Halloween Nutrition [Haunted or Healthy]

It’s that time of year again: Dieters have anxiety from being surrounded by temptation at every angle—the overly-advertised candy sales at every store near you; the “fun-sized” pieces of candy begging to be eaten from the free-for-all dish at the adjacent cubicle; the soon-to-be overflowing pillowcases of candy collected by the kids.  Parents are stressing with wonder at how they will control the childish candy consumption.  Amidst the chaos, is it possible to enjoy some Halloween candy without being haunted by it for months?

When in doubt, I always go back to my motto, “Everything in moderation.” This was my natural response at one of my very first job interviews as a Registered Dietitian when asked, “What would be your motto?”  This is the same reason you see pictures of me with Minnesota State Fair food and real gelato made with cream from Italy. I stand behind this mantra and truly believe that every diet can include every food group.  Halloween can be enjoyed in moderation, too, as long as it doesn’t last longer than need be.  The problem occurs when special exceptions become habits. My viewpoint is that we should all enjoy Halloween- but once it’s over, it’s over. Put away the treats and move on. Be sure to have couple of your favorites, but don’t make the holiday linger and haunt you.

Practice moderation. The cute pre-portioned “fun-sized’ candies are perfect for most diet plans. However, most “fun-sized” candy bars pack in 60-80 calories and can certainly contribute to weight gain if not eaten in moderation. What better time than now to challenge yourself to practice moderation?

If you can help it, pick the lesser of the evils. All Halloween candy is not created equal. Better candy choices include lollipops, sweet tarts, hard candies, jelly beans gummy bears, Twizzlers and tootsie rolls.

Skip the clearance candy sale. I’m a sucker for sales, so this one’s tough for me too, as these sales seem like such a “good deal.” But save your money and your waistline too by skipping the clearance candy.

Enjoy the season. Halloween is about so much more than just the candy. It’s a great time to be active by getting outside and going to pumpkin patches, corn mazes and hay rides.

Don’t stress, embrace the beautiful fall weather, enjoy a couple pieces of your favorite candy and have a Happy Halloween!