Finding the Balance with Halloween
Halloween has always been complicated for me. As an asthmatic kid allergic to chocolate and nuts, it meant staying home with an asthma flare up. When I did get to go trick-or-treating, I would have to give all my chocolate, peanut butter, and nut candy to my brothers. In return, I’d get their Smarties and Dum-Dums, which I didn’t consider to be a great alternative.
Later, spending my career in Elementary Education meant Halloween was a lost day for learning. And the day after Halloween… I won’t even go there. As an administrator, I tried to create an environment for a kinder Halloween celebration that honored the culture and the demographics of the families in our community. We switched from scary costumes and sugar filled parties to a Harvest Festival with fun fall activities that everyone could enjoy. We provided apples and caramel dip for snacks and held tight to our no-candy policy.
This was a great alternative to Halloween, and it worked… until I got transferred to a different school where the annual Halloween parade was a solid tradition with the school and the community. I held tight to my no-candy policy at school and provided healthy snacks for room parties, but allowed the Halloween parade tradition to continue. We communicated our expectation that costumes would be free of violence, blood and weapons and provided costumes for children who needed them.
I didn’t expect a complete candy-free Halloween; I knew that the students would be going trick-or-treating with their families, but I wanted to provide mindful swaps and a balanced approach to model enjoying the festivities while supporting health and well-being.
I did enjoy some parts of Halloween: I loved leading the Halloween parade at school with sweet Kindergartners dressed as princesses and pumpkins beside me. I loved getting home to my own children and sharing their excitement as they changed into their Halloween costumes. I loved watching my daughter make bar graphs with her Halloween candy and savor the candy until Easter when it usually got tossed out.
I now have eight precious grandchildren who love Halloween. I love seeing them in their adorable costumes and hearing their excitement about trick-or-treating. I love the healthier approach that their parents take towards Halloween as they model enjoying treats mindfully and in moderation.
Whether you love or hate Halloween, or fall somewhere in between, you can make this spooky, sugary tradition a bit healthier without sacrificing the fun. The key is balance: enjoying treats without going overboard and finding ways to incorporate wellness into the festivities.
To avoid a sugar crash, pair candy with nourishing, whole foods. Plan a hearty, balanced meal before trick-or-treating that includes lean protein, healthy fats, clean carbohydrates, and fiber. This will help curb cravings and slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
I always like to make a big pot of soup in the crock pot Halloween morning. When my kids were younger, it helped with the pre-trick-or-treating rush of getting costumes on while excitement was at an all-time high. It is a tradition I carry on even though we no longer have trick or treaters at home.
If you’re hosting or attending a Halloween party, you can offer snacks that are fun, festive, and nutritious. These are great to have kids help prepare before or during a party. Click here for some fun, healthier Halloween recipes:
Wishing you a balanced and Spooktacular Halloween,
Margie
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