Halloween comes only once a year so candy is OK, right?

Answer: Well...let's think about this...

Halloween may come only once a year but the treats hang around for a l-o-n-g time. Do you want your children to think only about candy when they think of Halloween? Remember, your children watch you for cues about these and other holidays. Here are some ideas about how to balance the treats of Halloween with fun and reminders about good health, too.

1) Give healthy but kid-approved Halloween treats. You are likely to find yourself with leftover treats so make them healthy. Ask your kids to write down a list of healthy treats. To get you started here are some ideas: pretzels, dried fruit, animal crackers, low-fat popcorn. Here are more ideas. For a snack mix you can make yourself:
Mix and Go Snack Mix - 6 servings
1 cup raisins
1 cup "O's" whole grain cereal
1 cup unsalted, dry roasted peanuts*
*Use pretzels or soy nuts if you are concerned about using peanuts.
Directions: Wash hands and surfaces. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Serve.

2) Give non-food Halloween treats. Dollar stores are great places to find fun items. How about stickers, balls or sidewalk chalk? Here are more ideas for you.

3) If you have your heart set on giving candy, give small bite-size pieces.

Next time we'll explore more Halloween ideas!