Trick or Treat?
The holiday season is about to kick off with an assortment of goodies found just about everywhere we go – our home, office, school, doctor’s office, etc. Yep, its Halloween time!
While we might view the little candies as a treat, they can easily trick you! Mini or fun sized candies are easy to grab and lead to mindless munching - indulging in just 2 snack-sized candy bars a day can lead to about ½ pound weight gain per week!
This article is filled with healthy Halloween tips to get you started on the right track and not be tricked by all the ghosts and goblins out there.
Smart Halloween Strategies
• Buy candy the day before Halloween and buy only what you need
• If you buy candy - buy something you do not like or try lollypops (they are harder to overindulge in!)
• Discard leftovers or donate leftovers to your local church, charity or neighbors
• Don’t shop for candy when you are hungry
• Try to give away all of the candy you bought – a good deal for late trick or treaters!
• Try non-food treats such as stickers, pencils, erasers, bracelets or plastic spiders
• Try healthier treats such as 100-calories packs (crackers, cookies or fruit snacks), juice boxes, microwave popcorn, mini boxes of raisins, sugarless gum, mini packs of baby carrots or peanuts
• Vow to keep a munch log and record every innocent treat you eat!
• Read the nutrition facts before you empty the bag and throw it away
• Plan a treat into your day but try to keep it under 150 calories. You can use this as a substitution for your normal treat.
• Vow to walk 10-minutes for every extra treat that you eat
• Follow the same rules your kids follow – you probably don’t let them indulge in Halloween candy whenever they want!
• Make your dentist proud and brush your teeth after each treat – this will also help signal that you are done with the treats
Halloween Candy Facts
- Twizzlers 1 treat size pkg.= 45 calories
- Almond Joy 1 snack size bar = 90 calories
- Milk Duds 1 treat size box = 40 calories
- Butterfinger 1 snack size bar = 100 calories
- Milky Way 1 snack size bar = 90 calories
- SweetTarts 1 treat size pkg = 50 calories
- 1 Tootsie Pop 1 pop = 60 calories
- 1 Tootsie Roll 1 small roll = 13 calories
For more information on healthy eating and nutrition facts:
Have a healthy Halloween and stay tuned for my next article filled with healthy Halloween recipes!
Shauna Schultz, RD
Please note: The information in this article is not to be followed asmedical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physicianor primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personalhealth and necessary treatments.
