7 Halloween Tips From A Nutritionist

Halloween is coming which means you’ve probably already started to think about the candy and chocolate logistics.

I can admit, the older Cutcheon gets, the more thought I put into how we handle these holidays that are often so centered around sweet foods.

I want him to enjoy candy and chocolate, the same way that I do. I want him to know that they can have a place in a balanced, healthy lifestyle. And I want to enjoy Halloween! I don’t want to stress about the chocolates or the candy, and I don’t want you to either.

So, here are my top tips for a successful Halloween:

1. Start with solid fuel

   Offer a dinner that is rich in protein (meat, beans, eggs, legumes, tofu, dairy items, etc.), fat (olive oil, avocado, cheese, nuts, seeds, etc.) and fiber (whole grains, veggies, fruit, etc.) to start their night off with solid fuel. All of these nutrients are hunger-crushing, which starts their night off feeling full and satisfied. This isn’t to say they won’t still enjoy chocolates and candies, it’s Halloween after all! But it provides great energy and can help moderate any major blood sugar spikes later on.

2. Call It As You SEE It

   Let’s avoid other names like, “treats”, “junk food” or “bad food”. Kids don’t know to look at foods differently than we do, until we teach them. The more we can stay neutral about all foods, calling them as they are and treating them like any other food, the more they build a healthy relationship with those foods. By calling food a “bad food”, kids can internalize that they are somehow ‘bad’ for liking this food. We want all foods to just be foods. Some foods give us energy for a short period of time, and others give us energy for longer periods of time. They all serve their own purpose.

3. Make A ‘LOVE’ pile

   Encourage your kids to make a ‘Love’ pile with all of their favourites, while also making an ‘Okay’ pile with the candies or chocolates that they don’t enjoy as much. This helps you wean out the items that they won’t really notice or think about in a week’s time, while also teaching them how to be selective about what foods to indulge in.

   This is a strategy I use with my current clients as adults. You can always have room for the desserts or the foods that you really love. But if there’s something being offered that you could do without, then it’s easier to leave it.

   We don’t need to eat certain food or candy just because it’s there.

4. No Restriction On Halloween

Why cause a power struggle on the day of Halloween when they’ve been looking forward to this for weeks? It’s one night. Take a deep breath and let it go. In fact, join in on the fun! As adults, we focus so much on the candy side of Halloween, but for kids, it’s often the entire holiday that gets them excited!

Usually you are getting together with friends, there’s excitement, costumes, spooky decorations, they are often staying up past their bedtime and running around in the dark. Halloween is so much more than the candy to kids, so let’s let them have fun and enjoy all of it.

If they do end up with a stomach ache from over indulging, this is a great opportunity to teach them about the natural consequences that come from over eating and not listening to our bodies when we should stop or slow down.

5. Find a system that works for your family

So, what do you do once Halloween is over and you have buckets of candy at home? Maybe you decide on a certain number of candies they can have every day for the next week. Maybe you decide that the candy stays at home and two pieces are allowed with dinner. Maybe you decide to have 3 days of unlimited candy, then taper off. Maybe you offer to trade them their candy for a toy and donate the candy elsewhere.

You can find what works best and feels best for your family. For most kids, the excitement for the candy usually falls off around a week afterwards. How you handle it is up to you, but remember the Division of Responsibility. You, as the parent, get to decide what food is offered, when it is offered and how much is offered.

6. Enjoy with them

Grab your favourite little candy bar or candies and enjoy with your kids. Not only is this more fun than sitting on the sidelines or craving a piece of chocolate, and not eating it for any number of reasons. But it also shows your kids that you also enjoy sweets and that they can have a place in your life as well.

7. Remember what kind of relationship you want your kids to have with food.

A lot of our stress around Halloween comes from our own concerns or addictions to sugar. Take some time to reflect on why you are feeling a certain way about Halloween and Halloween candy. Perhaps it is your own inability to control yourself around sweets or perhaps its the fear of a sugar-loving kid. But, all kids love sugar. It’s designed that way. Halloween is a great opportunity to teach our kids to have a place for all foods, to build a healthy relationship with dessert-items and to learn what foods are worth indulging in. Staying as neutral as you can and making as few comments about the candy or their indulging, the better.

Questions? Ideas? Thoughts?

Drop a comment below and let’s chat!