It's that time of year when candy seems to be everywhere, but experts say a few simple steps can be taken to stay healthy while still having fun.
Making sure kids eat a balanced dinner before hitting the streets to trick-or-treat is a great way to keep them from overindulging this Halloween, according to Jennifer Hyland, a registered dietician with Cleveland Clinic.
“We want them to be full when they go out trick-or-treating so that they are not hungry and just diving in for that candy bag and eating everything they possibly can,” she says.
Hyland said that meal should contain both protein and fiber to keep kids satiated throughout the evening. Parents can even get into the spooky spirit with foods such as banana ghosts with chocolate chip eyes, she said. But once they’ve had that full meal, Hyland said it’s perfectly fine to let kids enjoy some Halloween candy.
“I don't like restriction,” Hyland said. “I think restriction just leads to kids wanting that candy more.”
Restricting candy can drive kids to get it in other places outside of home. Long term, it can lead to disordered eating, she said.
“I think it's important to let the kids have some fun, enjoy some, and find what works for your family, but it's okay to let them have some candy,” she said.
She encourages candy that has density, such as chocolate that contains nuts or peanut butter. Chocolate tends to be slightly healthier than candy such as lollipops and gummies, she said.
“(Chocolate) is going to be a little bit more nutrient dense and blood sugar balancing than if we are just eating those pure sugar gummies, chewable candies, things of that nature,” she said.
She also warns of some candies that can be choking hazards for younger kids. Children under two years of age should stay away from anything sticky such as gummy candies or caramels, and even round suckers can be dangerous, she said. Kids as old as 4 should be careful with sticky treats, she said.
Of course, it’s important to keep in mind every child’s individual dietary needs. She said some families dealing with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes may have different rules on Halloween than families where the kids are working on putting on weight, she said. Some families have to deal with allergies and food restrictions, which can be particularly challenging this time of year.
Children with food allergies or restrictions should be reminded to check with their parents before eating any candy, and she encourages families to put out non-edible goodies such as slap bracelets or festive pencils to make sure everyone can partake in the fun.
“I do like to encourage all families to be mindful that there are kids with food allergies and it is nice to have some allergy-free options,” she said.
The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages families to put out a teal pumpkin with non-candy Halloween items for children with allergies and food restrictions such as celiac disease and diabetes.
Hyland discourages letting kids eat as much as they want on Halloween and then getting rid of the rest of the candy. She said that can lead to kids gorging on Halloween night and getting into a “scarcity mindset” where they feel like they have to cram it all in at once. Instead, she recommends letting kids eat some candy on Halloween and saving the rest for later. It’s better if the treats slowly dissipate over the course of a few weeks or months, she said.
When kids do eat candy in the next few weeks, she suggested pairing that with something healthy like an apple or a cheese stick, and she recommended not not leaving out the candy bowl where everyone can see and be tempted by it.
“You’re not hiding it, but it doesn’t need to be in their faces,” she said.
Overall, she emphasized that Halloween is just one night.
“What you do on one night is not as important as what you do the whole year,” she said. “If you have a general healthy mindset around food and you try to role model and you try to do family meals together and you do all of that year-round and your child eats excess candy on Halloween, they are going to be just fine.”
The goal is for kids to have a good relationship with sugar, she said, where they aren’t afraid of it but aren’t obsessed with it either.
