Halloween Candy Got You Spooked? We’ve Got Some Healthy Tricks for You!

Do all the candy and extra treats that start this Halloween already have you spooked?

We all want to start this holiday season right by making healthy choices while still inhabiting Halloween spirit. But sometimes it feels impossible to avoid all of the holiday sweets.

Aisle upon aisle in grocery stores are filled with candy.

Cute little pumpkin treats are everywhere at work.

There’s a stockpile of candy at your own home waiting for trick-or-treaters.

Not only are there less than healthy temptations everywhere you go this time of year, but did you know there is also a secret Halloween ingredient that makes sugary confections even more freakishly addictive?

It’s called nostalgia.

While you might crave a fun-sized Snickers because of the way it tastes, often eating that little Snickers bite Halloween takes you down memory lane to trick-or-treating in your neighborhood with family and friends when you were a kid.

If you’re like me, you’re probably salivating just reading about Halloween candy and pumpkin spice treats. And while we, at NAKOAWELL, think that one or two Halloween treats are good for the soul, we’ve got some tricks for avoiding the majority of sweets that start to show up in the world around us at this time of year. Check out these scary-simple tips to keep you feeling and looking great in those costumes, year after year

For the Trick-or-Treaters:

  •  – Fill Up First: BEFORE you take your kids trick-or-treating, you can reduce their (and who are we kidding, YOUR) temptation to eat up all their favorite candies by having a healthy meal. This keeps the sugar binge, high and crash, at bay.
  •  – Bag Size: Choose the size of the bag your child is going to use to collect candy. Steer clear of the pillowcase method; that way, you can encourage your kids to only take one piece from each house instead of entire handfuls.
  •  – Get Moving: Get moving this Halloween by walking instead of driving from house to house. Race each other to the next house with different movement patterns. (i.e., race you to the next house, “let’s see who can run, skip, hop, bounce on one leg, etc. the fastest”) Bad weather? You better move faster!
  •  – Look Before You Eat: Remember to always look at expiration dates and inspect questionable edibles before allowing your children to eat them.
  •  – Have a Plan: Plan in advance how much candy everyone is allowed to keep and eat. Portion out how many pieces your family gets to eat each night for a week. Hide the rest away for a rainy day.

For the Party Host:

  •  – Up the Healthy Food Fright Factor: Serve healthy Halloween themed snacks. There are lots of creative ideas such as banana ghosts, tangerine pumpkins, apple monster mouths, carrot witch fingers, and candy-corn-colored fruit popsicles (check out the recipe at YummyMummyKitchen.com)
  •  – Keep ‘em on their Feet: Incorporate a variety of physical activities in your party, such as a dance party, three-legged monster race, pumpkin toss, or pumpkin carving contest.
  •  – Rethink the Drink: Calories and excess sugar add up quickly when it comes to drinks. Offer water or make a Halloween-themed punch from sparkling water and a splash of 100% orange juice and garnish with orange slices, black grapes, or blackberries for a Halloween twist.

   

– For a couple yummy holiday treats that aren’t too tricky to make, check out the tasty and fun Strawberry Ghost and Deviled “Eyeball” Eggs recipes below.

Strawberry Ghosts:

Prepare melted white chocolate (Place chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water; cook, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes.) Next, take fresh strawberries and dip them in the white chocolate. Lay the dipped strawberries on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. While the white chocolate is cooling, melt dark chocolate in the double broiler. Once the chocolate is hard, take a toothpick and dip it in the dark chocolate, then dot two eyes on each of the strawberries. Chill the strawberries and ENJOY!

Deviled “Eyeball” Eggs:

Put a spooky twist on this common appetizer. Deviled eggs made to look like blood shot eyeballs!

All you need are green olives, spices, eggs, and your favorite paleo condiments to mix in! Deviled egg eyeballs are a favorite with the kids (and adults) at Halloween parties but also easy to make and healthy!

INGREDIENTS

  •   – 6 eggs
  •   – 1/4c to 1/3 cup paleo mayo
  •   – 2 tsp pickle juice
  •   – 1 tsp ground mustard
  •   – 1/4 tsp sea salt
  •   – 1/4 tsp black pepper
  •   – Green olives with pimentos
  •   – Paprika for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

  1.  1) First hard boil your eggs. Let them cool before peeling.
  2.  2) Once peeled, slice your eggs vertically.
  3.  3) Scoop out the yolk and place in a bowl.
  4.  4) Mix in the rest of your ingredients, except the paprika and olives. The more mayo you use, the creamier. If you want it more thick, use only 1/4 cup amount.
  5.  5) Taste and see if it’s salty enough, if not, add a dash more salt or pickle juice.
  6.  6) Mix until smooth then scoop a 1/2 tbsp to 1 tbsp of egg yolk mix into your egg white halves.
  7.  7) Smooth the surface of the egg and then place the olive with the pimento sticking up, to look like the eye pupil.
  8.  8) Sprinkle with paprika to make it look bloodshot.
  9.  9) You can also use chili sauce if you prefer.

What to do with the Excess Candy? 

How often do you still have leftover Halloween candy come Christmas or even longer until Valentine’s Day? It is okay to enjoy a few pieces the night of Halloween or the following week but know ahead of time what you are going to do with the excess candy, so it isn’t laying around attracting ants.

  •  – Let each child keep enough candy to have one to two pieces a day for a week, and then throw the rest away or donate it.
  •  – “Buy Back” the candy from your child either with money or trade it in for a $5-$10 toy or a fun activity
  •  – Use it for baking cookies that you can take to an event or party
  •  – Use it to decorate a gingerbread house
  •  – Donate excess candy to a homeless shelter, children’s hospital, or care package program for troops overseas.

Okay, that’s it. You got this! Now get out there and have a “frightfully” fun, SAFE, and Happy Halloween! 

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