Halloween is almost here! I want to share my REAL easy steps that will make the day run smoothly and not turn into an all out candy binge for you or your kids!
Step one
Make sure you feed your family spot on healthy and nutritious meals on Halloween day. This means REAL whole food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Why is this so important? Well first off I think it kind-of offsets some of the junk they may consume but second and most important is helping to calm food cravings.
When your child has had a satisfying meal and then faced with sweets he or she is likely to eat a smaller appropriate amount and be done. If they have eaten empty non-nutritious meals throughout the day the child is more likely to binge on sweets and want more and more with worse and worse behavior along with it!
Step two
Lay out easy, understanding and teachable guidelines and discuss ahead of time a strategy with your kids. I simply tell my girls in the morning before they leave that at the school party they may pick one treat THAT’S IT! I then proceed to tell them to wrap up anything else in a napkin and bring it home for later. (This is a trick – because they never remember when they get home and it usually gets left in their backpack, which I clean out later.)
I explain by setting up a scenario like this so they understand. “If the teacher puts a cookie, cupcake, and juice box in front of you, should you eat it all?” Then I’ll go on with “How many treats is that?” They think about it and understand.
NOTE: I don’t bother getting picky at this point with telling my girls “only eat this and not that candy because of the artificial food dyes” etc etc, because in my mind a junky treat is a junky treat period, its all the same.
After talking with my kids we have a mutual understanding what one treat is and why we don’t and shouldn’t eat more than that.This way there is not an argument or you are not saying “NO”. You are just laying out healthy fair guidelines to protect them!
Step three
Enjoy trick or treating! Don’t be a hawk or scowl every time an extra large candy bar gets thrown in the trick or treat bag. Focus on running outside, fresh air, and the fun with family and friends. Take the focus AWAY from the actual candy itself. Again, we set rules that we don’t eat the candy while trick or treating. Usually my kids are so distracted with running house to house it that it works out.
Once home the kids pick 10 candies they want to keep and we set those aside. They can also pick 1 or 2 candies to eat. Their choice and boy do they enjoy em! (Its really only once a year I give them free reign like this with candy!)
Once finished we put it all away in the giveaway box and the saved treats in the pantry.
NOTE- DO NOT ALLOW FREE ACCESS TO CANDY BAGS OR STORE IN BEDROOMS, this spells disaster!
Remember you are in charge and you are protecting their health and teeth by setting boundaries on candy. I mean lets face it, what is candy really to our bodies anyway? Its toxic and addictive and especially not good for growing bodies.
STEP FOUR
Out of sight out of mind! It has truly worked for us the last few years! The saved candies are away in the pantry. Sure for a few days my kids ask and I will say we had enough parties and goodies so lets just let give our bodies a break and make a healthy treat. After a few days, NOTHING, they forget! Usually the next time I get around to cleaning out the pantry I find their little saved bags and toss.
So there you have four simple steps that have worked in our home to keep the kids happy and not out of control on Halloween! Halloween is and can be an enjoyable day for all without candy overload! Have a happy and safe Halloween!