How to Have a Healthy and Balanced Halloween

Do we have to ban all sugar on Halloween, the “sweetest” holiday of them all?

Let’s talk today about balance, what our kids REALLY need, and how to enjoy the holiday and not freak out about the sugar.

If you want ideas for a more balanced but still FUN Halloween party for your child’s school or group, here’s what I have done many times.

No time for the video? Here are the notes!

How to Have a Healthy Halloween

0:04: Today we’re talking about balance when it comes to having a healthy Halloween. I’ll share what we’ve done over the years and where we land now.
0:44: There can be a lot of guilt attached to Halloween for families trying to eat a healthy real food diet. What do you do? Let it be a free for all? Make tons of rules?
2:34: There’s a fine line of balance. Science shows that when we restrict a certain food the kids will push back at some point.

3:15: I see an opportunity in Halloween. It’s a good chance to let your kids eat all the candy and see how they feel. Take the opportunity to talk about whether their mood, digestion, or mental clarity is affected by that much sugar and artificial colors and flavors.
5:45: I usually let my kids have some of their candy while we’re trick or treating. Right now, what’s most important for me is that my kids are learning how to make decisions for themselves. I won’t always be there to tell them how much candy they can eat.
6:47: I generally ask my kids “how many pieces do you think would be a good idea tonight?” This applies more to older elementary kids and up.

7:49: If your kid is really little, my philosophy is to not let them know anything they don’t need to know. My youngest didn’t have candy or know it existed until he was 3. There isn’t any restriction at all because it doesn’t exist to them.

8:55: Sugar depresses your immune system for several hours after consuming it. One way we make this connection is not allowing any sugar when someone is sick. It won’t support their body’s healing processes. More on why white sugar is bad for you.
10:16: The day after Halloween we usually allow 2 “desserts” rather than 1 and then the Halloween candy gets stored out of the way on a tray for a month. After that point, they need to consolidate all their candy into their personal candy box. Anything that doesn’t fit needs to be given or thrown away. Here’s our usual dessert rule.
11:02: Here’s what I don’t do. I don’t dig into the ingredients, and I don’t spend tons of money to buy healthier candy. We usually give out non-edible treats for Halloween.
13:10: We can see Halloween as the bane of our autumn existence, or we can view it as an opportunity for teaching.
13:39: If we’re going to bake something fun for Halloween, we use whole grains and pumpkin-based snacks. We make healthy foods into fun foods with creativity. See a list of recipe links below!
14:40: Should we feel guilty throwing away candy? I don’t think so, but there are other things to do with it. You can give it away, decorate gingerbread houses with it, or use them for science experiments.

We should connect what we eat with how we feel. -Katie Kimball

17:00: I try to front-load my kids with a solid dinner with protein and fat before trick-or-treating to mitigate the blood sugar spike they’re about to experience. We don’t need to micromanage.
18:09: What if you have a picky eater who won’t eat a good dinner but then wants to eat all the candy? It’s very important that you don’t use treats as a reward for eating all their dinner.

Teach safe technique, focus, and confidence in the all-time fav lesson from our kids cooking class! (ages 2-12)

19:16: Twice a year I run a picky eating challenge that will help you build the right habits to support your kids’ eating. Get on the waitlist here!
20:22: When considering a balanced, healthy Halloween don’t just think about physical health but also mental health and future casting your child’s eating habits for life.
20:26: Here are my top three tips for a balanced Halloween: don’t buy it if you don’t want your kids eating it, let the day be fun but use it as an opportunity for mindfulness, and fill them up before going out but never use treats as a reward.

Tips for a healthy Halloween