Halloween doesn't have to mean candy
Categories: Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Holidays, Eating & nutrition, Mealtime
Sure, we have a problem with childhood obesity in this country but, come on, what country doesn't? What's it going to hurt to let kids pig out one night a year? I mean, Halloween only comes once a year, just like Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, the Fourth of July, birthdays (of siblings and friends), anniversaries... Okay, so maybe they do end up eating a lot of junk a lot of the time.Some parents are trying to make a difference -- by skipping the Halloween candy and handing out less fattening treats. Toys, pencils, stickers, Play-doh, and glow sticks are some of the alternatives people are handing out. "I thought, here I am trying to take care of my health," says Lisa Bruno, of Des Plaines, Illinois, who ditched the candy five years ago. "I felt a responsibility to my community to take care of the kids around me."
Experts suggest that Halloween can be used as a vehicle for teaching kids about portion size and limits to help them deal with food issues all year long. "It's important that we as parents help them find the balance between that very traditional fun activity and a healthy lifestyle," says Connie Diekman, past president of the American Dietetic Association.
I like the idea of giving out pencils or Play-doh -- things that will last longer than the length of a single swallow. I'm not so sure, however, how kids feel about it. Are you giving out candy or a less sugary alternative this year?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Liz 10-07-2008 @ 3:33PM
We are handing out individual servings of microwave popcorn. I know it can be salty, but it's healthier than pure sugar!
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Melissa 10-07-2008 @ 3:39PM
Ok, I am known as one the "cool" moms on the block, the "cute" mom, "hip" mom, and I am also known as the "generous chick" (I was a "chick" before I was a mom lol) with the good candy! I am not about to give up that title, and I do watch my own health, and my daughter's; she is allowed to have a few things on Halloween, and then she is allowed to pick two candies every night after (half the time she doesn't remember!) until it's gone, which is usually Christmas or later, because we only go down two blocks for trick or treating!
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Secret Mommy 10-07-2008 @ 4:14PM
Ha! I have a huge witch cauldron that I give my treats out of every year. I'm also well known for cool decorations and treats on Halloween. One year I gave out small bags of goldfish crackers, miniature soda pop cans (I figured the crackers and soda were junk food, but just a bit less sugary than so much candy) and little boxes of raisins. Kids were clearly not thrilled. One little Stormtrooper even looked into the cauldron and said, "No thank you, ma'am." Wasn't he cute and polite even as he ditched my treats? :) We've been back on candy at my house ever since.
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Jamie 10-07-2008 @ 4:32PM
I give candy and a small toy. I love Halloween and I want to keep the kids flooding through our streets. So far my reputation for handing out fun and not healthy treats are in tact. I have found the kids that come by my house like Nerd Ropes. For the babies I have single serving sized bags of fruit puffs.
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Sabrina 10-07-2008 @ 5:11PM
I used to be the cool mom, and maybe I will be again if/when my kids outgrow their food allergies. It's too dangerous to keep most of the best candies in our house, so I've been known to give out sorta cruddy treats, this year I'm giving out non-food treats. I guess one disappointing house won't be so bad considering all the places that give out more than one piece of the really good stuff.
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Jan Bay 10-07-2008 @ 8:27PM
I read an article of older people's Halloween memories of the past last night and they said they were allowed to Trick or Treat the stores downtown. They said that the drug store would give out great candy treats, but required each child to take a spoonful of medicine before they got their treat. The person telling the story said they figured the medicine was laxative! I wonder if the dentis passed out dental floss?
As for me, I'm the boring neighbor lady that's giving out cute pens, pencils and temporary tattoos. Nothing sweet will be passed out at my house.
Jan from http://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com/
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Jan Bay 10-07-2008 @ 8:27PM
I read an article of older people's Halloween memories of the past last night and they said they were allowed to Trick or Treat the stores downtown. They said that the drug store would give out great candy treats, but required each child to take a spoonful of medicine before they got their treat. The person telling the story said they figured the medicine was laxative! I wonder if the dentis passed out dental floss?
As for me, I'm the boring neighbor lady that's giving out cute pens, pencils and temporary tattoos. Nothing sweet will be passed out at my house.
Jan from http://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com/
Reply
Uly 10-07-2008 @ 11:55PM
Last year, I went trick or treating with four kids - aged 2, 3, 4, and 6.
At one house, the woman opened the door, gave candy to the three oldest, and then offered to give a juice box with halloween pictures on it to "the baby" (she'd just turned two the week before).
Oh. My. God.
The other three children clamored over that juice box so much that the woman offered to the rest of them as well. It was *the* hit treat of the evening. Other children passing by asked where they got it!
A friggin' *juice box*. I could NOT believe it.
If they weren't only half a block away from me, that's totally what I'd be giving out this year...!
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queenoqueens 10-08-2008 @ 1:48PM
How about this? Let the kids have candy one day a year...sheesh.
Why eliminate candy altogether? Or eliminate moments of fun, or even excess (doesn't excess have some celebratory place in our lives)?
I understand where everyone is coming from, but I am ok with candy on that night. You could argue that handing out non-candy items can encourage materialism....everything can be spun a certain way.
The alternative which I like is unicef......at least put that door to door fun to some helpful use.
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ninainindia 10-08-2008 @ 10:57PM
Exactly! Let the kids binge on candy for one day, it's not going to kill them, it will be fun. Halloween is not the cause of obesity or rotten teeth, that's caused by lifestyle.
Tash 10-08-2008 @ 4:07PM
Roger we have done play-doh the last two years and it's a huge hit. Even with the teens who turned down candy and asked for the 'doh!
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