Sweet Smarts
Free candy? It’s a dream come true for kids on October 31—and a temptation throughout the evening that you can help them manage.
Let your child know that treats, in moderation, fit into a healthy eating plan. It's important not to send the message that candy is a "bad" food and if your eat it, you're a bad person.
Before trick-or-treating, talk about rules for eating candy while out collecting it. For safety’s sake, it’s advisable for kids to eat only candy or other foods that come in a tightly sealed package.
In the run-up to Halloween, talk up the idea of dividing the loot he gathers into small packages. Then he can enjoy one per week to make Halloween last longer.
Once the trick-or-treating is over, let kids divide up the candy. Decide how many pieces you’re comfortable with having children consume in one sitting, and let them put that amount into sandwich bags for lunch box dessert.
To cut down on the amount of tempting candy around the house, consider handing out non-candy treats like Halloween stickers, spider rings, single-portion packs of cookies, or snacks to the ghouls and goblins who come to your door.
Be a good role model. If you’re raiding the candy, your child will notice.
