You are working hard to minimize your intake of sugar and processed foods, but you don’t want your children to miss out on the fun of Halloween and dressing up and trick or treating. Maybe you want to minimize the sugar and processed food your children eat and teach them healthy eating habits.
What are you going to do with all that Halloween candy?!?
You could simply throw it out, but you risk complaints from the kids. Plus, what are you teaching them other than denying them indulgence? You could hide it in that cabinet above the refrigerator, hoping the kids (and you) forget about it- but will that work?
Don’t surrender to sugar intoxication. Halloween is just the start of the holiday season, where temptation after temptation calling for you to break your food plan and overindulge between now and Valentine’s Day. Start the holiday season on the right foot and find a creative way to get rid of the candy.
1. Reverse Trick or Treating- This suggestion was inspired by another Indianapolis therapist. Get at least one more use out of that costume; let your children dress up again after school and deliver candy to others – all treats, no tricks. Your children will learn the joy of giving to others and you get rid of the candy. Consider treating teachers, caregivers, your pediatrician, home-bound neighbors, or empty-nesting family members.
2. Candy Currency- Turn the candy into a currency that your kids can use to purchase privileges or pay fines for breaking the rules. Privileges for purchase will have to offer more pleasure than the candy for this to work. To truly teach the value of quality food over junk food, pick up some Scarrots and let them be worth ten times more than any single serving of processed candy.
3. Care Packages- A local dentist is collecting candy to save kids’ teeth and is sending it to soldiers serving overseas. This is another way to teach your children the joy of giving to others. Pack up all the candy to send to soldiers, orphans, or far away relatives.
What other ways will you remove the temptation of Halloween candy from your home?