5 Healthy Halloween Hacks

The Internet abounds with recipes for fun, sugar-free Halloween “treats,” but let’s get real: this holiday is all about indulging, and few kids will happily trade their chocolate bars and candy corns for pretzel-and-cheese broomsticks or grape eyeballs.

However, parents are right to worry over the excesses: Halloween candy spending surpasses $2 billion per year and rising in the United States alone, according to the National Confectioners Association. And these annual candy gluts are paralleled by skyrocketing childhood obesity and tooth decay rates, which can spell big trouble for your kid’s health as well as your wallet.

Scary stuff, indeed. How to protect your little trick or treaters without spoiling the joy? You’ve got to think smarter, and these 5 Halloween hacks are the perfect place to start.

1. Plan a weekend of movement

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which means you’ll have two-and-a-half days during which to counter the effects of all that indulging. A Monster Mash dance party on Friday night will encourage heart-healthy movement and get kids excited about the festivities to follow. Saturday and Sunday, schedule physical activities such as a brisk stroll around a local neighborhood famous for its Halloween decorations or a visit to an indoor trampoline or activity park.

2. Don’t play taxi

All those steps taken while walking door-to-door to collect treats really do add up, especially when hills are involved, so think twice before offering to chauffeur your kids up and down the neighborhood in the family car. If it’s sprinkling, buck up and bring along an umbrella — you won’t melt, and the kids probably won’t even notice.

If it’s pouring, or really too cold to enjoy the outdoors, look for an indoor trick-or-treating option that will still involve a bit of footwork, such as your local mall or community center.

3. Pick your candy battles

Instead of attempting to bribe away your child’s entire candy haul, set your sights on the worst offenders!

Avoid sticky candies like Tootsie Rolls and taffy - kids love them but can do without!
Sour sweets like lemon drops are tough on tooth enamel!
Lollipops and suckers expose teeth to sugar for a longer, more harmful duration.

As an alternative to these sugary candies, ask your children to keep other favorites such as Snickers, Twix and Hershey Bars.

Yes, candies containing nuts and chocolate (bonus if it’s dark) are higher in fat, but they’re also higher in protein and therefore more filling, which means your child will eat fewer before getting full.

4. Negotiate smarter

Instead of handing down a specific mandate like (“You must throw away half of your candy,” or, “You can eat two pieces per day until it’s gone”), take a cue from seasoned negotiators and let your kids make the first offer of how much candy to keep, give away, and eat. Working from there, negotiate a compromise that feels fair to you both.

Children will feel empowered, and they’ll be less inclined to bend the rules by sneaking treats.

5. Send a sweet surprise to the troops

Did you know that many dental offices now participate in Operation Gratitude’s Halloween Candy Buyback Program, which routes excess candy to military serving overseas? Your kid will receive cash in exchange for his or her donation, and those treats will make life sweeter for troops spending Halloween away from their families.