Pre-Gaming For Halloween

 

Halloween marks the beginning of two months that effectively sabotage everyone’s best efforts to eat healthy and maintain a healthy body weight. Registered dietician Taylor Sutton has some ideas to help limit not only the sweet and high-density calories that define Halloween treats, but also feelings of stress and guilt that have a way of sticking around until the new year arrives and we can all turn the page:

Tip #1: Don’t buy candy early

You may have noticed Halloween candy displays popping up at the grocery store around Labor Day. Although it can be tempting to stock up ahead of time, save candy shopping for a of couple nights before Halloween so that there isn’t a stockpile of candy sitting in your pantry before its time for trick-or-treaters to come by.

 

Sutton recommends a smart and healthy “pre-game” meal:

Tip #2: Eat nutritious meals leading up to Halloween night

Feeding the body with satisfying and balanced meals before trick-or-treating can help reduce the appetite for snacking in between houses and eating copious amounts of candy at the end of the night.

 

When it’s game time, let’s all put away the shame and guilt and just have fun, shall we?

Tip #3: Don’t be the candy police

This is not another title for you to add to your resume or parent title. Creating strict rules around candy can take away from the trick-or-treating fun that only comes once a year. Associating candy with guilt and shame could lead to undesirable food behaviors like overeating or sneaking candy late at night. Instead, allow you and your kids to enjoy the process of collecting the candy and savoring a couple pieces at a time with a meal or as a snack.

 

Post-game, never underestimate the potential for a valuable learning experience:

Tip #4: Encourage exploration

After a long night of trick-or-treating, your kids are probably going to assess their candy haul for how much of their favorites they’ve collected. Encourage them to try new candies rather than just sticking to their usual choice. Let that mindset of trying new textures and flavors translate into everyday food consumption.

 

Finally, tell the kids to be safe and…

Tip #5: Have fun!

Enjoy every single part of the spooky season! Turn up the fun by finding new activities to do and new Halloween-themed recipes to make with the whole family this year. As mentioned earlier, this holiday only comes one day a year, so fully embrace the Halloween spirit!

 

Got leftover candy? Keep the Halloween spirit alive by following Sutton’s Monster Mash Cookies recipe here.

 

(Adam@Home by Rob Harrell — GoComics.com)

 

source http://www.thepediablog.com/2022/10/25/pre-gaming-for-halloween/