Halloween candy overload: 5 ways to keep kids from overindulging

Halloween is simply a fun-filled tradition that’s champion known for the deluge of candy.

Between trick-or-treating and Halloween parties, it tin beryllium pugnacious to mean kids' intake of sweets and treats.

In an interrogation with Fox News Digital, Dr. Dyan Hes, aesculapian manager astatine Corcorde Pediatrics of Northwell Health successful New York City, shared that though she is simply a "big instrumentality of candy," Halloween is simply a large illustration of "everything successful moderation."

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Hes, who specializes successful pediatric obesity medicine, said families that are overly strict astir candy depletion tin pb to kids sneaking "forbidden food."

Between trick-or-treating and Halloween parties, it tin beryllium pugnacious to mean kids' intake of sweets and treats, experts say. (iStock)

To let kids to inactive person amusive portion keeping Halloween comparatively healthy, Hes offered the pursuing tips. 

1. Set candy limits

Parents should marque a program with their kids, Hes said, which could see choosing however galore pieces of candy they tin person connected Halloween nighttime and astatine parties.

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The American Heart Association recommends that kids don’t devour much than 25 grams of added sweetener per day. 

That’s the equivalent of astir 4 to 5 mini Milky Ways, 3 fun-size Snickers oregon 3 bags of M&Ms, according to registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein.

Setting a candy bounds volition promote kids to "prioritize their favourite candies, devour them much dilatory and savor them much mindfully," a nutritionist said. (iStock)

"Knowing there’s a wide and just allotment up of clip volition minimize immoderate friction aboriginal on," the Los Angeles-based adept told Fox News Digital. 

"It volition besides promote them to prioritize their favourite candies, devour them much dilatory and savor them much mindfully," she went on.

"It’s a large accidental to show moderation and balance."

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Once Halloween is over, Hes suggests storing the remaining candy retired of show and offering 1 oregon 2 pieces arsenic a dainty successful the coming days.

2. Incorporate balanced meals

Before taking kids trick-or-treating, Muhlstein suggests serving nutritious foods similar veggies, protein, fibre and steadfast fats.

"For breakfast, you mightiness privation to forgo the sweeter enactment similar pancakes and syrup [in favour of] a much savory repast similar eggs and avocado toast, truthful that the day’s sweetener allotment isn’t exceeded earlier the kids spell trick-or-treating," she said.

One adept encouraged adding steadfast "color" to the Halloween treats table, specified arsenic tangerines, carrots oregon cheddar food for the colour orange. (iStock)

For dinner, she recommended a nutritious yet festive meal, specified arsenic turkey-stuffed peppers that look similar jack-o-lanterns, oregon chickpea pasta and nutrient condiment with veggie sticks connected the side. 

"This volition assistance the kids consciousness full, equilibrium their humor sweetener levels, amended their vigor and trim the likelihood of overindulging successful candy aboriginal on," Muhlstein said.

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3. Foster steadfast decision-making

Instead of putting strict limits connected Halloween fun, parents should foster healthier decision-making, experts say.

Muhlstein encouraged parents to broaden the explanation of "treats," arsenic the excitement of eating candy is "very short-lived."

Other ways to observe Halloween see giving retired pretzels, crackers, trinkets, coins, stickers, impermanent tattoos oregon different prizes.

Instead of parents putting strict limits connected Halloween fun, fostering healthier decision-making volition spell a agelong way, experts say. (iStock)

"It’s a large mode to assistance your kids foster a healthy relationship with the holidays, truthful they spot that determination are much ways to dainty yourself and celebrate, beyond food," Muhlstein said.

4. Encourage question and non-candy activities

Muhlstein suggested activities that impact question alternatively of eating candy, similar a themed frost creation party, scavenger hunt oregon DIY creation project.

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"You tin people retired Halloween coloring sheets oregon acceptable up a manner amusement for everyone to enactment retired their Halloween costume," she said. 

Alternative celebrations tin assistance forestall the risks of overindulging successful sweets, experts say.  (iStock)

"This creates a lifelong appreciation for Halloween that becomes little astir the sweets and much astir the costumes, decorating and clip spent with household and friends."

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Alternative celebrations similar these besides assistance forestall the risks of overindulging successful sweets, including upset stomachs, hyperactivity and cavities, she added.

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Consistently eating unhealthy foods tin besides pb to semipermanent wellness effects, similar pediatric obesity, which is simply a "huge crisis" successful America, according to Hes.

"It leads to diabetes, bosom disease, associated problems and worsening asthma," she warned, on with slump and anxiety.

5. Get escaped of other candy

For immoderate families who person occupation controlling the magnitude of candy consumption, Hes’ solution is simple.

"If you can’t power it and your children are not going to respect the rules … past you'll person to get escaped of the candy," she advised.

Bringing other candy to enactment oregon donating it tin assistance chopped down connected excess consumption. (iStock)

Muhlstein projected the "Switch Witch" tradition, wherever kids tin commercialized their excess candy for a toy, book, currency oregon different non-food reward, similar a travel to the movies.

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Instead of tossing candy successful the trash, Hes suggested bringing it to enactment oregon donating it.

"You tin nonstop your candy to the troops serving abroad, oregon immoderate dentists cod the candy [and] you get a reward … for returning it," she said.