Have A Happy & Healthy Halloween!
Let’s be honest – the fact that we’re adults now does not mean that we still don’t excited about the prospect of getting free candy and snacking on our favorite little chocolates and candies on Halloween. And just because you may not get all dressed up and go trick-or-treating anymore doesn’t mean that all that candy isn’t readily available to you. Think candy dishes on your desk – sneaking a few pieces from your kids’ or siblings’ candy bags – goody bags from co-workers and friends.
While there is nothing wrong with treating yourself to a few pieces of candy, those fun-sized wrapped packages can be deceiving. For instance, if you were to have just 4 fun-sized Snickers bars, you have already eaten MORE than one full-sized Snickers.
Halloween Health Tips:
- If you take children out to trick-or-treat, try walking instead of driving from house to house.
- Keep in mind that eating lower-calorie treats does not mean that you should eat twice as much of it.
- Try handing out alternatives to candy – especially since that candy bowl usually sits out more than just on Halloween. Try treats like dried fruits, nuts, raisins, cheese and cracker packets, pretzels, popcorn, or fruit roll-ups.
- If you know you’re going to be snacking on candy later, try to cut back on your calories and portion sizes in earlier meals throughout the day.
- Instead of grabbing a handful of treats every time you walk past the candy bowl, set aside a few pieces in a separate dish ahead of time. This will help you recognize how many pieces of candy you are actually eating and deter you from overeating.
- Eat a healthy meal before you head out to trick-or-treat. Both you and your children will eat less chocolate on a full stomach.
- Hide the candy from yourself. We tend to eat more of visible foods because it causes us to think about it more, and every time you see the candy bowl you have to decide whether you want a piece of candy or not.