Your Guide to a Heart Healthy Halloween

For most, Halloween is a night filled with two things: scary movies and sugar! While a night spent watching movies can do a whole lot of good for your mind and soul, with sugar it’s a whole other story.

Whether you’re trick-or-treating with the kids, handing out candy at the house or enjoying a night of spook-tacular revelry with family and friends, here are some ways you can have a heart healthy Halloween.

Trick-or-Treating

• Fill Up First: Prior to hitting the streets to snag some candy with the kids, prepare a healthy and hearty meal filled with veggies, lean protein and whole-grain carbs. This ensures that you and your kiddos get the nutrients they need before they indulge in sugary treats.
• Skip the Golf Cart: One of the more recent trends in trick-or-treating is for parents to follow along with their children on golf carts or in their car. Use Halloween night to get your steps in by walking (or running!) alongside your kids. 
• Use a Smaller Bag: It’s no secret that a lot of Halloween candy goes uneaten. Choose to waste less and moderate your kid’s candy intake by selecting a smaller container, rather than a monster bag, for their candy-collecting adventures.

At-Home Warriors

• Be Selective: Rather than letting your Halloween candy bucket become a free-for-all, hand out just one-two pieces of candy per child. This is good for both their health and your wallet – win, win!
• Don’t Be Afraid of Healthy Snacks: Change it up this year by handing out healthy treats, like pretzels and apples, or non-edible items, like plastic spider rings and themed coloring books. 
• Prepare for the Aftermath: If you have children that were out at a party or trick-or-treating with friends or other family members, stock the house up with water, fruits and veggies, and other good-for-you items for the kids to have before bed.

Partygoers (and Havers!)

For those that are going to and having a Halloween party, it’s a little bit easier to control your sugar intake. 

• Opt for low-sugar adult and non-adult beverages. 
• Choose to eat and have the lighter snacks, like veggies and meat. For example, when having a bite of your friend’s renowned dip, use carrot sticks and celery instead of crackers.
• If you’re choosing to have sugary drinks, have a water between each drink to help your body filter out all of the sugar.

As you can see, there are many ways to Eat Smart during Halloween! Stick to these tips and your heart will thank you in the long run.