Monday, October 28, 2013

Halloween Doesn't = Candy!


Halloween is one of my all time favorite Holidays - but funny thing is - I HATE candy.  Seriously - I've never liked candy....now ice cream?  Thats a different story :-)

Many people I work with have what I call 'Cyclical Holiday Syndrome'.  What does this mean?  Well let me give you an example:


  • "Well its Halloween and I have to eat candy - so I will get through this week and start my healthy eating next week"
  • "Thanksgiving is in a few weeks so I might as well just wait to start my healthy eating until then right?"
WRONG!

Because then there is Christmas, Chanukah, New Years, Valentines, Easter.....the list goes on and on!  There will ALWAYS be something on the horizon where celebration and food is involved....but do you HAVE to give in?  

Nope.

What you CAN do?  Change the way you and your family THINK about the Holidays by creating new and memorable traditions!

Some of my favorite memories of Halloween were visiting fun Haunted Houses with my friends and family, going on hayrides with hot apple cider, costume contests, fun family Halloween movies and Fall themed events like Pumpkin Patch parties and picking up leaves for craft/art projects.

Do any of those things involve food?  NO!  How about trying a few of them this season and skip the candy corn?

Some great ideas?

  • Be the Change!  Hand out non-candy trick or treats like Granola Bites or Fruit Leather or even 100 calorie pack pretzels or popcorn!  
  • Research family-friendly or even super spooky haunted houses in your area!  Some cities even do Haunted Tours of the cities most Haunted areas!
  • Research Hayrides (even Haunted Hayrides!) in your area for the whole family - or Pumpkin Patches for the little ones!
  • Hold a Pumpkin Carving Contest for your family or friends with the winner getting something non-food related like: "winner doesnt have to do laundry for a week" etc.
  • Make baked apples in the oven stuffed with lowfat granola and topped with cinnamon for a healthy Fall treat!
  • Rent scary movies or family friendly Halloween movies and make 100 calorie popcorn sprinkled with low fat cheddar sprinkle for a Halloween orange themed treat!
  • Take the family on a nature walk and gather colored leaves for an art project with the kids!
  • Host a 'healthy Fall Chili Cookoff' - all chili has to be made with extra lean ground beef or extra lean ground turkey and has to be healthy to be entered!  How fun!
  • Host a costume party and serve delicious clean treats like pumpkin oatmeal cookies made with oats/egg whites/pumpkin/stevia/cinnamon and peanut butter!  Veggie trays, fresh fruit, build your own healthy soft taco bar - the healthy food party table has endless possibilities!
Still think you need that candy?  Read up!

Top WORST Halloween Candy on the Market!

Candy Corn (AKA: Sugar and Artificial Triangles)
1 oz (Only 19 pieces!!)
140 cals
35g SUGAR!!!  (Enough to fuel your entire days intake in only 19 tiny pieces)

Twizzlers:
4 pieces
150 cals
21g sugar!! (Remember our bodies only process 30-35g per day from any and all sugar sources including fruit!)

'Fun Size' Candy Bars (AKA: High Fructose Corn Syrup Wax Straws)
1 piece
80-100 calories (for that tiny piece!)
4g fat
10g sugar (Have 3 and you have hit your sugar allowance for the day - not including the other foods you have ingested throughout the day!)

Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin (AKA: Calorie Bomb)
1 Pumpkin
180 calories!
11g fat (almost ALL is saturated for this tiny treat)
18g sugar!!

NO THANKS!

Be GOOD to your body this year on Halloween - steer clear of the candy and plan some FUN with your friends or family in a different way!

In Health,
Nutritionista