Sugar can masquerade as glucose, fructose, dextrose, corn syrup and too many more names to list. The World Health Organization (WHO) state children should have a maximum of 25g of sugar per day, and with just one popular fun-sized chocolate bar having 10g of sugar, it’s no wonder parents cringe at the amount of candy that is consumed on one scary night! Having three little girls at home, you can imagine Halloween is a big deal for us. The dragons, unicorns and fairies come out of the dress-up bin; they collect a ton of candy; eat too much sugar; and stay up past their bedtime crashing from exhaustion and still have to get up early for school the next day. Sugar may not be scary to kids, but it is to most parents. So how do you put a little sanity back in this beloved holiday? Form a simple plan and don’t worry too much if it goes a little off course.
- Make sure the kids eat a high-fiber dinner before they begin trick or treating. Fiber slows sugar absorption and on Halloween, that is a must! As a child, my mother always made refried bean burritos on Halloween, and now I do too. These are fast, filling and full of fiber! (Recipe below.) Another idea is to add Regular Girl to their cold beverages. As you know, my family takes Regular Girl and we have been using it for almost a year now. Regular Girl is a prebiotic fiber/probiotic combo, which is approved by Health Canada for children age one and up. It blends invisibly into water so your child or teen will not know it’s in there.
- Buy back most of their candy. Once they return from trick or treating, I go through their candy and make sure it’s all safe to eat. I let the girls have a few pieces right away. Then they get to pick their favorite seven to ten pieces of candy to eat out over the next week. They trade in the rest of the candy for 25 cents per piece. My daughter loved this plan last year. She got a little candy every day for a few days and used the money she made from selling her candy to buy Lego!
- Bring the night to a mellow close. I have the girls drink water containing Regular Girl after eating anything sugary or sticky. This water helps remove sugar from their teeth and the Regular Girl helps with sugar absorption. Make sure everyone brushes their teeth then it’s into pajamas. After a very long day and even longer night, try to keep your bedtime routine the same with a short story to help frighten away any lingering ghosts and goblins.
Balancing health and fun can be a challenge on any holiday, however, it can be done with a little preparation and patience.
Moms and dads, what do you do with all of the Halloween candy that your kids collect?
Recipe:
1 can Amy’s refried beans (traditional or with chilies)
Whole wheat wraps
Grated organic cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers and anything else you love.
- Cut up all toppings.
- Heat the beans. We mix the cheese into the beans. It melts right in for a perfect blend.
- Heat the wrap and apply a thin layer of beans.
- Have your kids full the wrap with their favorite toppings.
- Fold the wrap from the bottom, then the sides, and enjoy!
- For those who like it spicy, add salsa!