Happy Halloween everyone! Tonight’s the night where kids (and let’s face it – adults too) dress up in their scariest, and sometimes hilarious costumes to celebrate the annual holiday. Children will be trick or treating while some older “kids” will be at parties attempting to win costume contests.
The thing is though, Halloween is notorious for having an unhealthy rap. With candy being doled out as the standard treat, there is cause for concern about the diet many children will be undertaking over the next few weeks. As usual, parents are cautioned to ration out their children’s candy so that they are not eating too much all at once.
In addition, it’s always important to go through your child’s entire trick or treat haul before allowing him or her to eat any of it. However, this Halloween, you may just want to do your community a favour by offering some healthier alternatives to the kids who visit your homes tonight.
According to QMI Agency’s Fran Berkoff in an article published yesterday, there are a number of ways to help keep your kids healthy on Halloween. There are “100-calorie, single serving snack packs” available out there that can be great addition to children’s lunch boxes over the next few weeks.
Berkoff also points out that “you can also give out trail mix, popcorn, small raisin boxes, pretzels, or granola bars. Puzzles, little toys, spider rings, stickers, pencils, small boxes of crayons may also appeal to younger kids.” Of course, we’ve been talking to our clients, here at Synergy Marketing Consultants, about using Halloween as a great time to give out promo items such as pens!
Naturally, not everything that your child brings home after trick or treating will be healthy. In fact, you know that most of their candy collection will not be. So Berkoff also recommends that you do your part to ensure that your child is maintaining a healthy diet, especially in the weeks to come.
She suggests that you provide your children with healthy meals before going out for their trick or treating activities tonight. That way, they won’t be so inclined to dig in to their sugary goodies before coming home. And, by the way, don’t forget that pumpkin carving can be a healthy activity.
Once your jack-o-lantern is complete, don’t throw away those pumpkin seeds! Many people toast them for a great snack. As Berkoff points out, “Pumpkin seeds are also a rich source of fibre, potassium, iron, vitamin E and healthy fats. You can add them to trail mix, eat them as a snack or in a salad.”
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