Halloween Candy Is Okay

Halloween is a special night for kids of all ages and besides the fun costumes the candy is often a highlight.

If you, and your kids, enjoy the special treats of Halloween you don’t have to feel guilty about eating candy if you follow a few tricks.

·         Choose candies that are dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate – more healthful fat

·         Look for candies that contain nuts -  a touch of protein

·         Go for the bite size bars and savor them, don’t inhale them

·         Enjoy candy After a meal not in place of or in-between

·         Develop a plan for how much candy to enjoy each day

When distributing candy, watch how many pieces you eat while passing out the candy – this isn’t a “one for you, one for me” event. When trick or treating is complete layout all of the candy and decide, which pieces do you really want to eat and which ones can you in fact “live without.” Take those you don’t care as much about and either take them to your office or consider other options to give them away. The ones that you really want can then be divided into daily portions.

If you have focused on enjoying some candy, dividing it out to make enjoyment last longer, you will have a plan that takes the guilt out of eating Halloween candy.

 Connie Diekman, M.Ed., RD, CSSD, LD

Nutrition Communications Consultant