Halloween is the time of the year that you can have your candy and eat it too! But with obesity rates rising and other health issues related to excess sugar and process foods, these sweet treats can do nightmares to your body. According to Donna Arnett, Ph.D, chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s School of Public Health, the average child accumulates 3,500-7,000 calories worth of treats on Halloween night.
Here at MANNA, we want you to have your fun so here are five tips for a healthy Halloween:
- Eat before you go Trick or Treating. Have a healthy meal before getting dressed up and hitting the streets – this will reduce the amount of candy you eat along your travels.
- Get moving! Pick neighborhoods that are easily walkable – this way your kids are adding in exercise with their fun.
- Keep your favorites and hide the rest. Moderation is key to all things in life. Either agree with the amount of candy they can have per day from their stash or keep their favorites and get rid of the rest by donating them to Operation Gratitude as part of a Halloween Candy Buy-Back program that sends care packages to US troops overseas.
- Hand out non-sugar foods such as granola bars, crackers, pretzels or trail mix.
- When you have the option… go for the dark chocolate option!
Halloween is the beginning of the holiday season – so make sure it is a healthy start!