Here are some great tips from
Jennifer Sundberg, RD
Population and Public Health Dietitian
Nutrition Services
Healthy Treats on Halloween
Halloween is fun and creative. Children get excited about dressing up as their favourite characters and look forward to wandering the streets for treats and candy! Read on for ideas to keep this spooky holiday healthy and fun.
Before Trick-or-Treating
Be prepared before your children go out to collect their candy. Here are some helpful tips to better manage this special night:
Have a healthy supper or snack. Well fed children are less tempted to dig into their bag of goodies before they get home, and less likely to overeat.
Limit the amount of treats your children collect by limiting the number of houses they visit -- stay on your own street. Or, limit the amount of time spent Trick-or-Treating.
For safety, instruct your children not to eat candy while they are out.
After Trick-or-Treating
Work out a plan with your children to help them enjoy their candy and treats in a healthy way.
Decide if you will set limits or if you will allow your children to choose how much candy to eat. Use your best judgment based on their personality and eating habits.
Encourage your children to be mindful about their treat selections. For example, suggest they choose bite-sized versions instead of large or oversized candy bars; or pick one large or two small pieces. If your children have trouble with this, help them by separating the candy into different bags.
Know how much candy was collected and store it out of sight. Handy candy, stored in children rooms, might be too tempting.
Ration the candy over several days/weeks. Candy should not get in the way of healthy eating. Substitute it for dessert or have it along with a healthy snack.
Make the last treat of the day a new brightly coloured toothbrush and flavoured dental floss. Remind your children to brush their teeth after eating sweet or sticky treats.
Buy back candy from your children for money or a special treat, like a visit to the zoo or a trip to their favourite park.
Be a role model and eat candy in moderation yourself. Children learn by example.
Halloween Safety
Children need to know you must check their loot for safety. When they get home, inspect the treats together.
Keep only treats that are unopened and in their original wrapping. Preferably, tell children not to accept anything that is not commercially wrapped.
Inspect all candy and homemade goods for signs of tampering. For example, pinholes in wrappers, torn wrappers, or loose packaging.
Wash fruits thoroughly. Look for holes, or indications that they have been cut open.
Remove any choking hazards for young children like gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.
Have a Halloween party at home to reduce safety concerns. Offer nutritious treats like fruits and mini pizzas with monster faces. Play fun active games like pumpkin bowling, bobbing apples, or pin the wart on the witch. Search the internet for other great ideas.
Developed by Registered Dietitians/Nutritionists Nutrition Services
Allergy Alert! Food allergy safety is as important on Halloween as any other time. If your children are allergic to certain foods, always read the ingredient lists on wrappers and avoid treats of unknown source.
Healthy Halloween at your House
If you are looking for healthier alternatives this Halloween, here are some suggestions for tasty treats:
Small bags of pretzels, flavoured rice cakes or popcorn
Single-serving boxes of lower sugar cereal
Pre-packaged cheese sticks
Small boxes of raisins or 100% fruit leathers
Unsweetened fruit cups or applesauce cups
Higher fibre granola bars
Bottles of water or small 100% juice boxes
Other options may include:
Homemade treats. If you decide to make your own, wrap them up well and add your name and phone number to a tag on the treat. If other parents in the neighbourhood know you, they may feel the treat is safer.
If you would prefer your treats to be natural or vegan, check your local natural food store. Keep in mind these products will likely cost more.
Remember, when passing out treats, give just a few rather than a big handful.
Cool Non-food Treats
To make your house a good stop on the trick-or-treating circuit, you don’t have to limit yourself to sugary sweets. Try some of these fun non-food ideas:
Passes for local recreational centres or pools
Stickers or temporary tattoos
Finger puppets, rubber spiders
Plastic rings or beads
Coloured chalk or individually wrapped clay
Bubbles, wands, balloons, or noisemakers
Crayons, pencils, fun-shaped erasers, and pencil toppers
Wishing pennies. Wrap a penny in colourful paper and attach a note with a short message about making a wish or saving money.
Leftover Candy – What to Do
Here are some simple ideas to prevent sweet treats from going to waste.
Freeze some and chop it up to use as topping on ice cream on special occasions.
Get the family together to make a gingerbread house and decorate it with leftover candy.
Mix it into recipes to make cakes, pies, or other treats. Check the library or the internet for cookbooks and recipe ideas.
Remember…
You and your children can enjoy a healthy Halloween! Continue healthy eating and active living habits during the Halloween season.
