When you hear the word Halloween you will likely shiver with excitement or cringe over the sugar assault that’s on its way. No matter which side of this holiday you’re on, love it or hate it, keep reading. Halloween doesn’t have to be an unhealthy sugar high for you or your family.
Here are 6 Ways to Have a Healthier Halloween:
1. Make Fruit Treats
Sweet little pumpkin oranges and banana ghosts fly off the snack plate at parties both at school and at home. For the oranges peel clementines and make a celery stem. Poke the stem in the middle of the orange to make them look like pumpkins. For the banana ghosts, cut a banana in two. Add two chocolate chips for eyes near the pointy end of the banana making it look like a cute little ghost.
2. Only Trick-or-Treat at Every 5th House
Make trick-or-treating more about the walk and spotting all the fun costumes. Choose a few houses belonging to friends or family that are close enough to walk to, or commit to skipping three or four houses between door knocks.
3. Consider an Alternative Way to Spend the Evening
Do something like taking your kids to the movies, experiencing a lock down room, or go to a waterpark for a day instead of buying costumes and trick or treating. You can end your family day with the kids selecting a favourite treat.
4. Go Trick-or-Treating
Eat your favourite treats Halloween night and then donate the rest. Give your self permission to enjoy the day and then donate what’s left. Or let your kids keep 10 items from their haul and put the rest in your treat bowl to hand out to the remainder of your trick or treat visitors.
5. Hand Out Healthier Options
Flavoured no sugar soda water is an excellent choice (Bubbly and Western Family are two of our favourite brands). Or small toys like play dough, puzzles, etc. Granola bars and healthy fruit snacks are also good additions to anyone’s treat bowl.
6. 10 Burpees Per Treat Consumed
Specifically if you are handing out treats make sure to buy them as close to halloween as possible and don’t open the box until the first little ghoul or goblin arrives, otherwise you’ll start sampling the product in advance. 😉 And if you do decide to partake in the sweets this year, follow each treat up with 10 burpees! You’ll either curb those cravings or burn off the calories.
Try one or more of these tips this year and see how your Healthy Halloween turns out. No matter which route you go, every small choice towards healthy adds up!