6 Fresh Tips for Handling Halloween Candy in a Healthy Way
October 23, 2024
If you’re not sure how to handle Halloween candy, this article will give you a fresh set of strategies that promote enjoyment and a healthy balance.
Ninety-seven percent of Americans will be giving out Halloween candy this year. From Reese’s Cups to Skittles, they will spend nearly $3 billion dollars on candy, according to Drive research. As the month of October gets closer to Halloween, many parents and caretakers are asking about how to handle Halloween candy.
Truth be told, parents have always asked this question. Over the years, the answers varied. From the Switch Witch to ‘don’t make a big deal’ out of Halloween treats, parents still worry about the amount of candy their kids will amass and consume.
Today, parents are more confused about what they should do. That’s because they get mixed messages.
Nobody Can Agree on a Halloween Candy Approach
“Allow candy, one piece at a time’ is one philosophy that encourages parents to be in control of candy. Riding alongside: Swap candy for healthier versions, like low sugar candy, or offer non-food items, like small toys.
Opposing this is an opposite philosophy: Let kids enjoy all the candy they want (and the holiday) without limits. Of course, there are other takes on how to handle Halloween candy. Most suggestions either try to “healthify” Halloween or de-stigmatize it in the name of cultivating a healthy relationship with candy.
The ‘parents should control candy’ and the ‘let kids have all the candy they want’ approaches feel extreme and for many families, not right.
No wonder parents are confused. As a result, many of them dread Halloween.
Meanwhile, none of these suggestions provide an exit strategy, or the best ways to deal with excess candy. Are you supposed to give kids candy every day until it’s gone? How many pieces can they have each day? How much candy is too much? What if kids sneak candy? What if they eat too much and get sick?
Why Some Kids Go Crazy for Candy and Others Don’t
Like many topics that centralize kids and food, the answer to the Halloween candy conundrum is nuanced. That’s because different kids respond in different ways to candy.
Some children will be very excited about it – appearing more interested in getting it, eating it, and future access to it — than others. Other kids may take it or leave it; they are into the official start of the holiday season and the experience of Halloween rather than the candy itself. And many kids will be somewhere in between.
As with all things parenting and food, parents are at the helm of decision-making in regards to the availability of candy. As an experienced pediatric dietitian and mom, I believe kids need some guard rails around candy, not because they can’t be trusted, but because they may not be ready, or able to, regulate themselves around it.
From immature executive functioning skills to the culture around candy and the environments in which it shows up, children may find it hard to regulate their eating behavior. As such, many kids will need some structure and governance around access to candy.
To put this in perspective, you probably wouldn’t promote unrestricted access to screens, or let your toddler cross the street without holding their hand, or allow your child stay up all night when they have to wake up for school the next day.
Why is candy any different?
If kids had adult brains, they could forecast (predict the future and plan accordingly), delay their gratification, and control their impulses. But kids are developing these skills and they take time. In the meantime, they need the adults in their lives to help them.
How to Handle Halloween Candy in Helpful Ways
Here are some positive ways to navigate Halloween candy this year, emphasizing the fun experience of Halloween and the enjoyment of eating candy:
Let your child enjoy the holiday
Halloween is a favorite holiday for kids. It only comes once a year and many kids look forward to dressing up, going out at dark, and gathering their own stash of candy. One day of indulgence (excess sugar) won’t ruin a child’s health or nutrition. Your child will make memories. Let them be good ones.
Tip: Don’t interfere, nag, or admonish your child for liking candy, wanting a lot of it, or being excited about it.
Know your child’s tendencies around food, and support them accordingly
As I hinted, some kids are drawn to candy, more than others. These children may have experienced restricted availability in the past and feelings of deprivation, so having unrestrained access, like on Halloween night, may spur overeating.
Other kids may be food-responsive, a term that describes a heightened interest in food. Food is top of mind for these kids. They are alert and reactive to food and vulnerable to food-abundant environments, often overindulging.
Other children are disinterested in candy, or fill up fast, limiting their eating.
Tip: Be discerning about the advice you hear for navigating candy and sweets; it may not be a good fit for your child. Your child may need a different approach, like more predictability around candy if it’s been scarce in the past, or more structured access to it if they happen to be more responsive to sweets.
Feed your child before heading out
Some parents think it’s a good idea to skip a meal because their child will be getting so much candy (and calories). But this isn’t a good idea. Feed your child a meal of nutritious foods or a hefty snack at snack time before heading out for the night. A child still needs healthy meals, even if it is a holiday.
Tip: Treat Halloween like a regular night of the week, meal-wise.
Encourage your child to explore and sort candy at the end of the night
If you have a child with food allergies, you’ll want to sort their candy stash with them and remove the food allergens to which they are allergic, like whole nuts or other types of candy with nuts. For younger kids, separate choking hazards, like hard candies, from the pile. You’ll also want to discard damaged or opened packages. Doing this is an exercise in safety.
Encourage children to play with their candy, sorting it by color, by type (chocolate, gummy, colors, etc), or by preference (sugary foods they like versus candy they don’t like). This experience teaches kids the importance of discretion in making food choices. We want kids to understand their preferences and we want them to use discernment, too.
Tip: Encourage kids to eat the candy that matters the most to them. Remember, Halloween offers a learning opportunity to understand personal preferences, food allergens, and food safety. Rather than quickly tucking candy away and treating it like it’s taboo, lean into the educational opportunity.
Make a plan for eating candy after Halloween
Parents who don’t have a plan for candy will feel like it (and their children) have taken over. Some families work a couple of pieces of candy into the daily routine, whether it’s part of snack time or included in the lunch box. Collaborate with older children about ‘when to eat candy’ so they are part of the plan. They’ll be more likely to follow it.
Tip: Have a predictable plan for candy and when kids can have it. If candy is unpredictable or feels restricted, kids may be more likely to badger you, or worse, sneak it.
Have an exit strategy
Food spoils if it’s around too long. But not candy! Make a decision about how long you want candy around, how much exposure your child needs to feel satisfied, and when it feels right for everyone to move on. This will be different for each family. Some kids simply stop asking for candy and others need a gradual reduction in access.
At the end of the day, many children need their parents to have a plan that incorporates some guardrails around candy. If you’re a family that has a balance with candy that feels right, kudos! That’s the goal.
But if you’re like a lot of parents who feel stuck every time Halloween rolls around, try a few of these tips and see what happens!
Jill Castle, MS, RD
I like empowering parents to help their children and teens thrive at every size with realistic advice centered on healthful habits around food, feeding, nutrition and health behaviors. As a pediatric dietitian and author, my goal is to share strategies and realistic advice to help you raise a healthy and happy child through my articles and podcast.
Jill Castle, MS, RD
I like empowering parents to help their children and teens thrive at every size with realistic advice centered on healthful habits around food, feeding, nutrition and health behaviors. As a pediatric dietitian and author, my goal is to share strategies and realistic advice to help you raise a healthy and happy child through my articles and podcast.