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5 Easy tips for a happy, healthy Halloween--without sugar overload
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Halloween is about more than candy. Fun ways to enjoy
the holiday without overdoing it.
The amount of candy a child faces through the month of October is downright scary. Shauna Johnson, nutrition instructor at California's Wellspring Academies, the leading treatment program for overweight teens and young adults, offer these great tips for keeping kids happy, healthy and not overloaded on sugar:
- Wait to buy your candy. We tend to eat what’s in the pantry. This year, try waiting until Halloween day to buy your candy or at least hide it somewhere until then. Odds are everyone will be snacking a bit less on this year’s treats.
- Plan your own activity. Halloween is about having fun, not hoarding stashes of candy. Corn mazes, haunted houses, even planning your own party are activities that take the focus off of sugary treats.
- Limit the amount you grab. It’s hard to not take a handful of anything that’s free, but limiting your children to only one item at each of your stops is a healthy start. At the very least, it’s polite for the trick-or-treaters after them.
- Offer healthy alternatives. Don’t worry about getting toilet-papered, not every house needs to offer high-sugar junk. Glow sticks/glow necklaces, and plastic rings are all popular, healthy alternatives to candy with high levels of saturated fat.
- Ration the amount of candy eaten afterwards. The typical dietary recommendation for candy is a maximum intake of 22 pounds per year for a 12-year-old child (according to Wellspring). Have an occasional treat after a healthy meal, exercising, or finishing homework.
For more info:
Important thought: Candy is junk food; Don't be afraid to just throw it away. The sugars create an addictive response, it's bad for your teeth, and contributes to obesity, already an epidemic.
Further, if your child is struggles with unhealthy weight issues, knowledge of its presence (and forbidden-ness) in the house may feel like torture. Getting rid of it, and replacing it with something pleasureable, such as a special outing together, new item of clothing or sought-after toy helps divert the child away from the idea that candy is a "reward".
Learn more about Wellspring Academy's California-based fitness camps for overweight teens. Calabasas Pumpkin Festival Pumpkin patch. Juan Bautista De Anza Park, Calabasas, CA 91302. Phone: 818-222-5650 .
Forneris Farms Pumpkin patch, train rides, corn maze, straw or hay bale maze, child-sized haybale maze, prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, tractor-pulled hay rides. 15200 Rinaldi Street (1/4 mile east of Sepulveda Blvd. on Rinaldi), Mission Hills, CA 91311. Phone: (818) 730-7709.
Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Festival Pumpkin patch (pick in the field), farm market, gift shop. 4102 South University Drive, Pomona, CA 91768. Phone: 909-869-2215.
Halloween Harvest Festival/Rob & Cathy's Christmas Trees Pumpkin patch, train rides, corn maze, haunted corn maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, pony rides, petting zoo, farm animals. 20800 Victory Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Phone: 818 999-6300.
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