Halloween can be a sweet time without the sugar-high side affect.  Trick or Treating seems to be on the wain.  Parties seem to be replacing that tradition.  Too bad, 'cause when I was young, we walked wherever we wanted unsupervised.  Tons of fun.  No more for understandable reasons… the world has changed. 

When your kids are collecting bags of candy as part of the Halloween tradition, there are ways to manage the consumption.  After it arrives back home, make a rule: one piece a day for snacks, not for dinner dessert nor in lunch boxes.  It takes a long time to go through 7 pieces – two weeks to eat 14 pieces.  Eventually it gets old, losing not only importance in your children's minds, but also in taste.  Let it go stale in the back of a high cupboard. 

The way to manage sugar cravings is to give your children protein.  So when they say, I need a piece of candy, first ask them to have some nuts/seeds, cheese, yogurt, piece of chicken, piece of cheese pizza…any food with protein.  Often they lose interest in the candy – their bodies will be well satiated.

In fact, if you want to avoid a sugar high when having some sugar, eat protein.  Fiber-filled protein takes helps manage insulin rushes.  Thus, give them a piece of cheese before you give them a piece of candy.

Lastly, have a Halloween party and serve cracker, chip, fruit, high-fiber low-sugar snack foods – decorated! There are so many creative ways to use real foods in a fun way.  Check out these Ghost Banana Pops by Carolina.  Listen to this week's Family Food Experts radio show, W4WN, Wed. 6pm ET: "Guilt-Free Halloween Treats." You'll get great take-away ideas from co-host Tracee (Real Food Moms) and guest Monica Clem (Wholesome Sweeteners). 

And, we party on Tuesdays. 2pm ET, #famfoodexperts.  This week, same subject with more ideas pouring from many moms! 

Will you please join us?

… for the health of families,
ellen