Each year when hordes of ghouls, goblins and princesses trudge home lugging pumpkin-shaped baskets stuffed with sweet treats of every stripe, parents are left with the same age-old problem:
What to do with all that candy?
Better yet, how do you stop a gaggle of youngsters from gorging themselves on lollipops and candy bars?
Luckily, experts have some advice on how to handle the Halloween candy rush.
First, make sure the little ones eat a nutritious meal before they hit the trick-or-treat trail.
While it might make sense to give your kids a candy quota, some experts now suggest that families allow kids to let loose for a short time, lest the restriction cause them to overvalue sweet treats.
With the high-calorie count of most candies, it’s also a good idea to cut out other sweetened foods or drinks, like soda or juice. And of course, sneaking in a little extra playtime or exercise into your child’s day can also help work off some of that sugar.
Worried about safety? Experts advise parents to stick to candies in sealed wrappers and toss any homemade snacks or fruit that winds up in a child’s goodie bag.
And you can’t talk candy without wondering how all that excess sugar will affect kids’ teeth. To keep them cavity-free, dentists say it’s best to let kids munch on sweet snacks during meals when they are eating other foods and drinking water. Eating candy alone exposes their teeth to more of the acids that cause cavities.
This may be hard to swallow, but adults are the best model, so try to be on your best behavior around the candy bowl.
Don’t let this all spook you. All it takes is a few simple tweaks for kids to have their candy… and eat it too.