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How to get more than just sugar into the kids this Halloween
Worried about the amount of sugar your kids will eat this Halloween? These tips and treats will give them the sweet satisfaction they crave, while also integrating some balance and gut-healthy fibre into the sweets feast.
But first, we want you to know that you shouldn't be overanxious about the amount of sugar your kids eat on Halloween.
Childhood nutrition experts advise that ‘micromanaging your kids’ (sweets) consumption may actually make them crave it more.’ And studies have shown that ‘the more often someone actually eats a food, if they’re allowed to eat it every day, overall calorie consumption from that food decreases.’
While we certainly wouldn’t want it to be Halloween everyday, we feel that it’s okay to relax a little for this one night. So we aim to regulate our kids’ sugar intake, without making them feel deprived, with these tips…
Tips and treats for a healthier Halloween
1. Eat well before trick-or-treating
Just like it’s not a good idea to grocery shop on an empty stomach, it’s not a good idea to trick-or-treat on one either. Give your child a nourishing meal or snack with a good portion of protein, veggies, and whole grains to satisfy their appetites before heading out.
Some simple ideas:
- Raw veggies, whole grain crackers, and hummus
- Peanut butter on whole grain bread with carrot sticks
- Whole grain pasta with pesto, grated cheese, and chickpeas
For more healthy snack ideas, see our post: Healthy Snacks: Easy to Make and Delicious to Eat
2. Offer a savoury contrast
Put out bowls of salty foods for your child on Halloween night to contrast with all the sweet flavours she’ll be enjoying. The salty foods will help satisfy her palette’s natural craving for balance, and potentially motivate her to eat fewer sweets.
Great options for salty snacks are bowls of fibre-rich:
- Sesame sticks
- Home-popped organic popcorn
- Keogh's Popcorn
3. Make whole foods part of the evening’s treats
We know dried fruit and nuts may not be what your child gets most excited about on Halloween night, but when these whole foods are coated in yoghurt or chocolate, they become much more a treat.
We love
- Yoghurt Raisins
- Blueberry Yoghurt Raisins
- Milk Chocolate Raisins
- Milk Chocolate Cinnamon-Dusted Hazelnuts
For a more interactive Halloween, make your own chocolate coated dried fruit. Dip dried fruit in melted dark chocolate, roll in desiccated coconut, then place on a parchment-lined tray until the chocolate firms.
Dried fruit great for dipping:
And of course, bowls of nuts and a platter of fresh fruit such as sliced apples, bananas, and oranges, can be more appealing when served with a dip such as tahini mixed with honey or a homemade date caramel.
4. Take a whole foods snack with you
The True Natural Goodness bars contain nothing but dried fruits and nuts and a little bit of almond oil, making them an easy snack you can feel good about giving your child while you’re out trick-or-treating.
Try:
Sweets with a difference
These sweets look and taste like their conventional counterparts, but they're free from additives, preservatives, and artificial flavours and colours.
- Panda All Natural Liquorice (vegan)
In mint, raspberry, natural and oat liquorice and bags of liquorice mix - Candy Tree Organic Fruit Mix (vegan)
- Okovital Organic Fruit Frites Extra Sour! (contains organic unrefined pork gelatine)
- Biona Organic Rainbow Lollipops (vegan)
- Mallows Vegetarian Marshmallows
Enjoy yourself!
No matter how you choose to celebrate Halloween—or what you end up eating with your kids—we hope it’s an evening you all enjoy, one for you to make memories to delight in from now on.