloween.
Control How Much Candy You and Your Kids Keep and Donate the Rest
One great way of limiting your and your kids’ sugar intake this Halloween is by letting your kids pick out their favorite pieces of candy and donating the rest. While some kids may be reluctant to just give away their hard-earned candy, giving them the option to turn in their sweet treats for things like new toys or fun activities can serve as a good incentive to get them to give away their candy.
To make things more interesting, you could start a “Switch Witch” tradition, where you buy a couple of toys and non-candy treats and let your kids know that the Switch Witch will visit during the night – swapping any candy left out for toys and other goodies, just like they’d leave milk and cookies out for Santa.
Swap Out the Candy for Healthy Themed Snacks
If like many you purchase all your Halloween candy before the big night, chances are you and your kids will be snacking on it in the days leading up to the holiday. Believe it or not, however, Halloween is a great time to encourage kids to try new, and healthier foods. Something as simple as a mixed tray of fruits, cheese, and other healthy snacks can turn into a fun activity where you and your kids can get creative and come up with new “spooky” snacks. Not only does this allow you to spend more time with your kids, but it also offers an opportunity to get them to try new foods they otherwise wouldn’t be willing to try.
Skip the Candy and Offer Non-food Halloween Treats
Halloween doesn’t have to be all about the candy. Healthy snacks and even non-food gifts can be a fun alternative gift for young trick-or-treaters. Temporary tattoos, stickers, crayons, themed rings, bubble blowers, and bouncy balls are all things kids would love and would go down a treat. Consider creating themed goody bags and pairing these non-food treats with healthier snack foods, such as popcorn, string cheese, pretzels, or the themed snacks mentioned earlier, and you’re bound to have a successful night.
Focus on the Fun, Not the Sugar
It’s easy to get caught up in all the candy and sweet treats when Halloween rolls by, but it’s equally as important to focus on the fun of the holiday. There are loads of things you can do on and around Halloween that don’t involve sugar, including face painting, pumpkin carving, treasure hunts, and putting up spooky decorations. Whatever you can do to keep yourself and the kids moving this Halloween without focusing on sugary snacks does wonders to limit sugar intake and have a healthier holiday.
Have a Happy and Healthy Halloween from Calgary Integrative Medicine
With Halloween occurring right on the onset of cold and flu season and excessive sugar intake leading to a compromised immune system, limiting sugar this Halloween is especially important. To learn more about how integrative medicine and proper nutrition can help support your and your child’s immune system during Halloween and the upcoming holiday season, get in touch with Calgary Integrative Medicine today to schedule your initial consultation.
