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Pass on pudge and hand out non-sweet Halloween treats
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Non-sweet trick-or-treat goodies double the fun and lessen your guilt.
Fact: Between 16 and 33 percent of American children and adolescents are obese. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Isn’t it amazing that as obsessed as Americans are with eating healthy, trolling for good nutritional options, and a multitude of diet plans hovering on every newsstand and grocery store checkout counter, we still pass out Halloween candy to trick-or-treaters? It’s bad enough that we’re tempted with sweets at almost every corner, but adding a holiday purely devoted to sugar seems unconscionable. What message are we sending to impressionable children? Eat right, be beautiful, be thin, be healthy – eat candy?
Do yourself and the neighborhood kids a favor. Think twice before buying candy for your Halloweenies. While one night of sugar-binging won’t make a child obese, let’s take this one night opportunity and turn it into a lesson in making healthy choices, an idea that can be reinforced every day of the year.
Here’s a list of suggestions for inexpensive (dollar stores and pharmacies have a plethora of options), non-edible better choices:
1. toys – party packs might include rings, bracelets, toy cars, whistles, action figures, etc.
2. stickers
3. pencils
4. markers
5. crayons
6. Play-Doh
7. glow sticks
8. activity books
9. restaurant coupons
10. flavored lip balm or plastic lips, fangs, trick glasses, plastic spiders, etc.
I know. I know. Kids won’t think that yours is THE house to go to, but if beggars can’t be choosers, who cares? You’ll sleep better knowing you did the right thing without losing out on the fun of the holiday.
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