Parents: Looking for ways to make Halloween less about sugary candy and more about getting dressed up and having fun?
Scary good tips, after the jump ...
Go out early,
when candy-givers are less likely to encourage children to grab a
handful of candy so they don't end up stuck with it.
Take some
emphasis off candy by focusing on the fun of the holiday, like checking
out the costumes and decorated houses.
Feed children
dinner before trick-or-treating so they will not be ravenous and want
to fill up on candy while going from house to house.
Walk, don't drive, if possible, to get some physical activity in while candy collecting.
"One dietitian mom told me she simply tosses a few pieces of candy every day after Halloween, and her kids never know it." [Warning: I always counted my candy by type after trick-or-treating.]
For parents of children with food allergies: Be leery of the "fun-size" packaging of candies because the list of ingredients is often missing from the labels and sometimes the ingredients are different from the regular-size versions.
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