Fall is always an exciting and fun time for kids and families. With autumn activities and events like Halloween on the calendar, it is a time to enjoy seasonal celebrations, dress up in costumes, and eat yummy treats. During this time, it is also important to be mindful of our health and the health of our kids.
It’s Halloween, so it’s best to think of alternatives to candy to prevent your kids from overloading on sugar, artificial dyes, and preservatives. We highly recommend swapping out sweets and candy for fruits, vegetables, and other healthy snacks to maximize your child’s nutrition.
According to the CDC’s Healthy Weight page, here are some tips to help your children and family develop healthy eating habits:
- Provide plenty of vegetables and fruits.
- Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products.
- Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.
- Serve reasonably-sized portions.
- Encourage your family to drink lots of water.
- Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.
When thinking of alternatives to Halloween candy for your kids and trick o’ treaters, here are some ideas for small toys to hand out instead:
- Stickers
- Bubbles
- Bouncy balls
- Glow bracelets
In addition, here are some creative but healthy Halloween snack ideas to make at home with your kids:
- Pear skulls – made with a pear, blueberries, and almond slices
- Halloween pumpkin oranges – made with oranges and celery sticks
- Banana ghosts – made with bananas and raisins
- Zucchini eyeballs – made with zucchinis, tomato sauce, cheese, and black olives
Be sure to check out our SOMOS DASH Nutrition Plan page to get more information on how you and your family can ensure you are getting the most nutritious and healthy diet this fall. And also see CDC’s Halloween Health and Safety tips to have a fun and safe Halloween this year!