October is Help the Candy Craze Month!

Halloween is a day that has come to be known by children as a day of endless candy. But with obesity rates triple what they were a generation ago and the number of cavities in children increasing for the first time in forty years, this day may be a time of worry for parents. Here are some tips to help the candy craze:

Fill up before trick-or-treating – If kids are full before they go trick-or-treating, then they will eat fewer pieces of candy afterwards. Try having a healthy meal together before heading out to collect those sweet treats.

Keep your favorite sweets and save or donate the rest – Allow your children kids to have 1-3 pieces of candy a day, either after dinner or after school. The rest of the candy can go in the freezer or be donated so that it’s out of sight and out of mind. You can also donate leftover candy to various groups such as Church groups, Meals on Wheels, or even the troops overseas.

Vary it up – Celebrate Halloween other ways than just food. Look in the party aisle of your favorite discount store for treats like glow stick necklaces, spider rings, stickers, decorative pencils, stamps, notepads, erasers, balloons, play tattoos, game cards, and more.