Renee Radenberg
Previous
|
Next
3 Easy Ways to Have Healthy Tricks in Your Halloween Treats!
Oct 23, 2007 01:15PM
- 6 comments
Tags:
Tags:
Halloween is a time when children are loaded up with lots of candy and sugar. The supermarkets are filled with all different sizes, shapes, and types of sugary delights to give out to Trick-or-Treaters. What are you to do when you want to give healthier treats or have a healthier Halloween party?
Instead of going down the candy or Halloween aisles at the supermarket, go down the snack aisle. There are plenty of small bags of chips. Try to choose popcorn, pretzels, or baked chips, which are the healthier choices. Snack size granola bars or sugar-free gum are good too. Fresh fruit, seeds, and nuts (mostly apples and pumpkin seeds) are great for Halloween parties but not for door-to-door Trick-or-Treaters. Today, parents of trick-or-treaters want pre-packaged items and will discard the fruit. Small snack sized nuts/seeds would be the best!
Another idea is not to use food at all for treats. Pencils, pens, small balls, small book, and small game gadgets, to name a few. These are not costly and fun for the children. They can be found in party supply stores or 99 cent stores that are filled with numerous non-food items for children to play with. Coins (pennies, dimes, etc.) are also another alternative to food.
If you still would like to buy candy, think small size and dark chocolate/nuts. Dark chocolate and nuts have omega-3 fatty acids and helps to keep cholesterol down. Try to stay away from the big candy (chocolate bars). Mix the candy with the above ideas and you have a healthier treat than candy alone.
The focus for Halloween should be for the children to have fun and candy does not have to be center of attraction. Relax and have fun with the kids, and do not let the boogie man get you!
Instead of going down the candy or Halloween aisles at the supermarket, go down the snack aisle. There are plenty of small bags of chips. Try to choose popcorn, pretzels, or baked chips, which are the healthier choices. Snack size granola bars or sugar-free gum are good too. Fresh fruit, seeds, and nuts (mostly apples and pumpkin seeds) are great for Halloween parties but not for door-to-door Trick-or-Treaters. Today, parents of trick-or-treaters want pre-packaged items and will discard the fruit. Small snack sized nuts/seeds would be the best!
Another idea is not to use food at all for treats. Pencils, pens, small balls, small book, and small game gadgets, to name a few. These are not costly and fun for the children. They can be found in party supply stores or 99 cent stores that are filled with numerous non-food items for children to play with. Coins (pennies, dimes, etc.) are also another alternative to food.
If you still would like to buy candy, think small size and dark chocolate/nuts. Dark chocolate and nuts have omega-3 fatty acids and helps to keep cholesterol down. Try to stay away from the big candy (chocolate bars). Mix the candy with the above ideas and you have a healthier treat than candy alone.
The focus for Halloween should be for the children to have fun and candy does not have to be center of attraction. Relax and have fun with the kids, and do not let the boogie man get you!
by hangten, Oct 23, 2007 02:17PM
great ideas! my oldest daughter has 2 children (and one on the way) and she is so in to this healthy foods eating thing. At first I was upset that they aren't allowed chocolates or candies until they were 2--isn't that what nanas are for-spoiling them with lots of candy and sugars.
Well, my oldest granddaughter is now 4-when I offer her a soft drink or small bag of m&m's (they only have about 10 in there), she refused. Says mom packed her a granola bar. Wow! So now, I see that she isn't really missing out on it bcz she's never had it b4 and prefers her familiar healthy foods.
Thanks for the tidbits-i'll take your advise and fix them up a bag of healthy treats and I'll fix one up for my other daughter's child who's only 20 mths old. Healthy is good lol.
donna
Well, my oldest granddaughter is now 4-when I offer her a soft drink or small bag of m&m's (they only have about 10 in there), she refused. Says mom packed her a granola bar. Wow! So now, I see that she isn't really missing out on it bcz she's never had it b4 and prefers her familiar healthy foods.
Thanks for the tidbits-i'll take your advise and fix them up a bag of healthy treats and I'll fix one up for my other daughter's child who's only 20 mths old. Healthy is good lol.
donna
by megifer, Oct 24, 2007 09:42AM
Healthy snacks are a wonderful idea, but I'd advise against the nuts. We're part of a wide circle here and several of the children are deathly allergic to nuts and to products that share the same factories as nuts. And we all know that kids frequently pop treats in their mouths without asking a grownup to see whether they're okay. Spare someone a trip to the emergency room -- or worse.
by jenilee824, Oct 24, 2007 10:46AM
I belong to a wharehouse shopping club. I buy the little bags of pretzels with Halloween decoration on them
They are snack size, fat free and allergy free! The kids love them! Plus if you have any leftover, you can put them in the kids lunch boxes for snacks for school.
They are snack size, fat free and allergy free! The kids love them! Plus if you have any leftover, you can put them in the kids lunch boxes for snacks for school.
by LDZ, Oct 25, 2007 12:11AM
We like to give out light up necklaces or glowsticks, pencils, or to the little ones
I buy fruit snacks. Some or our neighbors give out cans of cold soda, money or even
chips.
I let my kids eat what they want on Halloween. It's half
the fun of the holiday. Too many rules for kids anymore, they can't even have fun!
I buy fruit snacks. Some or our neighbors give out cans of cold soda, money or even
chips.
I let my kids eat what they want on Halloween. It's half
the fun of the holiday. Too many rules for kids anymore, they can't even have fun!
by Mommy Sue Sue, Oct 25, 2007 07:57AM
My kids go trick or treating and get all the candy. Then that night they pick out about 5 chocolate bars to keep.
The rest go out on the front porch and are taken away during the night by the "Halloween witch". In the morning
they go back out there and find a nice toy ( this year it will be the black cat webkinz).
This allows them to have a small amount of chocolate, a new toy and really enjoy Halloween.
They really look forward to seeing what the witch is going to leave for them so there is no problem giving up the candy.
My daughter gets cavities and my son tends to put on weight easily so this tradition is really important for our family.
The rest go out on the front porch and are taken away during the night by the "Halloween witch". In the morning
they go back out there and find a nice toy ( this year it will be the black cat webkinz).
This allows them to have a small amount of chocolate, a new toy and really enjoy Halloween.
They really look forward to seeing what the witch is going to leave for them so there is no problem giving up the candy.
My daughter gets cavities and my son tends to put on weight easily so this tradition is really important for our family.
by Renee Radenberg
, Oct 27, 2007 07:30PM
, Oct 27, 2007 07:30PM
Thank you all for your wonderful ideas. It is pleasure to see how inventive people are and still have fun with the Halloween. Have a healthy and safe Happy Halloween!
Post a Comment