Healthy Halloween Tips and Ideas
Healthy Halloween Tips and Ideas
Too much Halloween candy got you spooked? The kids look adorable in their costumes and are counting down the days until October 31! Are you ready for the sugar rush? With a little creativity, you can find fun ways to include some healthy options in the mix, whether you’re having a party with friends or trick-or-treating in the neighborhood.
Try these tips to make your Halloween festivities a little healthier for your family, party guests and trick-or-treaters.
• Fill up first with a healthy meal!
• Bag the monster bag – use a smaller bag and avoid the “pillowcase”
• Get moving – make sure to walk instead of driving house to house
For the Party Host
• Up the fright factor. Serve healthy snacks dressed up in the Halloween theme.
• Play with food. Incorporate healthy foods into party activities, such as decorating oranges like Jack-O-Lanterns and bobbing for apples.
• Keep ’em on their feet. Include plenty of physical activities, like a zombie dance party, three-legged monster race, spider crawl, or pumpkin toss.
• Rethink the drink. Don’t forget that cutting back on sugary treats includes soda and sugar-sweetened beverages. Offer water, unsweetened tea, 100% juice, or fat-free/low-fat milk instead.
• No self-service. Hand out treats to each trick-or-treater – one per child – instead of letting them decide how much to take.
• Be that house. You don’t have to pass out candy on Halloween. Start a new tradition and give out healthier treats or non-edible items. Don’t worry, we’re not talking about toothbrushes! Get creative, and keep it colorful and kid-friendly. Here are some ideas.
Healthy Treat / Non-Treat Ideas
• Edible: Clementines, blood oranges, or oranges decorated like Jack-O-Lanterns, 100% juice
boxes or pouches, Snack-sized packages of pretzels, popcorn, graham crackers, dried fruit or
trail mix, nuts, or pumpkin seeds, 100% real fruit strips/fruit snacks, Squeezable yogurt tubes or
pouches, Single-serving containers of mandarin oranges, Sugar-free gum
• Non-edible items: Glow sticks or small glow-in-the-dark toys, Bouncy balls, Mini plush toys and
wind-up toys, Crayons and coloring books (or intricate coloring pages for older kids), Stickers or
stamps, Temporary tattoos, Bubble makers, Spider rings or vampire teeth, Slime, putty or
squishy toys
FUN HALLOWEEN FACTS
1. Candy Corn was originally called Chicken Feet!
2. Halloween is 2nd highest moneymaker after Christmas
3. It’s very rare to have a full moon on Halloween—WELCOME TO 2020!
4. Samhainophobia is the irrational fear of Halloween.
5. The first Jack-O-Lanterns were made from Turnips
6. The largest pumpkin ever weighed 1,872 pounds
7. It’s illegal in Alabama to dress as a Preist