Healthy Halloween Tips

Your little ghost or goblin knocks on your neighbor's door, and they collect their Snickers bar and Kit Kat. At the next house, they are given a fist full of candy followed by a full-size chocolate bar at the large house on the corner. As a parent, what should you do? How do you limit what they eat? What if your child has allergies?

Nutrition is very important, but know that it's OK for your child to occasionally have a few treats as long as they aren't allergic.

"Halloween is one night," says Eileen Rice, a registered dietitian at Middlesex Health and coordinator of its Fit for Kids program. "Enjoy and don't worry too much if your child overeats. That will likely not continue for days and days."

With that said, there are a few things you can do to more closely monitor what your child consumes.

• Set a limit for how much candy, or other treats, your child can eat at once. However, allow them a little extra on Halloween night!
• Feed your child a hearty meal before they go trick-or-treating so that they are not hungry.

• Have them pick their favorite treats, and portion them out a set amount each day. For example, you can give
  
  them two small pieces at lunch or after dinner.
• Donate extra candy to dentists.

• Freeze candy or put it in the back of the cupboard. Out of sight; out of mind!
• Buy the candy back from your child or swap it out for other items, such as a toy or a movie night.

For parents of children who have food allergies, there are additional concerns. How do you prevent your child from consuming something they shouldn't?

Rice says that many stores and neighborhoods are aware of allergies and now participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project. You and your child should look out for these teal pumpkins. They let people know that a house is giving away allergy-free or non-food treats.

Parents can also send children trick-or-treating with little tags that indicate their allergy, and they can implement a "no eating while trick-or-treating" rule. This forces your child to wait to eat their treats until you have an opportunity to inspect the food. If need be, Rice adds that parents can also swap candy for allergy-free items or toys and place more emphasis on Halloween decorations and costumes.

For those who answer the door

If you are answering your door on Halloween, consider handing out alternatives to candy, such as pretzels, raisins, baked chips, mini water bottles and popcorn. Non-food items could include stickers, pens and pencils, glow sticks, crayons and coloring books and bubbles. Your gesture will still be appreciated, and it will help cut back on the amount of candy your young neighbors consume!