According to the National Retail Federation, roughly $7 billion will be spent on the Halloween season. A good portion of that money will go to candy purchases, which will be given away to the tens of millions of trick-or-treaters who take to community streets and head to neighborhood parties.
Many parents worry that their child, armed with a bag full of candy, will overload on sugar as this yearly holiday makes its way through their home.
The good news is that there are ways that people can help make Halloween more natural and healthy.
“Halloween is an exciting time for kids, so the last thing we want to do is take away their fun,” explains Dr. Bruno Sharp, a fourth-generation dentist who created a line of products called Dr. Sharp Natural Oral Care. “We can still keep it fun and yet make it healthier. Most kids may not even realize that parents took steps to make it more natural.”
Dr. Sharp offers these tips for going more natural and healthy this Halloween:
- Give your children a good nutritious meal before they go trick-or-treating. Mashed pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and a great snack. If they are not hungry while trick-or-treating, they will be less likely to try and fill up on empty calories and sugar.
- Try to avoid all unnecessary sugar that day. That way, if they do have a few treats later, they won’t run the risk of overdosing on sweets.
- Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you.
- Supervise your children to have their teeth brushed and flossed immediately after consuming Halloween candy and right before bed.
- Parents who are handing out treats to trick-or-treaters or donating snacks for parties should opt for non-sugary foods, such as individual bags of crackers, granola bars or fruit leather.
- Encourage kids to walk when they are trick-or-treating; that way they’ll get some exercise as they gather their treats.
- If your child gets a large amount of candy, encourage him or her to keep half and donate the other half to a shelter, sell it to a dentist office candy buy-back or give it to one of the organizations that sends it to U.S. troops overseas.
“Healthier Halloweens are not only simple to do, but your child will grow accustomed to them and it will become the norm,” added Dr. Sharp. “You will be helping them establish healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”
Here’s to a happy, healthy Halloween!
- Photo: PicJumbo
