Healthy Alternatives to Halloween Candy
With the U.S. in a health crisis of obesity, the last thing our children need is tons of candy at Halloween. Candy and chocolate are high in fat and calories, and sugar puts our kids’ teeth in danger. What’s a parent to do in a scary situation like this? Trick or treating can still be fun with these alternatives to candy.
Prepackaged dried fruit – Individual sized packs of dried fruit make a delicious treat for all the little monsters at your door. These days, we have choices beyond the familiar little red boxes of raisins – dried apples, pears, cherries; almost any fruit you can imagine. Low in fat and calories but still sweet and delicious, dried fruit is a perfect alternative to Halloween candy.
Sugar-free Gum – Not only is sugar-free gum a good Halloween alternative, it can help prevent cavities caused by sugar. Chewing sugar-free gum is a good way to help remove sticky sugar from teeth and if chewed 20 minutes after eating other foods, actually helps make teeth more cavity-resistant.
Pretzels – Pretzels are a great low-fat alternative to Halloween candy. Available in a variety of shapes and flavors, kids love them. Look at your local grocery store for the 100 calorie packs – the perfect size for snacking and for dropping into little Frankenstein’s candy bag.
Halloween party favors – If you’d rather not give out food items at all, dollar stores and online discount sites sell bulk party favors that make fun and inexpensive alternatives to Halloween candy. Some of the options might be plastic vampire teeth or glitter Halloween tattoos.
Trying one or more of these alternatives allows your children to have a spooktacular time and without the fright of normal candy.
Jason Parsons is the Club Manager for the Silverado Sport 24 Hour Fitness located at 9875 South Maryland Parkway. (702) 361-8199