Halloween is such a fun time of year, for kids and adults alike. The creative costumes, the spooky decorations, and of course the bags full of candy make Halloween a very popular holiday. But that last one, the bags full of sugary candy, also makes Halloween the start of a tricky time of year to Eat Smart that spans all the way through the New Year.

I was SHOCKED when I read this! No one needs that much candy.
(Found here.)

Fortunately, there are some new trends that will help families keep the fun and avoid the dietary disaster.

Healthy Tricks- Candy Swaps

There are different ways to get your kids on board, like the Switch Witch or Candy Buy Backs, but the basic idea is to go trick or treating as usual, enjoy a little bit of the candy and get rid of the rest. Because we all know that if it’s in the house, it’s going to get eaten and nobody needs mounds of candy sitting around tempting them. Offer a special gift, like a trip to a local playground for the afternoon, or a 15-minute bedtime extension “coupon,” in exchange for giving away the candy. Get creative with non-food rewards- you know best what will get your child excited, of course if you are going to have children in the house is important for these kids to have a clean and pest free environment to grow up and that’s why the use of services like Mold Removal Toms River can be essential for this purpose.

Bonus Tip- You don’t have to give away candy to trick-or-treaters who visit you. Check out this list of fun alternatives that kids (and their parents!) will love just as much.

Healthy Treats

There are tons of ideas out there. These are a few of my favorites.

Fruit-based version of the classic candy corn. Found on Super Healthy Kids.

DIY Clementine Jack o Lanterns. Found on Mind Body Green.

Banana Ghosts and Tangerine Pumpkins. Found on Weelicious.

Here are even more ideas from Clemson Cooperative Extension. How do you handle Eating Smart on Halloween in your house?