It’s that time of year again: holiday foods are on their way. And with them come lots of extra calories. We start out with a doozy: Halloween.
Halloween is all about the candy. We buy it to hand out, our kids bring bags of it home, then we’re bombarded by the leftovers in the office the next day. Is it any wonder we avoid the scale this time of year? What’s scarier than the goblins knocking on your door? Carrying too many extra pounds that can increase your risk of developing cancer (and heart disease, and diabetes, and so on). Let’s take a look at how to navigate the candy fest that is Halloween.
It’s All in the Planning
Experts predict that candy sales for this Halloween will hit $2 billion. That’s a lot of candy corn. What to do with it all?
If you’re a parent, you’re probably concerned about your kids eating it all. And you pilfering a few (or more) pieces too. Try these tips:
- Find a buy-back program. Many dentists offer to buy leftover candy, then they donate it to troops overseas. Consider allowing your kids to eat their favorite kinds then selling the rest.
- After Halloween is over, put the remaining candy away to be given back as a treat for a job well done.
- You may find that once you’re past the holiday, the excitement over the candy has waned. That might be time to throw out what remains rather than eating it. Sounds wasteful, but the calories and sugar are more of a trick than a treat.
And what about the candy you buy to hand out to the Trick or Treaters? Here’s what we do in my house: I only buy candy I don’t like. That means something gummy or sour. I make sure it’s still considered cool by kid-standards, but it’s not something I would ever eat, so I’m not tempted. I also purchase a single serving of the candy I like and I allow myself to enjoy it that evening. That way I don’t feel deprived or like I want to mug the closest costumed kid.
Happy Halloween!
