The Trick is the Type of Treat for a Healthy Halloween!

Some great tips from Meals Matter!!

It won't be long before children turn into little goblins and venture out into the night to collect a bagful of tempting treats! Halloween is a great time to teach children the "trick" to balancing the gooey candy they love with healthy foods that are both delicious and satisfying! Many parents may feel that their children are on a "sugar-high" during Halloween, blaming too many sugary treats as the culprit. The excitement of the moment is more likely the culprit, as sugar has not been shown to cause hyperactivity. Remember, there are no "bad" foods, only poor diets. A little extra candy and cookies on Halloween aren't "bad." You simply don't want to allow your children to eat too much of those foods, too often! Here are some healthy Halloween tips: Serve children a balanced meal before the Halloween festivities begin so that children aren't tempted to eat their candy before they get home. Discuss with children in advance how much and how often they are allowed to eat their Halloween candy. Offer trick-or-treat candy as a substitute for dessert after lunch and dinner or a few pieces along with a healthy snack. Mix in healthy snacks along with Halloween candy, like string cheese, vegetables with dip, trail mix, yogurt or a glass of milk – for dunking cookies and washing down candy. Model healthy habits to your children by practicing restraint when dipping into the candy jar yourself. Remember that dessert can be part of a healthy diet. Overly restrictive rules on candy can make it even more desirable to your kids. Make Halloween fun without candy! Host a pumpkin-carving contest at your home or school. Invite other parents or older siblings to supervise use of carving tools. Instead of carving, give younger children craft paint or magic markers to create their very own jack-o-lanterns. Many children may not realize the wonderful foods made from the very food they just carved and decorated! Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A, calcium and potassium, as well as fiber. Let your kids help you make pumpkin treats like Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Cupcakes. Pumpkin Chowder or Roasted Carrot Soup is as delicious as it is beautiful to look at. Serve it for a family meal, accompanied by a crisp green salad, warm bread and a glass of milk. Add some canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to your favorite pancake recipe or to our Whole-Grain Pancakes for a yummy breakfast. Top off the pancakes with vanilla yogurt for an extra boost of bone-building calcium! Make an edible scarecrow! Offer a prize for the "healthiest" scarecrow made from fruits and vegetables and other foods from all the food groups!