Handling Halloween Candy Healthfully
Grannie Greta - trick or treating last year!
With Halloween just around the corner, I'm here to lend some support on handling the influx of candy that's about to enter your home this year. I understand it can be quite overwhelming for many of you. You might be worried that letting your kids enjoy their candy will impact their health negatively, lead to a loss of control, or perpetuate an unending 'obsession' with candy. I want to address these concerns, share strategies for incorporating candy in a way that fosters a healthy relationship with food, and highlight how some mothers in my community are managing without stress.
Let's start by discussing how to manage the candy, so we can establish some 'guidelines' to alleviate the mental load. We need to begin with the basics. Is Halloween or the holiday season the only time you allow your child to have candy? This approach often stems from a scarcity mindset, making the allure of the Halloween candy less potent if they're already accustomed to regular indulgences, be it a piece in their lunch or a weekly treat from the grocery store.
Next, let's plan the trick-or-treating route. How many houses, for how long, and how full will our jack-o'-lanterns get? Encourage your little ones to get excited about more than just the candy during the trick-or-treating experience.
Before heading out, aim for an early dinner or a balanced snack, including protein, fiber, and fat to keep their hunger in check. Don't fret if they're too excited or distracted to eat much. Even a few sips of milk can help.
Embrace the joy of trick-or-treating! Revel in the decorations, costumes, interactions with neighbors, and their excitement. Let them enjoy some candy along the way, but be mindful of choking hazards and remind them to savor the flavors.
Once you're back home, sort the candy and start enjoying it. Arrange it in a way that feels right for you, discard any choking hazards if necessary, and decide what to indulge in immediately and what to save for later.
Allow your child to relish as much candy as they like. Join them in the fun and keep distractions to a minimum, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in this memorable experience.
The next day, let them have some candy with a balanced breakfast and inform them that they can have their candy bag after school or daycare with a snack, enjoying as much as they want. Afterwards, you can stow the candy away (out of sight, out of mind works wonders here, and I don't see it as restrictive).
Over the following days or weeks (depending on the candy haul), consider alternating between offering candy at mealtimes and snacks. Limit it to a couple of pieces to make it last, but reassure them that there's room for more candy with the next meal or snack. Occasionally, let them enjoy as much as they desire with a meal or snack. Other times, restrict it to 1-2 pieces, explaining that they can have more the next day for breakfast or lunch.
I didn't intend for this to be an eight-step plan, but I wanted to ensure you have some helpful guidelines to assist your kids in learning self-regulation. We must trust that our children will indeed self-regulate, and this becomes challenging if they sense scarcity or restrictions.
Now, let's address some approaches to candy that I don't recommend due to potential negative outcomes:
Only allowing 1-2 pieces on Halloween night and once a day thereafter or even less frequently, as this can foster feelings of scarcity or restriction, leading to sneaking candy or overindulgence when it's available.
Conveying that candy is 'bad' and should be limited to maintain good health, as children internalize these messages and may feel guilty or ashamed for desiring or consuming candy.
Leaving the candy accessible for them to eat whenever they please, as they're likely to consume it throughout the day. We can't expect them to self-regulate if highly palatable foods are constantly available, leading to poor eating habits.
If your child does overindulge and feels unwell, refrain from saying 'I told you so' or shaming them. Instead, view it as a learning opportunity without attaching any negativity to it.
Let's tackle the fears and mindsets associated with allowing your children to savor their candy fully:
Fear that your child won't know when to stop eating candy: Trust that they will self-regulate, especially when they don't sense scarcity.
Fear that allowing your child to consume all the candy will harm their health: Remember that one day or even a week of indulgence won't adversely affect their overall well-being.
Fear that your child might feel sick after consuming too much candy: Treat this as a learning opportunity and assess whether any adjustments are necessary in how you approach or discuss sweet treats.
Here are a few anecdotes from some mamas that have it down!
These mamas aren’t stressing and it shows in how their kids are even forgetting about their candy! The general goal is that we’re not putting it on a pedestal and it’s emotionally equivalent to other foods (even though it’s highly palatable!).
I hope this guide proves helpful to you! Feel free to reach out via email or my Instagram DMs if you have any questions. I'm more than happy to help you troubleshoot (without judgement! I know this stuff is tricky!).
Also, within the Anti Diet Mama Course, I have an entire module on helping you help your kids figure out self-regulation AND finding trust within your kids and their bodies – plus a TON more. Use code BLOGPOST20 for $20 off the list price.