BOOtiful Halloween Treats! - Healthy Ideas for Trick-or-Treaters

BOOtiful Halloween Treats! - Healthy Ideas for Trick-or-Treaters

* -- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

Not-So-Tricky Halloween Treats
Most tricks have been dropped from today’s Halloween celebrations and all we are left with are a lot of high-sugar, high-fat treats. If you do not want to send the little beggars off with a sugar buzz, consider these alternatives.

These are sure to please all your little ghosts and goblins:

• Individual packets of dried fruit, raisins, nuts, peanuts
• Peanut-butter crackers, cheese crackers, pretzels
• Fruit juice boxes
• Individual pudding packs
• Sugarless bubblegum
• Buttons, pins, spider rings, trinket jewelry, bracelets, friendship rings, hair barrettes, ponytail holders, shoelaces
• Home-baked goods, labeled with your name and address
• $$Money$$
• Tiny plastic animals, figurines, finger puppets, whistles
• Halloween stickers, coloring books, puzzle books, pencils, erasers, note pads
• Crayons
• Trading cards
• Restaurant coupons

Dealing with all the Loot
Wondering what to do once your children’s Halloween loot makes it home? In terms of dental health, nibbling on a piece of candy here and there will continually bathe the teeth in sugar and acid. This repeated exposure is likely to cause tooth decay. The best idea is to let your children eat as much candy as they want at one time and then make sure that their teeth are thoroughly brushed and flossed.

Be sure to set a limit on how long the candy stays around. For example, any leftovers get thrown away after 5 days. This not only will get them back on a healthy schedule but will remove the tempting goodies from you, too!