Halloween is this Sunday night – what fun kids will be having! Well, adults too with their Halloween parties. It is estimated that over 65 million kids between the ages of 5 and 14 will be out trick-or-treating. And parents are probably groaning thinking about all of the candy – code word SUGAR – that will be coming home.
Halloween candy tips to lighten the load:
Non-Food Options
- Pencils, erasers, markers, sidewalk chalk
- Glow sticks, mini rubber bouncy balls, marbles
- Stickers, bubbles
Non-Candy Options
- Individual bags of goldfish crax, pretzels, Nilla wafers
- Sugar-free gum; granola bars
- Mini bottled water
Candy
- Buy what you don’t like
- Buy small pieces of individual candy – not large candy bars
- Buy just the right amount (no leftovers)
What to do with the leftovers:
- Freeze it and dole it out. One piece per day, for example.
- Bring leftovers into work.
- Crush or cut it up, put it into bags and freeze. Add candy pieces later throughout the year to brownie, cake or cookie batter.
- Check with area nursing homes – they may accept it for treats for their residents.
- Some organizations that will take certain types of candy to send to our military troops.
Be sure to serve your little goblins a healthy dinner before they head out for trick-or-treating. And think of orangey foods to serve: grilled salmon, baked sweet potato fries, carrot salad and butterscotch pudding. YUM.
