Have you noticed how candy is such a big part of our holiday traditions? Halloween, in particular, is a holiday that is steeped in tradition with candy as the focal point of the celebration. Candy is such a wonderful treat, and like most things in life it is best enjoyed in moderation. As parents we want our kids to enjoy the fun and sweetness of Halloween, but we all know there can be too much of a good thing. I have partnered with the National Candy Association (NCA) to share some of my tricks for enjoying Halloween candy in moderation.
According to a candy survey done by the NCA, “more than 90 percent of parents discuss or plan to discuss balance and moderation with their children relative to their candy consumption.” It seems that most of us are on the right track.
My eight year old has a major sweet tooth, so with Halloween just a week away, I have been giving some thought to how we can best enjoy our Halloween candy in moderation. The NCA has some great tips for helping children understanding the importance of moderation.
How to Enjoy Halloween Candy in Moderation
Think about how much candy that trick-or-treat bucket or bag can hold when choosing your child’s trick-or-treat container. When I was a kid, I was so envious of the kids in my neighborhood that skipped home on Halloween night with quite literally a pillowcase full of candy. My mom practiced moderation when it came to treats. While I am thankful for that now, I sure did want my own pillowcase full of candy back then. The moral of this story is, if you give your child a 10 gallon trick-or-treat bag they’re going to do their best to fill it with 10 gallons of candy. A small container that is filled to the top gives the illusion of a lot of candy. I have no problem resorting to such trickery.
Plan your trick-or-treat route ahead of time. If you drive the kids to the biggest subdivision in the city on Halloween night, you’re probably going to end up with more candy than you will ever need. I plan to stick close to home this Halloween. Fortunately, we live in a small subdivision so we’re all set there.
Good things come to those who wait. Let your child know that no candy can be eaten until you’ve had a chance to go through it first. This is obviously for your child’s safety, but also gives you an opportunity to talk to your child and set some ground rules for how much candy can be eaten and when.
Restrict the number of pieces your child can eat per day. I think two pieces is an adequate treat. When setting your daily candy moderation goal, be sure to set rules for when the candy can be eaten. For example, two pieces can be enjoyed only after a healthy snack or after dinner.
Lastly, keep an eye on the candy stash. An easily accessible bowl of candy can be too great a temptation for some children. Trust me on this one. Keep the Halloween candy somewhere out of reach, until it’s time for your child to choose a couple of pieces for their daily treat.
For more tricks and treats for enjoying Halloween, visit NCA’s Halloween Central page. Still not sure what to do with all of that Halloween candy? Check out this candy cake and a recipe for Halloween candy cookie bars.
These are great tips. I’ve never been one to let my kids scarf down all of their candy in one sitting.
Excellent tips. If you let your kids go crazy on the candy, they get sugar crazed, and they feel terrible.
These are some great pointers you present here. I am going to have to help my sister to the information to use with her daughter. My niece also has a big sweet tooth.
These are some great tips. That candy bucket can be a real temptation.
It is important to not let kids eat too much sugar, especially at once. Enjoying Halloween candy in moderation is important.
We definitely set limits and guidelines for candy consumption around here. Now if only I could follow them as good as the kids do, we would be in business.
Great tips! Glad to read them as I’m the one with issues eating the candy in moderation. I’ve always set rules and limits on my kids, but then i go and eat non stop. It’s awful, so thanks for this!
I think these are great ideas. It’s good to set some limits. A lot of sugar at one time is just so unhealthy.
Great tips. As we are checking the candy, we also sneak some into the trash to dwindle the stash down quicker. Mom and dad sneak a few pieces here and there too 😉
These are great tips because lord knows my heart stops when I see ,y kids come in with a pillowcase full of candy!